CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY Civic Center Ref Desk R 910. 3 CIA The CIA world fact book 31111028118816 S/rf IHb WORLD FACTBOOK 2008 CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY Skyhorse Publishing ■ f j, j f f . • . \ » 1 L. > '"**••* ; j yy ‘ 1 t V ) I MC \ r , - * I . 1 • i ■ h ; i j I ij ! i h n i\ *rJ |. C ! ' ! • >t SW-t* •># ^ - * ^ ' 41 v ( rs .'s' ''•**** ' f , j ‘ | s i < i, | b ! ; I MW $«,■ V' V-: " ri1". _ hi The World Factbook is prepared by the Central Intelligence Agency for the use of US Government officials, and the style, format, coverage, and content are designed to meet their specific requirements. Information is provided by Antarctic Information Program (National Science Foundation), Armed Forces Medical Intelligence Center (Department of Defense), Bureau of the Census (Department of Commerce), Bureau of Labor Statistics (Department of Labor), Central Intelligence Agency, Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs, Defense Intelligence Agency (Department of Defense), Department of Energy, Department of State, Fish and Wildlife Service (Department of the Interior), Maritime Administration (Department of Transportation), National Geospatial- Intelligence Agency (Department of Defense), Naval Facilities Engineering Command (Department of Defense), Office of Insular Affairs (Department of the Interior), Office of Naval Intelligence (Department of Defense), US Board on Geographic Names (Department of the Interior), US Transportation Command (Department of Defense), Oil & Gas journal, and other public and private sources. The Factbook is in the public domain. Accordingly, it may be copied freely without permission of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). The official seal of the CIA, however, may NOT be copied without permission as required by the CIA Act of 1949 (50 U.S.C. section 403m). Misuse of the official seal of the CIA could result in civil and criminal penalties. Comments and queries are welcome and may be addressed to: Central Intelligence Agency Attn.: Office of Public Affairs Washington, DC 20505 Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM Eastern Standard Time Telephone: [1] (703) 482-0623 FAX: [1] (703) 482-1739 vii Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2018 with funding from Kahle/Austin Foundation https://archive.org/details/ciaworldfactbookOOcent A BRIEF HISTORY OF BASIC INTELLIGENCE AND THE WORLD FACTBOOK The Intelligence Cycle is the process by which information is acquired, converted into intelligence, and made available to policymakers. Information is raw data from any source, data that may be fragmentary, contradictory, unreliable, ambiguous, deceptive, or wrong. Intelligence is information that has been collected, integrated, evaluated, analyzed, and interpreted. Finished intelligence is the final product of the Intelligence Cycle ready to be delivered to the policymaker. The three types of finished intelligence are: basic, current, and estimative. Basic intelligence provides the fundamental and factual reference material on a country or issue. Current intelligence reports on new developments. Estimative intelligence judges probable outcomes. The three are mutually supportive: basic intelligence is the foundation on which the other two are constructed; current intelligence continually updates the inventory of knowledge; and estimative intelligence revises overall interpretations of country and issue prospects for guidance of basic and current intelligence. The World Factbook, The President’s Daily Brief, and the National Intelligence Estimates are exam- pies of the three types of finished intelligence. The United States has carried on foreign intelli¬ gence activities since the days of George Washington but only since World War II have they been coordi¬ nated on a government-wide basis. Three programs have highlighted the development of coordinated basic intelligence since that time: (1 ) the Joint Army Navy Intelligence Studies (JANIS), (2 ) the National Intelligence Survey (NIS), and (3) The World Factbook. During World War II, intelligence consumers real¬ ized that the production of basic intelligence by dif¬ ferent components of the US Government resulted in a great duplication of effort and conflicting information. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 brought home to leaders in Congress and the executive branch the need for integrating departmental reports to national policymakers. Detailed and coordinated infor¬ mation was needed not only on such major powers as Germany and Japan, but also on places of little previous interest. In the Pacific Theater, for example, the Navy and Marines had to launch amphibious operations against many islands about which information was unconfirmed or nonexistent. Intelligence authorities resolved that the United States should never again be caught unprepared. In 1943, Gen. George B. Strong (G-2), Adm. H. C. Train (Office of Naval Intelligence — ONI), and Gen. William J. Donovan (Director of the Office of Strategic Services — OSS) decided that a joint effort should be initiated. A steering committee was appointed on 27 April 1943 that recommended the for¬ mation of a Joint Intelligence Study Publishing Board to assemble, edit, coordinate, and publish the Joint Army Navy Intelligence Studies (JANIS). JANIS was the first interdepartmental basic intelligence program to fulfill the needs of the US Government for an authori¬ tative and coordinated appraisal of strategic basic intel¬ ligence. Between April 1943 and July 1947, the board published 34 JANIS studies. JANIS performed well in the war effort, and numerous letters of commendation were received, including a statement from Adm. Forrest Sherman, Chief of Staff, Pacific Ocean Areas, which said, “JANIS has become the indispensable reference work for the shore-based planners.” The need for more comprehensive basic intelli¬ gence in the postwar world was well expressed in 1946 by George S. Pettee, a noted author on national secu¬ rity. He wrote in The Future of American Secret Intelligence (Infantry Journal Press, 1946, page 46) that world leadership in peace requires even more elaborate intelligence than in war. “The conduct of peace involves all countries, all human activities — not just the enemy and his war production.” The Central Intelligence Agency was established on 26 July 1947 and officially began operating on 18 September 1947. Effective 1 October 1947, the Director of Central Intelligence assumed operational responsibility for JANIS. On 13 January 1948, the National Security Council issued Intelligence Directive (NSCID) No. 3, which authorized the National Intelligence Survey (NIS) program as a peacetime replacement for the wartime JANIS program. Before adequate NIS country sections could be produced, gov¬ ernment agencies had to develop more comprehensive gazetteers and better maps. The US Board on Geographic Names (BGN) compiled the names; the Department of the Interior produced the gazetteers; and CIA produced the maps. The Hoover Commission’s Clark Committee, set up in 1954 to study the structure and administration of the CIA, reported to Congress in 1955 that: “The National Intelligence Survey is an invaluable publica¬ tion which provides the essential elements of basic intelligence on all areas of the world. There will always be a continuing requirement for keeping the Survey up- ix THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK to'date.” The Factbook was created as an annual sum' mary and update to the encyclopedic NIS studies. The first classified Factbook was published in August 1962, and the first unclassified version was published in June 1971. The NIS program was terminated in 1973 except for the Factbook, map, and gazetteer components. The 1975 Factbook was the first to be made available to the public with sales through the US Government Printing Office (GPO). The Factbook was first made available on the Internet in June 1997. The year 2007 marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the Central Intelligence Agency and the 64th year of continuous basic intelligence support to the US Government by The World Factbook and its two predecessor programs. X NOTES AND DEFINITIONS Abbreviations This information is included in Appendix A: Abbreviations, which includes all abbreviations and acronyms used in the Factbook, with their expansions. Acronyms An acronym is an abbreviation coined from the initial letter of each successive word in a term or phrase. In general, an acronym made up solely from the first letter of the major words in the expanded form is rendered in all capital letters (NATO from North Atlantic Treaty Organization; an exception would be ASEAN for Association of Southeast Asian Nations). In general, an acronym made up of more than the first letter of the major words in the expanded form is rendered with only an initial capital letter (Comsat from Communications Satellite Corporation; an exception would be NAM from Nonaligned Movement). Hybrid forms are sometimes used to distinguish between initially identical terms (ICC for International Chamber of Commerce and ICCt for International Criminal Court). Administrative divisions This entry generally gives the numbers, designatory terms, and first-order administra¬ tive divisions as approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN). Changes that have been reported but not yet acted on by the BGN are noted. Age structure This entry provides the distribution of the population according to age. Information is included by sex and age group (0-14 years, 15-64 years, 65 years and over). The age structure of a population affects a nation’s key socioeconomic issues. Countries with young populations (high percentage under age 15) need to invest more in schools, while countries with older populations (high percentage ages 65 and over) need to invest more in the health sector. The age structure can also be used to help predict potential political issues. For example, the rapid growth of a young adult population unable to find employment can lead to unrest. Agriculture — products This entry is an ordered listing of major crops and products starting with the most important. Airports This entry gives the total number of airports or airfields recognizable from the air. The runway(s) may be paved (concrete or asphalt surfaces) or unpaved (grass, earth, sand, or gravel surfaces) but may include closed or abandoned installations. Airports or airfields that are no longer recognizable (overgrown, no facili¬ ties, etc.) are not included. Note that not all airports have accommodations for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control. Airports — with paved runways This entry gives the total number of airports with paved runways (concrete or asphalt surfaces) by length. For airports with more than one runway, only the longest runway is included according to the following five groups — (1) over 3,047 m, (2) 2,438 to 3,047 m, (3) 1,524 to 2,437 m, (4) 914 to 1,523 m, and (5) under 914 m. Only airports with usable runways are included in this listing. Not all air¬ ports have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control. Airports — with unpaved runways This entry gives the total number of airports with unpaved runways (grass, dirt, sand, or gravel surfaces) by length. For airports with more than one runway, only the longest runway is included according to the following five groups — (1) over 3,047 m, (2) 2,438 to 3,047 m, (3) 1,524 to 2,437 m, (4) 914 to 1,523 m, and (5) under 914 m. Only air¬ ports with usable runways are included in this listing. Not all airports have facilities for refueling, mainte¬ nance, or air traffic control. Appendixes This section includes Factbook-related material by topic. Area This entry includes three subfields. Total area is the sum of all land and water areas delimited by inter¬ national boundaries and/or coastlines, hand area is the aggregate of all surfaces delimited by international boundaries and/or coastlines, excluding inland water bodies (lakes, reservoirs, rivers). Water area is the sum of the surfaces of all inland water bodies, such as lakes, reservoirs, or rivers, as delimited by international boundaries and/or coastlines. Area — comparative This entry provides an area com¬ parison based on total area equivalents. Most entities are compared with the entire US or one of the 50 states based on area measurements (1990 revised) provided by the US Bureau of the Census. The smaller entities are compared with Washington, DC (178 sq km, 69 sq mi) or The Mall in Washington, DC (0.59 sq km, 0.23 sq mi, 146 acres). Background This entry usually highlights major his¬ toric events and current issues and may include a state¬ ment about one or two key future trends. Birth rate This entry gives the average annual number of births during a year per 1,000 persons in the popula¬ tion at midyear; also known as crude birth rate. The birth rate is usually the dominant factor in determining the rate of population growth. It depends on both the level of fertility and the age structure of the population. Budget This entry includes revenues, expenditures, and capital expenditures. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms. Capital This entry gives the name of the seat of govern¬ ment, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones. Climate This entry includes a brief description of typ¬ ical weather regimes throughout the year. xi THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK fc Coastline This entry gives the total length of the boundary between the land area (including islands) and the sea. Communications This category deals with the means of exchanging information and includes the telephone, radio, television, and Internet host entries. Communications — note This entry includes miscella- neous communications information of significance not included elsewhere. Constitution This entry includes the dates of adoption, revisions, and major amendments. Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) UTC is the international atomic time scale that serves as the basis of timekeeping for most of the world. The hours, min¬ utes, and seconds expressed by UTC represent the time of day at the Prime Meridian (0° longitude) located near Greenwich, England as reckoned from midnight. UTC is calculated by the Bureau International des Poids et Measures (BIPM) in Sevres, France. The BIPM averages data collected from more than 200 atomic time and frequency standards located at about 50 labo¬ ratories worldwide. UTC is the basis for all civil time with the Earth divided into time zones expressed as pos¬ itive or negative differences from UTC. UTC is also referred to as “Zulu time.” See the Standard Time Zones of the World map included with the Reference Maps. Country data codes see Data codes. Country map Most versions of the Factbook provide a country map in color. The maps were produced from the best information available at the time of preparation. Names and/or boundaries may have changed subsequently. Country name This entry includes all forms of the country’s name approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (Italy is used as an example): con¬ ventional long form (Italian Republic), conventional short form (Italy), local long form (Repubblica Italiana), local short form (Italia), former (Kingdom of Italy), as well as the abbreviation. Also see the Terminology note. Crude oil See entry for oil. Currency (code) This entry identifies the national medium of exchange and, in parenthesis, gives the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 4217 alphabetic currency code for each country. Current account balance This entry records a country’s net trade in goods and services, plus net earnings from rents, interest, profits, and dividends, and net transfer payments (such as pension funds and worker remit¬ tances) to and from the rest of the world during the period specified. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms. Data codes This information is presented in Appendix D: Cross-Reference List of Country Data Codes and Appendix E: Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic Data Codes. Date of information In general, information available as of 1 January 2007 was used in the preparation of this edition. Daylight Saving Time (DST) This entry is included for those entities that have adopted a policy of adjusting the official local time forward, usually one hour, from Standard Time during summer months. Such policies are most common in mid-latitude regions. Death rate This entry gives the average annual number of deaths during a year per 1,000 population at midyear; also known as crude death rate. The death rate, while only a rough indicator of the mortality situation in a country, accurately indicates the current mortality impact on population growth. This indicator is signifi¬ cantly affected by age distribution, and most countries will eventually show a rise in the overall death rate, in spite of continued decline in mortality at all ages, as declining fertility results in an aging population. Debt — external This entry gives the total public and private debt owed to nonresidents repayable in foreign currency, goods, or services. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms. Dependency status This entry describes the formal relationship between a particular nonindependent entity and an independent state. Dependent areas This entry contains an alphabetical listing of all nonindependent entities associated in some way with a particular independent state. Diplomatic representation The US Government has diplomatic relations with 188 independent states, including 187 of the 192 UN members (excluded UN members are Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and the US itself). In addition, the US has diplomatic relations with 1 independent state that is not in the UN, the Holy See, as well as with the EU. Diplomatic representation from the US This entry includes the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing address, telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations, consulate general locations, and consulate locations. Diplomatic representation in the US This entry in¬ cludes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations. Disputes — international This entry includes a wide variety of situations that range from traditional bilateral boundary disputes to unilateral claims of one sort or another. Information regarding disputes over interna¬ tional terrestrial and maritime boundaries has been reviewed by the US Department of State. References to other situations involving borders or frontiers may also be included, such as resource disputes, geopolitical questions, or irredentist issues; however, inclusion does not necessarily constitute official acceptance or recog¬ nition by the US Government. Distribution of family income — Gini index This index measures the degree of inequality in the distribution of family income in a country. The index is calculated from the Lorenz curve, in which cumulative family income is plotted against the number of families arranged from the poorest to the richest. The index is the ratio of (a) the area between a country’s Lorenz xii NOTES AND DEFINITIONS curve and the 45 degree helping line to (b) the entire triangular area under the 45 degree line. The more nearly equal a country’s income distribution, the closer its Lorenz curve to the 45 degree line and the lower its Gini index, e.g., a Scandinavian country with an index of 25. The more unequal a country’s income distribu¬ tion, the farther its Lorenz curve from the 45 degree line and the higher its Gini index, e.g., a Sub-Saharan country with an index of 50. If income were distributed with perfect equality, the Lorenz curve would coincide with the 45 degree line and the index would be zero; if income were distributed with perfect inequality, the Lorenz curve would coincide with the horizontal axis and the right vertical axis and the index would be 100. Economic aid — donor This entry refers to net official development assistance (ODA) from Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) nations to developing countries and multilateral organ¬ izations. ODA is defined as financial assistance that is concessional in character, has the main objective to promote economic development and welfare of the less developed countries (LDCs), and contains a grant ele¬ ment of at least 25%. The entry does not cover other official flows (OOF) or private flows. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in pur¬ chasing power parity (PPP) terms. Economic aid — recipient This entry, which is subject to major problems of definition and statistical coverage, refers to the net inflow of Official Development Finance (ODF) to recipient countries. The figure includes assistance from the World Bank, the IMF, and other international organizations and from individual nation donors. Formal commitments of aid are included in the data. Omitted from the data are grants by private organizations. Aid comes in various forms including outright grants and loans. The entry thus is the differ¬ ence between new inflows and repayments. These fig¬ ures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms. Economy This category includes the entries dealing with the size, development, and management of pro¬ ductive resources, i.e., land, labor, and capital. Economy — overview This entry briefly describes the type of economy, including the degree of market orien¬ tation, the level of economic development, the most important natural resources, and the unique areas of specialization. It also characterizes major economic events and policy changes in the most recent 12 months and may include a statement about one or two key future macroeconomic trends. Electricity — consumption This entry consists of total electricity generated annually plus imports and minus exports, expressed in kilowatt-hours. The discrepancy between the amount of electricity generated and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is accounted for as loss in transmission and distribution. Electricity — exports This entry is the total exported electricity in kilowatt-hours. Electricity — imports This entry is the total imported electricity in kilowatt-hours. Electricity — production This entry is the annual elec¬ tricity generated expressed in kilowatt-hours. The dis¬ crepancy between the amount of electricity generated and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is accounted for as loss in transmission and distribution. Elevation extremes This entry includes both the highest point and the lowest point. Entities Some of the independent states, dependencies, areas of special sovereignty, and governments included in this publication are not independent, and others are not officially recognized by the US Government. “Independent state” refers to a people politically organ¬ ized into a sovereign state with a definite territory. “Dependencies” and “areas of special sovereignty” refer to a broad category of political entities that are associ¬ ated in some way with an independent state. “Country” names used in the table of contents or for page headings are usually the short-form names as approved by the US Board on Geographic Names and may include inde¬ pendent states, dependencies, and areas of special sov¬ ereignty, or other geographic entities. There are a total of 268 separate geographic entities in The World Factbook that may be categorized as follows: INDEPENDENT STATES 193 Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, xiii THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe OTHER 2 Taiwan, European Union DEPENDENCIES AND AREAS OF SPECIAL SOVEREIGNTY 6 Australia — Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Norfolk Island 2 China — Hong Kong, Macau 2 Denmark — Faroe Islands, Greenland 12 France — Bassas da India*, Clipperton Island, Europa Island*, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Glorioso Islands*, Juan de Nova Island*, Mayotte, New Caledonia, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Tromelin Island*, Wallis and Futuna (* con- solidated in lies Eparses entry) 2 Netherlands — Aruba, Netherlands Antilles 3 New Zealand — Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau 3 Norway — Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard 17 UK — Akrotiri, Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dhekelia, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey, Isle of Man, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands 14 US — American Samoa, Baker Island*, Guam, Howland Island*, Jarvis Island*, Johnston Atoll*, Kingman Reef*, Midway Islands*, Navassa Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll*, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Wake Island (* consolidated in United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges entry) MISCELLANEOUS 6 Antarctica, Gaza Strip, Paracel Islands, Spratly Islands, West Bank, Western Sahara OTHER ENTITIES 5 oceans — Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Southern Ocean 1 World 268 total Environment — current issues This entry lists the most pressing and important environmental problems. The following terms and abbreviations are used throughout the entry: Acidification — the lowering of soil and water pH due to acid precipitation and deposition usually through precipitation; this process disrupts ecosystem nutrient flows and may kill freshwater fish and plants dependent on more neutral or alkaline conditions (see acid rain). Acid rain — characterized as containing harmful levels of sulfur dioxide or nitrogen oxide; acid rain is dam- aging and potentially deadly to the earth’s fragile ecosystems; acidity is measured using the pH scale where 7 is neutral, values greater than 7 are considered alkaline, and values below 5.6 are considered acid pre- cipitation; note — a pH of 2.4 (the acidity of vinegar) has been measured in rainfall in New England. Aerosol — a collection of airborne particles dispersed in a gas, smoke, or fog. Afforestation — converting a bare or agricultural space by planting trees and plants; reforestation involves replanting trees on areas that have been cut or destroyed by fire. Asbestos — a naturally occurring soft fibrous mineral commonly used in fireproofing materials and consid¬ ered to be highly carcinogenic in particulate form. Biodiversity — also biological diversity; the relative number of species, diverse in fonn and function, at the genetic, organism, community, and ecosystem level; loss of biodiversity reduces an ecosystem’s ability to recover from natural or man-induced disruption. Biodndicators — a plant or animal species whose pres¬ ence, abundance, and health reveal the general con¬ dition of its habitat. Biomass — the total weight or volume of living matter in a given area or volume. Carbon cycle — the term used to describe the exchange of carbon (in various forms, e.g., as carbon dioxide) between the atmosphere, ocean, terrestrial biosphere, and geological deposits. Catchments — assemblages used to capture and retain rainwater and runoff; an important water manage¬ ment technique in areas with limited freshwater resources, such as Gibraltar. DDT (dichloro'diphenyl'trichloro'ethane) — a colorless, odorless insecticide that has toxic effects on most ani¬ mals; the use of DDT was banned in the US in 1972. Defoliants — chemicals which cause plants to lose their leaves artificially; often used in agricultural practices for weed control, and may have detrimental impacts on human and ecosystem health. Deforestation — the destruction of vast areas of forest (e.g., unsustainable forestry practices, agricultural and range land clearing, and the over exploitation of wood products for use as fuel) without planting new growth. Desertification — the spread of desert-like conditions in arid or semi-arid areas, due to overgrazing, loss of agriculturally productive soils, or climate change. Dredging — the practice of deepening an existing waterway; also, a technique used for collecting bottom-dwelling marine organisms (e.g., shellfish) or harvesting coral, often causing significant destruc¬ tion of reef and ocean-floor ecosystems. Driftmet fishing — done with a net, miles in extent, that is generally anchored to a boat and left to float with the tide; often results in an over harvesting and waste of large populations of non-commercial marine xiv NOTES AND DEFINITIONS species (by-catch) by its effect of “sweeping the ocean clean.” Ecosystems — ecological units comprised of complex com¬ munities of organisms and their specific environments. Effluents — waste materials, such as smoke, sewage, or industrial waste which are released into the environ¬ ment, subsequently polluting it. Endangered species — a species that is threatened with extinction either by direct hunting or habitat destruction. Freshwater — water with very low soluble mineral content; sources include lakes, streams, rivers, gla¬ ciers, and underground aquifers. Greenhouse gas — a gas that “traps” infrared radiation in the lower atmosphere causing surface warming; water vapor, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane, hydrofluorocarbons, and ozone are the primary greenhouse gases in the Earth’s atmosphere. Groundwater — water sources found below the surface of the earth often in naturally occurring reservoirs in permeable rock strata; the source for wells and nat¬ ural springs. Highlands Water Project — a series of dams constructed jointly by Lesotho and South Africa to redirect Lesotho’s abundant water supply into a rapidly growing area in South Africa; while it is the largest infrastruc¬ ture project in southern Africa, it is also the most costly and controversial; objections to the project include claims that it forces people from their homes, sub¬ merges farmlands, and squanders economic resources. Inuit Circumpolar Conference (ICC) — represents the 145,000 Inuits of Russia, Alaska, Canada, and Greenland in international environmental issues; a General Assembly convenes every three years to determine the focus of the ICC; the most current concerns are long-range transport of pollutants, sus¬ tainable development, and climate change. Metallurgical plants — industries which specialize in the science, technology, and processing of metals; these plants produce highly concentrated and toxic wastes which can contribute to pollution of ground water and air when not properly disposed. Noxious substances — injurious, very harmful to living beings. Overgrazing — the grazing of animals on plant mate¬ rial faster than it can naturally regrow leading to the permanent loss of plant cover, a common effect of too many animals grazing limited range land. Ozone shield — a layer of the atmosphere composed of ozone gas (03) that resides approximately 25 miles above the Earth’s surface and absorbs solar ultraviolet radiation that can be harmful to living organisms. Poaching — the illegal killing of animals or fish, a great concern with respect to endangered or threatened species. Pollution — the contamination of a healthy environ¬ ment by man-made waste. Potable water — water that is drinkable, safe to be consumed. Salination — the process through which fresh (drink¬ able) water becomes salt (undrinkable) water; hence, desalination is the reverse process; also involves the accumulation of salts in topsoil caused by evapora¬ tion of excessive irrigation water, a process that can eventually render soil incapable of supporting crops. Siltation — occurs when water channels and reservoirs become clotted with silt and mud, a side effect of deforestation and soil erosion. Slash-and-burn agriculture — a rotating cultivation technique in which trees are cut down and burned in order to clear land for temporary agriculture; the land is used until its productivity declines at which point a new plot is selected and the process repeats; this practice is sustainable while population levels are low and time is permitted for regrowth of natural vegetation; conversely, where these conditions do not exist, the practice can have disastrous consequences for the environment. Soil degradation — damage to the land’s productive capacity because of poor agricultural practices such as the excessive use of pesticides or fertilizers, soil com¬ paction from heavy equipment, or erosion of topsoil, eventually resulting in reduced ability to produce agricultural products. Soil erosion — the removal of soil by the action of water or wind, compounded by poor agricultural practices, deforestation, overgrazing, and desertification. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation — a portion of the electro¬ magnetic energy emitted by the sun and naturally fil¬ tered in the upper atmosphere by the ozone layer; UV radiation can be harmful to living organisms and has been linked to increasing rates of skin cancer in humans. Water-born diseases — those in which bacteria survive in, and are transmitted through, water; always a serious threat in areas with an untreated water supply. Environment — international agreements This entry separates country participation in international envi¬ ronmental agreements into two levels — party to and signed, but not ratified. Agreements are listed in alpha¬ betical order by the abbreviated form of the full name. Environmental agreements This information is pre¬ sented in Appendix C: Selected International Environmental Agreements, which includes the name, abbreviation, date opened for signature, date entered into force, objective, and parties by category. Ethnic groups This entry provides an ordered listing of ethnic groups starting with the largest and normally includes the percent of total population. Exchange rates This entry provides the official value of a country’s monetary unit at a given date or over a given period of time, as expressed in units of local currency per US dollar and as determined by international market forces or official fiat. Executive branch This entry includes several subfields. Chief of state includes the name and title of the titular leader of the country who represents the state at official and ceremonial functions but may not be involved with the day-to-day activities of the government. Head of XV THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK % government includes the name and title of the top administrative leader who is designated to manage the day-to-day activities of the government. For example, in the UK, the monarch is the chief of state, and the prime minister is the head of government. In the US, the presi¬ dent is both the chief of state and the head of govern¬ ment. Cabinet includes the official name for this body of high-ranking advisers and the method for selection of members. Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote for each candidate in the last election. Exports This entry provides the total US dollar amount of merchandise exports on an f.o.b. (free on board) basis. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms. Exports — commodities This entry provides a rank ordering of exported products starting with the most important; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value. Exports — partners This entry provides a rank ordering of trading partners starting with the most important; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value. Fiscal year This entry identifies the beginning and ending months for a country’s accounting period of 1 2 months, which often is the calendar year but which may begin in any month. All yearly references are for the calendar year (CY) unless indicated as a noncal¬ endar fiscal year (FY). Flag description This entry provides a written flag description produced from actual flags or the best infor¬ mation available at the time the entry was written. The flags of independent states are used by their dependen¬ cies unless there is an officially recognized local flag. Some disputed and other areas do not have flags. Flag graphic Most versions of the Factbook include a color flag at the beginning of the country profile. The flag graphics were produced from actual flags or the best information available at the time of preparation. The flags of independent states are used by their dependen¬ cies unless there is an officially recognized local flag. Some disputed and other areas do not have flags. GDP (official exchange rate) This entry gives the gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. A nation’s GDP at offical exchange rates (OER) is the home-currency-denominated annual GDP figure divided by the bilateral average US exchange rate with that country in that year. The measure is simple to com¬ pute and gives a precise measure of the value of output. Many economists prefer this measure when gauging the economic power an economy maintains vis-a-vis its neighbors, judging that an exchange rate captures the purchasing power a nation enjoys in the international marketplace. Official exchange rates, however, can be artifically fixed and/or subject to manipulation — resulting in claims of the country having an under- or over-valued currency— and are not necessarily the equivalent of a market-determined exchange rate. Moreover, even if the official exchange rate is market- determined, market exchange rates are frequently established by a relatively small set of goods and serv¬ ices (the ones the country trades) and may not capture the value of the larger set of goods the country pro¬ duces. Furthermore, OER-converted GDP is not well suited to comparing domestic GDP over time, since appreciation/depreciation from one year to the next will make the OER GDP value rise/fall regardless of whether home-currency-denominated GDP changed. GDP (purchasing power parity) This entry gives the gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. A nation’s GDP at purchasing power parity (PPP) exchange rates is the sum value of all goods and services produced in the country valued at prices prevailing in the United States. This is the measure most economists prefer when looking at per-capita welfare and when comparing living conditions or use of resources across countries. The measure is difficult to compute, as a US dollar value has to be assigned to all goods and services in the country regardless of whether these goods and services have a direct equivalent in the United States (for example, the value of an ox-cart or non-US mili¬ tary equipment); as a result, PPP estimates for some countries are based on a small and sometimes different set of goods and services. In addition, many countries do not formally participate in the World Bank’s PPP project that calculates these measures, so the resulting GDP estimates for these countries may lack precision. For many developing countries, PPP-based GDP meas¬ ures are multiples of the official exchange rate (OER) measure. The difference between the OER- and PPP- denominated GDP values for most of the weathly industrialized countries are generally much smaller. GDP — composition by sector This entry gives the per¬ centage contribution of agriculture, industry, and serv¬ ices to total GDP. The distribution will total less than 100 percent if the data are incomplete. GDP — per capita (PPP) This entry shows GDP on a purchasing power parity basis divided by population as of 1 July for the same year. GDP — real growth rate This entry gives GDP growth on an annual basis adjusted for inflation and expressed as a percent. GDP methodology In the Economy category, GDP dollar estimates tor countries are reported both on an official exchange rate (OER) and a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis. Both measures contain information that is useful to the reader. The PPP method involves the use of standardized international dollar price weights, which are applied to the quantities of final goods and services produced in a given economy. The data derived from the PPP method probably provide the best available starting point for comparisons of eco¬ nomic strength and well-being between countries. In contrast, the currency exchange rate method involves a variety of international and domestic financial forces that may not capture the value of domestic output. xvi NOTES AND DEFINITIONS Furthermore, exchange rates may suddenly go up or down by 10% or more because of market forces or offi¬ cial fiat whereas real output has remained unchanged. On 12 January 1994, for example, the 14 countries of the African Financial Community (whose currencies are tied to the French franc) devalued their currencies by 50%. This move, of course, did not cut the real output of these countries by half. Whereas PPP esti¬ mates for OECD countries are quite reliable, PPP esti¬ mates for developing countries are often rough approximations. In developing countries with weak currencies, the exchange rate estimate of GDP in dol¬ lars is typically one-fourth to one-half the PPP esti¬ mate. Most of the GDP estimates for developing countries are based on extrapolation of PPP numbers published by the UN International Comparison Program (UNICP) and by Professors Robert Summers and Alan Fleston of the University of Pennsylvania and their colleagues. GDP derived using the OER method should be used for the purpose of calculating the share of items such as exports, imports, military expenditures, external debt, or the current account balance, because the dollar values presented in the Factbook for these items have been converted at official exchange rates, not at PPP. One should use the OER GDP figure to cal¬ culate the proportion of, say, Chinese defense expendi¬ tures in GDP, because that share will be the same as one calculated in local currency units. Comparison of OER GDP with PPP GDP may also indicate whether a cur¬ rency is over- or under-valued. If OER GDP is smaller than PPP GDP, the official exchange rate may be undervalued, and vice versa. However, there is no strong historical evidence that market exchange rates move in the direction implied by the PPP rate, at least not in the short- or medium-term. Note: the numbers for GDP and other economic data should not be chained together from successive volumes of the Factbook because of changes in the US dollar meas¬ uring rod, revisions of data by statistical agencies, use of new or different sources of information, and changes in national statistical methods and practices. GNP Gross national product (GNP) is the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year, plus income earned by its citizens abroad, minus income earned by foreigners from domestic pro¬ duction. The Factbook, following current practice, uses GDP rather than GNP to measure national production. However, the user must realize that in certain countries net remittances from citizens working abroad may be important to national well-being. GWP This entry gives the gross world product (GWP) or aggregate value of all final goods and services pro¬ duced worldwide in a given year. Geographic coordinates This entry includes rounded latitude and longitude figures for the purpose of finding the approximate geographic center of an entity and is based on the Gazetteer of Conventional Names, Third Edition, August 1988, US Board on Geographic Names and on other sources. Geographic names This information is presented in Appendix F: Cross-Reference List of Geographic Names. It includes a listing of various alternate names, former names, local names, and regional names refer¬ enced to one or more related Factbook entries. Spellings are normally, but not always, those approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN). Alternate names and additional information are included in parentheses. Geography This category includes the entries dealing with the natural environment and the effects of human activity. Geography — note This entry includes miscellaneous geographic information of significance not included elsewhere. Gini index See entry for Distribution of family income — Gini index Government This category includes the entries dealing with the system for the adoption and administration of public policy. Government — note This entry includes miscellaneous government information of significance not included elsewhere. Government type This entry gives the basic form of government. Definitions of the major governmental terms are as follows. (Note that for some countries more than one definition applies.): Absolute monarchy — a form of government where the monarch rules unhindered, i.e., without any laws, constitution, or legally organized oposition. Anarchy — a condition of lawlessness or political dis¬ order brought about by the absence of governmental authority. Authoritarian — a form of government in which state authority is imposed onto many aspects of citizens’ lives. Commonwealth — a nation, state, or other political entity founded on law and united by a compact of the people for the common good. Communist — a system of government in which the state plans and controls the economy and a single — often authoritarian — party holds power; state con¬ trols are imposed with the elimination of private ownership of property or capital while claiming to make progress toward a higher social order in which all goods are equally shared by the people (i.e., a classless society). Confederacy (Confederation) — a union by compact or treaty between states, provinces, or territories, that creates a central government with limited powers; the constituent entities retain supreme authority over all matters except those delegated to the central government. Constitutional — a government by or operating under an authoritative document (constitution) that sets forth the system of fundamental laws and principles that determines the nature, functions, and limits of that government. Constitutional democracy — a form of government in which the sovereign power of the people is spelled out in a governing constitution. xvii THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Constitutional monarchy — a system of government in which a monarch is guided by a constitution whereby his/her rights, duties, and responsibilities are spelled out in written law or by custom. Democracy — a form of government in which the supreme power is retained by the people, but which is usually exercised indirectly through a system of representation and delegated authority periodically renewed. Democratic republic — a state in which the supreme power rests in the body of citizens entitled to vote for officers and representatives responsible to them. Dictatorship — a form of government in which a ruler or small clique wield absolute power (not restricted by a constitution or laws). Ecclesiastical — a government administrated by a church. Emirate — similar to a monarchy or sultanate, but a government in which the supreme power is in the hands of an emir (the ruler of a Muslim state); the emir may be an absolute overlord or a sovereign with constitutionally limited authority. Federal (Federation) — a form of government in which sovereign power is formally divided — usually by means of a constitution — between a central authority and a number of constituent regions (states, colonies, or provinces) so that each region retains some management of its internal affairs; dif¬ fers from a confederacy in that the central govern¬ ment exerts influence directly upon both individuals as well as upon the regional units. Federal republic — a state in which the powers of the central government are restricted and in which the component parts (states, colonies, or provinces) retain a degree of self-government; ultimate sover¬ eign power rests with the voters who chose their gov¬ ernmental representatives. Islamic republic — a particular form of government adopted by some Muslim states; although such a state is, in theory, a theocracy, it remains a republic, but its laws are required to be compatible with the laws of Islam. Maoism — the theory and practice of Marxism- Leninism developed in China by Mao Zedong (Mao Tse-tung), which states that a continuous revolution is necessary if the leaders of a communist state are to keep in touch with the people. Marxism — the political, economic, and social princi¬ ples espoused by 19th century economist Karl Marx; he viewed the struggle of workers as a progression of historical forces that would proceed from a class struggle of the proletariat (workers) exploited by cap¬ italists (business owners), to a socialist “dictatorship of the proletariat,” to, finally, a classless society — Communism. M arxism-Leninism — an expanded form of commu¬ nism developed by Lenin from doctrines of Karl Marx; Lenin saw imperialism as the final stage of cap¬ italism and shifted the focus of workers’ struggle from developed to underdeveloped countries. Monarchy — a government in which the supreme power is lodged in the hands of a monarch who reigns over a state or territory, usually for life and by hereditary right; the monarch may be either a sole absolute ruler or a sovereign — such as a king, queen, or prince — with constitutionally limited authority. Oligarchy — a government in which control is exer¬ cised by a small group of individuals whose authority generally is based on wealth or power. Parliamentary democracy — a political system in which the legislature (parliament) selects the govern¬ ment — a prime minister, premier, or chancellor along with the cabinet ministers — according to party strength as expressed in elections; by this system, the government acquires a dual responsibility: to the people as well as to the parliament. Parliamentary government ( Cabinet-Parliamentary gov¬ ernment) — a government in which members of an executive branch (the cabinet and its leader — a prime minister, premier, or chancellor) are nomi¬ nated to their positions by a legislature or parliament, and are directly responsible to it; this type of govern¬ ment can be dissolved at will by the parliament (leg¬ islature) by means of a no confidence vote or the leader of the cabinet may dissolve the parliament if it can no longer function. Parliamentary monarchy — a state headed by a monarch who is not actively involved in policy fonnation or implementation (i.e., the exercise of sovereign powers by a monarch in a ceremonial capacity); true governmental leadership is carried out by a cabinet and its head — a prime minister, premier, or chan¬ cellor — who are drawn from a legislature (parliament). Presidential — a system of government where the exec¬ utive branch exists separately from a legislature (to which it is generally not accountable). Republic — a representative democracy in which the people’s elected deputies (representatives), not the people themselves, vote on legislation. Socialism — a government in which the means of planning, producing, and distributing goods is con¬ trolled by a central government that theoretically seeks a more just and equitable distribution of prop¬ erty and labor; in actuality, most socialist govern¬ ments have ended up being no more than dictatorships over workers by a ruling elite. Sultanate — similar to a monarchy, but a government in which the supreme power is in the hands of a sultan (the head of a Muslim state); the sultan may be an absolute ruler or a sovereign with constitution¬ ally limited authority. Theocracy — a form of government in which a Deity is recognized as the supreme civil ruler, but the Deity’s laws are interpreted by ecclesiastical authorities (bishops, mullahs, etc.); a government subject to reli¬ gious authority. Totalitarian — a government that seeks to subordinate the individual to the state by controlling not only all political and economic matters, but also the atti¬ tudes, values, and beliefs of its population. xviii NOTES AND DEFINITIONS Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) The mean solar time at the Greenwich Meridian, Greenwich, England, with the hours and days, since 1925, reckoned from midnight. GMT is now a historical term having been replaced by UTC on 1 January 1972. See Coordinated Universal Time. Gross domestic product see GDP Gross national product see GNP Gross world product see GWP HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate This entry gives an estimate of the percentage of adults (aged 15-49) living with HIV/AIDS. The adult prevalence rate is calcu- lated by dividing the estimated number of adults living with HIV/AIDS at yearend by the total adult popula- tion at yearend. HIV/AIDS— deaths This entry gives an estimate of the number of adults and children who died of AIDS during a given calendar year. H1V/A1DS — people living with HIV/AIDS This entry gives an estimate of all people (adults and chib dren) alive at yearend with HIV infection, whether or not they have developed symptoms of AIDS. Heliports This entry gives the total number of heliports with hard-surface runways, helipads, or landing areas that support routine sustained helicopter operations exclusively and have support facilities including one or more of the following facilities: lighting, fuel, passenger handling, or maintenance. It includes former airports used exclusively for helicopter operations but excludes heliports limited to day operations and natural clearings that could support helicopter landings and takeoffs. Household income or consumption by percentage share Data on household income or consumption come from household surveys, the results adjusted for house¬ hold size. Nations use different standards and proce¬ dures in collecting and adjusting the data. Surveys based on income will normally show a more unequal distribution than surveys based on consumption. The quality of surveys is improving with time, yet caution is still necessary in making inter-country comparisons. Hydrographic data codes see Data codes Illicit drugs This entry gives information on the five categories of illicit drugs — narcotics, stimulants, depres¬ sants (sedatives), hallucinogens, and cannabis. These categories include many drugs legally produced and pre¬ scribed by doctors as well as those illegally produced and sold outside of medical channels. Cannabis (Cannabis sativa) is the common hemp plant, which provides hallucinogens with some seda¬ tive properties, and includes marijuana (pot, Acapulco gold, grass, reefer), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, Marinol), hashish (hash), and hashish oil (hash oil). Coca (mostly Erythroxylum coca) is a bush with leaves that contain the stimulant used to make cocaine. Coca is not to be confused with cocoa, which comes from cacao seeds and is used in making chocolate, cocoa, and cocoa butter. Cocaine is a stimulant derived from the leaves of the coca bush. Depressants (sedatives) are drugs that reduce tension and anxiety and include chloral hydrate, barbiturates (Amytal, Nembutal, Seconal, phenobarbital), benzo¬ diazepines (Librium, Valium), methaqualone (Quaalude), glutethimide (Doriden), and others (Equanil, Placidyl, Valmid). Drugs are any chemical substances that effect a phys¬ ical, mental, emotional, or behavioral change in an individual. Drug abuse is the use of any licit or illicit chemical substance that results in physical, mental, emotional, or behavioral impairment in an individual. Hallucinogens are drugs that affect sensation, thinking, self-awareness, and emotion. Hallucino¬ gens include LSD (acid, microdot), mescaline and peyote (mexc, buttons, cactus), amphetamine vari¬ ants (PM A, STP, DOB), phencyclidine (PCP, angel dust, hog), phencyclidine analogues (PCE, PCPy, TCP), and others (psilocybin, psilocyn). Hashish is the resinous exudate of the cannabis or hemp plant (Cannabis sativa). Heroin is a semisynthetic derivative of morphine. M andrax is a trade name for methaqualone, a phar¬ maceutical depressant. Marijuana is the dried leaf of the cannabis or hemp plant (Cannabis sativa). Methaqualone is a pharmaceutical depressant, referred to as mandrax in Southwest Asia and Africa. Narcotics are drugs that relieve pain, often induce sleep, and refer to opium, opium derivatives, and syn¬ thetic substitutes. Natural narcotics include opium (paregoric, parepectolm), morphine (MS-Contin, Roxanol), codeine (Tylenol with codeine, Empirin with codeine, Robitussan AC), and thebaine. Semisynthetic narcotics include heroin (horse, smack), and hydromorphone (Dilaudid). Synthetic narcotics include meperidine or Pethidine (Demerol, Mepergan), methadone (Dolophine, Methadose), and others (Darvon, Lomotil). Opium is the brown, gummy exudate of the incised, unripe seedpod of the opium poppy. Opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) is the source for the natural and semisynthetic narcotics. Poppy straw is the entire cut and dried opium poppy- plant material, other than the seeds. Opium is extracted from poppy straw in commercial operations that produce the drug for medical use. Qat (kat, khat) is a stimulant from the buds or leaves of Catha edulis that is chewed or drunk as tea. Quaaludes is the North American slang term for methaqualone, a pharmaceutical depressant. Stimulants are drugs that relieve mild depression, increase energy and activity, and include cocaine (coke, snow, crack), amphetamines (Desoxyn, Dexedrine), ephedrine, ecstasy (clarity, essence, doctor, Adam), phenmetrazine (Preludin), methylphenidate (Ritalin), and others (Cylert, Sanorex, Tenuate). XIX THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Imports This entry provides the total US dollar amount of merchandise imports on a c.i.f. (cost, insurance, and freight) or f.o.b. (free on board) basis. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in pur- chasing power parity (PPP) terms. Imports — commodities This entry provides a rank ordering of imported products starting with the most important; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value. Imports — partners This entry provides a rank ordering of trading partners starting with the most important; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value. Independence For most countries, this entry gives the date that sovereignty was achieved and from which nation, empire, or trusteeship. For the other countries, the date given may not represent “independence” in the strict sense, but rather some significant nationhood event such as the traditional founding date or the date of unification, federation, confederation, establish- ment, fundamental change in the form of government, or state succession. Dependent areas include the nota¬ tion “none” followed by the nature of their dependency status. Also see the Terminology note. Industrial production growth rate This entry gives the annual percentage increase in industrial production (includes manufacturing, mining, and construction). Industries This entry provides a rank ordering of indus¬ tries starting with the largest by value of annual output. Infant mortality rate This entry gives the number of deaths of infants under one year old in a given year per 1,000 live births in the same year; included is the total death rate, and deaths by sex, male and female. This rate is often used as an indicator of the level of health in a country. Inflation rate (consumer prices) This entry furnishes the annual percent change in consumer prices com¬ pared with the previous year’s consumer prices. International disputes see Disputes — international International organization participation This entry lists in alphabetical order by abbreviation those inter¬ national organizations in which the subject country is a member or participates in some other way. International organizations This information is pre¬ sented in Appendix B: International Organizations and Groups which includes the name, abbreviation, date established, aim, and members by category. Internet country code This entry includes the two- letter codes maintained by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in the ISO 3166 Alpha-2 list and used by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IAN A) to establish country- coded top-level domains (ccTLDs). Internet hosts This entry lists the number of Internet hosts available within a country. An Internet host is a computer connected directly to the Internet; normally an Internet Service Provider’s (ISP) computer is a host. Internet users may use either a hard-wired terminal, at an institution with a mainframe computer connected directly to the Internet, or may connect remotely by way of a modem via telephone line, cable, or satellite to the Internet Service Provider’s host computer. The number of hosts is one indicator of the extent of Internet connectivity. Internet users This entry gives the number of users within a country that access the Internet. Statistics vary from country to country and may include users who access the Internet at least several times a week to those who access it only once within a period of several months. Introduction This category includes one entry, Background. Investment (gross fixed) This entry records total busi¬ ness spending on fixed assets, such as factories, machinery, equipment, dwellings, and inventories of raw materials, which provide the basis for future pro¬ duction. It is measured gross of the depreciation of the assets, i.e., it includes invesment that merely replaces worn-out or scrapped capital. Irrigated land This entry gives the number of square kilometers of land area that is artificially supplied with water. Judicial branch This entry contains the name(s) of the highest court(s) and a brief description of the selection process for members. Labor force This entry contains the total labor force figure. Labor force — by occupation This entry lists the per¬ centage distribution of the labor force by occupation. The distribution will total less than 100 percent if the data are incomplete. Land boundaries This entry contains the total length of all land boundaries and the individual lengths for each of the contiguous border countries. When available, offi¬ cial lengths published by national statistical agencies are used. Because surveying methods may differ, country border lengths reported by contiguous countries may differ. Land use This entry contains the percentage shares of total land area for three different types of land use: arable land — land cultivated for crops like wheat, maize, and rice that are replanted after each harvest; permanent crops — land cultivated for crops like citrus, coffee, and rubber that are not replanted after each harvest; includes land under flowering shrubs, fruit trees, nut trees, and vines, but excludes land under trees grown for wood or timber; other — any land not arable or under permanent crops; includes permanent meadows and pastures, forests and woodlands, built-on areas, roads, barren land, etc. Languages This entry provides a rank ordering of lan¬ guages starting with the largest and sometimes includes the percent of total population speaking that language. Legal system This entry contains a brief description of the legal system’s historical roots, role in government, and acceptance of International Court of Justice (ICJ) jurisdiction. Legislative branch This entry contains information on the structure (unicameral, bicameral, tricameral), XX NOTES AND DEFINITIONS formal name, number of seats, and term of office. Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote and/or number of seats held by each party in the last election. Life expectancy at birth This entry contains the average number of years to be lived by a group of people born in the same year, if mortality at each age remains constant in the future. The entry includes total population as well as the male and female compo- nents. Life expectancy at birth is also a measure of overall quality of life in a country and summarizes the mortality at all ages. It can also be thought of as indb eating the potential return on investment in human capital and is necessary for the calculation of various actuarial measures. Literacy This entry includes a definition of literacy and Census Bureau percentages for the total population , males, and females. There are no universal definitions and standards of literacy. Unless otherwise specified, all rates are based on the most common definition — the ability to read and write at a specified age. Detailing the standards that individual countries use to assess the ability to read and write is beyond the scope of the Eactbook. Information on literacy, while not a perfect measure of educational results, is probably the most easily available and valid for international comparisons. Low levels of literacy, and education in general, can impede the economic development of a country in the current rapidly changing, technology-driven world. Location This entry identifies the country’s regional location, neighboring countries, and adjacent bodies of water. Major infectious diseases This entry lists major infec¬ tious diseases likely to be encountered in countries where the risk of such diseases is assessed to be very high as compared to the United States. These infec¬ tious diseases represent risks to US government per¬ sonnel traveling to the specified country for a period of less than three years. The degree of risk is assessed by considering the foreign nature of these infectious dis¬ eases, their severity, and the probability of being affected by the diseases present. The diseases listed do not necessarily represent the total disease burden expe¬ rienced by the local population. The risk to an indi¬ vidual traveler varies considerably by the specific location, visit duration, type of activities, type of accommodations, time of year, and other factors. Consultation with a travel medicine physician is needed to evaluate individual risk and recommend appropriate preventive measures such as vaccines. Diseases are organized into the following six exposure categories shown in italics and listed in typical descending order of risk. Note: The sequence of exposure categories listed in individual country entries may vary according to local conditions. food or waterborne diseases acquired through eating or drinking on the local economy: Hepatitis A — viral disease that interferes with the functioning of the liver; spread through consumption of food or water contaminated with fecal matter, principally in areas of poor sanitation; victims exhibit fever, jaundice, and diarrhea; 15% of victims will experience prolonged symptoms over 6-9 months; vaccine available. Hepatitis E — water-borne viral disease that interferes with the functioning of the liver; most commonly spread through fecal contamination of drinking water; victims exhibit jaundice, fatigue, abdominal pain, and dark colored urine. Typhoid fever — bacterial disease spread through con¬ tact with food or water contaminated by fecal matter or sewage; victims exhibit sustained high fevers; left untreated, mortality rates can reach 20%. vectorborne diseases acquired through the bite of an infected arthropod: Malaria — caused by single-cell parasitic protozoa Plasmodium; transmitted to humans via the bite of the female Anopheles mosquito; parasites multiply in the liver attacking red blood cells resulting in cycles of fever, chills, and sweats accompanied by anemia; death due to damage to vital organs and interruption of blood supply to the brain; endemic in 100, mostly tropical, countries with 90% of cases and the majority of 1.5-2. 5 million estimated annual deaths occurring in sub-Saharan Africa. Dengue fever — mosquito-borne (Aedes aegypti) viral disease associated with urban environments; mani¬ fests as sudden onset of fever and severe headache; occasionally produces shock and hemorrhage leading to death in 5% of cases. Yellow fever — mosquito-borne viral disease; severity ranges from influenza-like symptoms to severe hepa¬ titis and hemorrhagic fever; occurs only in tropical South America and sub-Saharan Africa, where most cases are reported; fatality rate is less than 20%. Japanese Encephalitis — mosquito-borne ( Culex tritae - niorhynchus) viral disease associated with rural areas in Asia; acute encephalitis can progress to paralysis, coma, and death; fatality rates 30%. African Trypanosomiasis — caused by the parasitic pro¬ tozoa Trypanosoma; transmitted to humans via the bite of bloodsucking Tsetse flies; infection leads to malaise and irregular fevers and, in advanced cases when the parasites invade the central nervous system, coma and death; endemic in 36 countries of sub-Saharan Africa; cattle and wild animals act as reservoir hosts for the parasites. Cutaneous Leishmaniasis — caused by the parasitic pro¬ tozoa leishmania; transmitted to humans via the bite of sandflies; results in skin lesions that may become chronic; endemic in 88 countries; 90% of cases occur in Iran, Afghanistan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, and Peru; wild and domesticated animals as well as humans can act as reservoirs of infection. Plague — bacterial disease transmitted by fleas nor¬ mally associated with rats; person-to-person airborne xxi THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK transmission also possible; recent plague epidemics occurred in areas of Asia, Africa, and South America associated with rural areas or small towns and vib lages; manifests as fever, headache, and painfully swollen lymph nodes; disease progresses rapidly and without antibiotic treatment leads to pneumonic form with a death rate in excess of 50%. Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever — tick-borne viral disease; infection may also result from exposure to infected animal blood or tissue; geographic distribu¬ tion includes Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe; sudden onset of fever, headache, and muscle aches followed by hemorrhaging in the bowels, urine, nose, and gums; mortality rate is approximately 30%. Rift Valley fever — viral disease affecting domesticated animals and humans; transmission is by mosquito and other biting insects; infection may also occur through handling of infected meat or contact with blood; geographic distribution includes eastern and southern Africa where cattle and sheep are raised; symptoms are generally mild with fever and some liver abnormalities, but the disease may progress to hemorrhagic fever, encephalitis, or ocular disease; fatality rates are low at about 1% of cases. Chikungunya — mosquito-borne (A edes aegypti ) viral disease associated with urban environments, similar to Dengue Fever; characterized by sudden onset of fever, rash, and severe joint pain usually lasting 3-7 days, some cases result in persistent arthritis. water contact diseases acquired through swimming or wading in freshwater lakes, streams, and rivers: Leptospirosis — bacterial disease that affects animals and humans; infection occurs through contact with water, food, or soil contaminated by animal urine; symptoms include high fever, severe headache, vom¬ iting, jaundice, and diarrhea; untreated, the disease can result in kidney damage, liver failure, meningitis, or respiratory distress; fatality rates are low but left untreated recovery can take months. Schistosomiasis — caused by parasitic trematode flat- worm Schistosoma; fresh water snails act as interme¬ diate host and release larval form of parasite that penetrates the skin of people exposed to contami¬ nated water; worms mature and reproduce in the blood vessels, liver, kidneys, and intestines releasing eggs, which become trapped in tissues triggering an immune response; may manifest as either urinary or intestinal disease resulting in decreased work or learning capacity; mortality, while generally low, may occur in advanced cases usually due to bladder cancer; endemic in 74 developing countries with 80% of infected people living in sub-Saharan Africa; humans act as the reservoir for this parasite. aerosolized dust or soil contact disease acquired through inhalation of aerosols contaminated with rodent urine: Lassa fever — viral disease carried by rats of the genus Mastomys; endemic in portions of West Africa; infection occurs through direct contact with or con¬ sumption of food contaminated by rodent urine or fecal matter containing virus particles; fatality rate can reach 50% in epidemic outbreaks. respiratory disease acquired through close contact with an infectious person: Meningococcal meningitis — bacterial disease causing an inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord; one of the most important bacterial pathogens is Neisseria meningitidis because of its potential to cause epidemics; symptoms include stiff neck, high fever, headaches, and vomiting; bacteria are trans¬ mitted from person to person by respiratory droplets and facilitated by close and prolonged contact resulting from crowded living conditions, often with a seasonal distribution; death occurs in 5-15% of cases, typically within 24-48 hours of onset of symp¬ toms; highest burden of meningococcal disease occurs in the hyperendemic region of sub-Saharan Africa known as the “Meningitis Belt” which stretches from Senegal east to Ethiopia. animal contact disease acquired through direct contact with local animals: Rabies — viral disease of mammals usually transmitted through the bite of an infected animal, most com¬ monly dogs; virus affects the central nervous system causing brain alteration and death; symptoms ini¬ tially are non-specific fever and headache progressing to neurological symptoms; death occurs within days of the onset of symptoms. Manpower available for military service This entry gives the number of males and females falling in the military age range for the country and assumes that every individual is fit to serve. Manpower fit for military service This entry gives the number of males and females falling in the military age range for the country and who are not otherwise dis¬ qualified for health reasons; accounts for the health sit¬ uation in the country and provides a more realistic estimate of the actual number fit to serve. Manpower reaching military service age annually This entry gives the number of draft-age males and females entering the military manpower pool in any given year and is a measure of the availability of draft-age young adults. Map references This entry includes the name of the Factbook reference map on which a country may be found. The entry on Geographic coordinates may be helpful in finding some smaller countries. Maritime claims This entry includes the following claims, the definitions of which are excerpted from the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which alone contains the full and defini¬ tive descriptions: territorial sea — the sovereignty of a coastal state extends beyond its land territory and internal waters to an adjacent belt of sea, described as the territorial sea in the UNCLOS (Part II); this sovereignty extends to the air space over the territorial sea as well xxii NOTES AND DEFINITIONS as its underlying seabed and subsoil; every state has the right to establish the breadth of its territorial sea up to a limit not exceeding 12 nautical miles; the normal baseline for measuring the breadth of the ter¬ ritorial sea is the mean low-water line along the coast as marked on large-scale charts officially recognized by the coastal state; the UNCLOS describes specific rules for archipelagic states. contiguous zone — according to the UNCLOS (Article 33), this is a zone contiguous to a coastal state’s ter¬ ritorial sea, over which it may exercise the control necessary to: prevent infringement of its customs, fiscal, immigration, or sanitary laws and regulations within its territory or territorial sea; punish infringe¬ ment of the above laws and regulations committed within its territory or territorial sea; the contiguous zone may not extend beyond 24 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territo¬ rial sea is measured (e.g. the US has claimed a 12- nautical mile contiguous zone in addition to its 12-nautical mile territorial sea). exclusive economic zone (EE Z) — the UNCLOS (Part V) defines the EEZ as a zone beyond and adjacent to the territorial sea in which a coastal state has: sover¬ eign rights for the purpose of exploring and exploiting, conserving and managing the natural resources, whether living or non-living, of the waters superjacent to the seabed and of the seabed and its subsoil, and with regard to other activities for the economic exploitation and exploration of the zone, such as the production of energy from the water, cur¬ rents, and winds; jurisdiction with regard to the establishment and use of artificial islands, installa¬ tions, and structures; marine scientific research; the protection and preservation of the marine environ¬ ment; the outer limit of the exclusive economic zone shall not exceed 200 nautical miles from the base¬ lines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured. continental shelf — the UNCLOS (Article 76) defines the continental shelf of a coastal state as comprising the seabed and subsoil of the submarine areas that extend beyond its territorial sea throughout the nat¬ ural prolongation of its land territory to the outer edge of the continental margin, or to a distance of 200 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured where the outer edge of the continental margin does not extend up to that distance; the continental margin com¬ prises the submerged prolongation of the landmass of the coastal state, and consists of the seabed and sub¬ soil of the shelf, the slope and the rise; wherever the continental margin extends beyond 200 nautical miles from the baseline, coastal states may extend their claim to a distance not to exceed 350 nautical miles from the baseline or 100 nautical miles from the 2500 meter isobath; it does not include the deep ocean floor with its oceanic ridges or the subsoil thereof. exclusive fishing zone — while this term is not used in the UNCLOS, some states (e.g., the United Kingdom) have chosen not to claim an EEZ, but rather to claim jurisdiction over the living resources off their coast; in such cases, the term exclusive fishing zone is often used; the breadth of this zone is normally the same as the EEZ or 200 nautical miles. Median age This entry is the age that divides a popula¬ tion into two numerically equal groups; that is, half the people are younger than this age and half are older. It is a single index that summarizes the age distribution of a population. Currently, the median age ranges from a low of about 15 in Uganda and Gaza Strip to 40 or more in several European countries and Japan. See the entry for “Age structure” for the importance of a young versus an older age structure and, by implication, a low versus a higher median age. Merchant marine Merchant marine may be defined as all ships engaged in the carriage of goods; or all com¬ mercial vessels (as opposed to all nonmilitary ships), which excludes tugs, fishing vessels, offshore oil rigs, etc. This entry contains information in four fields — total, ships by type, foreign^owned, and registered in other countries. Total includes the number of ships (1,000 GRT or over), total DWT for those ships, and total GRT for those ships. DWT or dead weight tonnage is the total weight of cargo, plus bunkers, stores, etc., that a ship can carry when immersed to the appropriate load line. GRT or gross register tonnage is a figure obtained by measuring the entire sheltered volume of a ship available for cargo and passengers and con¬ verting it to tons on the basis of 100 cubic feet per ton; there is no stable relationship between GRT and DWT. Ships by type includes a listing of barge carriers, bulk cargo ships, cargo ships, chemical tankers, combina¬ tion bulk carriers, combination ore/oil carriers, con¬ tainer ships, liquefied gas tankers, livestock carriers, multifunctional large-load carriers, petroleum tankers, passenger ships, passenger/cargo ships, railcar carriers, refrigerated cargo ships, roll-on/roll- off cargo ships, short-sea passenger ships, specialized tankers, and vehicle carriers. Foreign-owned are ships that fly the flag of one country but belong to owners in another. Registered in other countries are ships that belong to owners in one country but fly the flag of another. Military This category includes the entries dealing with a country’s military structure, manpower, and expenditures. Military — note This entry includes miscellaneous mili¬ tary information of significance not included elsewhere. Military branches This entry lists the service branches subordinate to defense ministries or the equivalent (typically ground, naval, air, and marine forces). Military expenditures — percent of GDP This entry gives spending on defense programs for the most recent year available as a percent of gross domestic product xxiii THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK (GDP); the GDP is calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP). Military service age and obligation This entry gives the required ages for voluntary or conscript military service and the length of service obligation. Money figures All money figures are expressed in con- temporaneous US dollars unless otherwise indicated. National holiday This entry gives the primary national day of celebration — usually independence day. Nationality This entry provides the identifying terms for citizens — noun and adjective. Natural gas — consumption This entry is the total nat- ural gas consumed in cubic meters (cu m). The discrep^ ancy between the amount of natural gas produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes and other complicating factors. Natural gas — exports This entry is the total natural gas exported in cubic meters (cu m). Natural gas — imports This entry is the total natural gas imported in cubic meters (cu m). Natural gas — production This entry is the total natural gas produced in cubic meters (cu m). The discrepancy between the amount of natural gas produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes and other compli- eating factors. Natural gas — proved reserves This entry is the stock of proved reserves of natural gas in cubic meters (cu m). Proved reserves are those quantities of natural gas, which, by analysis of geological and engineering data, can be estimated with a high degree of confidence to be commercially recoverable from a given date forward, from known reservoirs and under current economic conditions. Natural hazards This entry lists potential natural disas- ters. Natural resources This entry lists a country’s mineral, petroleum, hydropower, and other resources of commer¬ cial importance. Net migration rate This entry includes the figure for the difference between the number of persons entering and leaving a country during the year per 1 ,000 persons (based on midyear population). An excess of persons entering the country is referred to as net immigration (e.g., 3.56 migrants/ 1,000 population); an excess of per¬ sons leaving the country as net emigration (e.g., -9.26 migrants/1,000 population). The net migration rate indicates the contribution of migration to the overall level of population change. High levels of migration can cause problems such as increasing unemployment and potential ethnic strife (if people are coming in) or a reduction in the labor force, perhaps in certain key sectors (if people are leaving). Oil — consumption This entry is the total oil consumed in barrels per day (bbl/day). The discrepancy between the amount of oil produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omis¬ sion of stock changes, refinery gains, and other compli¬ cating factors. Oil — exports This entry is the total oil exported in bar¬ rels per day (bbl/day), including both crude oil and oil products. Oil — imports This entry is the total oil imported in barrels per day (bbl/day), including both crude oil and oil products. Oil — production This entry is the total oil produced in barrels per day (bbl/day). The discrepancy between the amount of oil produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omis¬ sion of stock changes, refinery gains, and other compli¬ cating factors. Oil — proved reserves This entry is the stock of proved reserves of crude oil in barrels (bbl). Proved reserves are those quantities of petroleum which, by analysis of geo¬ logical and engineering data, can be estimated with a high degree of confidence to be commercially recover¬ able from a given date forward, from known reservoirs and under current economic conditions. People This category includes the entries dealing with the characteristics of the people and their society. People — note This entry includes miscellaneous demo¬ graphic information of significance not included else¬ where. Personal Names- — Capitalization The Factbook capital¬ izes the surname or family name of individuals for the convenience of our users who are faced with a world of different cultures and naming conventions. The need for capitalization, bold type, underlining, italics, or some other indicator of the individual’s surname is apparent in the following examples: MAO Zedong, Fidel CASTRO Ruz, George W. BUSH, and TUNKU SALAHUDD1N Abdul Aziz Shah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Hisammuddin Alam Shah. By knowing the sur¬ name, a short form without all capital letters can be used with confidence as in President Castro, Chairman Mao, President Bush, or Sultan Tunku Salahuddin. The same system of capitalization is extended to the names of leaders with surnames that are not commonly used such as Queen ELIZABETH II. For Vietnamese names, the given name is capitalized because officials are referred to by their given name rather than by their sur¬ name. For example, the president of Vietnam is Tran Due LUONG. His surname is Tran, but he is referred to by his given name — President LUONG. Personal Names — Spelling The romanization of per¬ sonal names in the Factbook normally follows the same transliteration system used by the US Board on Geographic Names for spelling place names. At times, however, a foreign leader expressly indicates a prefer¬ ence for, or the media or official documents regularly use, a romanized spelling that differs from the translit¬ eration derived from the US Government standard. In such cases, the Factbook uses the alternative spelling. Personal Names — Titles The Factbook capitalizes any valid title (or short form of it) immediately preceding a person’s name. A title standing alone is not capitalized. xxiv NOTES AND DEFINITIONS Examples: President PUTIN and President BUSH are chiefs of state. In Russia, the president is chief of state and the premier is the head of the government, while in the US, the president is both chief of state and head of government. Petroleum See entries under Oil. Petroleum products See entries under Oil. Pipelines This entry gives the lengths and types of pipelines for transporting products like natural gas, crude oil, or petroleum products. Political parties and leaders This entry includes a listing of significant political organizations and their leaders. Political pressure groups and leaders This entry includes a listing of political, social, labor, or religious organizations with leaders involved in politics, but not standing for legislative election. Population This entry gives an estimate from the US Bureau of the Census based on statistics from popula- tion censuses, vital statistics registration systems, or sample surveys pertaining to the recent past and on assumptions about future trends. The total population presents one overall measure of the potential impact of the country on the world and within its region. Note: Starting with the 1993 Factbook, demographic esti¬ mates for some countries (mostly African) have explic¬ itly taken into account the effects of the growing impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. These countries are currently: The Bahamas, Benin, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Population below poverty line National estimates of the percentage of the population falling below the poverty line are based on surveys of sub-groups, with the results weighted by the number of people in each group. Definitions of poverty vary considerably among nations. For example, rich nations generally employ more generous standards of poverty than poor nations. Population growth rate The average annual percent change in the population, resulting from a surplus (or deficit) of births over deaths and the balance of migrants entering and leaving a country. The rate may be positive or negative. The growth rate is a factor in determining how great a burden would be imposed on a country by the changing needs of its people for infra¬ structure (e.g., schools, hospitals, housing, roads), resources (e.g., food, water, electricity), and jobs. Rapid population growth can be seen as threatening by neigh¬ boring countries. Ports and terminals This entry lists major ports and terminals primarily on the basis of the amount of cargo tonnage shipped through the facilities on an annual basis. In some instances, the number of containers han¬ dled or ship visits were also considered. Public debt This entry records the cumulative total of all government borrowings less repayments that are denominated in a country’s home currency. Public debt should not be confused with external debt, which reflects the foreign currency liabilities of both the pri¬ vate and public sector and must be financed out of for¬ eign exchange earnings. Radio broadcast stations This entry includes the total number of AM, FM, and shortwave broadcast stations. Railways This entry states the total route length of the railway network and of its component parts by gauge: broad, standard, narrow, and dual. Other gauges are listed under note. Reference maps This section includes world and regional maps. Refugees and internally displaced persons This entry includes those persons residing in a country as refugees or internally displaced persons ( IDPs ). The definition of a refugee according to a United Nations Convention is “a person who is outside his/her country of nation¬ ality or habitual residence; has a well-founded fear of persecution because of his/her race, religion, nation¬ ality, membership in a particular social group or polit¬ ical opinion; and is unable or unwilling to avail himself/herself of the protection of that country, or to return there, for fear of persecution.” The UN estab¬ lished the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in 1950 to handle refugee matters worldwide. The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has a different operational definition for a Palestinian refugee: “a person whose normal place of residence was Palestine during the period 1 June 1946 to 15 May 1948 and who lost both home and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 conflict.” However, UNHCR also assists some 400,000 Palestinian refugees not covered under the UNRWA definition. The term “internally displaced person” is not specifically covered in the UN Convention; it is used to describe people who have fled their homes for reasons similar to refugees, but who remain within their own national territory and are sub¬ ject to the laws of that state. Religions This entry is an ordered listing of religions by adherents starting with the largest group and sometimes includes the percent of total population. Reserves of foreign exchange and gold This entry gives the dollar value for the stock of all financial assets that are available to the central monetary authority for use in meeting a country’s balance of payments needs as of the end-date of the period specified. This category includes not only foreign currency and gold, but also a country’s holdings of Special Drawing Rights in the International Monetary Fund, and its reserve position in the Fund. Roadways This entry gives the total length of the road network and includes the length of the paved and unpaved portions. Sex ratio This entry includes the number of males for each female in five age groups — at birth, under 15 years, 15-64 years, 65 years and over, and for the total population. XXV THE), CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Sex ratio at birth has recently emerged as an indicator of certain kinds of sex discrimination in some countries. For instance, high sex ratios at birth in some Asian countries are now attributed to sex-selective abortion and infanticide due to a strong preference for sons. This will affect future marriage patterns and fertility pat¬ terns. Eventually, it could cause unrest among young adult males who are unable to find partners. Suffrage This entry gives the age at enfranchisement and whether the right to vote is universal or restricted. Telephone numbers All telephone numbers in The World Factbook consist of the country code in brackets, the city or area code (where required) in parentheses, and the local number. The one component that is not presented is the international access code, which varies from country to country. For example, an international direct dial telephone call placed from the US to Madrid, Spain, would be as follows: 011 [34] (1) 577- xxxx, where 01 1 is the international access code for sta- tion-to-station calls; 01 is for calls other than station-to-station calls, [34] is the country code for Spain, (1) is the city code for Madrid, 577 is the local exchange, and xxxx is the local telephone number. An international direct dial telephone call placed from another country to the US would be as follows: interna¬ tional access code + [1] (202) 939-xxxx, where [ 1] is the country code for the US, (202) is the area code for Washington, DC, 939 is the local exchange, and xxxx is the local telephone number. Telephone system This entry includes a brief general assessment of the system with details on the domestic and international components. The following terms and abbreviations are used throughout the entry: Arabsat — Arab Satellite Communications Organ¬ ization (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia). Autodin — Automatic Digital Network (US Department of Defense). CB — citizen’s band mobile radio communications. Cellular telephone system — the telephones in this system are radio transceivers, with each instrument having its own private radio frequency and sufficient radiated power to reach the booster station in its area (cell), from which the telephone signal is fed to a telephone exchange. Central American Microwave System — a trunk microwave radio relay system that links the countries of Central America and Mexico with each other. Coaxial cable — a multichannel communication cable consisting of a central conducting wire, surrounded by and insulated from a cylindrical conducting shell; a large number of telephone channels can be made available within the insulated space by the use of a large number of carrier frequencies. Comsat — Communications Satellite Corporation (US). DSN — Defense Switched Network (formerly Automatic Voice Network or Autovon); basic general- purpose, switched voice network of the Defense Communications System (US Department of Defense). Eutelsat — European Telecommunications Satellite Organization (Paris). Fiber-optic cable — a multichannel communications cable using a thread of optical glass fibers as a trans¬ mission medium in which the signal (voice, video, etc.) is in the form of a coded pulse of light. GSM — a global system for mobile (cellular) commu¬ nications devised by the Croupe Special Mobile of the pan-European standardization organization, Conference Europeanne des Posts et Tele¬ communications (CEPT) in 1982. HF — high frequency; any radio frequency in the 3,000- to 30,000-kHz range. Inmarsat — International Maritime Satellite Organization (London); provider of global mobile satellite communications for commercial, distress, and safety applications at sea, in the air, and on land. Intelsat — International Telecommunications Satel¬ lite Organization (Washington, DC). Intersputnik — International Organization of Space Communications (Moscow); first established in the former Soviet Union and the East European countries, it is now marketing its services worldwide with earth stations in North America, Africa, and East Asia. Landline — communication wire or cable of any sort that is installed on poles or buried in the ground. M arecs — Maritime European Communications Satellite used in the Inmarsat system on lease from the European Space Agency. M arisat — satellites of the Comsat Corporation that participate in the Inmarsat system. M edarabtel — the Middle East Telecommunications Project of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) providing a modern telecommunica¬ tions network, primarily by microwave radio relay, linking Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Libya, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, and Yemen; it was initially started in Morocco in 1970 by the Arab Telecommunications Union (ATU) and was known at that time as the Middle East Mediterranean Telecommunications Network. Microwave radio relay — transmission of long distance telephone calls and television programs by highly directional radio microwaves that are received and sent on from one booster station to another on an optical path. NMT — Nordic Mobile Telephone; an analog cellular telephone system that was developed jointly by the national telecommunications authorities of the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden). Orbita — a Russian television service; also the trade name of a packet-switched digital telephone network. Radiotelephone communications — the two-way trans¬ mission and reception of sounds by broadcast radio on authorized frequencies using telephone handsets. PanAmSat — PanAmSat Corporation (Greenwich, CT). xxvi NOTES AND DEFINITIONS SAFE — South African Far East Cable Satellite communication system — a communication system consisting of two or more earth stations and at least one satellite that provide long distance trans- mission of voice, data, and television; the system usu- ally serves as a trunk connection between telephone exchanges; if the earth stations are in the same country, it is a domestic system. Satellite earth station — a communications facility with a microwave radio transmitting and receiving antenna and required receiving and transmitting equipment for communicating with satellites. Satellite link — a radio connection between a satellite and an earth station permitting communication between them, either one-way (down link from satel¬ lite to earth station — television receive-only trans¬ mission) or two-way (telephone channels). SHF — super high frequency; any radio frequency in the 3,000- to 30,000-MIdz range. Shortwave — radio frequencies (from 1.605 to 30 MHz) that fall above the commercial broadcast band and are used for communication over long distances. Solidaridad — geosynchronous satellites in Mexico’s system of international telecommunications in the Western Hemisphere. Statsionar — Russia’s geostationary system for satellite telecommunications. Submarine cable — a cable designed for service under water. TAT — Trans- Atlantic Telephone; any of a number of high-capacity submarine coaxial telephone cables linking Europe with North America. Telefax — facsimile service between subscriber sta¬ tions via the public switched telephone network or the international Datel network. Telegraph — a telecommunications system designed for unmodulated electric impulse transmission. Telex — a communication service involving teletype¬ writers connected by wire through automatic exchanges. Tropospheric scatter — a form of microwave radio transmission in which the troposphere is used to scatter and reflect a fraction of the incident radio waves back to earth; powerful, highly directional antennas are used to transmit and receive the microwave signals; reliable over-the-horizon commu¬ nications are realized for distances up to 600 miles in a single hop; additional hops can extend the range of this system for very long distances. Trunk network — a network of switching centers, con¬ nected by multichannel trunk lines. UHF — ultra high frequency; any radio frequency in the 300- to 3,000-MHz range. VHF — very high frequency; any radio frequency in the 30- to 300-MHz range. Telephones — main lines in use This entry gives the total number of main telephone lines in use. Telephones — mobile cellular This entry gives the total number of mobile cellular telephone subscribers. Television broadcast stations This entry gives the total number of separate broadcast stations plus any repeater stations. Terminology Due to the highly structured nature of the Factbook database, some collective generic terms have to be used. For example, the word Country in the Country name entry refers to a wide variety of depend¬ encies, areas of special sovereignty, uninhabited islands, and other entities in addition to the traditional coun¬ tries or independent states. Military is also used as an umbrella term for various civil defense, security, and defense activities in many entries. The Independence entry includes the usual colonial independence dates and former ruling states as well as other significant nationhood dates such as the traditional founding date or the date of unification, federation, confederation, establishment, or state succession that are not strictly independence dates. Dependent areas have the nature of their dependency status noted in this same entry. Terrain This entry contains a brief description of the topography. Time Difference This entry is expressed in The World Factbook in two ways. First, it is stated as the difference in hours between the capital of an entity and Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) during Standard Time. Additionally, the difference in time between the capital of an entity and that observed in Washington, D.C. is also provided. Note that the time difference assumes both locations are simultaneously observing Standard Time or Daylight Saving Time. Time zones Ten countries (Australia, Brazil, Canada, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Mexico, New Zealand, Russia, Spain, and the United States) and the island of Greenland observe more than one official time depending on the number of designated time zones within their boundaries. An illustration of time zones throughout the world and within countries can be seen in the Standard Time Zones of the World map included in the Reference Maps section of The World Factbook. Total fertility rate This entry gives a figure for the average number of children that would be born per woman if all women lived to the end of their child¬ bearing years and bore children according to a given fertility rate at each age. The total fertility rate (TFR) is a more direct measure of the level of fertility than the crude birth rate, since it refers to births per woman. This indicator shows the potential for population change in the country. A rate of two children per woman is considered the replacement rate for a popu¬ lation, resulting in relative stability in terms of total numbers. Rates above two children indicate popula¬ tions growing in size and whose median age is declining. Higher rates may also indicate difficulties for families, in some situations, to feed and educate their children and for women to enter the labor force. Rates below two children indicate populations decreasing in size and growing older. Global fertility rates are in general decline and this trend is most pro¬ nounced in industrialized countries, especially Western xxvii THE^CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Europe, where populations are projected to decline dra- matically over the next 50 years. Trafficking in persons Trafficking in persons is modern-day slavery, involving victims who are forced, defrauded, or coerced into labor or sexual exploitation. The International Labor Organization (ILO), the UN agency charged with addressing labor standards, employment, and social protection issues, estimates that 12.3 million people worldwide are enslaved in forced labor, bonded labor, forced child labor, sexual servitude, and involuntary servitude at any given time. Human trafficking is a multi-dimensional threat, depriving people of their human rights and freedoms, risking global health, promoting social breakdown, inhibiting development by depriving countries of their human capital, and helping fuel the growth of organized crime. In 2000, the US Congress passed the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA), reauthorized in 2003 and 2005, which provides tools for the US to combat trafficking in persons, both domestically and abroad. One of the law^s key components is the creation of the US Department of Statens annual Trafficking in Persons Report, which assesses the government response (i.e., the current situation) in some 150 countries with a sig¬ nificant number of victims trafficked across their bor¬ ders who are recruited, harbored, transported, provided, or obtained for forced labor or sexual exploitation. Countries in the annual report are rated in three tiers, based on government efforts to combat trafficking. The countries identified in this entry are those listed in the 2006 Trafficking in Persons Report as Tier 2 Watch List or Tier 3 based on the following tier rating definitions: Tier 2 Watch List countries do not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of traf¬ ficking but are making significant efforts to do so, and meet one of the following criteria: 1. they display a high or significantly increasing number of victims, 2. they have failed to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons, or, 3. they have committed to take action over the next year. Tier 3 countries neither satisfy the minimum stan¬ dards for the elimination of trafficking nor demon¬ strate a significant effort to do so. Countries in this tier are subject to potential non-humanitarian and non-trade sanctions. Transnational issues This category includes tour entries — Disputes — international, Refugees and inter¬ nally displaced persons, Trafficking in persons, and Illicit drugs — that deal with current issues going beyond national boundaries. Transportation This category includes the entries dealing with the means for movement of people and goods. Transportation — -note This entry includes miscella¬ neous transportation information of significance not included elsewhere. UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) See entry for Coordinated Universal Time. Unemployment rate This entry contains the percent of the labor force that is without jobs. Substantial under¬ employment might be noted. Waterways This entry gives the total length of navi¬ gable rivers, canals, and other inland bodies of water. Weights and Measures This information is presented in Appendix G: Weights and Measures and includes mathematical notations (mathematical powers and names), metric interrelationships (prefix; symbol; length, weight, or capacity; area; volume), and standard conversion factors. Years All year references are for the calendar year (CY) unless indicated as fiscal year (PY). The calendar year is an accounting period of 12 months from 1 January to 31 December. The fiscal year is an accounting period of 1 2 months other than 1 January to 31 December. Note: Information for the US and US dependencies was compiled from material in the public domain and does not represent Intelligence Community estimates. xxviii GUIDE TO COUNTRY PROFILES INTRODUCTION Background GEOGRAPHY Location Geographic coordinates Map references Area total land water Area— comparative Land boundaries total border countries Coastline Maritime claims territorial sea contiguous zone exclusive economic zone continental shelf exclusive fishing zone Climate Terrain Elevation extremes lowest point highest point Natural resources Land use arable land permanent crops other Irrigated land Natural hazards Environment— current Issues Environment— International agreements party to signed, but not ratified Geography— note PEOPLE Population Age structure 0-14 years 1 5-64 years 65 years and over Median Age total male female Population growth rate Birth rate Death rate Net migration rate Sex ratio at birth under 15 years 15-64 years 65 years and over total population Infant mortality rate total male female Life expectancy at birth total population male female Total fertility rate HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/AIDS HIV/AIDS— deaths Major Infectious diseases degree of risk food or waterborne diseases vectoborne diseases water contact diseases aerosolized dust or soil contact disease respiratory disease animal contact disease Nationality noun adjective Ethnic groups Religions Languages Literacy definition total population male female People— note GOVERNMENT Country name conventional long form conventional short form local long form local short form former abbreviation Dependency status Government type Capital name geographic coordinates time difference daylight saving time Administrative divisions Dependent areas Independence National holiday Constitution Legal system Suffrage Executive branch chief of state head of government cabinet elections election results Legislative branch elections election results Judicial branch Political parties and leaders Political pressure groups and leaders International organization participation Diplomatic representation In the US chief of mission chancery telephone FAX consulate(s) general consulate(s) Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission embassy mailing address telephone FAX consulate (s) general consulate (s) branch office (s) Flag description Government— note ECONOMY Economy— overview GDP (purchasing power parity) GDP (official exchange rate) GDP— real growth rate GDP— per capita GDP— composition by sector agriculture industry services Labor force Labor force— by occupation Unemployment rate Population below poverty line Household Income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10% highest 10% Distribution of family Income— Glnl Index Inflation rate (consumer prices) Investment (gross fixed) Budget revenues expenditures Public debt Agriculture— products Industries Industrial production growth rate Electricity— production Electricity— consumption Electricity— exports Electricity— Imports Oil— production Oil — consumption xxix Oil— exports Oil— Imports Oil— proved reserves Natural Gas— production Natural Gas— consumption Natural Gas— exports Natural Gas— Imports Natural Gas— proved reserves Current account balance Exports Exports— commodities Exports— partners Imports Imports— commodities Imports— partners Reserves of foreign exchange and gold Debt— external Economic aid— donor Economic aid— recipient Currency (code) Exchange rates Fiscal year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines In use Telephones— mobile cellular Telephone system general assessment domestic international Radio broadcast stations Television broadcast stations Internet country code Internet hosts THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK flk Internet users Communications— note TRANSPORTATION Airports Airports— with paved runways total over 3,047 m 2,438 to 3,047 m 1 ,524 to 2,437 m 914 to 1,523 m under 914 m Airports— with unpaved runways total over 3,047 m 2,438 to 3,047 m 1 ,524 to 2,437 m 914 to 1 ,523 m under 914 m Heliports Pipelines Railways total broad gauge standard gauge narrow gauge dual gauge Roadways total paved unpaved Waterways Merchant marine total ships by type foreign-owned registered in other countries Ports and terminals Transportation — note MILITARY Military branches Military service age and obligation Manpower available for military service males age 2 5 — 49 females age 15-49 Manpower fit for military service males age 15-49 females age 15-49 Manpower reaching military age annually males females Military expenditures— percent of GDP Military— note TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international Refugees and Internally displaced persons refugees IDPs Trafficking In persons current situation tier rating Illicit drugs xxx AFGHANISTAN INTRODUCTION Background: Ahmad Shah DURRANI unified the Pashtun tribes and founded Afghanistan in 1747. The country served as a buffer between the British and Russian empires until it won independ¬ ence from notional British control in 1919. A brief experiment in democracy ended in a 1973 coup and a 1978 Communist counter-coup. The Soviet Union invaded in 1979 to support the tottering Afghan Communist regime, touching off a long and destructive war. The USSR withdrew in 1989 under relentless pressure by internationally supported anti-Communist mujahedin rebels. Subsequently, a series of civil wars saw Kabul finally fall in 1996 to the Taliban, a hardline Pakistani-sponsored movement that emerged in 1994 to end the country’s civil war and anarchy. Following the 11 September 2001 ter¬ rorist attacks in New York City, a US, Allied, and anti-Taliban Northern Alliance military action toppled the Taliban for sheltering Osama BIN LADIN. The UN-sponsored Bonn Conference in 2001 established a process for political reconstruction that included the adoption of a new constitution and a presidential election in 2004, and National Assembly elections in 2005. On 7 December 2004, Hamid KARZAI became the first democratically elected president of Afghanistan. The National Assembly was inaugurated on 19 December 2005. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran Geographic coordinates: 33 00 N, 65 00 E Map references: Asia Area: total: 647,500 sq km land: 647,500 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: slightly smaller than Texas Land boundaries: total: 5,529 km border countries: China 76 km, Iran 936 km, Pakistan 2,430 km, Tajikistan 1,206 km, Turkmenistan 744 km, Uzbekistan 137 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime claims: none (landlocked) Climate: arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers Terrain: mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest Elevation extremes: lowest point: Amu Darya 258 m highest point: Nowshak 7,485 m Natural resources: natural gas, petro¬ leum, coal, copper, chromite, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones Land use: arable land: 12.13% permanent crops: 0.21% other: 87.66% (2005) Irrigated land: 27,200 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains; flooding; droughts Environment— current issues: limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate supplies of potable water; soil degrada¬ tion; overgrazing; deforestation (much of the remaining forests are being cut down for fuel and building materials); desertifi¬ cation; air and water pollution Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation Geography — note: landlocked; the Hindu Kush mountains that run north¬ east to southwest divide the northern provinces from the rest of the country; the highest peaks are in the northern Vakhan (Wakhan Corridor) PEOPLE Population: 31,889,923 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 44.6% (male 7,282,6 00/ female 6,940,378) 15-64 years: 53% (male 8,668,17 0/ female 8,227,387) 65 years and over: 2.4% (male 374,426/ female 396,962) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 17.6 years male: 17.6 years female: 17.6 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.625% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 46 .21 births/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 19.96 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.049 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.054 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.943 male(s)/female total population: 1.049 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 157.43 deaths/1,000 live births male: 161.81 deaths/1,000 live births female: 152.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 43.77 years male: 43.6 years female: 43.96 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 6.64 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 0.01% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorbome disease: malaria is a high risk countrywide below 2,000 meters from March through November animal contact disease: rabies note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2007) Nationality: noun: Afghan(s) adjective: Afghan Ethnic groups: Pashtun 42%, Tajik 27%, Hazara 9%, Uzbek 9%, Aimak 4%, Turkmen 3%, Baloch 2%, other 4% Religions: Sunni Muslim 80%, Shi’a Muslim 19%, other 1% Languages: Afghan Persian or Dari (official) 50%, Pashtu (official) 35%, Turkic languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen) 11%, 30 minor languages (pri¬ marily Balochi and Pashai) 4%, much bilingualism 1 Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 28.1% male: 43.1% female: 12.6% (2000 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan conventional short form: Afghanistan local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Afghanestan local short form: Afghanestan former: Republic of Afghanistan Government type: Islamic republic Capital: name: Kabul geographic coordinates: 3431 N, 69 12E time difference: UTC+4.5 (9.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 34 provinces (velayat, singular — velayat); Badakhshan, Badghis, Baghlan, Balkh, Bamian, Daykondi, Farah, Faryab, Ghazni, Ghowr, Helmand, Herat, Jowzjan, Kabol, Kandahar, Kapisa, Khowst, Konar, Kondoz, Laghman, Lowgar, Nangarhar, Nimruz, Nurestan, Oruzgan, Paktia, Paktika, Panjshir, Parvan, Samangan, Sar-e Pol, Takhar, Vardak, Zabol Independence: 19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs) National holiday: Independence Day, 19 August (1919) Constitution: new constitution drafted 14 December 2003-4 January 2004; signed 16 January 2004 Legal system: according to the new con- stitution, no law should be “contrary to Islam”; the state is obliged to create a prosperous and progressive society based on social justice, protection of human dignity, protection of human rights, real- ization of democracy, and to ensure national unity and equality among all ethnic groups and tribes; the state shall abide by the UN charter, international treaties, international conventions that Afghanistan signed, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Hamid KARZAI (since 7 December 2004); Vice Presidents Ahmad Zia MASOOD and Abdul Karim KHALILI (since 7 December 2004); note — the president is both the chief of state and head of government; former King ZAHIR Shah holds the honorific, “Father of the Country,” and presides symbolically over certain occasions but THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK lacks any governing authority; the hon- orific is not hereditary head of government: President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Hamid KARZAI (since 7 December 2004); Vice Presidents Ahmad Zia MASOOD and Abdul Karim KHAFIFI (since 7 December 2004) cabinet: 25 ministers; note — under the new constitution, ministers are appointed by the president and approved by the National Assembly elections: the president and two vice pres- idents are elected by direct vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); if no candidate receives 50% or more of the vote in the first round of voting, the two candidates with the most votes will participate in a second round; a president can only be elected for two terms; election last held 9 October 2004 (next to be held in 2009) election results: Hamid KARZAI elected president; percent of vote — Hamid KARZAI 55.4%, Yunus QANUNI 16.3%, Ustad Mohammad MOHAQQEQ 11.6%, Abdul Rashid DOSTAM 10.0%, Abdul Fatif PEDRAM 1.4%, Masooda JAFAF 1.2% Legislative branch: the bicameral National Assembly consists of the Wolesi Jirga or House of People (no more than 249 seats), directly elected for five- year terms, and the Meshrano Jirga or House of Elders (102 seats, one-third elected from provincial councils for four- year terms, one-third elected from local district councils for three-year terms, and one-third nominated by the president for five-year terms) note: on rare occasions the government may convene a Foya Jirga (Grand Council) on issues of independence, national sovereignty, and territorial integrity; it can amend the provisions of the constitution and prosecute the presi¬ dent; it is made up of members of the National Assembly and chairpersons ol the provincial and district councils elections: last held 18 September 2005 (next to be held for the Wolesi Jirga by September 2009; next to be held for the provincial councils to the Meshrano Jirga by September 2008) election results: the single non-transfer- able vote (SNTV) system used in the election did not make use of political party slates; most candidates ran as inde¬ pendents Judicial branch: the constitution estab¬ lishes a nine-member Stera Mahkama or Supreme Court (its nine justices are appointed for 10-year terms by the presi¬ dent with approval of the Wolesi Jirga) and subordinate High Courts and Appeals Courts; there is also a minister of justice; a separate Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission established by the Bonn Agreement is charged with investigating human rights abuses and war crimes Political parties and leaders: Afghanistan Peoples’ Treaty Party (Hizb- e-Wolesi Tarhun Afghanistan) [Sayyed Amir TAHSEEN]; Afghanistan’s Islamic Mission Organization (Tanzim Daawat- e-Islami-e-Afghanistan) [Abdul Rasoul SAYYAF]; Afghanistan’s Islamic Nation Party (Hezb-e-Umat-e-Islam-e-Afghanistan) [Toran Noor Aqa Ahmad ZAI] ; Afghanistan’s National Islamic Party (Hezb-e-Mili Islami-e-Afghanistan) [Rohullah LOUDINl; Afghanistan’s Welfare Party (Hezb-e-Refah-e- Afghanistan) [Meer Asef ZAEEFI]; Afghan Social Democratic Party (Hezb- e-Afghan Melat) [Anwarul Haq AH ADI]; Afghan Society for the Call to the Koran and Sunna (Hezb-e-Jamahat- ul-Dawat ilal Quran-wa-Sunat-e- Afghanistan) [Mawlawee Samiullah NAJEEBEE]; Comprehensive Movement of Democracy and Development of Afghanistan Party (Hizb-e-Nahzat Faragir Democracy wa Taraqi-e-Afghan- istan) [Sher Mohammad BAZGAR]; Democratic Party of Afghanistan (Hezb' e-Democracy Afghanistan) [Tawos ARAB]; Democratic Party of Afghan¬ istan (Hezb-e-Domcrat-e- Afghanistan) [Abdul Kabir RAN J BAR]; Elites People of Afghanistan Party (Hezb-e- Nakhbagan-e'Mardom-e' Afghanistan) [Abdul Hamid JAWAD]; Freedom and Democracy Movement of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Nahzat-e-Aazadee Wa Demo- cracy-e-Afghanistan) [Abdul Raqib Jawid KOHISTANEE]; Freedom Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Azadee-e- Afghan¬ istan) [Ilaj Abdul MALEK]; Freedom Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Isteqlal-e- Afghanistan) [Dr. Ghulam Farooq NEJRABEE]; Hizullah-e- Afghanistan [Qari Ahmad ALI] ; Human Rights Protection and Development Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Ifazat Az Uqooq-e- Bashar Wa Inkishaf-e-Afghanistan) [Baryalai NASRATI]; Islamic Justice Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Adalat-e- Islami Afghanistan) [Mohammad Kabir MARZBAN]; Islamic Movement of Afghanistan (Hezb-e Harakat-e-Islami- e-Afghanistan) [Mohammad Ali JAWID]; Islamic Movement of Afghanistan Party (Hizb-e-Nahzat-e- Melli Islami Afghanistan) [Mohammad Mukhtar MUFLEH]; Islamic Party of Afghanistan (Hizb-e-Islami Afghan¬ istan) [Mohammad Khalid FAROOQI]; Islamic Party of the Afghan Land (De 2 AFGHANISTAN Afghan Watan Islami Gond) [Mohammad Hassan FEROZKHEL]; Islamic People’s Movement of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Harakat-e-Islami Mardom-e- Afghanistan) [Ilhaj Said Hussain AN WARY]; Islamic Society of Afghanistan (Hezb-e Jamihat-e-Islami) [Ustad RABBANI]; Islamic Unity of the Nation of Afghanistan Party (Hezb-e- Wabdat-e-Islami-e-Melat-e- Afghanistan) [Qurban Ali URFANI]; Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Isl a m i - e - Afghanistan) [Mohammad Karim KHALILI]; Islamic Unity Party of the People of Afghanistan (Hezb-e- Wahdat' e-Islami Mardom-e-Afghanistan) [Ustad Mohammad MOHAQQEQ]; Labor and Progress of Afghanistan Party (Hezb-e- Kar Wa Tawsiha-e-Afghanistan) [Zulfiqar OMID]; Muslim People of Afghanistan Party (Hezb-e-Mardom-e- Mosalman-e- Afghanistan) [Besmellah JOYAN]; Muslim Unity Movement Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Tahreek Wahdat-ul'Musimeen Afghanistan) [Wazir Mohammad WAHDAT]; National and Islamic Sovereignty Movement Party of Afghanistan (Hizb- e-Eqtedar-e-Melli wa Islami Afghan¬ istan) [Ahmad Shah Ahmadzai]; National Congress Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Kangra-e-Mili-e- Afghanistan) [Abdul Latif PEDRAM]; National Country Party (Hezb-e-Mili Heward) [GHULAM MOHAMMAD]; National Development Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Taraqee Mili Afghanistan) [Dr. Aref BAKTASH]; National Freedom Seekers Party (Hezb-e- Aazaadi Khwahan Maihan) [Abdul Hadi DABEER]; National Independence Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e Esteqlal-e-Mili Afghanistan) [Taj Mohammad WARDAK]; National Islamic Fighters Party of Afghanistan (De Afghanistan De Mili Mubarizeeno Islami Gond) [Amanat NINGARHAREE]; National Islamic Front of Afghanistan (Mahaz-e- Mili Islami Afghanistan) [Pir Sayed Ahmad GAILANEE]; National Islamic Moderation Party of Afghanistan (Hezb- e-Eatedal-e-Mili Islami-e- Afghanistan) [Qara Bik Eized YAAR]; National Islamic Movement of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Junbish Mili Islami-e- Afghanistan) [Sayed NOORULLAH]; National Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan ( Hezb-e- Wahdat-e-Mili Islami-e-Afghanistan) [Mohammad AKBAREE]; National Movement of Afghanistan (Nahzat-e-Mili Afghani¬ stan) [Ahmad Wali MASOOUD]; National Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e- Mili Afghanistan) [Abdul Rashid ARYAN]; National Patch of Afghanistan Party (Hezb-e Paiwand Mihahani Afghanistan) [Sayed Kamal SADAT]; National Peace Islamic Party of Afghanistan (De Afghanistan De Solay Mili Islami Gond) [Shah Mohammood Popal ZAI]; National Peace & Islamic Party of the Tribes of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Sulh-e-Mili Islami Aqwam-e-Afghanistan) [Abdul Qaher SHARIATEE]; National Peace & Unity Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Sulh Wa Wahdat-e'Mili-e-Afghanistan) [Abdul Qader IMAMI]; National Prosperity and Islamic Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e- Sahadat-e-Mili Islami-e-Afghanistan) [Mohammad Osman SALEKZADA]; National Prosperity Party (Hezb-e- Refah-e-Mili Afghanistan) [Mohammad Hassan JAHFAREE]; National Solidarity Movement of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Nahzat-e-Hambastagee Mili-e- Afghanistan) [Pir Sayed Eshaq GAILANEE]; National Solidarity Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Paiwand Mili Afghanistan) [Sayed Mansoor NADREEI]; National Sovereignty Party (Hezb-e'Eqtedar-e-Mili) [Sayed Mustafa KAZEMI]; National Stability Party (Hezb-e-Subat-e-Mili Islami-e- Afghan¬ istan) [Mohammad Same KHAROTI]; National Stance Party (Hizb-e-Melli Dareez) [Habibullah JANEBDAR]; National Tribal Unity Islamic Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Mili Wahdat-e- Aqwam-e-Islami-e-Afghanistan) [Mohammad Shah KHOGYANI]; National Unity Movement (Hezb-e- Tahreek Wabidat-e-Mili-e-Afghanistan) [Sultan Mohammad GHAZI]; National Unity Movement of Afghanistan (Hezb- e-Harakat-e-Mili Wahdat-e- Afghan¬ istan) [Mohammad Nadir AATASH]; National Unity Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Mili Afghanistan) [Abdul Rashid JALILI]; New Afghan¬ istan Party (Hezb-e-Afghanistan-e- Naween) [Mohammad Yunis QANUNI]; Peace and National Welfare Activists Society (Hezb-e-Majmeh Mili Faleen- Sulh-e-Afghanistan) [Shamsul Haq Noor SHAMS]; Peace Movement (De Afghanistan De Solay Ghorzang Gond) [Shahnawaz TANAI]; People’s Aspira¬ tions Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e- Aarman-e-Mardom-e- Afghanistan) [Ilhaj Saraj-u-din ZAFAREE]; People’s Freedom Seekers Party of Afghanistan ( Hezb-e- Aazadee Khwahan Mardom-e- Afghanistan) [Feda Mohammad EHSAS]; People’s Liberal Freedom Seekers Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e- Lebral-e-Aazadee Khwa-e-Afghanistan) [Ajmal SUHAIL]; People’s Message Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Resalat-e- Mardom-e-Afghanistan) [Noor Aqa WAINEE]; People’s Movement of the National Unity of Afghanistan (De Afghanistan De Mili Wahdat Wolesi Tahreek) [Abdul Hakim NOORZAI]; People’s Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e- Mardom-e-Afghanistan) [Ahmad Shah ASAR]; People’s Prosperity Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Falah-e-Mardom- e-Afghanistan) [Ustad Mohammad ZAREEF]; People’s Sovereignty Movement of Afghanistan (Nahzat-e- Hakemyat-e-Mardom-e- Afghanistan) [Hayatullah SUBHANEE]; People’s Uprising Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e- Rastakhaiz-e-Mardom-e- Afghanistan) [Sayed Zahir Qayed Omul BELADI]; People’s Welfare Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Refah-e-Mardom-e- Afghanistan) [Mia Gul WASIQ]; People’s Welfare Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Sahadat-e-Mardom-e- Afghanistan) [Mohammad Zubair PAIROZ]; Progressive Democratic Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Taraqee Democrat Afghanistan) [Wali ARYA]; Republican Party (Hezb-e-Jamhoree Khwahane- Afghanistan) [Sebghatullah SAN JAR]; Solidarity Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e- Hambastagee-e-Afghanistan) [Abdul Khaleq NEMAT]; The Afghanistan’s Mujahid Nation’s Islamic Unity Movement (Da Afghanistan Mujahid Woles Yaowaali Islami Tahreek) [Saeedullah SAEED]; The People of Afghanistan’s Democratic Movement (Hezb-e-Junbish Democracy Mardom-e- Afghanistan) [Sharif NAZARI]; Tribes Solidarity Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e Hambastagee Mili Aqwam-e-Afghanistan) [Mohammad Zarif NASERI]; Under¬ standing and Democracy Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e-Tafahum Wa Demo- cracy-e- Afghanistan) [Ahamad SHA- HEEN]; United Afghanistan Party ( Hezb-e -Afghanistan-e-Wahid) [Mohammad Wasil RAHIMEE]; Young Afghanistan’s Islamic Organization (Hezb-e-Islami-e-Afghanistan-e-Jawan) [Sayed Jawad HUSSINEE]; Youth Solidarity Party of Afghanistan (Hezb-e- Hambastagee Mili Jawanan-e- Afghan¬ istan) [Mohammad Jamil KARZAI]; note — includes only political parties approved by the Ministry of Justice International organization participa¬ tion: AsDB, CP, ECO, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspon¬ dent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) 3 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Said Tayeb JAWAD chancery: 2341 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-6410 FAX: [1] (202) 483-6488 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William B. WOOD embassy: The Great Masood Road, Kabul mailing address: U.S. Embassy Kabul, APO, AE 09806 telephone: [00 93] (20) 230-0436 FAX: [00 93] (20) 230-1364 Flag description: three equal vertical bands of black (hoist), red, and green, with a gold emblem centered on the red band; the emblem features a temple-like structure encircled by a wreath on the left and right and by a bold Islamic inscription above ECONOMY Economy— overview: Afghanistan’s economy is recovering from decades of conflict. The economy has improved sig¬ nificantly since the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001 largely because of the infusion of international assistance, the recovery of the agricultural sector, and service sector growth. Real GDP growth exceeded 8% in 2006. Despite the progress of the past few years, Afghanistan is extremely poor, land¬ locked, and highly dependent on foreign aid, agriculture, and trade with neigh¬ boring countries. Much of the popula¬ tion continues to suffer from shortages of housing, clean water, electricity, medical care, and jobs. Criminality, insecurity, and the Afghan Government’s inability to extend rule of law to all parts of the country pose challenges to future eco¬ nomic growth. It will probably take the remainder of the decade and continuing donor aid and attention to significantly raise Afghanistan’s living standards from its current level, among the lowest in the world. While the international commu¬ nity remains committed to Afghanistan’s development, pledging over $24 billion at three donors’ conferences since 2002, Kabul will need to overcome a number of challenges. Expanding poppy cultivation and a growing opium trade generate roughly $3 billion in illicit economic activity and looms as one of Kabul’s most serious policy concerns. Other long-term challenges include: budget sustainability, job creation, corruption, government capacity, and rebuilding war torn infra¬ structure. GDP (purchasing power parity): $21.5 billion (2004 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $8.8 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 8% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $800 (2004 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 38% industry: 24% services: 38% note: data exclude opium production (2005 est.) Labor force: 15 million (2004 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 80% industry: 10% services: 10% (2004 est.) Unemployment rate: 40% (2005 est.) Population below poverty line: 53% (2003) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 16.3% (2005 est.) Budget: revenues: $269 million expenditures: $561 million; including capital expenditures of $41.7 million note: Afghanistan has also received $273 million from the Reconstruction Trust Fund and $63 million from the Law and Order Trust Fund (FY04/05 budget est.) Agriculture— products: opium, wheat, fruits, nuts; wool, mutton, sheepskins, lambskins Industries: small-scale production of textiles, soap, furniture, shoes, fertilizer, cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, coal, copper Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity— production: 734.3 million kWh (2004) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 36.3% hydro: 63.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 782.9 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 100 million kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004) Oil— consumption: 4,500 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Oil— proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2002) Natural gas — production: 20 million cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 20 million cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 99.96 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Exports: $471 million; note — not including illicit exports or reexports (2005 est.) Exports— commodities: opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton, hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems Exports— partners: US 25.8%, India 21.2%, Pakistan 20.3%, Finland 4-1% (2005) Imports: $3.87 billion (2005 est.) Imports— commodities: capital goods, food, textiles, petroleum products Imports— partners: Pakistan 39%, US 9.6%, Germany 5.6%, India 5.3%, Turkey 4-2%, Turkmenistan 4-1% (2005) Debt — external: $8 billion in bilateral debt, mostly to Russia; Afghanistan has $500 million in debt to Multilateral Development Banks (2004) Economic aid — recipient: international pledges made by more than 60 countries and international financial institutions at the Berlin Donors Conference for Afghan reconstruction in March 2004 reached $8.9 billion for 2004-09 Currency (code): afghani (AFA) Currency code: AFA Exchange rates: afghanis per US dollar— 46 (2006), 47.7 (2005), 48 (2004), 49 (2003), 41 (2002) note: in 2002, the afghani was revalued and the currency stabilized at about 40 to 50 afghanis to the US dollar; before 2002, the market rate varied widely from the official rate Fiscal year: 21 March— 20 March COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 280,000 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 1.4 mil¬ lion (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: very limited tele¬ phone and telegraph service; many Afghans utilize growing cellular phone coverage in major cities domestic: telephone service is improving with the licensing of several wireless telephone service providers in 2005 and 2006; approximately 4 in 100 Afghans own a wireless telephone; telephone main lines remain limited international: country code — 93; five VSAT’s installed in Kabul, Herat, Mazar- e-Sharif, Kandahar, and Jalalabad pro- 4 AKROTIRI vide international and domestic voice and data connectivity (2006) Radio broadcast stations: AM 21, FM 5, shortwave 1 (broadcasts in Pashtu, Afghan Persian (Dari), Urdu, and English) (2006) Radios: 167,000 (1999) Television broadcast stations: at least 7 (1 government-run central television station in Kabul and regional stations in 6 of the 34 provinces) (2006) Televisions: 100,000 (1999) Internet country code: af Internet hosts: 22 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): l (2000) Internet users: 30,000 (2005) Communications — note: Internet access is growing through Internet cafes as well as public “telekiosks” in Kabul (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 46 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 11 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 35 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1 ,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 9 (2006) Heliports: 9 (2006) Pipelines: gas 466 km (2006) Roadways: total: 34,782 km paved: 8,229 km unpaved: 26,553 km (2004) Waterways: 1,200 km (chiefly Amu Darya, which handles vessels up to 500 DWT) (2007) Ports and terminals: Kheyrabad, Shir Khan MILITARY Military branches: Afghan National Army (includes Afghan Air Force) (2006) Military service age and obligation: 22 years of age; inductees are contracted into service for a 4-year term (2005) Manpower available for military service: males age 22-49: 4,952,812 females age 22—49: 4,663,963 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 22—49: 2,662,946 females age 22-49: 2,508,574 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 275,362 females age 22-49: 259,935 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1.9% (2006 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: Pakistan, with UN and other international assistance, repatriated 2.3 million Afghan refugees with less than a million still remaining, many at their own choosing; Pakistan has proposed and Afghanistan protests construction of a fence and laying of mines along portions of their border; Coalition and Pakistani forces continue to monitor remote tribal areas to control the border with Afghanistan and stem terrorist and other illegal activities Refugees and internally displaced persons: IDPs: 136,565 (mostly Pashtuns and Kuchis displaced in south and west due to drought and instability) (2006) Illicit drugs: world’s largest producer of opium; cultivation dropped 48% to 107,400 hectares in 2005; better weather and lack of widespread disease returned opium yields to normal levels, meaning potential opium production declined by only 10% to 4,475 metric tons; if the entire poppy crop were processed, it is estimated that 526 metric tons of heroin could be processed; many narcotics-pro- cessing labs throughout the country; drug trade is a source of instability and some antigovernment groups profit from the trade; significant domestic use of opiates; 80-90% of the heroin consumed in Europe comes from Afghan opium; vul¬ nerable to narcotics money laundering through informal financial networks; source of hashish AKROTIRI Background: By terms of the 1960 Treaty of Establishment that created the inde¬ pendent Republic of Cyprus, the UK retained full sovereignty and jurisdiction over two areas of almost 254 square kilo¬ meters — Akrotiri and Dhekelia. The southernmost and smallest of these is the Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area, which is also referred to as the Western Sovereign Base Area. GEOGRAPHY Location: peninsula on the southwest coast of Cyprus Geographic coordinates: 34 37 N, 32 58 E Map references: Middle East Area: total: 123 sq km note: includes a salt lake and wetlands Area — comparative: about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: total: 47.4 km border countries: Cyprus 47.4 km Coastline: 56.3 km Climate: temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters Environment — current issues: shooting around the salt lake; note — breeding place for loggerhead and green turtles; only remaining colony of griffon vultures is on the base Geography — note: British extraterrito¬ rial rights also extended to several small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus PEOPLE Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: approximately 1,300 military per¬ sonnel are on the base; there are another 5,000 British citizens who are families of military personnel or civilian staff on both Akrotiri and Dhekelia; Cyprus citi¬ zens work on the base, but do not live there Languages: English, Greek GOVERNMENT >A-; ■ ' ' \ . . . Country name: conventional long form: Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area conventional short form: Akrotiri Dependency status: overseas territory of UK; administered by an administrator who is also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus Capital: name: Episkopi Cantonment; also serves as capital of Dhekelia 5 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK geographic coordinates: 34 40 N, 32 51 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Constitution: Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Order in Council 1960, effective 16 August 1960 Legal system: the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Administrator Air Vice-Marshal Richard LACEY (since 26 April 2006); note — reports to the British Ministry of Defense elections: none; the monarch is heredi¬ tary; the administrator is appointed by the monarch Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the UK) Flag description: the flag of the UK is used ECONOMY Economy — overview: Economic activity is limited to providing services to the military and their families located in Akrotiri. All food and manufactured goods must be imported. Currency (code): Cypriot pound (CYP) Exchange rates: Cypriot pounds per US dollar— 0.46019 (2006), 0.4641 (2005), 0.4686 (2004), 0.5174 (2003), 0.6107 (2002) COMMUNICATIONS Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM 1, shortwave NA (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides Radio 1 and Radio 2 service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia) (2006) Television broadcast stations: 0 (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) pro¬ vides multi-channel satellite service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia) (2006) Military — note: Akrotiri has a full RAF base, Headquarters for British Forces on Cyprus, and Episkopi Support Unit INTRODUCTION Background: Between 1990 and 1992 Albania ended 46 years of xenophobic Communist rule and established a multi¬ party democracy. The transition has proven challenging as successive govern¬ ments have tried to deal with high unemployment, widespread corruption, a dilapidated physical infrastructure, pow¬ erful organized crime networks, and com¬ bative political opponents. Albania has made progress in its democratic develop¬ ment since first holding multiparty elec¬ tions in 1991, but deficiencies remain. International observers judged elections to be largely free and fair since the restoration of political stability following the collapse of pyramid schemes in 1997. In the 2005 general elections, the Democratic Party and its allies won a decisive victory on pledges of reducing crime and corruption, promoting eco¬ nomic growth, and decreasing the size of government. The election, and particu¬ larly the orderly transition of power, was considered an important step forward. Although Albania’s economy continues to grow, the country is still one of the poorest in Europe, hampered by a large informal economy and an inadequate energy and transportation infrastructure. Albania has played a largely helpful role in managing inter-ethnic tensions in southeastern Europe, and is continuing to work toward joining NATO and the EU. Albania, with troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, has been a strong supporter of the global war on terrorism. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece and Serbia and Montenegro Geographic coordinates: 41 00 N, 20 00 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 28,748 sq km land: 27,398 sq km water: 1,350 sq km Area— comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland Land boundaries: total: 720 km border countries: Greece 282 km, Macedonia 151 km, Montenegro 172 km, Serbia 115 km Coastline: 362 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation Climate: mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter Terrain: mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast Elevation extremes: lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m highest point: Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,764 m Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper, iron ore, nickel, salt, timber, hydropower Land use: arable land: 20.1% permanent crops: 4.21% other: 75.69% (2005) Irrigated land: 3,530 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: destructive earth¬ quakes; tsunamis occur along south¬ western coast; hoods; drought Environment— current issues: defor¬ estation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Deser¬ tification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea) PEOPLE Population: 3,600,523 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 24-1% (male 454,622/female 413,698) 15-64 years: 66.6% (male 1,228,497/ female 1,170,489) 65 years and over: 9.3% (male 154,352/ female 178,865) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 29.2 years male: 28.6 years female: 29.8 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.529% (2007 est.) 6 ALBANIA Birth rate: 15.16 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 5.33 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -4.54 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.099 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.863 male(s)/female total population: 1.042 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 20.02 deaths/1,000 live births male: 20.46 deaths/1,000 live births female: 19.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.6 years male: 74.95 years female: 80.53 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.03 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Albanian(s) adjective: Albanian Ethnic groups: Albanian 95%, Greek 3%, other 2% (Vlach, Roma (Gypsy), Serb, Macedonian, Bulgarian) (1989 est.) note: in 1989, other estimates of the Greek population ranged from 1% (offi¬ cial Albanian statistics) to 12% (from a Greek organization) Religions: Muslim 70%, Albanian Orthodox 20%, Roman Catholic 10% note: percentages are estimates; there are no available current statistics on reli¬ gious affiliation; all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and reli¬ gious observances prohibited; in November 1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice Languages: Albanian (official — derived from Tosk dialect), Greek, Vlach, Romani, Slavic dialects Literacy: definition: age 9 and over can read and write total population: 98.7% male: 99.2% female: 98.3% (2001 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Albania conventional short form: Albania local long form: Republika e Shqiperise local short form: Shqiperia former: People’s Socialist Republic of Albania Government type: emerging democracy Capital: name: Tirana (Tirane) geographic coordinates: 41 20 N, 19 50 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: + lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 12 counties (qarqe, singular — qark); Berat, Diber, Durres, Elbasan, Fier, Gjiro’kaster, Korce, Kukes, Lezhe, Shkoder, Tirane, Vlore Independence: 28 November 1912 (from the Ottoman Empire) National holiday: Independence Day, 28 November (1912) Constitution: adopted by popular refer¬ endum on 22 November 1998; promul¬ gated 28 November 1998 Legal system: has a civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ juris¬ diction; has accepted jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court for its citizens Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President of the Republic Alfred MOISIU (since 24 June 2002) head of government: Prime Minister Sali BERISHA (since 10 September 2005) cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, nominated by the president, and approved by parliament elections: president elected by the People’s Assembly for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 24 June 2002 (next to be held in June 2007); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Alfred MOISIU elected president; People’s Assembly vote by number — total votes 134: for 97, against 19, abstained 14, invalid votes 4 Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly or Kuvendi (140 seats; 100 members are elected by direct popular vote and 40 by proportional vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 3 July 2005 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — PD 56, PS 42, PR 11, PSD 7, LSI 5, other 19 Judicial branch: Constitutional Court, Supreme Court (chairman is elected by the People’s Assembly for a four-year term), and multiple appeals and district courts Political parties and leaders: Agrarian Environmentalist Party or PAA [Lufter XHUVELI]; Christian Democratic Party or PDK [Nard NDOKA]; Communist Party of Albania or PKSH [Hysni MIL- LOSHI]; Democratic Alliance Party or AD [Neritan CEKA]; Democratic Party or PD [Sali BERISHA]; Legality Movement Party or PLL [Ekrem SPAHIU]; Liberal Union Party or BLD [Arjan STAROVA]; National Front Party (Balli Kombetar) or PBK [Adriatik ALIMADHI]; New Democratic Party or PDR [Gene POLLO]; Party of National Unity or PUK [Idajet BEQIRI]; Renewed Democratic Party or PDRN [Dashamir SHEHI]; Republican Party or PR [Fatmir MEDIU]; Social Democracy Party of Albania or PDSSh [Paskal MILO]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Skender GJINUSHI]; Socialist Movement for Integration or LSI [Ilir META]; Socialist Party or PS [Edi RAMA]; Union for Human Rights Party or PBDNj [Vangjel DULE] Political pressure groups and leaders: Citizens Advocacy Office [Kreshnik SPAHIU]; Confederation of Trade Unions of Albania or KSSH [Kastriot MUCO]; Front for Albanian National Unification or FBKSH [Gafur ADILI]; Mjaft Movement [Erion VELIAJ]; Omonia [Jani JANI]; Union of Independent Trade Unions of Albania or BSPSH [Gezim KALAJA] International organization participa¬ tion: BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Aleksander SALLABANDA chancery: 2100 S Street NW, Washing¬ ton, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 223-4942 FAX: fl] (202) 628-7342 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Marcie B. RIES embassy: Rruga e Elbasanit, Labinoti #103, Tirana mailing address : US Department of State, 9510 Tirana Place, Dulles, VA 20189- 9510 telephone: [355] (4) 247285 FAX: [355] (4) 232222 Flag description: red with a black two- headed eagle in the center ECONOMY Economy — overview: Lagging behind its Balkan neighbors, Albania is making the 7 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK difficult transition to a more modern open-market economy. The government has taken measures to curb violent crime and reduce the large gray economy. The economy is bolstered by annual remit¬ tances from abroad of $600-$800 mil¬ lion, mostly from Albanians residing in Greece and Italy; this helps offset the towering trade deficit. Agriculture, which accounts for about one-quarter of GDP, is held back because of lack of modern equipment, unclear property rights, and the prevalence of small, inef¬ ficient plots of land. Energy shortages and antiquated and inadequate infra¬ structure contribute to Albania’s poor business environment, which make it difficult to attract and sustain foreign investment. The planned construction of a new thermal power plant near Vlore and improved transmission and distribu¬ tion facilities eventually will help relieve the energy shortages. Also, the govern¬ ment is moving slowly to improve the poor national road and rail network, a long-standing barrier to sustained eco¬ nomic growth. On the positive side, growth was strong in 2003-06 and infla¬ tion is low and stable. GDP (purchasing power parity): $20.46 billion note: Albania has a large gray economy that may be as large as 50% of official GDP (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $9,306 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 5% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $5,700 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 23.3% industry: 18.8% services: 57.9% (2006 est.) Labor force: 1.09 million (not including 352,000 emigrant workers) (September 2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 58% industry: 15% services: 27% (September 2006 est.) Unemployment rate: 13.8% official rate, but may exceed 30% due to preponder¬ ance of near-subsistence farming (September 2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 25% (2004 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%. NA% highest 10%: NA% Distribution of family income— Gini index: 26.7 (2005) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (2006) Investment (gross fixed): 24.5% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $2,608 billion expenditures: $3.1 billion; including cap¬ ital expenditures of $710 million (2007 est.) Agriculture — products: wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, sugar beets, grapes; meat, dairy products Industries: food processing, textiles and clothing; lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower Industrial production growth rate: 3.4% (2005 est.) Electricity— production: 5.451 billion kWh (2005) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 2.9% hydro: 97.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 3.53 billion kWh (2005) Electricity— exports: 729 million kWh (2005) Electricity — imports: 385 million kWh (2005) Oil— production: 3,600 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— consumption: 25,200 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil — exports: 0 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— imports: 21,600 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— proved reserves: 185.5 million bbl (1 January 2002) Natural gas— production: 30 million cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 30 million cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 2.832 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $679.9 mil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $763.2 million f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: textiles and footwear; asphalt, metals and metallic ores, crude oil; vegetables, fruits, tobacco Exports— partners: Italy 72.4%, Greece 10.5%, Serbia and Montenegro 5% (2005) Imports: $2,901 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — Commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals Imports— partners: Italy 29.3%, Greece 16.4%, Turkey 7.5%, China 6.6%, Germany 5.4%, Russia 4% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $1,621 billion (2006 est.) Debt— external: $1.55 billion (2004) Economic aid-recipient: ODA: $366 million note: top donors were Italy, EU, Germany (2003 est.) Currency (code): lek (ALL) note: the plural of lek is leke Currency code: ALL Exchange rates: leke per US dollar— 98.384 (2006), 102.649 (2005), 102.78 (2004), 121.863 (2003), 140.155 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 255,000 (2003) Telephones— mobile cellular: 1.259 million (2004) Telephone system: general assessment: despite new investment in fixed lines, the density of main lines remains the lowest in Europe with roughly 7 lines per 100 people; however, cellular telephone use is widespread and generally effective domestic: offsetting the shortage of fixed line capacity, mobile phone service has been available since 1996; by 2003 two companies were providing mobile serv¬ ices at a greater density than some of Albania’s Balkan neighbors international: country code— 355; inade¬ quate fixed main lines; adequate cellular connections; international traffic carried by fiber optic cable and, when necessary, by microwave radio relay from the Tirana exchange to Italy and Greece (2003) Radio broadcast stations: AM 13, EM 46, shortwave 1 (2005) Radios: 1 million (2001) Television broadcast stations: 65 (3 national, 62 local); 2 cable networks (2005) Televisions: 700,000 (2001) Internet country code: al Internet hosts: 430 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 10 (2001) Internet users: 75,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 11 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 8 over 3,047 m: 1 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 4 (2006) Heliports: 1 (2006) Pipelines: gas 339 km; oil 207 km (2006) Railways: total: 447 km standard gauge: 447 km 1.435-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 18,000 km paved: 7,020 km unpaved: 10,980 km (2002) 8 ALGERIA Waterways: 43 km (2007) Merchant marine: total: 24 ships (1000 GRT or over) 52,987 GRT/79,863 DWT by type: cargo 23, roll on/roll off 1 foreign' owned: 1 (Turkey 1) registered in other countries: 1 (Georgia 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore MILITARY Military branches: General Staff Headquarters, Land Forces Command (Army), Naval Forces Command, Air Defense Command, Logistics Command, Training and Doctrine Command (2007) Military service age and obligation: 19 years of age (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 19-49: 809,524 females age 19-49: 784,199 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 19-49: 668,526 females age 19-49: 648,334 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 7 8 — 49: 37,407 females age 19-49: 34,587 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1.49% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: the Albanian Government calls for the protection of the rights of ethnic Albanians in neigh- boring countries, and the peaceful reso¬ lution of interethnic disputes; some ethnic Albanian groups in neighboring countries advocate for a “greater Albania,” but the idea has little appeal among Albanian nationals; the mass emigration of unemployed Albanians remains a problem for developed coun¬ tries, chiefly Greece and Italy Illicit drugs: increasingly active trans¬ shipment point for Southwest Asian opi¬ ates, hashish, and cannabis transiting the Balkan route and — to a lesser extent — cocaine from South America destined for Western Europe; limited opium and growing cannabis production; ethnic Albanian narcotrafficking organizations active and expanding in Europe; vulner¬ able to money laundering associated with regional trafficking in narcotics, arms, contraband, and illegal aliens ALGERIA Background: After more than a century of rule by France, Algerians fought through much of the 1950s to achieve independence in 1962. Algeria’s primary political party, the National Liberation Front (FLN), has dominated politics ever since. Many Algerians in the subsequent generation were not satisfied, however, and moved to counter the FLN’s cen¬ trality in Algerian politics. The sur¬ prising first round success of the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) in the December 1991 balloting spurred the Algerian army to intervene and postpone the second round of elections to prevent what the secular elite feared would be an extremist-led government from assuming power. The army began a crackdown on the FIS that spurred FIS supporters to begin attacking government targets. The government later allowed elections fea¬ turing pro-government and moderate religious-based parties, but did not appease the activists who progressively widened their attacks. The fighting esca¬ lated into an insurgency, which saw intense fighting between 1992-98 and which resulted in over 100,000 deaths — many attributed to indiscriminate mas¬ sacres of villagers by extremists. The government gained the upper hand by the late- 1990s and FIS’s armed wing, the Islamic Salvation Army, disbanded in January 2000. However, small numbers of armed militants persist in confronting government forces and conducting ambushes and occasional attacks on vil¬ lages. The army placed Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA in the presidency in 1999 in a fraudulent election but claimed neutrality in his 2004 landslide reelection victory. Longstanding prob¬ lems continue to face BOUTEFLIKA in his second term, including the ethnic minority Berbers’ ongoing autonomy campaign, large-scale unemployment, a shortage of housing, unreliable electrical and water supplies, govern¬ ment inefficiencies and corruption, and the continuing — although signif¬ icantly degraded — activities of ex¬ tremist militants. Algeria must also diversify its petroleum-based econ¬ omy, which has yielded a large cash reserve but which has not been used to redress Algeria’s many social and infrastructure problems. GEOGRAPHY Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Morocco and Tunisia Geographic coordinates: 28 00 N, 3 00 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 2,381,740 sq km land: 2,381,740 sq km water: 0 sq km Area— comparative: slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas Land boundaries: total: 6,343 km border countries: Libya 982 km, Mali 1,376 km, Mauritania 463 km, Morocco 1,559 km, Niger 956 km, Tunisia 965 km, Western Sahara 42 km Coastline: 998 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 32-52 nm Climate: arid to semiarid; mild, wet win¬ ters with hot, dry summers along coast; drier with cold winters and hot summers on high plateau; sirocco is a hot, dust/sand-laden wind especially common in summer Terrain: mostly high plateau and desert; some mountains; narrow, discontinuous coastal plain Elevation extremes: lowest point: Chott Melrhir -40 m highest point: Tahat 3,003 m Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, uranium, lead, zinc Land use: arable land: 3.17% permanent crops: 0.28% Other: 96.55% (2005) Irrigated land: 5,690 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mudslides and floods in rainy season Environment — current issues: soil ero¬ sion from overgrazing and other poor farming practices; desertification; dump¬ ing of raw sewage, petroleum refining wastes, and other industrial effluents is 9 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK 4 leading to the pollution of rivers and coastal waters; Mediterranean Sea, in par- ticular, becoming polluted from oil wastes, soil erosion, and fertilizer runoff; made- quate supplies of potable water Environment — international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: second-largest country in Africa (after Sudan) PEOPLE / - :• v. . • y. ■ ; • •' ' ■ Population: 33,333,216 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 27.2% (male 4,627,479/ female 4,447,468) 15-64 years: 67.9% (male 11,413,121/ female 11,235,096) 65 years and over: 4.8% (male 752,058/ female 857,994) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 25.5 years male: 25.2 years female: 25.7 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.216% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 17.11 births/1, 000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 4.62 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -0.33 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.016 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.877 male(s)/female total population: 1.015 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 28.78 deaths/1,000 live births male: 32.45 deaths/1,000 live births female: 24.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.52 years male: 71.91 years female: 75.21 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.86 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.1%; note — no country specific models provided (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HI V/ AIDS: 9,100 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS — deaths: less than 500 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diar¬ rhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorbome disease: cutaneous leishmani¬ asis is a high risk in some locations (2007) Nationality: noun: Algerian(s) adjective: Algerian Ethnic groups: Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1% note: almost all Algerians are Berber in origin, not Arab; the minority who identify themselves as Berber live mostly in the mountainous region of Kabylie east of Algiers; the Berbers are also Muslim but identify with their Berber rather than Arab cultural heritage; Berbers have long agi¬ tated, sometimes violently, for autonomy; the government is unlikely to grant autonomy but has offered to begin spon¬ soring teaching Berber language in schools Religions: Sunni Muslim (state religion) 99%, Christian and Jewish 1% Languages: Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 69.9% male: 79.6% female: 60.1% (2002 est.) Country name: conventional long form: People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria conventional short form: Algeria local long form: A1 Jumhuriyah al Jaza’iriyah ad Dimuqratiyah ash Sha’biyah local short form: Al Jaza’ir Government type: republic Capital: name: Algiers geographic coordinates: 3647N,2 03 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 48 provinces (wilayat, singular— wilaya); Adrar, Ain Defla, Ain Temouchent, Alger, Annaba, Batna, Bechar, Bejaia, Biskra, Blida, Bordj Bou Arreridj, Bouira, Boumerdes, Chief, Constantine, Djelfa, El Bayadh, El Oued, El Tarf, Ghardaia, Guelma, Illizi, Jijel, Khenchela, Laghouat, Mascara, Medea, Mila, Mostaganem, M’Sila, Naama, Oran, Ouargla, Oum el Bouaghi, Relizane, Saida, Setif, Sidi Bel Abbes, Skikda, Souk Ahras, Tamanghasset, Tebessa, Tiaret, Tindouf, Tipaza, Tissemsilt, Tizi Ouzou, Tlemcen Independence: 5 July 1962 (from France) National holiday: Revolution Day, 1 November (1954) Constitution: 8 September 1963; revised 19 November 1976, effective 22 November 1976; revised 3 November 1988, 23 February 1989, and 28 November 1996 Legal system: socialist, based on French and Islamic law; judicial review of leg¬ islative acts in ad hoc Constitutional Council composed of various public offi¬ cials, including several Supreme Court justices; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA (since 28 April 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Abdelaziz BELKHADEM cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 8 April 2004 (next to be held in April 2009); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA reelected president for second term; per¬ cent of vote— Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA 85%, Ali BENFLIS 6.4%, Abdellah DJABALLAH 5% Legislative branch: bicameral Parlia¬ ment consists of the National People’s Assembly or Al-Majlis Ech-Chaabi Al- Watani (389 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Council of Nations (Senate) (144 seats; one-third of the members appointed by the president, two-thirds elected by indirect vote; to serve six-year terms; the constitution requires half the council to be renewed every three years) elections: National People’s Assembly — last held 17 May 2007 (next to be held in 2012); Council of Nations (Senate) — last held 28 December 2006 (next to be held in 2009) election results: National People’s Assembly — percent of vote by party — FLN 23%, RND 10.3%, MSP 9.6%, PT 5.1%, RCD 3.4%, FNA 4.2%, other 34-6%, independents 9.8%; seats by party— FLN 136, RND 61, MSP 52, PT 26, RCD 19, FNA 13, other 49, inde¬ pendents 33; Council of Nations — per¬ cent of vote by party — NA; seats by party— FLN 29, RND 12, MSP 3, RCD 1, independents 3, presidential appointees (unknown affiliation) 24; note — Council seating reflects the number of replaced council members rather than the whole Council Judicial branch: Supreme Court Political parties and leaders: Ahd 54 [Ali Fauzi REBAIN E]; Algerian National Front or FNA [Moussa TOUATI]; 10 ALGERIA National Democratic Rally (Rassemble- ment National Democratique) or RND [Ahmed OUYAHIA]; Islamic Salvation Front or FIS (outlawed April 1992) [Ali BELHADJ, Dr. Abassi MADANI, Rabeh KEBIR]; National Entente Movement or MEN [Ali BOUKHAZNA]; National Liberation Front or FLN [Abdelaziz BELKHADEM, secretary general]; National Reform Movement or Islah (formerly MRN) [Abdellah DJA- B ALLAH]; National Renewal Party or PRA [Mohamed BENSMAIL]; Rally for Culture and Democracy or RCD [Said SADI]; Renaissance Movement or EnNahda Movement [Fatah RABEI]; Socialist Forces Front or FFS [Hocine Ait AHMED]; Social Liberal Party or PSL [Ahmed KHELIL]; Society of Peace Movement or MSP [Boudjerra SOLTANI]; Workers Party or PT [Louisa HANOUNE] note: a law banning political parties based on religion was enacted in March 1997 Political pressure groups and leaders: The Algerian Human Rights League or LADDH [Hocine ZEHOUANE]; SOS Disparus [Nacera DUTOUR]; Somoud [Ali MERABET] International organization participa¬ tion: ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BIS, FAO, G-15, G-24, G- 77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, ONUB, OPCW, OPEC, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Amine KHERBI chancery: 2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-2800 FAX: [1] (202) 667-2174 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert S. FORD embassy: 04 Chemin Cheikh Bachir Ibrahimi El-Biar 16030, Algiers mailing address: B. P. 408, Alger-Gare, 16030 Algiers telephone: [213] (021) 69-12-55 FAX: [213] (021) 69-39-79 Flag description: two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and white; a red, five-pointed star within a red cres¬ cent centered over the two-color boundary; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam (the state religion) Economy-overview: The hydrocarbons sector is the backbone of the economy, accounting for roughly 60% of budget revenues, 30% of GDP, and over 95% of export earnings. Algeria has the eighth- largest reserves of natural gas in the world and is the fourth-largest gas exporter; it ranks 18th in oil reserves. Sustained high oil prices in recent years, along with macroeconomic policy reforms supported by the IMF, have helped improve Algeria’s financial and macroeconomic indicators. Algeria is running substantial trade surpluses and building up record foreign exchange reserves. Algeria has decreased its external debt to less than 10% of GDP after repaying its Paris Club and London Club debt in 2006. Real GDP has risen due to higher oil output and increased government spending. The government’s continued efforts to diversify the economy by attracting foreign and domestic investment outside the energy sector, however, has had little success in reducing high unemployment and improving living standards. Structural reform within the economy, such as development of the banking sector and the construction of infrastructure, moves ahead slowly hampered by corruption and bureaucratic resistance. GDP (purchasing power parity): $250 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $90 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 3% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $7,600 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 9.4% industry: 58.1% services: 32.5% (2006 est.) Labor force: 9.31 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture 14%, industry 13.4%, construction and public works 10%, trade 14-6%, govern¬ ment 32%, other 16% (2003 est.) Unemployment rate: 15.7% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 25% (2005 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 26.8% (1995) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 35.3 (1995) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 23.4% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $59.26 billion expenditures: $49.14 billion; including cap¬ ital expenditures of $5.8 billion (2006 est.) Public debt: 18.6% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives, citrus, fruits; sheep, cattle Industries: petroleum, natural gas, light industries, mining, electrical, petro¬ chemical, food processing Industrial production growth rate: 10% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 29.39 billion kWh (2004 est.) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 99.7% hydro: 0.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 27.4 billion kWh (2004 est.) Electricity— exports: 230 million kWh (2004 est.) Electricity— imports: 300 million kWh (2004 est.) Oil — production: 1.373 million bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— consumption: 233,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: 1.127 million bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— imports: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— proved reserves: 11 billion bbl (2006 est.) Natural gas — production: 80.15 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 19.28 bil¬ lion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 60.87 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 4.545 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $25.8 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $55.6 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: petroleum, nat¬ ural gas, and petroleum products 97% Exports— partners: US 22.6%, Italy 15.9%, Spain 10.5%, France 10%, Canada 7.9%, Brazil 6.5%, Belgium 4.3%, Germany 4.2% (2005) Imports: $27.6 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods Imports — partners: France 28%, Italy 7.8%, Spain 7.2%, China 6.6%, Germany 6.3%, US 5.4% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $78 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $5 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid — recipient: $313 million (2004 est.) Currency (code): Algerian dinar (DZD) Currency code: DZD 11 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Exchange rates: Algerian dinars per US dollar— 72.647 (2006), 73.276 (2005), 72.061 (2004), 77.395 (2003), 79.682 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS _ _ _ Telephones — main lines in use: 2.572 million (2005) Telephones — mobile cellular: 13.661 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: telephone density in Algeria is very low, not exceeding 5 tele- phones per 100 persons; the number of fixed main lines increased in the last few years to nearly 2.6 million, but only about two-thirds of these have sub¬ scribers; much of the infrastructure is outdated and inefficient domestic: good service in north but sparse in south; domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations (20 additional domestic earth stations are planned) international: country code — 213; subma¬ rine cables — 5; microwave radio relay to Italy, France, Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia; coaxial cable to Morocco and Tunisia; participant in Medarabtel; satel¬ lite earth stations — 51 (Intelsat, Intersputnik, and Arabsat) (2005) Radio broadcast stations: AM 25, FM 1, shortwave 8 (1999) Radios: 7.1 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 46 (plus 216 repeaters) (1995) Televisions: 3.1 million (1997) Internet country code: dz Internet hosts: 1,202 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000) Internet users: 1.92 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 142 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 52 over 3,047 m: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 21 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1 ,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 90 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 26 914 to 1 ,523 m: 39 under 914 m: 23 (2006) Heliports: 1 (2006) Pipelines: condensate 1,344 km; gas 85,946 km; liquid petroleum gas 2,213 km; oil 6,496 km (2005) Railways: total: 3,973 km standard gauge: 2,888 km 1.435-m gauge (283 km electrified) narrow gauge: 1,085 km 1.055-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 108,302 km paved: 76,028 km unpaved: 32,274 km (2004) Merchant marine: total: 41 ships (1000 GRT or over) 744,406 GRT/766,764 DWT by type: bulk carrier 7, cargo 10, chemical tanker 2, liquefied gas 9, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 5, roll on/roll off 3, specialized tanker 1 foreign^ owned: 13 (UK 13) (2006) Ports and terminals: Algiers, Annaba, Arzew, Bejaia, Djendjene, J ij el, Mostaganem, Oran, Skikda Military branches: National Popular Army (ANP; includes Land Forces), Algerian National Navy (MRA), Air Force (QJJ), Territorial Air Defense Force (2005) Military service age and obligation: 19-30 years of age for compulsory mili¬ tary service; conscript service obliga¬ tion — 18 months (6 months basic training, 12 months civil projects) (2006) Manpower available for military service: males age 19-49: 8,033,049 females age 19-49: 7,926,351 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 19-49: 6,590,079 females age 1 9-49: 6,711,285 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 374,639 females age 19-49: 369,021 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 3.3% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: Algeria sup¬ ports the Polisario Front exiled in Algeria and who represent the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic; Algeria rejects Moroccan administration of Western Sahara; most of the approxi¬ mately 90,000 Western Saharan Sahrawi refugees are sheltered in camps in Tindouf, Algeria; Algeria’s border with Morocco remains an irritant to bilateral relations, each nation accusing the other of harboring militants and arms smug¬ gling; Algeria remains concerned about armed bandits operating throughout the Sahel who sometimes destabilize southern Algerian towns; dormant dis¬ putes include Libyan claims of about 32,000 sq km still reflected on its maps of southeastern Algeria and the FLN’s assertions of a claim to Chirac Pastures in southeastern Morocco Refugees and infernally displaced per¬ sons: refugees (country of origin): 90,000 (Western Saharan Sahrawi, mostly living in Algerian-sponsored camps in the southwestern Algerian town of Tindouf) IDPs: 400,000-600,000 (conflict between government forces, Islamic insurgents) (2006) Trafficking in persons: current situation: Algeria is a transit and destination country for men, women, and children from sub-Saharan Africa and Asia traf¬ ficked for forced labor and sexual exploitation; many victims willingly migrate to Algeria en route to European countries with the help of smugglers, where they are often forced into prostitu¬ tion, labor, and begging to pay off their smuggling debt; armed militants report¬ edly traffic women for sexual exploita¬ tion and involuntary servitude, and children may be trafficked for forced labor as domestic servants or street ven¬ dors. tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Algeria took no steps to assess the scope of traf¬ ficking in the country and reported no investigations or prosecutions for traf¬ ficking offenses in 2005 AMERICAN SAMOA INTRODUCTION _ Background: Settled as early as 1000 B.C., Samoa was “discovered” by European explorers in the 18th century. International rivalries in the latter half of the 19th century were settled by an 1899 treaty in which Germany and the US divided the Samoan archipelago. The US formally occupied its portion — a smaller group of eastern islands with the excellent harbor of Pago Pago — the fol¬ lowing year. LOCafion: Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about half way between Flawaii and New Zealand Geographic coordinates: 14 20 S, 170 00 w 12 AMERICAN SAMOA Map references: Oceania Area: total: 199 sq km land: 199 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island Area — comparative: slightly larger than Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 116 km Maritime claims: territorial sea : 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical marine, moderated by southeast trade winds; annual rainfall aver- ages about 3 m; rainy season (November to April), dry season (May to October); little seasonal temperature variation Terrain: five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited coastal plains, two coral atolls (Rose Island, Swains Island) Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Lata Mountain 964 m Natural resources: pumice, pumicite Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 15% other: 75% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: typhoons common from December to March Environment— current issues: limited natural fresh water resources; the water division of the government has spent substantial funds in the past few years to improve water catchments and pipelines Geography — note: Pago Pago has one of the best natural deepwater harbors in the South Pacific Ocean, sheltered by shape from rough seas and protected by periph¬ eral mountains from high winds; strategic location in the South Pacific Ocean PEOPLE Population: 57,663 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 33.6% (male 10,049/female 9,345) 15-64 years: 63.5% (male 19,041/female 17,556) 65 years and over: 2.9% (male 606/female 1,066) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 23.6 years male: 23.4 years female: 23.8 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: -0.262% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 21.83 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 3.24 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -21.21 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.075 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.085 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.568 male(s)/female total population: 1.062 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 8.88 deaths/1,000 live births male: 9.47 deaths/1,000 live births female: 8.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.25 years male: 72.69 years female: 80.02 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 3.07 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: American Samoan(s) (US nationals) adjective: American Samoan Ethnic groups: native Pacific islander 92.9%, Asian 2.9%, white 1.2%, mixed 2.8%, other 0.2% (2000 census) Religions: Christian Congregationalist 50%, Roman Catholic 20%, Protestant and other 30% Languages: Samoan 90.6% (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages), English 2.9%, Tongan 2.4%, other Pacific islander 2.1%, other 2% note: most people are bilingual (2000 census) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 98% female: 97% (1980 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Territory of American Samoa conventional short form: American Samoa abbreviation: AS Dependency status: unincorporated and unorganized territory of the US; adminis¬ tered by the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior Government type: NA Capital: name: Pago Pago geographic coordinates: 14 16S, 17042W time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: none (terri¬ tory of the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three dis¬ tricts and two islands* at the second order; Eastern, Manu’a, Rose Island*, Swains Island*, Western Independence: none (territory of the US) National holiday: Flag Day, 17 April (1900) Constitution: ratified 2 June 1966, effec¬ tive 1 July 1967 Legal system: NA Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001) head of government: Governor Togiola TULAFONO (since 7 April 2003) cabinet: Cabinet made up of 12 depart¬ ment directors elections: under the US Constitution, res¬ idents of unincorporated territories, such as American Samoa, do not vote in elec¬ tions for US president and vice presi¬ dent; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 2 and 16 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2008) election results: Togiola TULAFONO elected governor; percent of vote — Togiola TULAFONO 55.7%, Afoa Moega LUTU 44.3% Legislative branch: bicameral Fono or Legislative Assembly consists of the House of Representatives (21 seats; 20 members are elected by popular vote and 1 is an appointed, nonvoting delegate from Swains Island; to serve two-year terms) and the Senate (18 seats; mem¬ bers are elected from local chiefs to serve four-year terms) elections: House of Representatives — last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2008); Senate — last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2008) election results: House of Represent¬ atives — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — NA; Senate — percent of 13 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK vote by party — NA; seats by party- independents 18 note: American Samoa elects one non- voting representative to the US House of Representatives; election last held on 7 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2008); results — Eni F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA reelected as delegate Judicial branch: High Court (chief jus¬ tice and associate justices are appointed by the US Secretary of the Interior) Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party [Oreta M. TOGAFAU]; Republican Party [Tautai A. F. FAALEVAO] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC, UPU Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of the US) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of the US) Flag description: blue, with a white tri¬ angle edged in red that is based on the outer side and extends to the hoist side; a brown and white American bald eagle flying toward the hoist side is carrying two traditional Samoan symbols of authority, a staff and a war club ECONOMY Economy— overview: American Samoa has a traditional Polynesian economy in which more than 90% of the land is communally owned. Economic activity is strongly linked to the US with which American Samoa conducts most of its commerce. Tuna fishing and tuna pro¬ cessing plants are the backbone of the private sector, with canned tuna the pri¬ mary export. Transfers from the US Government add substantially to American Samoa’s economic well being. Attempts by the government to develop a larger and broader economy are restrained by Samoa’s remote location, its limited transportation, and its devas¬ tating hurricanes. Tourism is a promising developing sector. GDP (purchasing power parity): $510.1 million (2003 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $333.8 million (2005) GDP— real growth rate: 3% (2003) GDP— per capita (PPP): $5,800 (2005 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% Labor force: 17,630 (2005) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 34% industry: 33% services: 33% (1990) Unemployment rate: 29.8% (2005) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA% Budget: revenues: $121 million (37% in local rev¬ enue and 63% in US grants) expenditures: $127 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (FY96/97) Agriculture — products: bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit, yams, copra, pineapples, papayas; dairy products, live¬ stock Industries: tuna canneries (largely sup¬ plied by foreign fishing vessels), handi¬ crafts Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity— production: 128 million kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 119 million kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004) Oil— consumption: 3,900 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Exports: $445.6 million (FY04 est.) Exports— commodities: canned tuna 93% (2004 est.) Exports— partners: Indonesia 28.2%, India 22.3%, Australia 15.3%, Japan 11.2%, NZ 7.1% (2005) Imports: $308.8 million (FY04 est.) Imports — Commodities: materials for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum products 7%, machinery and parts 6% (2004 est.) Imports— partners: Australia 66%, Samoa 13.8%, NZ 10.8% (2005) Debt — external: $NA Economic aid — recipient: important financial support from the US, more than $40 million in 1994 Currency (code): US dollar (USD) Currency code: USD Exchange rates: the US dollar is used Fiscal year: 1 October — 30 September COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 15,000 (2001) Telephones— mobile cellular: 2,377 (4999) Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: good telex, telegraph, facsimile and cellular telephone services; domestic sat¬ ellite system with 1 Comsat earth station international: country code — 684; satel¬ lite earth station — 1 (Intelsat-Pacific Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2005) Radios: 57,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 1 (2006) Televisions: 14,000 (1997) Internet country code: as Internet hosts: 1,456 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000) Internet users: NA TRANSPORTATION Airports: 3 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Roadways: total. 185 km (2004) Ports and terminals: Pago Pago MILITARY Military — note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of the US TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: Tokelau included American Samoa’s Swains Island (Olohega) in its 2006 draft constitution ANDORRA INTRODUCTION Background: For 715 years, from 1278 to 1993, Andorrans lived under a unique co-principality, ruled by French and Spanish leaders (from 1607 onward, the French chief of state and the Spanish bishop of Urgel). In 1993, this feudal system was modified with the titular heads of state retained, but the govern¬ ment transformed into a parliamentary democracy. Long isolated and impover- 14 ANDORRA ished, mountainous Andorra achieved considerable prosperity since World War 11 through its tourist industry. Many immigrants (legal and illegal) are attracted to the thriving economy with its lack of income taxes. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southwestern Europe, between France and Spain Geographic coordinates: 42 30 N, 1 30 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 468 sq km land: 468 sq km water: 0 sq km Area— comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: total: 120.3 km border countries: France 56.6 km, Spain 63.7 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime Claims: none (landlocked) Climate: temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers Terrain: rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys Elevation extremes: lowest point: Riu Runer 840 m highest point: Coma Pedrosa 2,946 m Natural resources: hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead Land use: arable land: 2.13% permanent crops: 0% other: 97.87% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: avalanches Environment — current issues: defer- estation; overgrazing of mountain meadows contributes to soil erosion; air pollution; wastewater treatment and solid waste disposal Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: landlocked; straddles a number of important crossroads in the Pyrenees PEOPLE Population: 71,822 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 14-5% (male 5,433/female 4,984) 15-64 years: 71.2% (male 26,775/female 24,354) 65 years and over: 14-3% (male 5,074/female 5,202) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 41.5 years male: 41.8 years female : 41.3 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.842% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 8.45 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 6.45 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 6.42 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.099 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.975 male(s)/female total population: 1.079 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 4-03 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.37 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 83.52 years male: 80.62 years female: 86.62 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.31 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Andorran(s) adjective: Andorran Ethnic groups: Spanish 43%, Andorran 33%, Portuguese 11%, French 7%, other 6% (1998) Religions: Roman Catholic (predominant) Languages: Catalan (official), French, Castilian, Portuguese Literacy: definition: NA total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Principality of Andorra conventional short form: Andorra local long form: Principat d’Andorra local short form: Andorra Government type: parliamentary democ¬ racy (since March 1993) that retains as its chiefs of state a coprincipality; the two princes are the president of France and bishop of Seo de Urgel, Spain, who are represented locally by coprinces’ representatives Capital: name: Andorra la Vella geographic coordinates: 42 30 N, 1 30 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 7 parishes (parroquies, singular — parroquia); Andorra la Vella, Canillo, Encamp, Escaldes-Engordany, La Massana, Ordino, Sant Julia de Loria Independence: 1278 (formed under the joint suzerainty of the French Count of Foix and the Spanish Bishop of Urgel) National holiday: Our Lady of Meritxell Day, 8 September (1278) Constitution: Andorra’s first written constitution was drafted in 1991, approved by referendum 14 March 1993, effective 28 April 1993 Legal system: based on French and Spanish civil codes; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted com¬ pulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: French Coprince Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); repre¬ sented by Philippe MASSONI (since 26 July 2002) and Spanish Coprince Bishop Joan Enric VIVES i SICILIA (since 12 May 2003); represented by Nemesi MARQUES i OSTE (since NA) head of government: Executive Council President Albert PINTAT SANTO- LARI A (since 27 May 2005) cabinet: Executive Council or Govern desig¬ nated by the Executive Council president elections: Executive Council president elected by the General Council and for¬ mally appointed by the coprinces for a four-year term; election last held 24 April 2005 (next to be held in April-May 2009) election results: Albert PINTAT SAN- TOLARIA elected executive council president; percent of General Council vote — NA Legislative branch: unicameral General Council of the Valleys or Consell General de las Vails (28 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote, 14 from a single national constituency and 15 14 to represent each of the seven parishes; to serve four-year terms) elections: last held on 24 April 2005 (next to be held in March- April 2009) election results: percent of vote by party — PLA 41.2%, PS 38.1%, CDA-S21 11%, other 9.7%; seats by party — PLA 14, PS 12, CDA-S21 2 Judicial branch: Tribunal of Judges or Tribunal de Batlles; Tribunal of the Courts or Tribunal de Corts; Supreme Court of Justice of Andorra or Tribunal Superior de Justicia d’ Andorra; Supreme Council of Justice or Consell Superior de la Justicia; Fiscal Ministry or Ministeri Fiscal; Constitutional Tribunal or Tribunal Constitucional Political parties and leaders: Andor¬ ran Democratic Center Party or CDA (formerly Democratic Party or PD); Century 21 or S21 [Enric TARRADO]; Liberal Party of Andorra or PLA [Albert PINTAT SANTOLARIA] (formerly Liberal Union or UL); Social Demo¬ cratic Party or PS [Jaume BARTUMEU CASS ANY] (formerly part of National Democratic Group or AND) Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: CE, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNWTO, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WTO (observer) Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Julian VILA COMA chancery: 2 United Nations Plaza, 25th Floor, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 750-8064 FAX: [1] (212) 750-6630 Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Andorra; the US Ambassador to Spain is accredited to Andorra; US interests in Andorra are represented by the Consulate General’s office in Barcelona (Spain); mailing address: Paseo Reina Elisenda de Montcada, 23, 08034 Barcelona, Spain; telephone: [34] (3) 280-2227; FAX: [34] (3) 205-5206 Flag description: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red with the national coat of arms centered in the yellow band; the coat of arms fea¬ tures a quartered shield; similar to the flags of Chad and Romania, which do not have a national coat of arms in the center, and the flag of Moldova, which does bear a national emblem ECONOMY Economy— overview: Tourism, the main¬ stay of Andorra’s tiny, well-to-do THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK economy, accounts for more than 80% of GDP. An estimated 11.6 million tourists visit annually, attracted by Andorra’s duty-free status and by its summer and winter resorts. Andorra’s comparative advantage has recently eroded as the economies of neighboring France and Spain have been opened up, providing broader availability of goods and lower tariffs. The banking sector, with its partial “tax haven” status, also contributes sub¬ stantially to the economy. Agricultural production is limited — only 2% of the land is arable — and most food has to be imported. The principal livestock activity is sheep raising. Manufacturing output consists mainly of cigarettes, cigars, and furniture. Andorra is a member of the EU Customs Union and is treated as an EU member for trade in manufactured goods (no tariffs) and as a non-EU member for agricultural products. GDP (purchasing power parity): $2.77 billion (2005) GDP (official exchange rate): NA GDP — real growth rate: 3.5% (2005 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $38,800 (2005) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% Labor force: 42,420 (2005) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 0.3% industry: 20.3% services: 79.4% (2005) Unemployment rate: 0% (1996 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.2% (2005) Budget: revenues: $333.5 million expenditures: $386.6 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005) Agriculture— products: small quantities of rye, wheat, barley, oats, vegetables; sheep Industries: tourism (particularly skiing), cattle raising, timber, banking, tobacco, furniture Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity— production: NA kWh Electricity— production by source: NA Electricity— consumption: NA kWh Electricity— exports: NA kWh Electricity— imports: NA kWh; note- most electricity supplied by Spain and France; Andorra generates a small amount of hydropower Exports: $148.7 million f.o.b. (2005) Exports— commodities: tobacco prod¬ ucts, furniture Exports— partners: Spain 59.5%, France 17.0% (2005) Imports: $1,879 billion (2005) Imports— commodities: consumer goods, food, electricity Imports— partners: Spain 53.2%, France 21.1% (2005) Debt— external: $NA Economic aid— recipient: $0 Currency (code): euro (EUR) Currency code: EUR Exchange rates: euros per US dollar — 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 35,400 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 64,600 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: modern system with microwave radio relay connections between exchanges international: country code — 376; land- line circuits to France and Spain Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 15, shortwave 0 (1998) Radios: 16,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 0 (1997) Televisions: 27,000 (1997) Internet country code: ad Internet hosts: 14,944 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000) Internet users: 21,900 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Roadways: total: 269 km paved: 198 km unpaved: 71 km Military branches: no regular military forces, Police Service of Andorra Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 18,418 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 14,721 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 369 (2005 est.) Military — note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of France and Spain TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: none 16 ANGOLA INTRODUCTION Background: Angola is rebuilding its country after the end of a 2 7 -year civil war in 2002. Fighting between the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), led by Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS, and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), led by Jonas SAVIMBI, fob lowed independence from Portugal in 1975. Peace seemed imminent in 1992 when Angola held national elections, but UNITA renewed fighting after being beaten by the MPLA at the polls. Up to 1.5 million lives may have been lost — and 4 million people displaced — in the quarter century of fighting. SAVIMBI’s death in 2002 ended UNITA’s insurgency and strengthened the MPLA’s hold on power. While President DOS SANTOS had pledged to hold legislative elections in 2007, he has since announced that leg¬ islative elections will be held in 2008, with Presidential elections planned for 2009. A specific election timetable has yet to be established. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Namibia and Democratic Republic of the Congo Geographic coordinates: 12 30 S, 18 30 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 1,246,700 sq km land: 1,246,700 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Texas Land boundaries: total: 5,198 km border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,51 1 km (of which 225 km is the boundary of discontiguous Cabinda Province), Republic of the Congo 201 km, Namibia 1,376 km, Zambia 1,110 km Coastline: 1,600 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda; north has cool, dry season (May to October) and hot, rainy season (November to April) Terrain: narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Morro de Moco 2,620 m Natural resources: petroleum, dia¬ monds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar, gold, bauxite, uranium Land use: arable land: 2.65% permanent crops: 0.23% other: 97.12% (2005) Irrigated land: 800 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau Environment — current issues: overuse of pastures and subsequent soil erosion attrib¬ utable to population pressures; desertifica¬ tion; deforestation of tropical rain forest, in response to both international demand for tropical timber and to domestic use as fuel, resulting in loss of biodiversity; soil erosion contributing to water pollution and siltation of rivers and dams; inade¬ quate supplies of potable water Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: the province of Cabinda is an exclave, separated from the rest of the country by the Democratic Republic of the Congo PEOPLE Population: 12,263,596 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 43.7% (male 2,706,276/ female 2,654,338) 15-64 years: 53.5% (male 3,339,114/ female 3,225,121) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 149,414/ female 189,333) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 17.9 years male: 17.9 years female: 17.9 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.184% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 44.51 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 24.81 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 2.14 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15—64 years: 1.035 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.789 male(s)/female total population: 1.021 male(s)/female (2007 est.) infant mortality rate: total: 184-44 deaths/1,000 live births male: 196.55 deaths/1,000 live births female: 171.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 37.63 years male: 36.73 years female: 38.57 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 6.27 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 3.9% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 240,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 21,000 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria, African try¬ panosomiasis (sleeping sickness) are high risks in some locations respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007) Nationality: noun: Angolan (s) adjective: Angolan Ethnic groups: Ovimbundu 37%, Kimbundu 25%, Bakongo 13%, mestico (mixed European and native African) 2%, European 1%, other 22% Religions: indigenous beliefs 47%, Roman Catholic 38%, Protestant 15% (1998 est.) Languages: Portuguese (official), Bantu and other African languages Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 67.4% male: 82.9% female: 54-2% (2001 est.) 17 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Angola conventional short form: Angola local long form: Republica de Angola local short form: Angola former: People’s Republic of Angola Government type: republic; multiparty presidential regime Capital: name: Luanda geographic coordinates: 8 48 S, 13 14 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 18 provinces (provincias, singular — provincial; Bengo, Benguela, Bie, Cabinda, Cuando Cubango, Cuanza Norte, Cuanza Sul, Cunene, Huambo, Huila, Luanda, Lunda Norte, Lunda Sul, Malanje, Moxico, Namibe, Uige, Zaire Independence: 11 November 1975 (from Portugal) National holiday: Independence Day, 11 November (1975) Constitution: adopted by People’s Assembly 25 August 1992 Legal system: based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law; recently modified to accommodate political plu¬ ralism and increased use of free markets Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21 September 1979); note — the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21 September 1979); Fernando de Piedade Dias DOS SANTOS was appointed prime minister on 6 December 2002 cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by universal ballot for a five-year term (eligible for a second consecutive or discontinuous term) under the 1992 constitution; President DOS SANTOS originally elected (in 1979) without opposition under a one-party system and stood for reelection in Angola’s first multiparty elections 29-30 September 1992 (next to be held in 2009) election results: Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS 49.6%, Jonas SAVIMBI 40.1%, making a run-off election neces¬ sary; the run-off was not held and SAVIMBI’s National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) repu¬ diated the results of the first election; the civil war resumed leaving DOS SANTOS in his current position as the president Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (220 seats; members elected by proportional vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 29-30 September 1992 (next to be held in September 2008) election results: percent of vote by party — MPLA 54%, UNITA 34%, other 12%; seats by party — MPLA 129, UNITA 70, PRS 6, FNLA 5, PLD 3, other 7 Judicial branch: Supreme Court and separate provincial courts (judges are appointed by the president) Political parties and leaders: Liberal Democratic Party or PLD [Analia de Victoria PEREIRA]; National Front for the Liberation of Angola or FNLA [Holden ROBERTO]; National Union for the Total Independence of Angola or UNITA (largest opposition party) [Isaias SAMAKUVA]; Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola or MPLA (ruling party in power since 1975) (Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS]; Social Renewal Party or PRS [Antonio MUACHICUNGO] note: about a dozen minor parties partic¬ ipated in the 1992 elections but only won a few seats; they and the other 115 smaller parties have little influence in the National Assembly Political pressure groups and leaders: Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda or FLEC [N’zita Henriques TIAGO, Antonio Bento BEMBE] note: FLEC’s small-scale, highly faction- alized armed struggle for the independ¬ ence of Cabinda Province ended after BEMBE’s faction signed a peace accord in August 2006; other factions have since demobilized under provisions of the accord, although the two main faction leaders have not acceded to the accord International organization participa¬ tion: ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G- 77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signa¬ tory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OPEC, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Josefina Perpetua Pitra DIAKITI chancery: 2108 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 785-1156 FAX: [1] (202) 785-1258 consulate(s) general: Houston, New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Cynthia EFIRD embassy: number 32 Rua Houari Boumedienne (in the Miramar area of Luanda), Luanda mailing address : international mail: Caixa Postal 6468, Luanda; pouch: US Embassy Luanda, US Department of State, 2550 Luanda Place, Washington, DC 20521- 2550 telephone: [244] (222) 64-1000 FAX: [244] (222) 64-1232 Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and black with a cen¬ tered yellow emblem consisting of a five- pointed star within half a cogwheel crossed by a machete (in the style of a hammer and sickle) ECONOMY Economy — overview: Angola’s high growth rate is driven by its oil sector, with record oil prices and rising petro¬ leum production. Oil production and its supporting activities contribute about half of GDP and 90% of exports. Increased oil production supported 12% growth in 2004, 19% growth in 2005, and nearly 14% growth in 2006. A postwar reconstruction boom and reset¬ tlement of displaced persons has led to high rates of growth in construction and agriculture as well. Much of the country’s infrastructure is still damaged or unde¬ veloped from the 27-year-long civil war. Remnants of the conflict such as wide¬ spread land mines still mar the country¬ side even though an apparently durable peace was established after the death of rebel leader Jonas SAVIMBI in February 2002. Subsistence agriculture provides the main livelihood for most of the people, but half of the country’s food must still be imported. In 2005, the gov¬ ernment started using a $2 billion line of credit from China to rebuild Angola’s public infrastructure, and several large- scale projects were completed in 2006. The central bank in 2003 implemented an exchange rate stabilization program using foreign exchange reserves to buy kwanzas out of circulation. This policy became more sustainable in 2005 because of strong oil export earnings; it has significantly reduced inflation. Although consumer inflation declined from 325% in 2000 to about 13% in 2006, the stabilization policy has put pressure on international net liquidity. To fully take advantage of its rich national resources — gold, diamonds, extensive forests, Atlantic fisheries, and large oil deposits — Angola will need to implement government reforms and to reduce corruption. The government has made little progress on reforms recom¬ mended by the IMF, such as promoting 18 ANGOLA greater transparency in government spending, and continues to be without a formal monitoring agreement with the institution. Corruption, especially in the extractive sectors, is a major challenge facing Angola. GDP (purchasing power parity): $53.06 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $28.61 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 15% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $4,400 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 9.6% industry: 65.8% services: 24.6% (2005 est.) Labor force: 6.393 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 85% industry and services: 15% (2003 est.) Unemployment rate: extensive unem¬ ployment and underemployment affect¬ ing more than half the population (2001 est.) Population below poverty line: 70% (2003 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% inflation rate (consumer prices): 13.2% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 14 6% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $10.98 billion expenditures: $9.7 billion; including cap¬ ital expenditures of $963 million (2006 est.) Public debt: 32.7% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: bananas, sugar¬ cane, coffee, sisal, com, cotton, manioc (tapioca), tobacco, vegetables, plantains; livestock; forest products; fish Industries: petroleum; diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, feldspar, bauxite, ura¬ nium, and gold; cement; basic metal products; fish processing; food pro¬ cessing, brewing, tobacco products, sugar; textiles; ship repair Industrial production growth rate: 13.5% (2004 est.) Electricity— production: 2.194 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 36.4% hydro: 63.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 2.04 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil — production: 1.6 million bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— consumption: 48,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Oil — proved reserves: 25 billion bbl (2006 est.) Natural gas — production: 750 million cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 750 million cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 45.87 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $7.7 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $35.53 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: crude oil, dia¬ monds, refined petroleum products, gas, coffee, sisal, fish and fish products, timber, cotton Exports— partners: US 39.8%, China 29.6%, France 7.8%, Chile 5.4%, Taiwan 4*4% (2005) Imports: $10.21 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — Commodities: machinery and electrical equipment, vehicles and spare parts; medicines, food, textiles, military goods Imports— partners: South Korea 20.5%, Portugal 13.4%, US 12.5%, South Africa 7.4%, Brazil 7%, France 5.1%, China 5% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $6.75 billion (2006 est.) Debt— external: $11.24 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $383.5 mil¬ lion (1999) Currency (code): kwanza (AOA) Currency code: AOA Exchange rates: kwanza per US dollar — 80.4 (2006), 88.6 (2005), 83.541 (2004), 74.606 (2003), 43.53 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 94,300 (2005) Telephones — mobile cellular: 1.094 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: telephone service lim¬ ited mostly to government and business use; HF radiotelephone used extensively for military links domestic: limited system of wire, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter international: country code — 244; satel¬ lite earth stations — 29; fiber optic sub¬ marine cable (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia (2005) Radio broadcast stations: AM 21, FM 6, shortwave 7 (2001) Radios: 815,000 (2000) Television broadcast stations: 6 (2000) Televisions: 196,000 (2000) Internet country code: ao Internet hosts: 2,525 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): l (2000) Internet users: 172,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 244 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 31 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 213 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 30 914 to 1,523 m: 95 under 914 m: 81 (2006) Pipelines: gas 235 km; liquid petroleum gas 122 km; oil 867 km; oil/gas/water 5 km (2006) Railways: total: 2,761 km narrow gauge: 2,638 km 1.067-m gauge; 123 km 0.600-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 51,429 km paved: 5,349 km unpaved: 46,080 km (2001) Waterways: 1,300 km (2007) Merchant marine: total: 4 ships (1000 GRT or over) 4,343 GRT/4,643 DWT by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 2, petro¬ leum tanker 1 registered in other countries: 5 (Bahamas 5) (2006) Ports and terminals: Cabinda, Luanda, Soyo Military branches: Army, Navy (Marinha de Guerra, MdG), Air and Air Defense Forces (FANA) (2006) Military service age and obligation: 17 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation — 2 years plus time for training (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 17-49: 2,548,455 females age 17-49: 2,462,601 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 17-49: 1,282,195 females age 17-49: 1,256,390 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 126,694 females age 17-49: 123,586 (2005 est.) 19 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Military expenditures — percent of GDP: 5.7% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: many Cabindan separatists have returned to the province from exile since the 2006 ceasefire and peace agreement; concerns from interna¬ tional experts and local populations over the Okavango Delta ecology in Botswana and human displacement scut¬ tled Namibian plans to construct a hydroelectric dam at Popavalle (Popa Falls) along the Angola-Namibia border Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 13,464 (Democratic Republic of Congo) IDPs: 61,700 (27-year civil war ending in 2002; 4 million IDPs already have returned) (2006) Illicit drugs: used as a transshipment point for cocaine destined for Western Europe and other African states, particu¬ larly South Africa ANGUILLA INTRODUCTION Background: Colonized by English set¬ tlers from Saint Kitts in 1650, Anguilla was administered by Great Britain until the early 19th century, when the island — against the wishes of the inhab¬ itants — was incorporated into a single British dependency, along with Saint Kitts and Nevis. Several attempts at separation failed. In 1971, two years after a revolt, Anguilla was finally allowed to secede; this arrangement was formally recognized in 1980, with Anguilla becoming a separate British dependency. GEOGRAPHY Location: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico Geographic coordinates: 18 15 N, 63 10 w Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total: 102 sq km land: 102 sq km water: 0 sq km Area— comparative: about half the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 61 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical; moderated by north¬ east trade winds Terrain: flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Crocus Hill 65 m Natural resources: salt, fish, lobster Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (mostly rock with sparse scrub oak, few trees, some commercial salt ponds) (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to October) Environment — current issues: supplies of potable water sometimes cannot meet increasing demand largely because of poor distribution system Geography — note: the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles PEOPLE Population: 13,677 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 22.3% (male 1,546/female 1,502) 15-64 years: 70.8% (male 4,979/female 4,705) 65 years and over: 6.9% (male 423/female 522) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 31.6 years male: 31.6 years female: 31.5 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.375% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 13.97 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 5.34 deaths/ 1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 5.12 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.029 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.058 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 1.033 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 19.61 deaths/1,000 live births male: 25.74 deaths/1,000 live births female: 13.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.46 years male: 74.53 years female: 80.49 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.72 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HiV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Anguillan(s) adjective: Anguillan Ethnic groups: black (predominant) 90.1%, mixed, mulatto 4-6%, white 3.7%, other 1.5% (2001 Census) Religions: Anglican 29%, Methodist 23.9%, other Protestant 30.2%, Roman Catholic 5.7%, other Christian 1.7%, other 5.2%, none or unspecified 4.3% (2001 Census) Languages: English (official) Literacy: definition: age 12 and over can read and write total population: 95% male: 95% female: 95% (1984 est.) Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Anguilla Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK Government type: NA Capital: name: The Valley geographic coordinates: 18 13 N, 63 04 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: none (over¬ seas territory of the UK) Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK) 20 ANGUILLA National holiday: Anguilla Day, 30 May (1967) Constitution: Anguilla Constitutional Order 1 April 1982; amended 1990 Legal system: based on English common law Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Andrew N. GEORGE (since 10 July 2006) head of government: Chief Minister Osbourne FLEMING ( since 3 March 2000) cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from among the elected members of the House of Assembly elections: none; the monarch is heredi¬ tary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed chief minister by the governor Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (11 seats; 7 members elected by direct popular vote, 2 ex officio mem¬ bers, and 2 appointed; to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 21 February 2005 (next to be held in 2010) election results: percent of vote by party — AUF 38.9%, AUM 19.4%, ANSA 19.2%, APP 9.5%, independents 13%; seats by party — AUF 4, ANSA 2, AUM 1 Judicial branch: High Court (judge pro¬ vided by Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court) Political parties and leaders: Anguilla United Movement or AUM [Hubert HUGHES]; The Anguilla United Front or AUF [Osbourne FLEMING, Victor BANKS] (a coalition of the Anguilla Democratic Party or ADP and the Anguilla National Alliance or ANA); Anguilla Progressive Party or APP [Roy ROGERS]; Anguilla Strategic Alter¬ native or ANSA [Edison BAIRD] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS (associate), UPU Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the UK) Flag description: blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Anguillan coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts three orange dolphins in an interlocking circular design on a white background with blue wavy water below ECONOMY Economy — overview: Anguilla has few natural resources, and the economy depends heavily on luxury tourism, off¬ shore banking, lobster fishing, and remit¬ tances from emigrants. Increased activity in the tourism industry, which has spurred the growth of the construction sector, has contributed to economic growth. Anguillan officials have put sub¬ stantial effort into developing the off¬ shore financial sector, which is small, but growing. In the medium term, prospects for the economy will depend largely on the tourism sector and, therefore, on revived income growth in the industrial¬ ized nations as well as on favorable weather conditions. GDP (purchasing power parity): $108.9 million (2004 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $108.9 million (2004 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 10.2% (2004 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $8,800 (2004 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 4% industry: 18% services: 78% (2002 est.) Labor force: 6,049 (2001) Labor force— by occupation: agricul- ture/fishing/forestry/mining 4%, manu¬ facturing 3%, construction 18%, transportation and utilities 10%, com¬ merce 36%, services 29% (2000 est.) Unemployment rate: 8% (2002) Population below poverty line: 23% (2002) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.3% (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $22.8 million expenditures: $22.5 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) Agriculture — products: small quantities of tobacco, vegetables; cattle raising Industries: tourism, boat building, off¬ shore financial services Industrial production growth rate: 3.1% (1997 est.) Electricity — production: NA kWh Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: NA hydro: NA nuclear: NA other: NA Current account balance: $42.87 mil¬ lion (2003 est.) Exports: $14.56 million (2005 est.) Exports — commodities: lobster, fish, livestock, salt, concrete blocks, rum Exports— partners: UK, US, Puerto Rico, Saint-Martin (2004) Imports: $129.9 million (2005 est.) Imports— commodities: fuels, food¬ stuffs, manufactures, chemicals, trucks, textiles Imports— partners: US, Puerto Rico, UK (2004) Debt— external: $8.8 million (1998) Economic aid— recipient: $9 million (2004 est.) Currency (code): East Caribbean dollar (XCD) Currency code: XCD Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars per US dollar — 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002) note: fixed rate since 1976 Fiscal year: 1 April— 31 March COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 6,200 (2002) Telephones— mobile cellular: 1,800 (2002) Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: modern internal telephone system international: country code — 1-264; microwave radio relay to island of Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2004) Radios: 3,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: l (1997) Televisions: 1,000 (1997) Internet country code: ai Internet hosts: 403 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 16 (2000) Internet users: 3,000 (2002) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 3 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2006) Roadways: total: 175 km paved: 82 km unpaved: 93 km (2004) Merchant marine: registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Blowing Point, Road Bay MILITARY Manpower available for military service: males age 18^9: 3,614 (2005 est.) 21 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 2,986 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 120 (2005 est.) Military — note: defense is the response bility of the UK TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: none Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe ANTARCTICA Background: Speculation over the exis¬ tence of a “southern land” was not con¬ firmed until the early 1820s when British and American commercial operators and British and Russian national expeditions began exploring the Antarctic Peninsula region and other areas south of the Antarctic Circle. Not until 1840 was it established that Antarctica was indeed a continent and not just a group of islands. Several exploration “firsts” were achieved in the early 20th century. Following World War II, there was an upsurge in scientific research on the con¬ tinent. A number of countries have set up year-round research stations on Antarctica. Seven have made territorial claims, but not all countries recognize these claims. In order to form a legal framework for the activities of nations on the continent, an Antarctic Treaty was negotiated that neither denies nor gives recognition to existing territorial claims; signed in 1959, it entered into force in 1961. GEOGRAPHY Location: continent mostly south of the Antarctic Circle Geographic coordinates: 90 00 S, 0 00 E Map references: Antarctic Region Area: total: 14 million sq km land: 14 million sq km (280,000 sq km ice-free, 13.72 million sq km ice-cov¬ ered) (est.) note: fifth-largest continent, following Asia, Africa, North America, and South America, but larger than Australia and the subcontinent of Europe Area — comparative: slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US Land boundaries: 0 km note: see entry on Disputes — interna¬ tional Coastline: 17,968 km Maritime claims: Australia, Chile, and Argentina claim Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) rights or similar over 200 nm extensions seaward from their conti¬ nental claims, but like the claims them¬ selves, these zones are not accepted by other countries; 21 of 28 Antarctic con¬ sultative nations have made no claims to Antarctic territory (although Russia and the US have reserved the right to do so) and do not recognize the claims of the other nations; also see the Disputes — international entry Climate: severe low temperatures vary with latitude, elevation, and distance from the ocean; East Antarctica is colder than West Antarctica because of its higher elevation; Antarctic Peninsula has the most moderate climate; higher temperatures occur in January along the coast and average slightly below freezing Terrain: about 98% thick continental ice sheet and 2% barren rock, with average elevations between 2,000 and 4,000 meters; mountain ranges up to nearly 5,000 meters; ice-free coastal areas include parts of southern Victoria Land, Wilkes Land, the Antarctic Peninsula area, and parts of Ross Island on McMurdo Sound; glaciers form ice shelves along about half of the coastline, and floating ice shelves constitute 11% of the area of the continent Elevation extremes: lowest point: Bentley Subglacial Trench - 2,555 m highest point: Vinson Massif 4,897 m note: the lowest known land point in Antarctica is hidden in the Bentley Subglacial Trench; at its surface is the deepest ice yet discovered and the world’s lowest elevation not under sea¬ water Natural resources: iron ore, chromium, copper, gold, nickel, platinum and other minerals, and coal and hydrocarbons have been found in small uncommercial quantities; none presently exploited; krill, finfish, and crab have been taken by commercial fisheries Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (ice 98%, barren rock 2%) (2005) Natural hazards: katabatic (gravity- driven) winds blow coastward from the high interior; frequent blizzards form near the foot of the plateau; cyclonic storms form over the ocean and move clockwise along the coast; volcanism on Deception Island and isolated areas of West Antarctica; other seismic activity rare and weak; large icebergs may calve from ice shelf Environment— current issues: in 1998, NASA satellite data showed that the Antarctic ozone hole was the largest on record, covering 27 million square kilo¬ meters; researchers in 1997 found that increased ultraviolet light passing through the hole damages the DNA of icefish, an Antarctic fish lacking hemo¬ globin; ozone depletion earlier was shown to harm one-celled Antarctic marine plants; in 2002, significant areas of ice shelves disintegrated in response to regional warming Geography — note: the coldest, windiest, highest (on average), and driest conti¬ nent; during summer, more solar radia¬ tion reaches the surface at the South Pole than is received at the Equator in an equivalent period; mostly uninhabitable PEOPLE Population: no indigenous inhabitants, but there are both permanent and summer-only staffed research stations note: 28 nations, all signatory to the Antarctic Treaty, operate through their National Antarctic Program a number of seasonal-only (summer) and year-round research stations on the continent and its nearby islands south of 60 degrees south latitude (the region covered by the Antarctic Treaty); these stations’ popula¬ tion of persons doing and supporting sci¬ ence or engaged in the management and protection of the Antarctic region varies from approximately 4,000 in summer to 1,000 in winter; in addition, approxi¬ mately 1,000 personnel, including ship’s crew and scientists doing onboard 22 ANTARCTICA research, are present in the waters of the treaty region; peak summer (December- February) population — 3,944 total; Argentina 417, Australia 200, Brazil 40, Bulgaria 15, Chile 224, China 70, Czech Republic 20, Ecuador 26, Finland 20, France 122, Germany 78, India 65, Italy 113, Japan 125, South Korea 60, NZ 85, Norway 44, Peru 28, Poland 40, Romania 13, Russia 429, South Africa 80, Spain 28, Sweden 20, Ukraine 24, UK 205, US 1,293, Uruguay 60 (2006-2007); winter (June-August) sta¬ tion population — 1,077 total; Argentina 176, Australia 62, Brazil 12, Chile 88, China 29, France 37, Germany 9, India 25, Italy 2, Japan 40, South Korea 15, NZ 10, Norway 7, Poland 12, Russia 148, South Africa 10, Ukraine 12, UK 37, US 337, Uruguay 9 (2006); research stations operated within the Antarctic Treaty area (south of 60 degrees south latitude) by National Antarctic Programs: year- round stations— 37 total; Argentina 6, Australia 3, Brazil 1, Chile 3, China 2, France 1, Germany 1, India 1, Japan 1, South Korea 1, NZ 1, Norway 1, Poland 1, Russia 5, South Africa 1, Ukraine 1, UK 2, US 3, Uruguay 1, Italy and France jointly 1 (2005); seasonal-only (summer) stations — 16 total; Bulgaria 1, Chile 1, Czech Republic 1, Ecuador 1, Finland 1, Germany 1, Italy 1, Japan 1, Norway 1, Peru 1, Romania 1, Russia 1, Spain 2, Sweden 1, UK 1 (2006-2007); in addi¬ tion, during the austral summer some nations have numerous occupied loca¬ tions such as tent camps, summer-long temporary facilities, and mobile traverses in support of research (July 2007 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Antarctica Government type: Antarctic Treaty Summary — the Antarctic Treaty, signed on 1 December 1959 and entered into force on 23 June 1961, establishes the legal framework for the management of Antarctica; the 29th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting was held in Edinburgh, UK in June 2006; at these periodic meetings, decisions are made by consensus (not by vote) of all consulta¬ tive member nations; at the end of 2006, there were 46 treaty member nations: 28 consultative and 18 non-consultative; consultative (decision-making) members include the seven nations that claim por¬ tions of Antarctica as national territory (some claims overlap) and 21 non- claimant nations; the US and Russia have reserved the right to make claims; the US does not recognize the claims of others; Antarctica is administered through meetings of the consultative member nations; decisions from these meetings are carried out by these member nations (with respect to their own nationals and operations) in accor¬ dance with their own national laws; the years in parentheses indicate when a consultative member-nation acceded to the Treaty and when it was accepted as a consultative member, while no date indi¬ cates the country was an original 1959 treaty signatory; claimant nations are — Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, NZ, Norway, and the UK. Nonclaimant con¬ sultative nations are — Belgium, Brazil (1975/1983), Bulgaria (1978/1998) China (1983/1985), Ecuador (1987/ 1990), Finland (1984/1989), Germany (1979/1981), India (1983/1983), Italy (1981/1987), Japan, South Korea (1986/1989), Netherlands (1967/1990), Peru (1981/1989), Poland (1961/1977), Russia, South Africa, Spain (1982/ 1988), Sweden (1984/1988), Ukraine (1992/2004), Uruguay (1980/1985), and the US; non-consultative members, with year of accession in parentheses, are — Austria (1987), Belarus (2006), Canada (1988), Colombia (1989), Cuba (1984), Czech Republic (1962/1993), Denmark (1965), Estonia (2001), Greece (1987), Guatemala (1991), Hungary (1984), North Korea (1987), Papua New Guinea (1981), Romania (1971), Slovakia (1962/1993), Switzerland (1990), Turkey (1996), and Venezuela (1999); note — Czechoslovakia acceded to the Treaty in 1962 and separated into the Czech Republic and Slovakia in 1993; Article 1 — area to be used for peaceful purposes only; military activity, such as weapons testing, is prohibited, but military per¬ sonnel and equipment may be used for scientific research or any other peaceful purpose; Article 2 — freedom of scientific investigation and cooperation shall con¬ tinue; Article 3 — free exchange of infor¬ mation and personnel, cooperation with the UN and other international agen¬ cies; Article 4 — does not recognize, dis¬ pute, or establish territorial claims and no new claims shall be asserted while the treaty is in force; Article 5 — prohibits nuclear explosions or disposal of radioac¬ tive wastes; Article 6 — includes under the treaty all land and ice shelves south of 60 degrees 00 minutes south and reserves high seas rights; Article 7 — treaty-state observers have free access, including aerial observation, to any area and may inspect all stations, installa¬ tions, and equipment; advance notice of all expeditions and of the introduction of military personnel must be given; Article 8 — allows for jurisdiction over observers and scientists by their own states; Article 9 — frequent consultative meetings take place among member nations; Article 10 — treaty states will discourage activi¬ ties by any country in Antarctica that are contrary to the treaty; Article 11 — dis¬ putes to be settled peacefully by the par¬ ties concerned or, ultimately, by the ICJ; Articles 12, 13, 14 — deal with upholding, interpreting, and amending the treaty among involved nations; other agreements — some 200 recommenda¬ tions adopted at treaty consultative meetings and ratified by governments include — Agreed Measures for Fauna and Flora (1964) which were later incor¬ porated into the Environmental Protocol; Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (1972); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (1980); a mineral resources agreement was signed in 1988 but remains unrati- fied; the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty was signed 4 October 1991 and entered into force 14 January 1998; this agreement provides for the protection of the Antarctic environment through six spe¬ cific annexes: 1) environmental impact assessment, 2) conservation of Antarctic fauna and flora, 3) waste disposal and waste management, 4) prevention of marine pollution, 5) area protection and management and 6) liability arising from environmental emergencies; it prohibits all activities relating to mineral resources except scientific research; a permanent Antarctic Treaty Secretariat was estab¬ lished in 2004 in Buenos Aires, Argentina Legal system: Antarctica is adminis¬ tered through meetings of the consulta¬ tive member nations; decisions from these meetings are carried out by these member nations (with respect to their own nationals and operations) in accor¬ dance with their own national laws; US law, including certain criminal offenses by or against US nationals, such as murder, may apply extraterritorially; some US laws directly apply to Antarctica; for example, the Antarctic Conservation Act, 16 U.S.C. section 2401 et seq., provides civil and criminal penalties for the following activities, unless authorized by regulation of statute: the taking of native mammals or birds; the introduction of nonindigenous plants and animals; entry into specially protected areas; the discharge or disposal of pollutants; and the importation into the US of certain items from Antarctica; violation of the Antarctic Conservation 23 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Act carries penalties of up to $10,000 in fines and one year in prison; the National Science Foundation and Department of Justice share enforcement responsibilities; Public Law 95-541, the US Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978, as amended in 1996, requires expeditions from the US to Antarctica to notify, in advance, the Office of Oceans, Room 5805, Department of State, Washington, DC 20520, which reports such plans to other nations as required by the Antarctic Treaty; for more information, contact Permit Office, Office of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, Arlington, Virginia 22230; telephone: (703) 292-8030, or visit their website at www.nsf.gov; more generally, access to the Antarctic Treaty area, that is to all areas between 60 and 90 degrees south latitude, is subject to a number of rele¬ vant legal instruments and authorization procedures adopted by the states party to the Antarctic Treaty ECONOMY Economy — overview: Fishing off the coast and tourism, both based abroad, account for Antarctica’s limited eco¬ nomic activity. Antarctic fisheries in 2004-05 (1 July-30 June) reported landing 147,000 metric tons (estimated fishing from the area covered by the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), which extends slightly beyond the Antarctic Treaty area). Unregulated fishing, particularly of Patagonian toothfish, is a serious problem. The CCAMLR determines the recommended catch limits for marine species. A total of 26,245 tourists visited in the 2005-06 Antarctic summer, up from the 22,712 visitors the previous year. Nearly all of them were passengers on commercial (nongovernmental) ships and several yachts that mate trips during the summer. Most tourist trips last approximately two weeks. COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 0; note — information for US bases only (2001) Telephone system: general assessment: local systems at some research stations domestic: commercial cellular networks operating in a small number of locations international: country code — 672; via satellite (including mobile Inmarsat and Iridium systems) from all research sta¬ tions, ships, aircraft, and most field par¬ ties (2001) Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM 2, shortwave 1 (information for US bases only) (2002) Radios: NA Television broadcast stations: 1 (cable system with 6 channels; American Forces Antarctic Network-McMurdo — information for US bases only) (2002) Televisions: several hundred at McMurdo Station (US) note: information for US bases only (2001) Internet country code: aq Internet hosts: 7,757 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA TRANSPORTATION I ’•At;'.: - Airports: 32 note: there are no developed public access airports or landing facilities; 22 stations and 10 remote field locations, operated by 12 National Antarctic Programs from nations party to the Antarctic Treaty, have restricted aircraft landing facilities comprising a total of 12 runways and 25 skiways for fixed-wing aircraft; some stations have both runways and skiways; commercial enterprises operate two aircraft landing facilities at one station; helicopter pads are available at all 37 year-round and 16 seasonal sta¬ tions operated by National Antarctic Programs; the 1 2 runways are suitable for wheeled, fixed-wing aircraft: three are gravel, five blue-ice, two sea-ice and two compacted snow; of these, five are 3 km in length, two are between 2 km and 3 km in length, three are between 1 km and 2 km in length, one is less than 1 km in length, and one has length that varies with conditions; the 25 snow surface ski¬ ways are limited to use by ski-equipped, fixed-wing aircraft; of these, three are equal to or greater than 3 km in length, one is between 2 km and 3 km in length, 1 1 are between 1 km and 2 km in length, four are less than 1 km in length, and six are of unknown or variable length; snow surface skiways are generally prepared and maintained during specific periods only and during summer; all aircraft landing facilities subject to severe restric¬ tions and limitations resulting from extreme seasonal and geographic condi¬ tions; aircraft landing facilities do not meet ICAO standards; advance approval from the respective governmental or nongovernmental operating organization required for using their facilities; landed aircraft are subject to inspection in accordance with Article 7, Antarctic Treaty; guidelines for the operation of aircraft near concentrations of birds in Antarctica were adopted in 2004; rele¬ vant legal instruments and authorization procedures adopted by states party to the Antarctic Treaty regulating access to the Antarctic Treaty area, that is to all areas between 60 and 90 degrees of latitude South, have to be complied with (see information under “Legal System”); an Antarctic Flight Information Manual (AFIM) providing up-to-date details of Antarctic air facilities and procedures is maintained and published by the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs (2007) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 32 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1 ,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 3 length unknown or variable: 7 (2007) Heliports: 53 note: all 37 year-round and 16 seasonal stations operated by National Antarctic Programs stations have restricted heli¬ copter landing facilities (helipads) (2007) Ports and terminals: there are no devel¬ oped ports and harbors in Antarctica; most coastal stations have offshore anchorages, and supplies are transferred from ship to shore by small boats, barges, and helicopters; a few stations have a basic wharf facility; US coastal stations include McMurdo (77 51 S, 166 40 E), and Palmer (64 43 S, 64 03 W); govern¬ ment use only except by permit (see Permit Office under “Legal System”); all ships at port are subject to inspection in accordance with Article 7, Antarctic Treaty; offshore anchorage is sparse and intermittent; relevant legal instruments and authorization procedures adopted by the states parties to the Antarctic Treaty regulating access to the Antarctic Treaty area, to all areas between 60 and 90 degrees of latitude south, have to be complied with (see “Legal System”); The Hydrographic Committee on Antarctica (HCA), a special hydrographic commis¬ sion of International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), is responsible for hydrographic surveying and nautical charting matters in Antarctic Treaty area; it coordinates and facilitates provi¬ sion of accurate and appropriate charts and other aids to navigation in support of safety of navigation in region; member¬ ship of HCA is open to any IHO Member State whose government has acceded to the Antarctic Treaty and which contributes resources and/or data to IHO Chart coverage of the area; members of HCA are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, China, Ecuador, France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, 24 ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA NZ, Norway, Russia, South Africa, Spain, and the UK (2006) MILITARY Military — note: the Antarctic Treaty prohibits any measures of a military nature, such as the establishment of mil¬ itary bases and fortifications, the carrying out of military maneuvers, or the testing of any type of weapon; it permits the use of military personnel or equipment for scientific research or for any other peaceful purposes TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: Antarctic Treaty freezes claims (see Antarctic Treaty Summary in Government type entry); Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, NZ, Norway, and UK claim land and maritime sectors (some overlapping) for a large portion of the continent; the US and many other states do not recog¬ nize these territorial claims and have made no claims themselves (the US and Russia reserve the right to do so); no claims have been made in the sector between 90 degrees west and 150 degrees west ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA INTRODUCTION Background: The Siboney were the first to inhabit the islands of Antigua and Barbuda in 2400 B.C., but Arawak Indians populated the islands when COLUMBUS landed on his second voyage in 1493. Early settlements by the Spanish and French were succeeded by the English who formed a colony in 1667. Slavery, established to run the sugar plantations on Antigua, was abol¬ ished in 1834- The islands became an independent state within the British Commonwealth of Nations in 1981. GEOGRAPHY Location: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico Geographic coordinates: 17 03 N, 61 48 w Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total: 442.6 sq km (Antigua 280 sq km; Barbuda 161 sq km) land: 442.6 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Redonda, 1.6 sq km Area — comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 153 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 2 00 nm or to the edge of the continental margin Climate: tropical maritime; little sea¬ sonal temperature variation Terrain: mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands, with some higher volcanic areas Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Boggy Peak 402 m Natural resources: NEGL; pleasant cli¬ mate fosters tourism Land use: arable land: 18.18% permanent crops: 4.55% other: 77.27% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); periodic droughts Environment— current issues: water management — a major concern because of limited natural fresh water resources — is further hampered by the clearing of trees to increase crop production, causing rainfall to run off quickly Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: Antigua has a deeply indented shoreline with many natural harbors and beaches; Barbuda has a very large western harbor PEOPLE Population: 69,481 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 27.3% (male 9,647/female 9,306) 15-64 years: 69% (male 24,137/female 23,801) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 965/female 1,625) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 30.3 years male: 29.8 years female: 30.8 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.527% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 16.62 births/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 5.31 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -6.04 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.037 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.014 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.594 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 18.26 deaths/1,000 live births mole: 21.99 deaths/1,000 live births female: 14.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.42 years male: 70.03 years female: 74-94 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.23 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Antiguan(s), Barbudan(s) adjective: Antiguan, Barbudan Ethnic groups: black 91%, mixed 4-4%, white 1.7%, other 2.9% (2001 census) Religions: Anglican 25.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 12.3%, Pentecostal 10.6%, Moravian 10.5%, Roman Catholic 10.4%, Methodist 7.9%, Baptist 4.9%, Church of God 4.5%, other Christian 5.4%, other 2%, none or unspecified 5.8% (2001 census) Languages: English (official), local dialects 25 JHE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling total population: 85.8% male: NA% female: NA% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Antigua and Barbuda Government type: constitutional parlia- mentary democracy Capital: name: Saint John’s geographic coordinates: 17 06 N, 61 51 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 6 parishes and 2 dependencies*; Barbuda*, Redonda*, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mary, Saint Paul, Saint Peter, Saint Philip independence: 1 November 1981 (from UK) National holiday: Independence Day (National Day), 1 November (1981) Constitution: 1 November 1981 Legal system: based on English common law Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Sir James B. CARLISLE (since 10 June 1993) head of government: Prime Minister Winston Baldwin SPENCER (since 24 March 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the monarch is heredb tary; governor general chosen by the monarch on the advice of the prime min- ister; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority patty or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the gov- ernor general Legislative branch: bicameral Parlia- ment consists of the Senate (17 seats; members appointed by the governor gen- eral) and the House of Representatives (17 seats; members are elected by propor¬ tional representation to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Representatives — last held 23 March 2004 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — ALP 4, UPP 13 Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia; one judge of the Supreme Court is a res¬ ident of the islands and presides over the Court of Summary Jurisdiction); member Caribbean Court of Justice Political parties and leaders: Antigua Labor Party or ALP [Lester Bryant BIRD]; Barbudans for a Better Barbuda [Ordrick SAMUEL]; Barbuda People’s Movement or BPM [Thomas H. FRANK]; Barbuda People’s Movement for Change [Arthur NIBBS]; United Progressive Party or UPP [Baldwin SPENCER] (a coalition of three par¬ ties — Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement or ACLM, Progressive Labor Movement or PLM, United National Democratic Party or UNDP) Political pressure groups and leaders: Antigua Trades and Labor Union or ATLU [William ROBINSON]; People’s Democratic Movement or PDM [Hugh MARSHALL] International organization participa¬ tion: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G- 77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Deborah Mae LOVELL chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 362-5122 FAX: [1] (202) 362-5225 consulate(s) general: Miami Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Antigua and Barbuda; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Antigua and Barbuda Flag description: red, with an inverted isosceles triangle based on the top edge of the flag; the triangle contains three horizontal bands of black (top), light blue, and white, with a yellow rising sun in the black band ECONOMY Economy — overview: Tourism con¬ tinues to dominate the economy, accounting for more than half of GDP Weak tourist arrival numbers since early 2000 have slowed the economy and pressed the government into a tight fiscal corner. The dual-island nation’s agricul¬ tural production is focused on the domestic market and constrained by a limited water supply and a labor shortage stemming from the lure of higher wages in tourism and construction. Manu¬ facturing comprises enclave-type as¬ sembly for export with major products being bedding, handicrafts, and elec¬ tronic components. Prospects for eco¬ nomic growth in the medium term will continue to depend on income growth in the industrialized world, especially in the US, which accounts for slightly more than one-third of tourist arrivals. GDP (purchasing power parity): $750 million (2002 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $905 mil¬ lion (2005 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 3.8% (2005 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $10,900 (2005 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 3.8% industry: 22% services: 74.3% (2002 est.) Labor force: 30,000 (1991 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 7% industry: 11% services: 82% (1983) Unemployment rate: 11% (2001 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.9% (2005 est.) Budget: revenues: $123.7 million expenditures: $145.9 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) Agriculture — products: cotton, fruits, vegetables, bananas, coconuts, cucum¬ bers, mangoes, sugarcane; livestock Industries: tourism, construction, light manufacturing (clothing, alcohol, house¬ hold appliances) Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity— production: 105 million kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 97.65 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004) Oil— consumption: 3,800 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $83.4 million (2004) 26 ARCTIC OCEAN Exports: $46.81 million (2004 est.) Exports commodities: petroleum prod¬ ucts 48%, manufactures 23%, machinery and transport equipment 17%, food and live animals 4%, other 8% Exports— partners: Spain 34%, Germany 20.7%, Italy 7.7%, Singapore 5.8%, UK 4.9% (2005) Imports: $378 million (2004 est.) Imports— commodities: food and live animals, machinery and transport equip¬ ment, manufactures, chemicals, oil Imports— partners: US 21.1%, China 16.4%, Germany 13.3%, Singapore 12.7%, Spain 6.5% (2005) Debt— external: $427 .3 million; note — data are for public external debt, not total external debt (2000) Economic aid— recipient: $1 .65 million (2004) Currency (code): East Caribbean dollar (XCD) Currency code: XCD Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars per US dollar— 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002) note: fixed rate since 1976 Fiscal year: 1 April— 31 March COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 38,000 (2004) Telephones— mobile cellular: 54,000 (2004) Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: good automatic telephone system international: country code — 1-268; coaxial submarine cable — 1; satellite earth station — 2; tropospheric scatter to Saba (Netherlands Antilles) and Guadeloupe Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) Radios: 36,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 2 (1997) Televisions: 31,000 (1997) Internet country code: ag Internet hosts: 2,231 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 16 (2000) Internet users: 20,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 3 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Roadways: total: 1,165 km paved: 384 km unpaved: 781 km (2002) Merchant marine: total: 1,011 ships (1000 GRT or over) 7,452,503 GRT/9,783,309 DWT by type: bulk carrier 40, cargo 596, chem¬ ical tanker 7, container 321, liquefied gas 11, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 12, roll on/roll off 21 foreigmowned: 984 (Australia 1, Bangladesh 4, Belgium 4, Colombia 2, Denmark 14, Estonia 12, France 1, Germany 858, Iceland 8, Isle of Man 2, Latvia 5, Lebanon 1, Lithuania 3, Netherlands 14, Norway 11, NZ 1, Poland 3, Russia 6, Singapore 1, Slovenia 6, Switzerland 4, Turkey 8, UK 7, US 7, Vietnam 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Saint John’s Military branches: Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force (2006) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age (est.); no conscript military service (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-4-9: 18,952 females age 18-49: 18,360 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 14,859 females age 18-49: 14,947 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 507 females age 18-49: 494 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: NA (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: none Illicit drugs: considered a minor trans¬ shipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe; more significant as an offshore financial center ARCTIC OCEAN INTRODUCTION Background: The Arctic Ocean is the smallest of the world’s five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and the recently delim¬ ited Southern Ocean). The Northwest Passage (US and Canada) and Northern Sea Route (Norway and Russia) are two important seasonal waterways. A sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land routes circumscribes the Arctic Ocean. GEOGRAPHY Location: body of water between Europe, Asia, and North America, mostly north of the Arctic Circle Geographic coordinates: 90 00 N, 0 00 E Map references: Arctic Region Area: total: 14-056 million sq km note: includes Baffin Bay, Barents Sea, Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Sea, East Siberian Sea, Greenland Sea, Lludson Bay, Hudson Strait, Kara Sea, Laptev Sea, Northwest Passage, and other tribu¬ tary water bodies Area — comparative: slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US Coastline: 45,389 km Climate: polar climate characterized by persistent cold and relatively narrow annual temperature ranges; winters char¬ acterized by continuous darkness, cold and stable weather conditions, and clear skies; summers characterized by contin¬ uous daylight, damp and foggy weather, and weak cyclones with rain or snow Terrain: central surface covered by a perennial drifting polar icepack that, on average, is about 3 meters thick, although pressure ridges may be three times that thickness; clockwise drift pat¬ tern in the Beaufort Gyral Stream, but nearly straight-line movement from the New Siberian Islands (Russia) to Denmark Strait (between Greenland and Iceland); the icepack is surrounded by open seas during the summer, but 27 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK more than doubles in size during the winter and extends to the encircling landmasses; the ocean floor is about 50% continental shelf (highest percentage of any ocean) with the remainder a central basin interrupted by three submarine ridges (Alpha Cordillera, Nansen Cordillera, and Lomonosov Ridge) Elevation extremes: lowest point: Fram Basin -4,665 m highest point: sea level 0 m Natural resources: sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules, oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales) Natural hazards: ice islands occasionally break away from northern Ellesmere Island; icebergs calved from glaciers in western Greenland and extreme north¬ eastern Canada; permafrost in islands; Background: In 1816, the United Provinces of the Rio Plata declared their independence from Spain. Eventually, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay went their own way, but the area that remained became Argentina. The country’s population and culture were subsequently heavily shaped by immi¬ virtually ice locked from October to June; ships subject to superstructure icing from October to May Environment — current issues: endan¬ gered marine species include walruses and whales; fragile ecosystem slow to change and slow to recover from disrup¬ tions or damage; thinning polar icepack Geography — note: major chokepoint is the southern Chukchi Sea (northern access to the Pacific Ocean via the Bering Strait); strategic location between North America and Russia; shortest marine link between the extremes of eastern and western Russia; floating research stations operated by the US and Russia; maximum snow cover in March or April about 20 to 50 centime¬ ters over the frozen ocean; snow cover lasts about 10 months ^ 7 grants from throughout Europe, but most particularly Italy and Spain, which pro¬ vided the largest percentage of new¬ comers from 1860 to 1930. Up until about the mid-20th century, much of Argentina’s history was dominated by periods of internal political conflict between Federalists and Unitarians and between civilian and military factions. After World War II, an era of Peronist authoritarian rule and interference in subsequent governments was followed by a military junta that took power in 1976. Democracy returned in 1983, and has persisted despite numerous challenges, the most formidable of which was a severe economic crisis in 2001-02 that led to violent public protests and the res¬ ignation of several interim presidents. The economy has recovered strongly since bottoming out in 2002. The gov¬ ernment renegotiated its public debt in 2005 and paid off its remaining obliga¬ tions to the IMF in early 2006. GEOGRAPHY v'U ‘ • v, ' ' C ' Location: Southern South America, bor¬ dering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Chile and Uruguay Geographic coordinates: 34 00 S, 64 00 W Map references: South America Area: total: 2,766,890 sq km land: 2,736,690 sq km water: 30,200 sq km Area— comparative: slightly less than three-tenths the size of the US Land boundaries: total: 9,861 km border countries: Bolivia 832 km, Brazil 1,261 km, Chile 5,308 km, Paraguay 1,880 km, Uruguay 580 km ECONOMY Economy — overview: Economic activity is limited to the exploitation of natural resources, including petroleum, natural gas, fish, and seals. TRANSPORTATION Ports and terminals: Churchill (Canada), Murmansk (Russia), Prudhoe Bay (US) Transportation— note: sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land routes; the Northwest Passage (North America) and Northern Sea Route (Eurasia) are impor¬ tant seasonal waterways TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: some mar¬ itime disputes (see littoral states) Coastline: 4,989 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin Climate: mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in southwest Terrain: rich plains of the Pampas in northern half, flat to rolling plateau of Patagonia in south, rugged Andes along western border Elevation extremes: lowest point: Laguna del Carbon -105 m (located between Puerto San Julian and Comandante Luis Piedra Buena in the province of Santa Cruz) highest point: Cerro Aconcagua 6,960 m (located in the northwestern corner of the province of Mendoza) Natural resources: fertile plains of the pampas, lead, zinc, tin, copper, iron ore, manganese, petroleum, uranium Land use: arable land: 10.03% permanent crops: 0.36% other: 89.61% (2005) Irrigated land: 15,500 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: San Miguel de Tucuman and Mendoza areas in the Andes subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can strike the pampas and northeast; heavy flooding Environment— current issues: environ¬ mental problems (urban and rural) typ¬ ical of an industrializing economy such as deforestation, soil degradation, desertifi¬ cation, air pollution, and water pollution 28 ARGENTINA note: Argentina is a world leader in set¬ ting voluntary greenhouse gas targets Environment— international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental Pro¬ tocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Re¬ sources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desert¬ ification, Endangered Species, Envi¬ ronmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dump¬ ing, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation Geography— note: second- largest country in South America (after Brazil); strategic location relative to sea lanes between the South Atlantic and the South Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage); diverse geo¬ physical landscapes range from tropical climates in the north to tundra in the far south; Cerro Aconcagua is the Western Hemisphere’s tallest mountain, while Laguna del Carbon is the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere PEOPLE Population: 40,301,927 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 24.9% (male 5,134,958/ female 4,905,181) 15-64 years: 64-4% (male 12,979,588/ female 12,967,507) 65 years and over: 10.7% (male 1,769,593/ female 2,545,100) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 29.9 years male: 29 years female: 31 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.938% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 16.53 births/1, 000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 7.55 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0.4 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.047 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.001 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.695 male(s)/female total population: 0.974 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 14.29 deaths/1,000 live births male: 16.11 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.32 years male: 72.6 years female: 80.24 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.13 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 0.7% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 130,000 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 1,500 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Argentine(s) adjective: Argentine Ethnic groups: white (mostly Spanish and Italian) 97%, mestizo (mixed white and Amerindian ancestry), Amerindian, or other non- white groups 3% Religions: nominally Roman Catholic 92% (less than 20% practicing), Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, other 4% Languages: Spanish (official), English, Italian, German, French Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91.2% male: 97.2% female: 97.2% (2001 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Argentine Republic conventional short form: Argentina local long form: Republica Argentina local short form: Argentina Government type: republic Capital: name: Buenos Aires geographic coordinates: 34 36 S, 58 27 W time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 23 provinces (provincias, singular — provincia) and 1 autonomous city* (distrito federal); Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires Capital Federal*, Catamarca, Chaco, Chubut, Cordoba, Corrientes, Entre Rios, Formosa, Jujuy, La Pampa, La Rioja, Mendoza, Misiones, Neuquen, Rio Negro, Salta, San Juan, San Luis, Santa Cruz, Santa Le, Santiago del Estero, Tierra del Fuego — Antartida e Islas del Atlantico Sur, Tucuman note: the US does not recognize any claims to Antarctica Independence: 9 July 1816 (from Spain) National holiday: Revolution Day, 25 May (1810) Constitution: 1 May 1853; amended many times starting in 1860 Legal system: mixture of US and West European legal systems; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory Executive branch: chief of state: President Nestor KIRCHNER (since 25 May 2003); Vice President Daniel SCIOLI (since 25 May 2003); note — the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Nestor KIRCHNER (since 25 May 2003); Vice President Daniel SCIOLI (since 25 May 2003) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the presi¬ dent elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 27 April 2003 (next election to be held on 28 October 2007) election results: results of the presidential election of 27 April 2003: Carlos Saul MENEM 24.3%, Nestor KIRCHNER 22%, Ricardo Lopez MURPHY 16.4%, Adolfo Rodriguez SAA 14.4%, Elisa CARRIO 14.2%, other 8.7%; the subse¬ quent runoff election slated for 25 May 2003 was awarded to KIRCHNER by default after MENEM withdrew his can¬ didacy on the eve of the election Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate (72 seats; members are elected by direct vote; presently one- third of the members elected every two years to serve six-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies (257 seats; mem¬ bers are elected by direct vote; one-half of the members elected every two years to serve four- year terms) elections: Senate — last held 23 October 2005 (next to be held in 2007); Chamber of Deputies — last held last held 23 October 2005 (next to be held in 2007) election results: Senate — percent of vote by bloc or party — FV 45.1%, FJ 17.2%, UCR 7.5%, other 30.2%; seats by bloc or party — FV 14, FJ 3, UCR 2, other 5; Chamber of Deputies — percent of vote by bloc or party — FV 29.9%, UCR 8.9%, ARI 7.2%, PJ 6.7%, PRO 6.2%, FJ 3.9%, other 37.2%; seats by bloc or party — FV 50, UCR 10, PJ 9, PRO 9, ARI 8, FJ 7, other 34; note — Senate and Chamber of Deputies seating reflect the number of replaced senators and deputies, rather than the whole Senate and Chamber of Deputies Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (the nine Supreme Court judges are appointed by the president with approval by the Senate) note: the Supreme Court currently has two unfilled vacancies, and the Argentine Congress is considering a bill to reduce the number of Supreme Court judges to five Political parties and leaders: Affirm¬ ation for an Egalitarian Republic or ARI 29 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK [Elisa CARRIO]; Front for Victory or FV [Nestor KIRCHNER]; Interbloque Federal or IF (a broad coalition of approximately 12 parties including PRO); Justicialist Front or FJ; Justicialist Party or PJ (Peronist umbrella political organization); Radical Civic Union or UCR [Gerardo MORALES]; Republican Proposal or PRO (including Federal Recreate Movement or RECREAR [Ricardo LOPEZ MURPHY] and Commitment for Change or CPC [Mauricio MACRI]); Socialist Party or PS [Ruben GIUSTINIANI]; Union For All [Patricia BULLRICH]; several provincial parties Political pressure groups and leaders: Argentine Association of Pharma- ceutical Labs (CILFA); Argentine Industrial Union (manufacturers’ associ¬ ation); Argentine Rural Confederation or CRA (small to medium landowners’ association); Argentine Rural Society (large landowners’ association); business organizations; Central of Argentine Workers or CTA (a radical union for employed and unemployed workers); General Confederation of Labor or CGT (Peronist-leaning umbrella labor organi¬ zation); Peronist-dominated labor move¬ ment; Piquetero groups (popular protest organizations that can be either pro or anti-government); Roman Catholic Church; students International organization participa¬ tion: ABEDA, AfDB, Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CAN (associate), CSN, FAO, G-6, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMOVIC, UNTSO, UN WTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jose Octavio BORDON chancery: 1600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 238-6400 FAX: [1] (202) 332-3171 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Earl Anthony WAYNE embassy: Avenida Colombia 4300, C1425GMN Buenos Aires mailing address: international mail: use embassy street address; APO address: Unit 4334, APO AA 34034 telephone: [54] (11) 5777-4533 FAX: [54] (11) 5777-4240 Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of light blue (top), white, and light blue; centered in the white band is a radiant yellow sun with a human face known as the Sun of May ECONOMY Economy — overview: Argentina bene¬ fits from rich natural resources, a highly literate population, an export-oriented agricultural sector, and a diversified industrial base. Although one of the world’s wealthiest countries 100 years ago, Argentina suffered during most of the 20th century from recurring eco¬ nomic crises, persistent fiscal and current account deficits, high inflation, mounting external debt, and capital flight. Beginning in 1998, with external debt equivalent to more than 400% of annual exports, the economy slowed and ultimately fell into a full-blown depres¬ sion; investors’ fears grew in the wake of Russia’s debt default, Brazil’s devalua¬ tion, and the political discord caused by then-President Carlos MENEM’s unpop¬ ular efforts to run for a constitutionally prohibited third term. The government of Fernando DE LA RUA, elected President in late 1999, tried several measures to cut the fiscal deficit and instill confidence and received large IMF credit facilities, but nothing worked to revive the economy. Depositors began withdrawing money from the banks in late 2001, and the government responded with strict limits on with¬ drawals. When street protests turned deadly, DE LA RUA was forced to resign in December 2001. Interim President Adolfo Rodriguez SAA declared a default — the largest in history — on Argentina’s foreign debt, but he stepped down only a few days later when he failed to garner political support from the country’s governors. Eduardo DUHALDE became President in January 2002 and announced an end to the peso’s decade-long 1-to-l peg to the US dollar. When the peso depreciated and inflation rose, DUHALDE’s government froze utility tariffs, curtailed creditors’ rights, and imposed high taxes on exports. The economy rebounded strongly from the crisis, inflation started falling, and DUHALDE called for special elections. Nestor KIRCHNER was elected President, taking office in May 2003, and continued the restrictions imposed by DUHALDE. With the reemergence of double-digit inflation in 2005, the KIRCHNER administration pressured businesses into a series of agreements to hold down prices. The government also restructured its debt in 2005 and paid off its IMF obligations in early 2006, reducing Argentina’s external debt burden. Real GDP growth averaged 9% during the period 2003-06, bolstering government revenues and keeping the budget in surplus. GDP (purchasing power parity): $608.8 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $210 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 8 5% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $15,200 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 9.5% industry: 35.8% services: 54.7% (2005 est.) Labor force: 15.35 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% Unemployment rate: 8.7% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 26.9% (July-December 2006) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1% highest 10%: 35% (June 2006) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 48.3 (June 2006) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9.8% (2006) Investment (gross fixed): 22.6% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $52.1 billion expenditures: $47.6 billion; including capital expenditures of $5.4 billion (2006 est.) Public debt: 61% of GDP (2006) Agriculture— products: sunflower seeds, lemons, soybeans, grapes, corn, tobacco, peanuts, tea, wheat; livestock Industries: food processing, motor vehi¬ cles, consumer durables, textiles, chemi¬ cals and petrochemicals, printing, metallurgy, steel Industrial production growth rate: 8.2% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 93.94 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 52.2% hydro: 40.8% nuclear: 6.7% other: 0.2% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 90.93 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 4.143 billion kWh (2004) 30 ARGENTINA Electricity— imports: 7.7 billion kWh (2004) Oil— production: 745,000 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— consumption: 470,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: 470,000 bbl/day (2003) Oil— imports: 39,000 bbl/day (2003) Oil— proved reserves: 2.116 billion bbl (2006 est.) Natural gas— production: 44 88 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 37.85 bib lion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 7.83 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 800 million cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 612.5 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $8,053 billion (2006) Exports: $46.6 billion f.o.b. (2006) Exports— commodities: edible oils, fuels and energy, cereals, feed, motor vehicles Exports— partners: Brazil 15.8%, US 11.4%, Chile 11.2%, China 7.9% (2005) Imports: $31.69 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, metal manufactures, plastics Imports— partners: Brazil 35.9%, US 14-1%, China 7.8%, Germany 4-5% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $32.07 billion (2006) Debt— external: $109 billion (30 December 2006) Economic aid — recipient: $0 (2002) Currency (code): Argentine peso (ARS) Currency code: ARS Exchange rates: Argentine pesos per US dollar— 3.0543 (2006), 2.9037 (2005), 2.9233 (2004), 2.9006 (2003), 3.0633 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 8.8 million (2005) Telephones — mobile cellular: 22.1 mib lion (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: by opening the telecommunications market to competition and foreign investment with the “Telecommunications Liberalization Plan of 1998,” Argentina encouraged the growth of modern telecommunications technology; fiber¬ optic cable trunk lines are being installed between all major cities; the major net¬ works are entirely digital and the avail¬ ability of telephone service is improving; however, telephone density is presently minimal, and making telephone service universally available will take time domestic: microwave radio relay, fiber¬ optic cable, and a domestic satellite system with 40 earth stations serve the trunk network; more than 110,000 pay telephones are installed and mobile tele¬ phone use is rapidly expanding international: country code — 54; satellite earth stations — 112; Atlantis II and Unisur submarine cables; 2 international gateways near Buenos Aires (2005) Radio broadcast stations: AM 260 (includes 10 inactive stations), FM (probably more than 1,000, mostly unli¬ censed), shortwave 6 (1998) Radios: 24.3 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 42 (plus 444 repeaters) (1997) Televisions: 7.95 million (1997) Internet country code: ar Internet hosts: 1.612 million (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 33 (2000) Internet users: 10 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 1,381 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 154 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 26 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 65 914 to l ,523 m: 50 under 914 m: 9 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 1,227 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 49 914 to 1,523 m: 587 under 914 m: 587 (2006) Pipelines: gas 29,804 km; liquid petro¬ leum gas 41 km; oil 10,373 km; refined products 8,540 km; unknown (oil/water) 13 km (2006) Railways: total: 31,902 km broad gauge: 20,858 km 1.676-m gauge (141 km electrified) standard gauge: 2,885 km 1.435-m gauge (26 km electrified) narrow gauge: 7,922 km 1.000-m gauge; 237 km 0.750-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 229,144 km paved: 68,809 km (includes 734 km of expressways) unpaved: 160,335 km (2004) Waterways: 11,000 km (2006) Merchant marine: total: 41 ships (1000 GRT or over) 435,969 GRT/707,767 DWT by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 10, chemical tanker 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 21, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 11 (Chile 6, UK 4, Uruguay 1) registered in other countries: 24 (Bolivia 1, Chile 1, Liberia 7, Panama 9, Paraguay 3, Uruguay 3) (2006) Ports and terminals: Bahm Blanca, Buenos Aires, Concepcion del Uruguay, La Plata, Punta Colorada, Rosario, San Lorenzo-San Martin, San Nicolas MILITARY Military branches: Argentine Army, Navy of the Argentine Republic (Armada Republica; includes naval avia¬ tion and naval infantry), Argentine Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Argentina, FAA) (2007) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 8,981,886 females age 18-49: 8,883,756 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18—49: 7,316,038 females age 18-49: 7,442,589 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 344,575 females age 18-49: 334,649 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1.3% (2005 est.) Military — note: the Argentine military is a well-organized force constrained by the country’s prolonged economic hard¬ ship; the country has recently experi¬ enced a strong recovery, and the military is now implementing “Plan 2000,” aimed at making the ground forces lighter and more responsive (2005) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: Argentina continues to assert its claims to the UK- administered Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands in its constitu¬ tion, forcibly occupying the Falklands in 1982, but in 1995 agreed no longer to seek settlement by force; territorial claim in Antarctica partially overlaps UK and Chilean claims (see Antarctic disputes); unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay borders is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and illegal narcotics trafficking, and fundraising for extremist organizations; uncontested dispute between Brazil and Uruguay over Braziliera/Brasiliera Island in the Quarai/Cuareim River leaves the tripoint with Argentina in question; in January 2007, ICJ provisionally ruled Uruguay may begin construction of two 31 »THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK paper mills on the Uruguay River, which forms the border with Argentina, while the court examines further whether Argentina has the legal right to stop such construction with potential environ' mental implications to both countries; the joint boundary commission, established by Chile and Argentina in 2001 has yet to map and demarcate the delimited boundary in the inhospitable Andean Southern Ice Field (Campo de Hielo Sur) Trafficking in persons: current situation: Argentina is primarily a destination country for women and children traf- ficked for sexual and labor exploitation with most victims trafficked internally, from rural to urban areas, for exploita¬ tion in prostitution; foreign women and children trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation come primarily from Paraguay, but also from Bolivia, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, and Chile; Bolivians are trafficked for forced labor; Argentine women and girls are also trafficked to neighboring countries for sexual exploitation tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Argentina failed to show evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking particularly in the key area of prosecutions Illicit drugs: used as a transshipment : country for cocaine headed for Europe; some money-laundering activity, espe¬ cially in the Tri-Border Area; domestic consumption of drugs in urban centers I is increasing ARMENIA INTRODUCTION Background: Armenia prides itself on being the first nation to formally adopt Christianity (early 4th century). Despite periods of autonomy, over the centuries Armenia came under the sway of various empires including the Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Persian, and Ottoman. During World War I in the western por¬ tion of Armenia, Ottoman Turkey insti¬ tuted a policy of forced resettlement coupled with other harsh practices that resulted in an estimated 1 million Armenian deaths. The eastern area of Armenia was ceded by the Ottomans to Russia in 1828; this portion declared its independence in 1918, but was con¬ quered by the Soviet Red Army in 1920. Armenian leaders remain preoccupied by the long conflict with Muslim Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, a primarily Armenian-populated region, assigned to Soviet Azerbaijan in the 1920s by Moscow. Armenia and Azerbaijan began fighting over the area in 1988; the struggle escalated after both countries attained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. By May 1994, when a cease-fire took hold, Armenian forces held not only Nagorno-Karabakh but also a significant portion of Azerbaijan proper. The economies of both sides have been hurt by their inability to make substantial progress toward a peaceful resolution. Turkey imposed an economic blockade on Armenia and closed the common border because of the Armenian occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding areas. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southwestern Asia, east of Turkey Geographic coordinates: 40 00 N, 45 00 E Map references: Asia Area: total: 29,800 sq km land: 28,400 sq km water: 1,400 sq km Area — comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland Land boundaries: total: 1,254 km border countries: Azerbaijan-proper 566 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave 221 km, Georgia 164 km, Iran 35 km, Turkey 268 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime Claims: none (landlocked) Climate: highland continental, hot sum¬ mers, cold winters Terrain: Armenian Elighland with mountains; little forest land; fast flowing rivers; good soil in Aras River valley Elevation extremes: lowest point: Debed River 400 m highest point: Aragats Lerrnagagat’ 4,090 m Natural resources: small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum, zinc, bauxite Land use: arable land: 16.78% permanent crops: 2.01% other: 81.21% (2005) Irrigated land: 2,860 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts Environment— current issues: soil pol¬ lution from toxic chemicals such as DDT; the energy crisis of the 1990s led to deforestation when citizens scavenged for firewood; pollution of Hrazdan (Razdan) and Aras Rivers; the draining of Sevana Lich (Lake Sevan), a result of its use as a source for hydropower, threatens drinking water supplies; restart of Metsamor nuclear power plant in spite of its location in a seismically active zone Environment — international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change- Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazard¬ ous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution- Persistent Organic Pollutants Geography — note: landlocked in the Lesser Caucasus Mountains; Sevana Lich (Lake Sevan) is the largest lake in this mountain range PEOPLE Population: 2,971,650 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 19.5% (male 307,610/female 271,381) 15-64 years: 69.3% (male 962,126/ female 1,098,192) 65 years and over: 11.2% (male 132,705/ female 199,636) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 30.8 years male: 28.1 years female: 33.6 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: -0.129% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 12.34 births/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 8.29 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -5.34 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.16 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.133 male(s)/female 32 ARMENIA 15-64 years: 0. 876 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.665 male(s)/female total population: 0.894 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 21.69 deaths/ 1,000 live births male: 26.69 deaths/1,000 live births female: 15.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.12 years male: 68.52 years female: 76.29 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.34 children bom/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 2,600 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS — deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Armenian(s) adjective: Armenian Ethnic groups: Armenian 97.9%, Yezidi (Kurd) 1.3%, Russian 0.5%, other 0.3% (2001 census) Religions: Armenian Apostolic 94-7%, other Christian 4%, Yezidi (monotheist with elements of nature worship) 1.3% Languages: Armenian 97.7%, Yezidi 1%, Russian 0.9%, other 0.4% (2001 census) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.4% male: 99.7% female: 99.2% (2001 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Armenia conventional short form: Armenia local long form: Hayastani Hanrapetut’yun local short form: Hayastan former: Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic; Armenian Republic Government type: republic Capital: name: Yerevan geographic coordinates: 40 11 N, 44 30 E time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 11 provinces (marzer, singular — marz); Aragatsotn, Ararat, Armavir, Geghark’unik’, Kotayk’, Lorri, Shirak, Syunik’, Tavush, Vayots’ Dzor, Yerevan Independence: 21 September 1991 (from Soviet Union) National holiday: Independence Day, 21 September (1991) Constitution: adopted by nationwide ref¬ erendum 5 July 1995; amendments adopted through a nationwide refer¬ endum 27 November 2005 Legal system: based on civil law system Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Robert KOCHARIAN (since 30 March 1998) head of government: Prime Minister Serzh SARGSYAN (since 4 April 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 19 February and 5 March 2003 (next to be held in 2008); prime minister appointed by the president and confirmed with the majority support of the National Assembly; the prime minister and Council of Ministers must resign if the National Assembly refuses to accept their program election results: Robert KOCHARIAN reelected president; percent of vote — Robert KOCHARIAN 67.5%, Stepan DEMIRCHYAN 32.5% Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Parliament) or Azgayin Zhoghov (131 seats; members elected by popular vote, 90 members elected by party list and 41 by direct vote; to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 12 May 2007 (next to be held in the spring of 201 1 ) election results : percent of vote by party— HHK 32.8%, Prosperous Armenia 14.7%, ARF (Dashnak) 12.7%, Rule of Law 6.8%, Heritage Party 5.8%, other 27.2%; seats by party — HHK 69, Prosperous Armenia 24, ARF (Dashnak) 16, Rule of Law 9, Heritage Party 7, Dashink 1, independent 5 Judicial branch: Constitutional Court; Court of Cassation (Appeals Court) Political parties and leaders: Agro- Industrial Party [Vladimir BADALYAN]; Armenia Party (Hayastan) [Myasnik MALKHASYAN]; Armenian National Movement or ANM [Artashes ZURA- BYAN]; Armenian Ramkavar Liberal Party or HRAK [Harutyun MIRZA- KHANYAN, chairman]; Armenian Revolutionary Federation (“Dashnak” Party) or ARF [Hrant MARKARYAN]; Dashink [Gen. Samvel Babayan]; Democratic Party [Aram SARKISYAN]; Heritage Party [Raffi HOVHAN- NISYAN]; Justice Bloc [Stepan DEMIR- CHYAN] (comprised of the Democratic Party, National Democratic Party, National Democratic Union, the People’s Party, and the Republic Party); National Democratic Party [Shavarsh KOCHARIAN]; National Democratic Union or NDU [Vazgen MANUKIAN]; National Revival Party [Albert BAZEYAN]; National Unity Party [Artashes GEGHAMYAN]; People’s Party of Armenia [Stepan DEMIR- CHYAN]; Prosperous Armenia [Gagik TSAROUKYAN]; Republic Party [Aram SARKISYAN]; Republican Party of Armenia or HHK [Serzh SARGSYAN]; Rule of Law Party [Artur BAGH- DASARYAN]; Union of Constitutional Rights [Hrant KHACHATURYAN]; United Labor Party [Gurgen ARSENYAN] Political pressure groups and leaders: Yerkrapah Union [Manvel GRIGO¬ RIAN] International organization participa¬ tion: ACCT (observer), AsDB, BSEC, CE, CIS, EAEC (observer), EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Tatoul MARKARIAN chancery: 2225 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 319-1976 FAX: [1] (202) 319-2982 consulate (s) general: Los Angeles Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d’Affaires Anthony F. GOD¬ FREY embassy: 1 American Ave., Yerevan 375082 mailing address: American Embassy Yerevan, US Department of State, 7020 Yerevan Place, Washington, DC 20521- 7020 telephone: [3 74]( 10) 464-700 FAX: [374](10) 464-742 Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, and orange ECONOMY Economy — overview: Under the old Soviet central planning system, Armenia had developed a modern industrial sector, supplying machine tools, textiles, and other manufactured goods to sister republics in exchange for raw materials and energy. Since the implosion of the USSR in December 1991, Armenia has switched to small-scale agriculture away from the large agroindustrial complexes 33 of the Soviet era. The agricultural sector has long-term needs for more investment and updated technology. The privatiza¬ tion of industry has been at a slower pace, but has been given renewed emphasis by the current administration. Armenia is a food importer, and its min¬ eral deposits (copper, gold, bauxite) are small. The ongoing conflict with Azerbaijan over the ethnic Armenian- dominated region of Nagorno-Karabakh and the breakup of the centrally directed economic system of the former Soviet Union contributed to a severe economic decline in the early 1990s. By 1994, how¬ ever, the Armenian Government had launched an ambitious IMF-sponsored economic liberalization program that resulted in positive growth rates in 1995-2006. Armenia has managed to slash inflation, stabilize its currency, and privatize most small- and medium-sized enterprises. Despite strong economic growth, Armenia’s unemployment rate remains high. Nuclear power plants built at Metsamor eliminated the chronic energy shortages Armenia suffered in the early and mid-1990s, but those plants are under international pressure to close. Armenia is now a net energy exporter, although it does not have sufficient gen¬ erating capacity to replace Metsamor. Construction of a natural gas pipeline between Iran and Armenia has been completed and it is scheduled to be com¬ missioned by April 2007. Economic ties with Russia remain close, especially in the energy sector. The electricity distri¬ bution system was privatized in 2002 and bought by Russia’s RAO-UES in 2005. Armenia’s severe trade imbalance has been offset somewhat by international aid, remittances from Armenians working abroad, and foreign direct investment. Armenia joined the WTO in January 2003. The government made some improvements in tax and customs administration in 2005, but anti-corrup¬ tion measures will be more difficult to implement. Investment in the construc¬ tion and industrial sectors is expected to continue in 2007 and will help to ensure annual average real GDP growth of more than 10%. GDP (purchasing power parity): $16.94 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $6.6 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 13.4% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $5,700 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 17.7% industry: 42% THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK services: 40.3% (January-November 2006 est.) Labor force: 1.2 million (November 2006) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 45% industry: 25% services: 30% (2002 est.) Unemployment rate: 7.4% (November 2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 34.6% (2004 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 41.3% (2004) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 41 (2004) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.9% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 20.9% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $1.3 billion expenditures: $1.6 billion; including cap¬ ital expenditures of $NA (FY07 est.) Agriculture— products: fruit (especially grapes), vegetables; livestock Industries: diamond-processing, metal- cutting machine tools, forging-pressing machines, electric motors, tires, knitted wear, hosiery, shoes, silk fabric, chemi¬ cals, trucks, instruments, microelec¬ tronics, jewelry manufacturing, software development, food processing, brandy Industrial production growth rate: -1.2% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 6.317 billion kWh (2005) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 42.3% hydro: 27% nuclear: 30.7% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 4.374 billion kWh (2005) Electricity— exports: 1.012 billion kWh; note — exports an unknown quan¬ tity to Georgia; includes exports to Nagorno-Karabakh region in Azerbaijan (2004) Electricity— imports: 260 million kWh; note — imports an unknown quantity from Iran (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2005) Oil— consumption: 41,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 1.33 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — imports: 1.33 billion cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $247.3 mil¬ lion (January-September 2006 est.) Exports: $1,056 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) j Exports— commodities: diamonds, min¬ eral products, foodstuffs, energy Exports— partners: Germany 15.6%, Netherlands 13.7%, Belgium 12.8%, j Russia 12.2%, Israel 11.5%, US 11.2%, ; Georgia 4*8% (2005) Imports: $1,684 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: natural gas, petroleum, tobacco products, foodstuffs, diamonds Imports— partners: Russia 13.5%, Belgium 8%, Germany 7.8%, Ukraine 7%, Turkmenistan 6.3%, US 6.2%, Israel 5.8%, Iran 4.9%, Romania 4-2% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $880.8 million (September 2006 est.) Debt — external: $1.16 billion (30 September 2006) Economic aid— recipient: ODA, $254 million (2004) Currency (code): dram (AMD) Currency code: AMD Exchange rates: drams per US dollar — 414.69 (2006), 457.69 (2005), 533.45 (2004), 578.76 (2003), 573.35 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 600,000 (2006) Telephones— mobile cellular: 320,000 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: system inadequate; now 90% privately owmed and under¬ going modernization and expansion domestic: the majority of subscribers and the most modern equipment are in Yerevan (this includes paging and mobile cellular service) international: country code — 374; Yerevan is connected to the Trans-Asia- Europe fiber-optic cable through Iran; additional international service is avail¬ able by microwave radio relay and land- line connections to the other countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States and through the Moscow interna¬ tional switch and by satellite to the rest of the world; satellite earth stations — 3 (2005) Radio broadcasf sfations: AM 9, FM 16, shortwave 1 (2006) Radios: 850,000 (1997) Television broadcasf sfafions: 48 (pri¬ vate television stations alongside 2 public networks; major Russian channels widely available) (2006) Televisions: 825,000 (1997) 34 ARUBA Internet country code: am Internet hosts: 8,163 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 9 (2001) Internet users: 150,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 13 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 11 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006) Pipelines: gas 2,002 km (2006) Railways: total: 839 km broad gauge: 839 km 1.520-m gauge (828 km electrified) note: some lines are out of service (2006) Roadways: total: 7,633 km paved: 7,633 km (includes 1,561 km of expressways) (2003) Military branches: Armed Forces: Ground Forces, Nagorno-Karabakh Self Defense Force (NKSDF), Air Force, Air Defense Force (2006) Military service age and obligation: 18 to 27 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript service obligation — 12 months; 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 722,836 females age 18—49: 795,084 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 551,938 females age 18-49: 656,493 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 31,774 females age 18-49: 31,182 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 6.5% (FY01) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: Armenia sup¬ ports ethnic Armenian secessionists in Nagorno-Karabakh and since the early 1990s, has militarily occupied 16% of Azerbaijan — Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) continues to mediate dispute; over 800,000 mostly ethnic Azerbaijanis were driven from the occupied lands and Armenia; about 230,000 ethnic Annenians were driven from their homes in Azerbaijan into Armenia; Azerbaijan seeks transit route through Armenia to connect to Naxcivan exclave; border with Turkey remains closed over Nagorno-Karabakh dispute; ethnic Armenian groups in Javakheti region of Georgia seek greater autonomy; Armenians continue to emigrate, primarily to Russia, seeking employment Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 219,324 (Azerbaijan) IDPs: 8,400 (conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, majority have returned home since 1994 ceasefire) (2006) Trafficking in persons: current situation: Armenia is a major source and, to a lesser extent, a transit and destination country for women and girls trafficked for sexual exploitation largely to the UAE and Turkey; traffickers, many of them women, route victims directly into Dubai or through Moscow; profits derived from the trafficking of Armenian victims reportedly have increased tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Armenia has failed to show evidence of increasing efforts, particularly in the areas of enforcement, trafficking-related corrup¬ tion, and victim protection Illicit drugs: illicit cultivation of small amount of cannabis for domestic con¬ sumption; minor transit point for illicit drugs — mostly opium and hashish — moving from Southwest Asia to Russia and to a lesser extent the rest of Europe ARUBA INTRODUCTION Background: Discovered and claimed for Spain in 1499, Aruba was acquired by the Dutch in 1636. The island’s economy has been dominated by three main indus¬ tries. A 19th century gold rush was fol¬ lowed by prosperity brought on by the opening in 1924 of an oil refinery. The last decades of the 20th century saw a boom in the tourism industry. Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986 and became a separate, autono¬ mous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Movement toward full independence was halted at Aruba’s request in 1990. GEOGRAPHY Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela Geographic coordinates: 12 30 N, 69 58 w Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total: 193 sq km land: 193 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: slightly larger than Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 68.5 km Maritime Claims: territorial sea: 12 nm Climate: tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation Terrain: flat with a few hills; scant vegetation Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Jamanota 188 m Natural resources: NEGL; white sandy beaches Land use: arable land: 10.53% permanent crops: 0% Other: 89.47% (2005) irrigated land: 0.01 sq km (1998 est.) Natural hazards: lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt Environment— current issues: NA Geography — note: a flat, riverless island renowned for its white sand beaches; its tropical climate is moderated by con¬ stant trade winds from the Atlantic Ocean; the temperature is almost con¬ stant at about 27 degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit) PEOPLE Population: 100,018 note: estimate based on a revision of the base population, fertility, and mortality numbers, as well as a revision of 1985-1999 migration estimates from 35 outmigration to inmigration, which is assumed to continue into the future; the new results are consistent with the 2000 census (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 19.7% (male 9,943/female 9,761) 15-64 years: 70.2% (male 33,553/female 36,661) 65 years and over: 10.1% (male 4,046/ female 6,054) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 37.3 years male: 35.5 years female: 39 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.522% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 12.83 births/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 7.61 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 10 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.019 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.915 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.668 male(s)/female total population: 0.906 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 14.75 deaths/1,000 live births male: 19.59 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.83 years male: 71.8 years female: 77.91 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.85 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS — deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Aruban(s) adjective: Aruban; Dutch Ethnic groups: mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80%, other 20% Religions: Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, other (includes Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish) 10% Languages: Papiamento (a Spanish- Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect) 66.3%, Spanish 12.6%, English (widely spoken) 7.7%, Dutch (official) 5.8%, other 2.2%, unspecified or unknown 5.3% (2000 census) Literacy: definition: NA total population: 97.3% male: 97.5% female: 97.1% (2000 census) THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Aruba Dependency status: member country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from the Netherlands Antilles; Dutch Govern¬ ment responsible for defense and foreign affairs Government type: parliamentary democ¬ racy Capital: name: Oranjestad geographic coordinates: 12 33 N, 70 06 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) Independence: none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) National holiday: Flag Day, 18 March (1976) Constitution: 1 January 1986 Legal system: based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980); rep¬ resented by Governor General Fredis REFUNJOL (since 11 May 2004) head of government: Prime Minister Nelson O. ODUBER (since 30 October 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten elections: the monarch is hereditary; gov¬ ernor general appointed for a six-year term by the monarch; prime minister and deputy prime minister elected by the Staten for four-year terms; election last held in 2005 (next to be held by 2009) election results: Nelson O. ODUBER elected prime minister; percent of leg¬ islative vote— NA Legislative branch: unicameral Legisla¬ ture or Staten (21 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 23 September 2005 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote by party — MEP 43%, AVP 32%, MPA 7%, RED 7%, PDR 6%, OLA 4%, PPA 2%; seats by party— MEP 11, AVP 8, MPA 1, RED 1 Judicial branch: Common Court of Justice of Aruba (judges are appointed by the monarch) Political parties and leaders: Aliansa/Aruban Social Movement or MSA [Robert WEVER]; Aruban Liberal Organization or OLA [Glenbert j CROES]; Aruban Patriotic Movement i or MPA [Monica ARENDS-KOCK]; 1 Aruban Patriotic Party or PPA [Benny NISBET]; Aruban People’s Party or AVP 1 [Mike EM AN]; People’s Electoral Movement Party or MEP [Nelson O. I ODUBER]; Real Democracy or PDR 1 [Andin BIKKER]; RED [Rudy LAMPE]; j Workers Political Platform or PTT [Gregorio WOLFF] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITUC, UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (asso¬ ciate), UPU, WCL, WMO Diplomatic representation in the US: none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands); note — Mr. Henry BAARH, Minister Plenipotentiary for Aruba at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in : Aruba; the Consul General to Nether- : lands Antilles is accredited to Aruba Flag description: blue, with two narrow, i horizontal, yellow stripes across the lower portion and a red, four-pointed star outlined in white in the upper hoist-side corner Economy— overview: Tourism IS the mainstay of the small, open Aruban economy, with offshore banking and oil refining and storage also important. The rapid growth of the tourism sector over the last decade has resulted in a substan¬ tial expansion of other activities. Over 1.5 million tourists per year visit Aruba, with 75% of those from the US. Construction continues to boom, with hotel capacity five times the 1985 level. In addition, the country’s oil refinery reopened in 1993, providing a major source of employment, foreign exchange earnings, and growth. Tourist arrivals have rebounded strongly following a dip after the 11 September 2001 attacks. The island experiences only a brief low season, and hotel occupancy in 2004 averaged 80%, compared to 68% throughout the rest of the Caribbean. The government has made cutting the budget and trade deficits a high priority. GDP (purchasing power parity): $2,258 billion (2005 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $2,258 billion (2005 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 2.4% (2005 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $21,800 (2004 est.) 36 ASHMORE AND CARTIER ISLANDS GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 0.4% industry: 33.3% services: 66.3% (2002 est.) Labor force: 41,500 (2004 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% note: most employment is in wholesale and retail trade and repair, followed by hotels and restaurants; oil refining Unemployment rate: 6.9% (2005 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.4% (2005) Budget: revenues: $507.9 million expenditures: $577.9 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.) Public debt: 46.3% of GDP (2005) Agriculture— products: aloes; livestock; fish Industries: tourism, transshipment facib ities, oil refining Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity— production: 770 million kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 716.1 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 2,363 bbl/day (2004) Oil— consumption: 7,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas — production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Exports: $80 million f.o.b.; note — includes oil reexports (2004 est.) Exports— commodities: live animals and animal products, art and collectibles, machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment Exports — partners: Netherlands 33.5%, Panama 16.7%, Colombia 11.9%, US 11.3%, Venezuela 10.1%, Netherlands Antilles 9% (2005) Imports: $875 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) Imports — Commodities: machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and reexport, chemicals; food¬ stuffs Imports— partners: US 55.9%, Netherlands 12.9%, UK 3.8% (2005) Debt— external: $478.6 million (2005 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $11.3 million (2004) Currency (code): Aruban guilder/florin (AWG) Currency code: AWG Exchange rates: Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar— 1.79 (2006), 1.79 (2005), 1.79 (2004), 1.79 (2003), 1.79 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 37,100 (2002) Telephones— mobile cellular: 98,400 (2004) Telephone system: general assessment: modern fully auto¬ matic telecommunications system domestic: increased competition through privatization; 3 wireless service providers are now licensed international: country code — 297; 1 sub¬ marine cable to Sint Maarten (Nether¬ lands Antilles); extensive interisland microwave radio relay links Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2004) Radios: 50,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: l (1997) Televisions: 20,000 (1997) Internet country code: .aw Internet hosts: 11,548 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA Internet users: 24,000 (2002) TRANSPORTATION Airports: l (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2006) Roadways: total: 800 km paved: 513 km unpaved: 287 km Ports and terminals: Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas MILITARY Military branches: no regular indige¬ nous military forces; Royal Netherlands Navy and Marines, Coast Guard Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 16,278 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 13,219 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 520 (2005 est.) Military — note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: none Illicit drugs: transit point for US- and Europe-bound narcotics with some accompanying money-laundering activity; relatively high percentage of population consumes cocaine ASHMORE AND CARTIER ISLANDS INTRODUCTION Background: These uninhabited islands came under Australian authority in 1931; formal administration began two years later. Ashmore Reef supports a rich and diverse avian and marine habitat; in 1983, it became a National Nature Reserve. Cartier Island, a former bombing range, is now a marine reserve. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southeastern Asia, islands in the Indian Ocean, midway between northwestern Australia and Timor island Geographic coordinates: 12 14 S, 123 05 E Map references: Southeast Asia Area: total: 5 sq km land: 5 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Ashmore Reef (West, Middle, and East Islets) and Cartier Island Area — comparative: about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 74.1 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm 37 , V THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK & contiguous zone: 12 run exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200'in depth or to the depth of exploitation Climate: tropical Terrain: low with sand and coral Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 3 m Natural resources: fish Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (all grass and sand) (2005) Irrigated land: 0 sq km Natural hazards: surrounded by shoals and reefs that can pose maritime hazards Environment— current issues: NA Geography — note: Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve established in August 1983 . • - . " • .. PEOPLE • V ‘ ’ WAT Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: Indonesian fishermen are allowed access to the lagoon and fresh water at Ashmore Reef’s West Island People — note: the landing of illegal immigrants from Indonesia’s Rote Island has become an ongoing problem GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands conventional short form: Ashmore and Cartier Islands Dependency status: territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services Legal system: the laws of the Commonwealth of Australia and the laws of the Northern Territory of Australia, where applicable, apply Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of Australia) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of Australia) Flag description: the flag of Australia is used ECONOMY Economy — overview: no economic activity TRANSPORTATION Ports and terminals: none; offshore anchorage only MILITARY Military— note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of Australia; periodic visits by the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force transnational issues Disputes — international: Indonesian groups challenge Australia’s claim to these islands; Australia closed parts of the Ashmore and Cartier Reserve to Indonesian traditional fishing and placed restrictions on certain catches ATLANTIC OCEAN Background: The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the worlds five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, but larger than the Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, and Arctic Ocean). The Kiel Canal (Germany), Oresund (Denmark-Sweden), Bosporus (Turkey), Strait of Gibraltar (Morocco- Spain), and the Saint Lawrence Seaway (Canada-US) are important strategic access waterways. The decision by the International Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth world ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Atlantic Ocean south of 60 degrees south latitude. GEOGRAPHY Location: body of water between Africa, Europe, the Southern Ocean, and the Western Hemisphere Geographic coordinates: 0 00 N, 25 00 w Map references: Political Map of the World Area: total: 76.762 million sq km note: includes Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Caribbean Sea, Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, part of the Drake Passage, Gulf of Mexico, Labrador Sea, Mediterranean Sea, North Sea, Norwegian Sea, almost all of the Scotia Sea, and other tributary water bodies Area — comparative: slightly less than 6.5 times the size of the US Coastline: 111,866 km Climate: tropical cyclones (hurricanes) develop off the coast of Africa near Cape Verde and move westward into the Caribbean Sea; hurricanes can occur from May to December, but are most fre¬ quent from August to November Terrain: surface usually covered with sea ice in Labrador Sea, Denmark Strait, and coastal portions of the Baltic Sea from October to June; clockwise warm- water gyre (broad, circular system of currents) in the northern Atlantic, counterclockwise warm-water gyre in the southern Atlantic; the ocean floor is dominated by the Mid- Atlantic Ridge, a rugged north-south cen¬ terline for the entire Atlantic basin Elevation extremes: lowest point: Milwaukee Deep in the Puerto Rico Trench -8,605 m highest point: sea level 0 m Natural resources: oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales), sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules, precious stones Natural hazards: icebergs common in Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, and the northwestern Atlantic Ocean from February to August and have been spotted as far south as Bermuda and the Madeira Islands; ships subject to super¬ structure icing in extreme northern Atlantic from October to May; persistent fog can be a maritime hazard from May to September; hurricanes (May to December) Environment— current issues: endan¬ gered marine species include the man¬ atee, seals, sea lions, turtles, and whales; drift net fishing is hastening the decline of fish stocks and contributing to inter¬ national disputes; municipal sludge pol¬ lution off eastern US, southern Brazil, and eastern Argentina; oil pollution in Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Lake Maracaibo, Mediterranean Sea, and North Sea; industrial waste and munic¬ ipal sewage pollution in Baltic Sea, North Sea, and Mediterranean Sea Geography — note: major chokepoints include the Dardanelles, Strait of Gibraltar, access to the Panama and Suez Canals; strategic straits include the Strait of Dover, Straits of Florida, Mona Passage, The Sound (Oresund), and Windward Passage; the Equator divides 38 AUSTRALIA the Atlantic Ocean into the North Atlantic Ocean and South Atlantic Ocean ECONOMY Economy— overview: The Atlantic Ocean provides some of the world’s most heavily trafficked sea routes, between and within the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. Other economic activity includes the exploitation of natural resources, e.g., fishing, dredging of arago- nite sands (The Bahamas), and produc- tion of crude oil and natural gas (Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and North Sea). TRANSPORTATION Ports and terminals: Alexandria (Egypt), Algiers (Algeria), Antwerp (Belgium), Barcelona (Spain), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Casablanca (Morocco), Colon (Panama), Copenhagen (Den- mark), Dakar (Senegal), Gdansk (Poland), Hamburg (Germany), Hel¬ sinki (Finland), Las Palmas (Canary Islands, Spain), Le Havre (France), Lisbon (Portugal), London (UK), Marseille (France), Montevideo (Uru¬ guay), Montreal (Canada), Naples (Italy), New Orleans (US), New York (US), Oran (Algeria), Oslo (Norway), Peiraiefs or Piraeus (Greece), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Rotterdam (Nether¬ lands), Saint Petersburg (Russia), Stockholm (Sweden) Transportation— note: Kiel Canal and Saint Lawrence Seaway are two impor¬ tant waterways; significant domestic commercial and recreational use of Intracoastal Waterway on central and south Atlantic seaboard and Gulf of Mexico coast of US TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: some mar itime disputes (see littoral states) AUSTRALIA INTRODUCTION Background: Aboriginal settlers arrived on the continent from Southeast Asia about 40,000 years before the first Europeans began exploration in the 17th century. No formal territorial claims were made until 1770, when Capt. James COOK took possession in the name of Great Britain. Six colonies were created in the late 18th and 19th centuries; they federated and became the Common¬ wealth of Australia in 1901. The new country took advantage of its natural resources to rapidly develop agricultural and manufacturing industries and to make a major contribution to the British effort in World Wars I and II. In recent decades, Australia has transformed itself into an internationally competitive, advanced market economy. It boasted one of the OECD’s fastest growing economies during the 1990s, a perform¬ ance due in large part to economic reforms adopted in the 1980s. Long-term concerns include pollution, particularly depletion of the ozone layer, and man¬ agement and conservation of coastal areas, especially the Great Barrier Reef. Location: Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean Geographic coordinates: 27 00 S, 133 00 E Map references: Oceania Area: total: 7,686,850 sq km land: 7,617,930 sq km water: 68,920 sq km note: includes Lord Howe Island and Macquarie Island Area— comparative: slightly smaller than the US contiguous 48 states Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 25,760 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin Climate: generally arid to semiarid; tem¬ perate in south and east; tropical in north Terrain: mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lake Eyre -15 m highest point: Mount Kosciuszko 2,229 m Natural resources: bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, gold, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum Land use: arable land: 6.15% (includes about 27 million hectares of cultivated grassland) permanent crops: 0.04% other: 93.81% (2005) Irrigated land: 25,450 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires Environment — current issues: soil ero¬ sion from overgrazing, industrial devel¬ opment, urbanization, and poor farming practices; soil salinity rising due to the use of poor quality water; desertification; clearing for agricultural purposes threatens the natural habitat of many unique animal and plant species; the Great Barrier Reef off the northeast coast, the largest coral reef in the world, is threatened by increased shipping and its popularity as a tourist site; limited natural fresh water resources Environment — international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental Pro¬ tocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertifi¬ cation, Endangered Species, Environ¬ mental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change- Kyoto Protocol Geography — note: world’s smallest con¬ tinent but sixth-largest country; popula¬ tion concentrated along the eastern and southeastern coasts; the invigorating sea breeze known as the “Fremantle Doctor” affects the city of Perth on the west coast, and is one of the most consistent winds in the world PEOPLE Population: 20,434,176 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 19.3% (male 2,023,3 75/ female 1,929,229) 15-64 years: 67.4% (male 6,945,068/ female 6,831,653) 65 years and over: 13.2% (male 1,197,494/female 1,507,357) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 37.1 years 39 male: 36.3 years female: 38 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.824% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 12.02 births/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 7.56 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 3.78 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.049 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.017 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.794 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 4-57 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4-95 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4-16 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 80.62 years male: 77.75 years female: 83.63 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.76 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 14,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Australian(s) adjective: Australian Ethnic groups: white 92%, Asian 7%, aboriginal and other 1% Religions: Catholic 26.4%, Anglican 20.5%, other Christian 20.5%, Buddhist 1.9%, Muslim 1.5%, other 1.2%, unspec¬ ified 12.7%, none 15.3% (2001 Census) Languages: English 79.1%, Chinese 2.1%, Italian 1.9%, other 11.1%, unspecified 5.8% (2001 Census) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% ( 2003 est.) Country name: conventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia conventional short form: Australia Government type: federal parliamentary democracy Capital: name: Canberra geographic coordinates: 35 17 S, 149 08 E time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Tune) THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK 4 daylight saving time: + lhr, begins last Sunday in October; ends last Sunday in March note: Australia is divided into three time zones Administrative divisions: 6 states and 2 territories*; Australian Capital Terri¬ tory*, New South Wales, Northern Territory*, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia Dependent areas: Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Norfolk Island, Macquarie Island Independence: 1 January 1901 (federa¬ tion of UK colonies) National holiday: Australia Day, 26 January (1788); ANZAC Day (com¬ memorated as the anniversary of the landing of troops of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps during World War I at Gallipoli, Turkey), 25 April (1915) Constitution: 9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901 Legal system: based on English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory Executive branch: chief of state : Queen of Australia ELIZA¬ BETH II (since 6 February 1952); repre¬ sented by Governor General Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Michael JEFFERY (since 11 August 2003) head of government: Prime Minister John Winston HOWARD (since 11 March 1996); Deputy Prime Minister Mark VAILE (since 6 July 2005) cabinet: prime minister nominates, from among members of Parliament, candi¬ dates who are subsequently sworn in by the governor general to serve as govern¬ ment ministers elections: none; the monarch is heredi¬ tary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is sworn in as prime minister by the gov¬ ernor general note: government coalition — Liberal Party and National Party Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Parliament consists of the Senate (76 seats; 12 members from each of the six states and 2 from each of the two main¬ land territories; one-half of state mem¬ bers are elected every three years by popular vote to serve six-year terms while all territory members are elected every three years) and the House of Representatives (150 seats; members elected by popular preferential vote to serve terms of up to three-years; no state can have fewer than 5 representatives) elections: Senate — last held 9 October 2004 (next to be held no later than June 2008); House of Representatives — last held 9 October 2004 (next to be called no later than November 2007) election results: Senate — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — Liberal Party-National Party coalition 39, Australian Labor Party 28, Australian Greens 4, Democrats 4, Family First Party 1; House of Representatives — per¬ cent of vote by party — NA%; seats by party — Liberal Party-National Party coalition 87, Australian Labor Party 60, independents 3 Judicial branch: High Court (the chief justice and six other justices are appointed by the governor general) Political parties and leaders: Australian Democrats [Lyn ALLISON]; Australian Greens [Bob BROWN]; Australian Labor Party [Kevin RUDD]; Country Liberal Party [Jodeen CARNEY]; Family First Party [Steve FIELDING]; Liberal Party [John Winston HOWARD]; The Nationals [Mark VAILE] International organization participa¬ tion: ANZUS, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, Paris Club, PCA, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNMIS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dennis J. RICHARDSON chancery: 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 797-3000 FAX: [1] (202) 797-3168 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert D. McCALLUM, Jr. embassy: Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Can¬ berra, Australian Capital Territory 2600 mailing address: APO AP 96549 telephone: [61] (02) 6214-5600 FAX: [61] (02) 6214-5970 consulate(s) general: Melbourne, Perth, Sydney 40 AUSTRALIA Flag description: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a large seven-pointed star in the lower hoist-side quadrant known as the Commonwealth or Federation Star, rep¬ resenting the federation of the colonies of Australia in 1901; the star depicts one point for each of the six original states and one representing all of Australia’s internal and external territories; on the fly half is a representation of the Southern Cross constellation in white with one small five-pointed star and four larger, seven-pointed stars ECONOMY Economy — ovorview: Australia has an enviable Western-style capitalist economy with a per capita GDP on par with the four dominant West European economies. Robust business and con¬ sumer confidence and high export prices for raw materials and agricultural prod¬ ucts are fueling the economy. Australia’s emphasis on reforms, low inflation, and growing ties with China are other key factors behind the economy’s strength. Drought and strong import demand pushed the trade deficit up in recent years, although the trade balance improved in 2006. Housing prices prob¬ ably peaked in 2005, diminishing the prospect that interest rates would be raised to prevent a speculative bubble. Conservative fiscal policies have kept Australia’s budget in surplus since 2002. GDP (purchasing power parity): $674.6 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $644.7 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 2.7% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $33,300 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 3.8% industry: 26.2% services: 70% (2005 est.) Labor force: 10.66 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 3.6% industry: 21.2% services: 75.2% (2004 est.) Unemployment rate: 4.9% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 25.4% (1994) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 35.2 (1994) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.8% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 26.8% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $267 billion expenditures: $258 billion; including cap¬ ital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 14.1% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruits, cattle, sheep, poultry Industries: mining, industrial and trans¬ portation equipment, food processing, chemicals, steel Industrial production growth rate: -3.5% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 225.3 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 90.8% hydro: 8.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0.9% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 209.5 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 530,000 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil — consumption: 877,300 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: 523,400 bbl/day (2001) Oil— imports: 530,800 bbl/day (2001) Oil— proved reserves: 3.664 billion bbl (1 January 2002) Natural gas— production: 37.03 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 26.37 bil¬ lion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 10.66 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 821.2 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $41.62 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $117 billion (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: coal, gold, meat, wool, alumina, iron ore, wheat, machinery and transport equipment Exports — partners: Japan 20.3%, China 1 1.5%, South Korea 7.9%, US 6.7%, NZ 6.5%, India 5% (2005) Imports: $127.7 billion (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: machinery and transport equipment, computers and office machines, telecommunication equipment and parts; crude oil and petroleum products Imports — partners: US 13.9%, China 13.7%, Japan 11%, Singapore 5.6%, Germany 5.6% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $48.25 billion (2006 est.) Debt— external: $585.1 billion (30 June 2006 est.) Economic aid— donor: ODA, $894 mil¬ lion (FY99/00) Currency (code): Australian dollar (AUD) Currency code: AUD Exchange rates: Australian dollars per US dollar— 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002) Fiscal year: 1 July— 30 June COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 11.46 million (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 18.42 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: excellent domestic and international service domestic: domestic satellite system; much use of radiotelephone in areas of low population density; rapid growth of mobile cellular telephones international: country code — 61; subma¬ rine cables to New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia; satellite earth stations — 19 (10 Intelsat — 4 Indian Ocean and 6 Pacific Ocean, 2 Inmarsat — Indian and Pacific Ocean regions, 2 Globalstar, 5 other) (2005) Radio broadcast stations: AM 262, FM 345, shortwave 1 (1998) Radios: 25.5 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 104 (1997) Televisions: 10.15 million (1997) Internet country code: au Internet hosts: 7.773 million (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 571 (2002) Internet users: 14.664 million (2006) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 455 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 311 over 3,047 m: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 12 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 133 914 to 1,523 m: 143 under 914 m: 13 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 144 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 111 under 914 m: 15 (2006) Heliports: 1 (2006) Pipelines: condensate/gas 546 km; gas 31,323 km; liquid petroleum gas 240 km; oil 4,808 km; oil/gas/water 110 km (2006) Railways: total: 47,738 km broad gauge: 4,015 km 1.600-m gauge standard gauge: 28,662 km 1.435-m gauge (1,397 km electrified) narrow gauge: 14,831 km 1.067-m gauge (2,462 km electrified) dual gauge: 230 km dual gauge (2005) 41 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Roadways: total : 810,641 km paved: 336,962 km unpaved: 473,679 km (2004) Waterways: 2,000 km (mainly used for recreation on Murray and Murray- Darling river systems) (2006) Merchant marine: total : 53 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,361,000 GRT/1,532,874 DWT by type: bulk carrier 17, cargo 4, chemical tanker 3, container 1, liquefied gas 4, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 7, petro¬ leum tanker 6, roll on/roll off 5 foreign-owned: 17 (Canada 1, France 3, Germany 3, Japan 1, Netherlands 2, Norway 1, Philippines 1, UK 2, US 3) registered in other countries: 34 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Bahamas 2, Bermuda 3, Fiji 1, Flong Kong 1, Liberia 2, Marshall Islands 2, Netherlands 1, NZ 2, Panama 3, Portugal 1, Singapore 7, Tonga 1, UK 3, US 2, Vanuatu 2) (2006) Ports and terminals: Brisbane, Dampier, Fremantle, Gladstone, Hay Point, Melbourne, Newcastle, Port Hedland, Port Kembla, Port Walcott, Sydney Military branches: Australian Defense Force (ADF): Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force, Special Operations Command (2006) Military service age and obligation: 16 years of age for voluntary service; women allowed to serve in Army combat units in non-combat support roles (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 4,943,676 females age 18-49: 4,821,264 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16—49: 4,092,717 females age 16—49: 3,983,447 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 142,158 females age 16-49: 135,675 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 2.4% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: East Timor and Australia agreed in 2005 to defer the disputed portion of the boundary for fifty years and to split hydrocarbon revenues evenly outside the Joint Petroleum Development Area covered by the 2002 Timor Sea Treaty; East Timor dispute hampers creation of a revised maritime boundary with Indonesia in the Timor Sea; Indonesian groups challenge Australia’s claim to Ashmore and Cartier Islands; Australia closed parts of the Ashmore and Cartier Reserve to Indonesian traditional fishing and placed restrictions on certain catch; regional states continue to express concern over Australia’s 2004 declaration of a 1,000- nautical mile-wide maritime identifica¬ tion zone; Australia asserts land and maritime claims to Antarctica (see Antarctica); in 2004 Australia submitted its claims to UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) to extend its continental margins cov¬ ering over 3.37 million square kilometers or roughly thirty percent of its claimed exclusive economic zone; since 2003, Australian Defense Force leads the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) to maintain civil and political order and reinforce regional security Illicit drugs: Tasmania is one of the world’s major suppliers of licit opiate products; government maintains strict controls over areas of opium poppy culti¬ vation and output of poppy straw con¬ centrate; major consumer of cocaine and amphetamines AUSTRIA •'i! . / ! / -■ \ * A . . • -V v. • yy. Jf&mteick timm. Background: Once the center of power for the large Austro-Hungarian Empire, Austria was reduced to a small republic after its defeat in World War I. Following annexation by Nazi Germany in 1938 and subsequent occupation by the victo¬ rious Allies in 1945, Austria’s status remained unclear for a decade. A State Treaty signed in 1955 ended the occupa¬ tion, recognized Austria’s independence, and forbade unification with Germany. A constitutional law that same year declared the country’s “perpetual neu¬ trality” as a condition for Soviet military withdrawal. The Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991 and Austria’s entry into the European Union in 1995 have altered the meaning of this neutrality. A pros¬ perous, democratic country, Austria entered the EU Economic Monetary Union in 1999. GEOGRAPHY Location: Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia Geographic coordinates: 47 20 N, 13 20 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 83,870 sq km land: 82,444 sq km water: 1,426 sq km Area— comparative: slightly smaller than Maine Land boundaries: total: 2,562 km border countries: Czech Republic 362 km, Germany 784 km, Hungary 366 km, Italy 430 km, Liechtenstein 35 km, Slovakia 91 km, Slovenia 330 km, Switzerland 164 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime Claims: none (landlocked) Climate: temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent rain and some snow in lowlands and snow in moun¬ tains; moderate summers with occasional showers Terrain : in the west and south mostly mountains (Alps); along the eastern and northern margins mostly flat or gently sloping Elevation extremes: lowest point: Neusiedler See 115 m highest point: Grossglockner 3,798 m Natural resources: oil, coal, lignite, timber, iron ore, copper, zinc, antimony, magnesite, tungsten, graphite, salt, hydropower Land use: arable land: 16.59% permanent crops: 0.85% other: 82.56% (2005) Irrigated land: 40 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: landslides; avalanches; earthquakes Environment— current issues: some forest degradation caused by air and soil pollution; soil pollution results from the use of agricultural chemicals; air pollu¬ tion results from emissions by coal- and oil-fired power stations and industrial 42 AUSTRIA plants and from trucks transiting Austria between northern and southern Europe Environment — international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution- Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution- Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution- Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: landlocked; strategic location at the crossroads of central Europe with many easily traversable Alpine passes and valleys; major river is the Danube; pop¬ ulation is concentrated on eastern lowlands because of steep slopes, poor soils, and low temperatures elsewhere PEOPLE Population: 8,199,783 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 15.1% (male 633,375/female 603,459) 15-64 years: 67.5% (male 2,781,291/ female 2,749,539) 65 years and over: 17.5% (male 585,747/ female 846,372) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 41.3 years male: 40.2 years female: 42.4 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.077% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 8.69 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 9.84 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 1.91 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.012 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.692 male(s)/female total population: 0.953 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 4-54 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.56 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 79.21 years male: 76.32 years female: 82.26 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.37 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 0.3% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 10,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS — deaths: less than 100 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Austrian(s) adjective: Austrian Ethnic groups: Austrians 91.1%, former Yugoslavs 4% (includes Croatians, Slovenes, Serbs, and Bosniaks), Turks 1.6%, German 0.9%, other or unspeci¬ fied 2.4% (2001 census) Religions: Roman Catholic 73.6%, Protestant 4.7%, Muslim 4.2%, other 3.5%, unspecified 2%, none 12% (2001 census) Languages: German (official nation¬ wide) 88.6%, Turkish 2.3%, Serbian 2.2%, Croatian (official in Burgenland) 1.6%, other (includes Slovene, official in Carinthia, and Hungarian, official in Burgenland) 5.3% (2001 census) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: NA female: NA GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Austria conventional short form: Austria local long form: Republik Oesterreich local short form: Oesterreich Government type: federal republic Capital: name: Vienna geographic coordinates: 48 12N, 1622E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: + lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 9 states ( Bundeslaender, singular — Bundesland ) ; Burgenland, Kaernten (Carinthia), Niederoesterreich (Lower Austria), Oberoesterreich (Upper Austria), Salzburg, Steiermark (Styria), Tirol, Vorarlberg, Wien (Vienna) Independence: 976 (Margravate of Austria established); 17 September 1156 (Duchy of Austria founded); 11 August 1804 (Austrian Empire proclaimed); 12 November 1918 (republic proclaimed) National holiday: National Day, 26 October (1955); note — commemorates the passage of the law on permanent neutrality Constitution: 1920; revised 1929; rein¬ stated 1 May 1945 Legal system: civil law system with Roman law origin; judicial review of leg¬ islative acts by the Constitutional Court; separate administrative and civil/penal supreme courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Heinz FISCHER (since 8 July 2004) head of government: Chancellor Alfred GUSENBAUER (SPOe) (since 11 January 2007); Vice Chancellor Wilhelm MOLTERER (OeVP) (since 11 January 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers chosen by the president on the advice of the chancellor elections: president elected by direct pop¬ ular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); presidential election last held 25 April 2004 (next to be held in April 2010); chancellor formally chosen by the president but determined by the coalition parties forming a parliamentary majority; vice chancellor chosen by the president on the advice of the chancellor election results: Heinz FISCHER elected president; percent of vote — Heinz FIS¬ CHER 52.4%, Benita FERRERO- WALDNER 47.6% note: government coalition — SPOe and OeVP Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung con¬ sists of Federal Council or Bundesrat (62 seats; members chosen by state parlia¬ ments with each state receiving 3 to 12 members according to its population; to serve a five- or six-year term) and the National Council or Nationalrat (183 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: National Council — last held 1 October 2006 (next scheduled for the fall of 2010) election results: National Council — per¬ cent of vote by party — SPOe 35.3%, OeVP 34.3%, Greens 11.1%, FPOe 11.0%, BZOe 4-1%, other 4.2%; seats by party — SPOe 68, OeVP 66, Greens 21, FPOe 21, BZOe 7 Judicial branch: Supreme Judicial Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Administrative Court or Verwaltungsgerichtshof; Con¬ stitutional Court or Verfassungsgerichtshof Political parties and leaders: Alliance for the Future of Austria or BZOe [Peter WESTENTHALER]; Austrian People’s Party or OeVP [Wilhelm MOLTERER]; Freedom Party of Austria or FPOe [Heinz Christian STRACHE]; Social Democratic Party of Austria or SPOe [Alfred GUSENBAUER]; The Greens [Alexander VAN DER BELLEN] Political pressure groups and leaders: Austrian Trade Union Federation (nom¬ inally independent but primarily Social 43 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Democratic) or OeGB; Federal Eco- nomic Chamber; OeVP-oriented Asso- ciation of Austrian Industrialists or IV; Roman Catholic Church, including its chief lay organization, Catholic Action; three composite leagues of the Austrian People’s Party or OeVP representing business, labor, and farmers and other non-government organizations in the areas of environment and human rights International organization participa¬ tion: ACCT (observer), AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NEA, NSC, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Eva NOWOTNY chancery: 3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008-3035 telephone: [1] (202) 895-6700 FAX: [11 (202) 895-6750 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Susan R. McCAW embassy: Boltzmanngasse 16, A- 1090, Vienna mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [43] (1) 31339-0 FAX: [43] (1) 3100682 Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and red ECONOMY Economy— overview: Austria, with its well-developed market economy and high standard of living, is closely tied to other EU economies, especially Germany’s. The Austrian economy also benefits greatly from strong commercial relations, especially in the banking and insurance sectors, with central, eastern, and southeastern Europe. The economy features a large service sector, a sound industrial sector, and a small, hut highly developed agricultural sector. Mem¬ bership in the EU has drawn an influx of foreign investors attracted by Austria’s access to the single European market and proximity to the new EU economies. The outgoing government has success¬ fully pursued a comprehensive economic reform program, aimed at streamlining government and creating a more com¬ petitive business environment, further strengthening Austria’s attractiveness as an investment location. It has imple¬ mented effective pension reforms; how¬ ever, lower taxes in 2005-06 led to a small budget deficit in 2006. Weak domestic consumption and slow growth in Europe held the economy to growth rates below 3% in 2002-05. Due to higher growth across Europe, Austria grew 3.3 percent in 2006. To meet increased competition— especially from new EU members and Central European countries — Austria will need to continue restructuring, emphasizing knowledge- based sectors of the economy, and encouraging greater labor flexibility and greater labor participation by its aging population. GDP (purchasing power parity): $283.8 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $310.1 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 3.3% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $34,600 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 1.8% industry: 30.4% services: 67.8% (2005) Labor force: 3.88 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 3% industry: 27% services: 70% (2005 est.) Unemployment rate: 4 9% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 5.9% (2004) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.3% highest 10%: 22.5% (2004) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 31 (2002) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.6% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 21% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $155.9 billion expenditures: $161.6 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 63% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: grains, potatoes, sugar beets, wine, fruit; dairy products, cattle, pigs, poultry; lumber Industries: construction, machinery, vehicles and parts, food, metals, chemi¬ cals, lumber and wood processing, paper and paperboard, communications equip¬ ment, tourism Industrial production growth rate: 5.7% (2006 est.) Electricity — production: 64 9 billion kWh (2005 est.) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 29.3% hydro: 67.2% nuclear: 0% other: 3.5% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 65.2 billion kWh (2005 est.) Electricity— exports: 17.73 billion kWh (2005 est.) Electricity— imports: 20.4 billion kWh (2005 est.) Oil— production: 25,360 bbl/day (2004) Oil— consumption: 282,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: 30,140 bbl/day (2004) Oil— imports: 157,500 bbl/dav (2005) Oil— proved reserves: 80.66 million bbl (2005) Natural gas— production: 1.637 billion cu m (2005) Natural gas— consumption: 9 billion cu m (2005) Natural gas— exports: 1.324 billion cu m (2004) Natural gas— imports: 9.18 billion cu m (2005) Natural gas— proved reserves: 15.01 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $5,913 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $133.3 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — Commodities: machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, paper and paperboard, metal goods, chemicals, iron and steel, textiles, food¬ stuffs Exports— partners: Germany 31.2%, Italy 8.7%, US 5.8%, Switzerland 5.2%, France 4-2% (2005) imports: $134.3 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, metal goods, oil and oil products; food¬ stuffs Imports— partners: Germany 45.9%, Italy 6.6%, Switzerland 4.5% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $12.72 billion (November 2006 est.) Debt— external: $594.3 billion (October 2006 est.) Economic aid— donor: ODA, $681 mil¬ lion (2004) Currency (code): euro (EUR) note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to he used by finan¬ cial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries 44 AZERBAIJAN Currency code: EUR Exchange rates: euros per US dollar— 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 3.705 million (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 8.16 mil¬ lion (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: highly developed and efficient domestic: there are 45 main lines for every 100 persons; the fiber optic net is very extensive; all telephone applica¬ tions and Internet services are available international: country code — 43; satellite earth stations — 15; in addition, there are about 600 VSATs (very small aperture terminals) (2005) Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 65 (plus several hundred repeaters), short¬ wave 1 (2001) Radios: 6.08 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 10 (plus more than 1,000 repeaters) (2001) Televisions: 4.25 million (1997) Internet country code: at Internet hosts: 2.062 million (2006) internet Service Providers (ISPs): 37 (2000) Internet users: 4.65 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 55 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 25 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1 ,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 15 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 30 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 26 (2006) Heliports: 1 (2006) Pipelines: gas 2,722 km; oil 663 km; refined products 149 km (2006) Railways: total: 6,011 km standard gauge: 5,568 km 1.435-m gauge (3,427 km electrified) narrow gauge: 21 km 1.000-m gauge; 422 km 0.760-m gauge (109 km electrified) (2005) Roadways: total: 133,718 km paved: 133,718 km (includes 1,677 km of expressways) (2003) Waterways: 358 km (2007) Merchant marine: total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 34,072 GRT/44,437 DWT by type: cargo 6, container 2 foreign' owned: 2 (Netherlands 2) registered in other countries: 14 (Liberia 13, Malta 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Enns, Krems, Linz, Vienna MILITARY Military branches: Land Forces (KdoLdSK), Air Forces (KdoLuSK) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age for voluntary service; from 2007, at the earliest, com¬ pulsory military service obligation will be reduced from 8 months to 6 (2005) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 1,914,800 females age 18-49: 1,870,134 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 1,550,441 females age 18-49: 1,515,365 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 48,967 females age 18-49: 46,633 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 0.9% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: in 2006, Austrian public protests for the Czech Republic to close the Temelin nuclear power plant resulted in a parliamentary motion threatening international legal action Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and South American cocaine destined for Western Europe; increasing consumption of European-produced synthetic drugs AZERBAIJAN INTRODUCTION Background: Azerbaijan — a nation with a Turkic and majority-Muslim popula¬ tion — was briefly independent from 1918 to 1920; it regained its independ¬ ence after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Despite a 1994 cease¬ fire, Azerbaijan has yet to resolve its con¬ flict with Armenia over the Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh enclave (largely Armenian populated). Azerbaijan has lost 16% of its territory and must support some 600,000 internally displaced per¬ sons as a result of the conflict. Corruption is ubiquitous, and the promise of widespread wealth from Azerbaijan’s undeveloped petroleum resources remains largely unfulfilled. GEOGRAPHY : _ _ Location: Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Russia, with a small European portion north of the Caucasus range Geographic coordinates: 40 30 N, 47 30 E Map references: Asia Area: total: 86,600 sq km land: 86,100 sq km water: 500 sq km note: includes the exclave of Naxcivan Autonomous Republic and the Nagorno- Karabakh region; the region’s autonomy was abolished by Azerbaijani Supreme Soviet on 26 November 1991 Area — comparative: slightly smaller than Maine Land boundaries: total: 2,013 km border countries: Armenia (with Azerbaijan-proper) 566 km, Armenia (with Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave) 221 km, Georgia 322 km, Iran (with Azerbaijan-proper) 432 km, Iran (with Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave) 179 km, Russia 284 km, Turkey 9 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked); note — Azerbaijan borders the Caspian Sea (800 km est.) Maritime claims: none (landlocked) Climate: dry, semiarid steppe Terrain: large, flat Kur-Araz Ovaligi (Kura-Araks Lowland) (much of it below sea level) with Great Caucasus Mountains 45 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK to the north, Qarabag Yaylasi (Karabakh Upland) in west; Baku lies on Abseron Yasaqligi (Apsheron Peninsula) that juts into Caspian Sea Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caspian Sea '28 m highest point: Bazarduzu Dagi 4,485 m Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, nonferrous metals, bauxite Land use: arable land: 20.62% permanent crops: 2.61% other: 76.77% (2005) Irrigated land: 14,550 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: droughts Environment— current issues: local sci¬ entists consider the Abseron Yasaqligi (Apsheron Peninsula) (including Baku and Sumqayit) and the Caspian Sea to be the ecologically most devastated area in the world because of severe air, soil, and water pollution; soil pollution results from oil spills, from the use of DDT pes¬ ticide, and from toxic defoliants used in the production of cotton Environment— international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography— note: both the main area of the country and the Naxcivan exclave are landlocked PEOPLE Population: 8,120,247 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 25.4% (male 1,086,271/ female 975,100) 15-64 years: 67.7% (male 2,695,428/ female 2,799,047) 65 years and over: 7% (male 211,438/ female 352,963) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 27.6 years male: 26 years female: 29.4 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.688% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 17.47 births/1, 000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 8.35 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -2.25 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.15 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.114 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.963 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.599 male(s)/female total population: 0.968 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 58.31 deaths/1,000 live births male: 64-03 deaths/1,000 live births female: 51.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 65.96 years male: 61.86 years female: 70.66 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.05 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 1,400 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: less than 100 (2001 est.) Nationality: noun: Azerbaijani(s), Azeri(s) adjective: Azerbaijani, Azeri Ethnic groups: Azeri 90.6%, Dagestani 2.2%, Russian 1.8%, Armenian 1.5%, other 3.9% (1999 census) note: almost all Armenians live in the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region Religions: Muslim 93.4%, Russian Orthodox 2.5%, Armenian Orthodox 2.3%, other 1.8% (1995 est.) note: religious affiliation is still nominal in Azerbaijan; percentages for actual practicing adherents are much lower Languages: Azerbaijani (Azeri) 90.3%, Lezgi 2.2%, Russian 1.8%, Armenian 1.5%, other 3.3%, unspecified 1% (1999 census) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.8% male: 99.5% female: 98.2% (1999 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Azerbaijan conventional short form: Azerbaijan local long form: Azarbaycan Respublikasi local short form: Azarbaycan former: Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic Government type: republic Capital: name: Baku (Baki, Baky) geographic coordinates: 40 23 N, 49 51 E time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 59 rayons (rayonlar; rayon — singular), 1 1 cities (saharlar; sahar — singular), 1 auto¬ nomous republic (muxtar respublika) rayons: Abseron Rayonu, Agcabadi Rayonu, Agdam Rayonu, Agdas Rayonu, Agstafa Rayonu, Agsu Rayonu, Astara Rayonu, Balakan Rayonu, Barda Rayonu, Beylaqan Rayonu, Bilasuvar Rayonu, Cabrayil Rayonu, Calilabad Rayonu, Daskasan Rayonu, Davaci Rayonu, Fuzuli Pmyonu, Gadabay Rayonu, Goranboy Rayonu, Goycay Rayonu, Haciqabul Rayonu, Imisli Rayonu, Ismayilli Rayonu, Kalbacar Rayonu, Kurdamir Rayonu, Lacin Rayonu, Lankaran Rayonu, Lerik Rayonu, Masalli Rayonu, Neftcala Rayonu, Oguz Rayonu, Qabala Rayonu, Qax Rayonu, Qazax Rayonu, Qobustan Rayonu, Quba Rayonu, Qubadli Rayonu, Qusar Rayonu, Saatli Rayonu, Sabirabad Rayonu, Saki Rayonu, Salyan Rayonu, Samaxi Rayonu, Samkir Rayonu, Samux Rayonu, Siyazan Rayonu, Susa Rayonu, Tartar Rayonu, Tovuz Rayonu, Ucar Rayonu, Xacmaz Rayonu, Xanlar Rayonu, Xizi Rayonu, Xocali Rayonu, Xocavand Rayonu, Yardimli Rayonu, Yevlax Rayonu, Zangilan Rayonu, Zaqatala Rayonu, Zardab Rayonu cities: Ali Bayramli Sahar i, Baki Sahari, Ganca Sahari, Lankaran Sahari, Mingacevir Sahari, Naftalan Sahari, Saki Sahari, Sumqayit Sahari, Susa Sahari, Xankandi Sahari, Yevlax Sahari autonomous republic: Naxcivan Muxtar Respublikasi Independence: 30 August 1991 (from Soviet Union) National holiday: Founding of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan, 28 May (1918) Constitution: adopted 12 November 1995 Legal system: based on civil law system Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Ilham ALIYEV (since 31 October 2003) head of government: Prime Minister Artur RASIZADE (since 4 November 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Abbas ABBASOV (since 10 November 2003) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the National Assembly elections: president elected by popular vote to a five-year tenn (eligible for a second term); election last held 15 October 2003 (next to be held in October 2008); prime minister and first deputy prime minister appointed by the president and confirmed by the National Assembly election results: Ilham ALIYEV elected president; percent of vote— Ilham ALIYEV 76.8%, Isa GAMBAR 14% Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Milli Mejlis (125 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) 46 AZERBAIJAN elections: last held 6 November 2005 (next to be held in November 2010) election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — Yeni 58, Azadliq coalition 8, CSP 2, YES 2, Motherland 2, other parties with single seats 7, inde¬ pendents 42, undetermined 4 Judicial branch: Supreme Court Political parties and leaders: Azadliq coalition (Musavat, APF, and DPA); Azerbaijan Popular Front or APF [Ali KARIMLI, leader of “Reform” faction; Mirmahmud MIRAFI-OGFU, leader of “Classic” faction]; Civic Solidarity Party or CSP [Sabir RUSTAMKHANLY]; Civic Union Party [Ayaz MUTAL- 1BOV]; Communist Party of Azerbaijan or CPA [Ramiz AHMADOV]; Compatriot Party [Mais SAFARFI]; Democratic Party for Azerbaijan or DPA [Rasul QUFIYEV]; Justice Party [Ilyas ISMAIFOV]; Fiberal Party of Azerbaijan [Fala Shovkat HACIYEVA]; Motherland Party; Musavat [Isa GAMBAR, chairman]; Yeni Azerbaijan Party; Party for National Independence of Azerbaijan or PNIA [Etibar MAM- MADFI]; Social Democratic Party of Azerbaijan or SDP [Araz AFIZADE] note: opposition parties regularly faction- alize and form new parties Political pressure groups and leaders: Sadval, Fezgin movement; self-proclaimed Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh Republic; Talysh independence movement; Union of Pro-Azerbaijani Forces (UPAF); Karabakh Fiberation Organization international organization participa¬ tion: AsDB, BSEC, CE, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IFO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Hafiv Mir Jalal PASHAYEV chancery: 2741 34 th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 337-3500 FAX: [1] (202) 337-5911 Consulate(s) general: Los Angeles Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Anne E. DERSE embassy: 83 Azadliyg Prospecti, Baku AZ1007 mailing address: American Embassy Baku, US Department of State, 7050 Baku Place, Washington, DC 20521-7050 telephone: [994] (12) 4980-335 through 337 FAX: [994] (12) 4656-671 Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), red, and green; a crescent and eight-pointed star in white are centered in red band ECONOMY Economy— overview: Azerbaijan’s number one export is oil. Azerbaijan’s oil production declined through 1997, but has registered an increase every year since. Negotiation of production-sharing arrangements (PSAs) with foreign firms, which have committed $60 billion to long-term oilfield development, should generate the funds needed to spur future industrial development. Oil production under the first of these PSAs, with the Azerbaijan International Operating Company, began in November 1997. A consortium of Western oil companies began pumping 1 million barrels a day from a large offshore field in early 2006, through a $4 billion pipeline it built from Baku to Turkey’s Mediterranean port of Ceyhan. By 2010 revenues from this project will double the country’s current GDP. Azerbaijan shares all the formi¬ dable problems of the former Soviet republics in making the transition from a command to a market economy, but its considerable energy resources brighten its long-term prospects. Baku has only recently begun making progress on eco¬ nomic reform, and old economic ties and structures are slowly being replaced. Several other obstacles impede Azerbaijan’s economic progress: the need for stepped up foreign investment in the non-energy sector, the continuing con¬ flict with Armenia over the Nagorno- Karabakh region, and the pervasive corruption. Trade with Russia and the other former Soviet republics is declining in importance, while trade is building with Turkey and the nations of Europe. Long-term prospects will depend on world oil prices, the location of new pipelines in the region, and Azerbaijan’s ability to manage its oil wealth. GDP (purchasing power parity): $59.71 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $14.25 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 34 5% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $7,500 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 14-1% industry: 45.7% services: 40.2% (2002 est.) Labor force: 5.191 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 41% industry: 7% services: 52% (2001) Unemployment rate: 1.2% official rate (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 49% (2002 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 27.8% (1995) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 36.5 (2001) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 44.9% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $6,008 billion expenditures: $5,804 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 10.4% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: cotton, grain, rice, grapes, fruit, vegetables, tea, tobacco; cattle, pigs, sheep, goats Industries: petroleum and natural gas, petroleum products, oilfield equipment; steel, iron ore; cement; chemicals and petrochemicals; textiles Industrial production growth rate: 50% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 20.35 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 89.7% hydro: 10.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 20.57 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 510 million kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 2.15 billion kWh (2004) Oil— production: 477,000 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil — consumption: 120,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Oil— proved reserves: 589 million bbl ( 1 January 2002) Natural gas— production: 5.01 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 9.94 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — imports: 4.93 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — proved reserves: 849.5 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $2,737 billion (2006 est.) 47 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Exports: $12.51 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: oil and gas 90%, machinery, cotton, foodstuffs Exports— partners: Italy 30.3%, France 9.4%, Russia 6.6%, Turkey 6.3%, Turkmenistan 6.3%, Georgia 4-8%, Israel 4.5%, Croatia 4-1% (2005) Imports: $5,176 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: machinery and equipment, oil products, foodstuffs, metals, chemicals Imports — partners: Russia 17%, UK 9.1%, Singapore 9.1%, Turkey 7.4%, Germany 6.1%, Turkmenistan 5.8%, Ukraine 5.4%, China 4-1% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $1.8 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $2,483 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: ODA, $140 million (2000 est.) Currency (code): Azerbaijani manat (AZM) Currency code: AZM Exchange rates: Azerbaijani manats per US dollar— 0.8934 (2006), 4,727.1 (2005), 4,913.48 (2004), 4,910.73 (2003), 4,860.82 (2002) note: on 1 January 2006 Azerbaijan revalued its currency, with 5,000 old manats equal to 1 new manat Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 1.091 million (2005) Telephones — mobile cellular: 2.242 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: inadequate; requires considerable expan' sion and modernization; teledensity of 14 main lines per 100 persons is low (2002) domestic: the majority of telephones are in Baku and other industrial centers— about 700 villages still without public telephone service; satellite service con¬ nects Baku to a modern switch in its exclave of Naxcivan international: country code — 994; the old Soviet system of cable and microwave is still serviceable; satellite earth stations — 2 (2005) Radio broadcast stations: AM 10, FM 17, shortwave 1 (1998) Radios: 175,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 2 (1997) Televisions: 170,000 (1997) Internet country code: az Internet hosts: 880 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000) Internet users: 678,800 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 36 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 27 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1 ,523 m: 4 under 9 14 m: 2 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 9 914 to 1 ,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 7 (2006) Heliports: 1 (2006) Pipelines: gas 3,190 km; oil 2,436 km (2006) Railways: total: 2,957 km broad gauge: 2,957 km 1.520-m gauge (1,278 km electrified) (2005) Roadways: total: 59,141 km paved: 29,210 km unpaved: 29,931 km (2004) Merchant marine: total: 84 ships (1000 GRT or over) 405,395 GRT/436,666 DWT by type: cargo 26, passenger 2, pas- senger/cargo 8, petroleum tanker 43, roll on/roll off 2, specialized tanker 3 registered in other countries: 4 (Georgia 2, Malta 2) (2006) Ports and terminals: Baku (Baki) MILITARY Military branches: Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces Military service age and obligation: men between 18 and 35 are liable for military service; 18 years of age for vol¬ untary military service; length of military service is 18 months and 12 months for university graduates (2006) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 1,961,973 females age 18-49: 2,033,186 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 1 8 — 49; 1,314,955 females age 18-49: 1,676,408 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 82,358 females age 18-49: 78,067 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 2.6% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: Armenia sup¬ ports ethnic Armenian secessionists in Nagorno-Karabakh and since the early 1990s has militarily occupied 16% of Azerbaijan; over 800,000 mostly ethnic Azerbaijanis were driven from the occu¬ pied lands and Armenia; about 230,000 ethnic Armenians were driven from their homes in Azerbaijan into Armenia; Azerbaijan seeks transit route through Armenia to connect to Naxcivan exclave; Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) con¬ tinues to mediate dispute; Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia have ratified Caspian seabed delimitation treaties based on equidistance, while Iran con¬ tinues to insist on an even one-fifth allo¬ cation and challenges Azerbaijan’s hydrocarbon exploration in disputed waters; bilateral talks continue with Turkmenistan on dividing the seabed and contested oilfields in the middle of the Caspian; Azerbaijan and Georgia continue to discuss the alignment of their boundary at certain crossing areas Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 2,800 (Russia) IDPs: 580,000-690,000 (conflict with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh) (2006) Illicit drugs: limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for CIS consumption; small government eradication program; transit point for Southwest Asian opiates bound for Russia and to a lesser extent the rest of Europe 48 BAHAMAS, THE INTRODUCTION Background: Lucayan Indians inhabited the islands when Christopher Columbus first set foot in the New World on San Salvador in 1492. British settlement of the islands began in 1647; the islands became a colony in 1783. Since attaining independence from the UK in 1973, The Bahamas have prospered through tourism and international banking and investment management. Because of its geography, the country is a major transshipment point for illegal drugs, particularly shipments to the US and Europe, and its territory is used for smuggling illegal migrants into the US. GEOGRAPHY Location: Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba Geographic coordinates: 24 15 N, 76 00 W Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total: 13,940 sq km land: 10,070 sq km water: 3,870 sq km Area — comparative: slightly smaller than Connecticut Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 3,542 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream Terrain: long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island 63 m Natural resources: salt, aragonite, timber, arable land Land use: arable land: 0.58% permanent crops: 0.29% other: 99.13% (2005) Irrigated land: 10 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind damage Environment— current issues: coral reef decay; solid waste disposal Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Deser- tification, Endangered Species, Hazard- ous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain of which 30 are inhabited PEOPLE Population: 305,655 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mor¬ tality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the dis¬ tribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 27% (male 41,268/female 41,186) 15-64 years: 66.5% (male 99,961/female 103,230) 65 years and over: 6.5% (male 8,176/ female 11,834) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 28.1 years male: 27.3 years female: 28.9 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.602% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 17.3 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 9.13 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -2.15 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.002 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.968 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.691 male(s)/female total population: 0.956 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 24-17 deaths/1,000 live births male: 29.58 deaths/1,000 live births female: 18.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 65.66 years male: 62.37 years female: 69.02 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.15 children bom/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 3% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 5,600 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS — deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Bahamian(s) adjective: Bahamian Ethnic groups: black 85%, white 12%, Asian and Hispanic 3% Religions: Baptist 35.4%, Anglican 15.1%, Roman Catholic 13.5%, Pentecostal 8.1%, Church of God 4.8%, Methodist 4.2%, other Christian 15.2%, none or unspecified 2.9%, other 0.8% (2000 census) Languages: English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 95.6% male: 94-7% female: 96.5% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas conventional short form: The Bahamas Government type: constitutional parlia¬ mentary democracy Capital: name: Nassau geographic coordinates: 25 05 N, 77 21 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November Administrative divisions: 21 districts; Acklins and Crooked Islands, Bimini, Cat Island, Exuma, Freeport, Fresh Creek, Governor’s Harbour, Green Turtle Cay, Harbour Island, High Rock, Inagua, Kemps Bay, Long Island, Marsh Harbour, Mayaguana, New Providence, Nichollstown and Berry Islands, Ragged Island, Rock Sound, Sandy Point, San Salvador and Rum Cay Independence: 10 July 1973 (from UK) National holiday: Independence Day, 10 July (1973) Constitution: 10 July 1973 Legal system: based on English common law 49 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Arthur D. HANNA (since 1 February 2006) head of government: Prime Minister Hubert A. INGRAHAM (since 4 May 2007) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the gov¬ ernor general on the prime minister’s rec¬ ommendation elections: none; the monarch is heredi¬ tary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the gov¬ ernor general; the prime minister recom¬ mends the deputy prime minister Legislative branch: bicameral Parlia¬ ment consists of the Senate (16 seats; members appointed by the governor gen¬ eral upon the advice of the prime min¬ ister and the opposition leader to serve five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (41 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms); the government may dissolve the Parliament and call elections at any time elections: last held 2 May 2007 (next to be called by May 2012) election results: percent of vote by party — FNM 49.86%, PLP 47.02%; seats by party— FNM 23, PLP 18 Judicial branch: Privy Council (London); Courts of Appeal; Supreme (lower) Court; magistrates courts Political parties and leaders: Free National Movement or FNM [Hubert INGRAHAM]; Progressive Liberal Party or PLP [Perry CHRISTIE] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G- 77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: vacant chancery: 2220 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 319-2660 FAX: [1] (202) 319-2668 consulate(s) general: Miami, New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John D. ROOD embassy: 42 Queen Street, Nassau mailing address: local or express mail address: P. O. Box N-8197, Nassau; US Department of State, 3370 Nassau Place, Washington, DC 20521-3370 telephone: [1] (242) 322-1181, 356-3229 (after hours) FAX: [1] (242) 356-0222 Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold, and aquamarine, with a black equilateral tri¬ angle based on the hoist side ECONOMY Economy — overview: The Bahamas is a stable, developing nation with an economy heavily dependent on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism together with tourism-driven construction and manufacturing accounts for approximately 60% of GDP and directly or indirectly employs half of the archipelago’s labor force. Steady growth in tourism receipts and a boom in construction of new hotels, resorts, and residences had led to solid GDP growth in recent years, but the slow¬ down in the US economy and the attacks of 1 1 September 2001 held back growth in these sectors in 2001-03. The current gov¬ ernment has presided over a period of eco¬ nomic recovery and an upturn in large-scale private sector investments in tourism. Financial services constitute the second-most important sector of the Bahamian economy, accounting for about 15% of GDP. However, since December 2000, when the government enacted new regulations on the financial sector, many international businesses have left The Bahamas. Manufacturing and agriculture together contribute approximately a tenth of GDP and show little growth, despite government incentives aimed at those sectors. Overall growth prospects in the short run rest heavily on the fortunes of the tourism sector, which depends on growth in the US, the source of more than 80% of the visitors. GDP (purchasing power parity): $6,556 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $6,159 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 4% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $21,600 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 7% services: 90% (2001 est.) Labor force: 176,300 (2004) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture 5%, industry 5%, tourism 50%, other services 40% (2005 est.) Unemployment rate: 10.2% (2005 est.) Population below poverty line: 9.3% (2004) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: 27% (2000) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.2% (2004) Budget: revenues: $1.03 billion expenditures: $1.03 billion; including capital expenditures of $130 million (FY04/05) Agriculture — products: citrus, vegeta¬ bles; poultry Industries: tourism, banking, cement, oil transshipment, salt, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded steel pipe Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity— production: 1.795 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: l 669 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004) Oil— consumption: 27,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: transshipments of 29,000 bbl/day (2003) Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Exports: $451 million (2005 est.) Exports— commodities: mineral prod¬ ucts and salt, animal products, rum, chemicals, fruit and vegetables Exports— partners: Spain 31.8%, US 30%, Poland 9%, Germany 5.4% (2005) Imports: $2.16 billion (2005 est.) Imports— commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, mineral fuels; food and live animals Imports— partners: US 21.2%, South Korea 19%, Brazil 17.8%, Spain 7.3%, Germany 5% (2005) Debt— external: $342.6 million (2004 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $5 million (2004) Currency (code): Bahamian dollar (BSD) Currency code: BSD Exchange rates: Bahamian dollars per US dollar— 1 (2006), 1 (2005), 1 (2004), 1 (2003), 1 (2002) Fiscal year: 1 July— 30 June 50 BAHRAIN COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 139,900 (2004) Telephones— mobile cellular: 186,000 (2004) Telephone system: general assessment: modern facilities domestic: totally automatic system; highly developed international: country code— 1-242; tro¬ pospheric scatter and submarine cable to Florida; 3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth station — 2 (2005) Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2006) Radios: 215,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 2 (2006) Televisions: 67,000 (1997) Internet country code: bs Internet hosts: 591 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 19 (2000) Internet users: 93,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 64 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 29 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 35 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 22 (2006) Heliports: 1 (2006) Roadways: total: 2,693 km paved: 1,546 km unpaved: 1,147 km (1999) Merchant marine: total: 1,177 ships (1000 GRT or over) 37,743,270 GRT/50,9 18,747 DWT by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 253, cargo 250, chemical tanker 64, container 79, liquefied gas 35, livestock carrier 2, passenger 115, passenger/cargo 34, petro¬ leum tanker 175, refrigerated cargo 114, roll on/roll off 20, specialized tanker 5, vehicle carrier 30 foreign'Owned: 1,093 (Angola 5, Australia 2, Belgium 13, Canada 18, China 3, Cuba 1, Cyprus 13, Denmark 59, Estonia 1, Finland 8, France 37, Germany 22, Greece 232, Hong Kong 8, Iceland 1, India 1, Indonesia 4, Ireland 2, Israel 1, Italy 5, Japan 51, Jordan 2, Kenya 1, Latvia 1, Malaysia 12, Monaco 17, Montenegro 2, Netherlands 24, Nigeria 2, Norway 259, Philippines 1, Poland 15, Reunion 1, Russia 6, Saudi Arabia 12, Singapore 12, Slovenia 1, Spain 12, Sweden 6, Switzerland 2, Thailand 1, Turkey 8, UAE 16, UK 69, Uruguay 2, US 121, Venezuela 1) registered in other countries: 4 (Barbados 1, Liberia 1, Panama 2) (2006) Ports and terminals: Freeport, Nassau, South Riding Point Military branches: Royal Bahamian Defense Force: Marines, Air Wing (2006) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001) Manpower available for military Service: males age 18-49: 73,121 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 44,309 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 2,804 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 0.5% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: disagrees with the US on the alignment of a potential maritime boundary; continues to mon¬ itor and interdict drug dealers and Haitian refugees in Bahamian waters Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for US and Europe; offshore financial center BAHRAIN INTRODUCTION Background: In 1782, the A1 Khalifa family captured Bahrain from the Persians. In order to secure these holdings, it entered into a series of treaties with the UK during the 19th century that made Bahrain a British protectorate. The archi¬ pelago attained its independence in 1971. Bahrain’s small size and central location among Persian Gulf countries require it to play a delicate balancing act in foreign affairs among its larger neighbors. Facing declining oil reserves, Bahrain has turned to petroleum processing and refining and has transformed itself into an interna¬ tional banking center. King HAMAD bin Isa A1 Khalifa, after coming to power in 1999, pushed economic and political reforms to improve relations with the Shi’a community and Shi’a political soci¬ eties participated in 2006 parliamentary and municipal elections. A1 Wifaq, the largest Shi’a political society, won the largest number of seats in the elected chamber of the legislature. However, Shi’a discontent has resurfaced in recent years with street demonstrations and occasional low-level violence. GEOGRAPHY Location: Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia Geographic coordinates: 26 00 N, 50 33 E Map references: Middle East Area: total: 665 sq km land : 665 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 161 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined Climate: arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers Terrain: mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m Natural resources: oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls Land use: arable land: 2.82% permanent crops: 5.63% other: 91.55% (2005) Irrigated land: 40 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: periodic droughts; dust storms 51 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Environment — current issues: desertifi- cation resulting from the degradation of limited arable land, periods of drought, and dust storms; coastal degradation (damage to coastlines, coral reefs, and sea vegetation) resulting from oil spills and other discharges from large tankers, oil refineries, and distribution stations; lack of freshwater resources, groundwater and seawater are the only sources for all water needs Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: close to primary Middle Eastern petroleum sources; strategic location in Persian Gulf, through which much of the Western world’s petroleum must transit to reach open ocean PEOPLE Population: 708,573 note: includes 235,108 non-nationals (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 26.9% (male 96,217/female 94,275) 15-64 years: 69.5% (male 284,662/ female 207,555) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 13,451/ female 12,413) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 29.7 years male: 32.7 years female: 26.1 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.392% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 17.53 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 4.21 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0.6 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.021 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.372 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.084 male(s)/female total population: 1.255 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 16.18 deaths/1,000 live births male: 18.89 deaths/1,000 live births female: 13.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.68 years male: 72.18 years female: 77.25 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.57 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: less than 600 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Bahraini (s) adjective: Bahraini Ethnic groups: Bahraini 62.4%, non- Bahraini 37.6% (2001 census) Religions: Muslim (Shi’a and Sunni) 81.2%, Christian 9%, other 9.8% (2001 census) Languages: Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 86.5% male: 88.6% female: 83.6% (2001 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Bahrain conventional short form: Bahrain local long form: Mamlakat al Bahrayn local short form: Al Bahrayn former: Dilmun Government type: constitutional monarchy Capital: name: Manama geographic coordinates: 26 13 N, 5035 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 5 gover- norates; Asamah, Janubiyah, Muharraq, Shamaliyah, Wasat note: each governorate administered by an appointed governor Independence: 15 August 1971 (from UK) National holiday: National Day, 16 December (1971); note — 15 August 1971 was the date of independence from the UK, 16 December 1971 was the date of independence from British protection Constitution: adopted 14 February 2002 Legal system: based on Islamic law and English common law Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: King HAMAD bin Isa al- Khalifa (since 6 March 1999); Heir Apparent Crown Prince SALMAN bin Hamad (son of the monarch, born 21 October 1969) head of government: Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman al-Khalifa (since 1971); Deputy Prime Ministers ALI bin Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa, MUHAMMAD bin Mubarak al-Khalifa, Jawad al-ARAIDH cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarchy is heredi¬ tary; prime minister appointed by the monarch Legislative branch: bicameral legislature consists of the Consultative Council (40 members appointed by the King) and the Council of Representatives or Chamber of Deputies (40 seats; members directly elected to serve four-year terms) elections: Council of Representatives — last held November-December 2006 (next election to be held in 2010) election results: Council of Repre¬ sentatives — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — al Wifaq (Shia) 17, al Asala (Sunni Salafi) 5, al Minbar (Sunni Muslim Brotherhood) 7, inde¬ pendents 11; note — seats by party as of February 2007 — al Wifaq 17, al Asala 8, al Minbar 7, al Mustaqbal (Moderate Sunni pro-government) 4, unassociated independents (all Sunni) 3, independent affiliated with al Wifaq (Sunni opposi¬ tionist) 1 Judicial branch: High Civil Appeals Court Political parties and leaders: political parties prohibited but political societies were legalized per a July 2005 law Political pressure groups and leaders: Shi’a activists fomented unrest sporadi¬ cally in 1994-97 and have recently engaged in protests with occasional low- level violence; protests related to a host of issues, including the 2002 constitu¬ tion, elections, unemployment, and release of detainees; Sunni Islamist legis¬ lators support a greater role for Shari’a in daily life; several small leftist and other groups are active International organization participa¬ tion: ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G- 77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Nasir bin Muhammad al-BALUSHI chancery: 3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 342-1111 FAX: [1] (202) 362-2192 consulate(s) general: New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William T. MONROE 52 BAHRAIN embassy: Building #979, Road 3119 (next to Al-Ahli Sports Club), Block 331, Zinj District, Manama mailing address: PSC 451, Box 660, FPO AE 09834-5100; international mail: American Embassy, Box 2643 1 , Manama telephone: [973] 1724-2700 FAX: [973] 1727-0547 Flag description: red, the traditional color for flags of Persian Gulf states, with a white serrated band (five white points) on the hoist side; the five points repre¬ sent the five pillars of Islam ECONOMY Economy— overview: With its highly developed communication and transport facilities, Bahrain is home to numerous multinational firms with business in the Gulf. Petroleum production and refining account for over 60% of Bahrain’s export receipts, over 70% of government rev¬ enues, and 11% of GDP (exclusive of allied industries), underpinning Bahrain’s strong economic growth in recent years. Other major segments of Bahrain’s economy are the financial and construction sectors. Bahrain is actively pursuing the diversification and privati¬ zation of its economy to reduce the country’s dependence on oil. As part of this effort, in August 2006 Bahrain and the US implemented a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the first FTA between the US and a Gulf state. Unemployment, especially among the young, and the depletion of oil and underground water resources are major long-term economic problems. GDP (purchasing power parity): $18.02 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $12.14 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 7.8% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $25,800 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 0.5% industry: 38.7% services: 60.8% (2005 est.) Labor force: 352,000 note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 1% industry: 79% services: 20% (1997 est.) Unemployment rate: 15% (2005 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.5% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 21.1% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $5,582 billion expenditures: $4,197 billion; including capital expenditures of $700 million (2006 est.) Public debt: 34.2% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish Industries: petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, iron pel¬ letization, fertilizers, offshore banking, insurance, ship repairing, tourism Industrial production growth rate: 2% (2000 est.) Electricity— production: 7.794 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 7.248 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 188,300 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil — consumption: 27,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil — imports: NA bbl/day Oil— proved reserves: 121 million bbl (2006 est.) Natural gas— production: 9.75 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 9.75 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 92.03 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $1,999 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $12.62 billion (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum, textiles Exports — partners: Saudi Arabia 3.3%, US 2.6%, UAE 2.3% (2005) Imports: $9,036 billion (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: crude oil, machinery, chemicals Imports — partners: Saudi Arabia 36.5%, Japan 6.6%, Germany 6.4%, US 5.4%, UK 5%, UAE 4.1% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $2,918 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $7,267 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $150 million; note — $50 million annually since 1992 from the UAE and Kuwait (2002) Currency (code): Bahraini dinar (BHD) Currency code: BHD Exchange rates: Bahraini dinars per US dollar— 0.376 (2006), 0.376 (2005), 0.376 (2004), 0.376 (2003), 0.376 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 196,500 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 748,700 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: modern system domestic: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital network with rapidly growing use of mobile cellular tele¬ phones international: country code — 973; tropos¬ pheric scatter to Qatar and UAE; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; submarine cable to Qatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia; satellite earth stations — 1 (1997) Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) Radios: 338,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 4 (1997) Televisions: 275,000 (1997) Internet country code: bh Internet hosts: 2,165 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000) Internet users: 152,700 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 3 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) Heliports: 1 (2006) Pipelines: gas 20 km; oil 52 km (2006) Roadways: total: 3,498 km paved: 2,768 km unpaved: 730 km (2003) Merchant marine: total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 235,449 GRT/339,728 DWT by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 1, container 2, petroleum tanker 1 foreign' owned: 3 (Kuwait 3) (2006) Ports and terminals: Mina’ Salman, Sitrah MILITARY Military branches: Bahrain Defense Forces (BDF): Ground Force (includes Air Defense), Naval Force, Air Force, National Guard Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001) 53 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 202,126 females age 2 8 — 49 : 151,734 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-4 9: 161,372 females age 18-49: 125,488 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 6,013 females age 18-49: 5,852 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 4.5% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: none Trafficking in persons: current situation: Bahrain is a destination country for men and women from South and Southeast Asia who migrate willingly to work as laborers or domestic servants, hut may be subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude when faced with exorbitant recruitment and transportation fees, withholding of their passports, restric¬ tions on their movement, non-payment of wages, and physical or sexual abuse; Eastern European women are also believed to be trafficked to Bahrain for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation or forced labor tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Bahrain’s efforts to address trafficking in persons are based largely on pledges of future efforts; the government did not enact a compre¬ hensive anti-trafficking law extending labor protection to domestic workers BANGLADESH INTRODUCTION Background: Europeans began to set up trading posts in the area of Bangladesh in the 16th century; eventually the British came to dominate the region and it became part of British India. In 1947, West Pakistan and East Bengal (both pri¬ marily Muslim) separated from India (largely Hindu) and jointly became the new country of Pakistan. East Bengal became East Pakistan in 1955, but the awkward arrangement of a two-part country with its territorial units sepa¬ rated by 1 ,600 km left the Bengalis mar¬ ginalized and dissatisfied. East Pakistan seceded from its union with West Pakistan in 1971 and was renamed Bangladesh. About a third of this extremely poor country floods annually during the monsoon rainy season, ham¬ pering economic development. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India Geographic coordinates: 24 00 N, 90 00 E Map references: Asia Area: total: 144,000 sq km land: 133,910 sq km water: 10,090 sq km Area — comparative: slightly smaller than Iowa Land boundaries: total: 4,246 km border countries: Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km Coastline: 580 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 18 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: up to the outer limits of the continental margin Climate: tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October) Terrain: mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Keokradong 1,230 m Natural resources: natural gas, arable land, timber, coal Land use: arable land: 55.39% permanent crops: 3.08% other: 41.53% (2005) Irrigated land: 47,250 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely inundated during the summer monsoon season Environment— current issues: many people are landless and forced to live on and cultivate flood-prone land; water¬ borne diseases prevalent in surface water; water pollution, especially of fishing areas, results from the use of commercial pesti¬ cides; ground water contaminated by nat¬ urally occurring arsenic; intermittent water shortages because of falling water tables in the northern and central parts of the country; soil degradation and erosion; deforestation; severe overpopulation Environment — international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: most of the country is situated on deltas of large rivers flowing from the Himalayas: the Ganges unites with the Jamuna (main channel of the Brahmaputra) and later joins the Meghna to eventually empty into the Bay of Bengal PEOPLE Population: 150,448,339 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 33.1% (male 25,639,640/ female 24,174,937) 15-64 years: 63.4% (male 48,659,087/ female 46,712,687) 65 years and over: 3.5% (male 2,818,638/ female 2,443,350) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 22.5 years male: 22.5 years female: 22.5 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.056% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 29.36 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 8.13 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -0.66 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.061 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.042 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.154 male(s)/female total population: 1.052 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 59.12 deaths/1,000 live births male: 60.13 deaths/1,000 live births female: 58.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 62.84 years male: 62.81 years female: 62.86 years (2007 est.) 54 BANGLADESH Total fertility rate: 3.09 children horn/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS — people living with HIV/ AIDS: 13,000 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 650 (2001 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diar¬ rhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria are high risks in some locations water contact disease: leptospirosis animal contact disease: rabies note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2007) Nationality: noun: Bangladeshi(s) adjective: Bangladeshi Ethnic groups: Bengali 98%, other 2% (includes tribal groups, non-Bengali Muslims) (1998) Religions: Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, other 1% (1998) Languages: Bangla (official, also known as Bengali), English Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population : 43.1% male: 53.9% female: 31.8% (2003 est.) Country name: conventional long form: People’s Republic of Bangladesh conventional short form: Bangladesh local long form: Gana Prajatantri Banladesh local short form: Banladesh former: East Bengal, East Pakistan Government type: parliamentary democracy Capital: name: Dhaka geographic coordinates: 23 43 N, 90 25 E time difference: UTC+6 ( 1 1 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 6 divisions; Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi, Sylhet Independence: 16 December 1971 (from West Pakistan); note — 26 March 1971 is the date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is known as Victory Day and commemorates the offi¬ cial creation of the state of Bangladesh National holiday: Independence Day, 26 March (1971); note — 26 March 1971 is the date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is Victory Day and commemorates the official cre¬ ation of the state of Bangladesh Constitution: 4 November 1972, effec¬ tive 16 December 1972; suspended fol¬ lowing coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986; amended many times Legal system: based on English common law Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Iajuddin AHMED (since 6 September 2002) note: the country has a caretaker govern¬ ment until a general election is held; Iajuddin AHMED remains as President and Minister of Defense, and all other Cabinet portfolios are held by Caretaker Advisers (CAs); the Chief CA, Fakhruddin AHMED, is roughly equiva¬ lent to a prime minister elections: president elected by National Parliament for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election scheduled for 16 September 2002 was not held since Iajuddin AHMED was the only presidential candidate; he was sworn in on 6 September 2002 (next election NA); following legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins the most seats is usually appointed prime minister by the president election results: Iajuddin AHMED declared president-elect by the Election Commission; he ran unopposed as presi¬ dent; percent of National Parliament vote — NA Legislative branch: unicameral National Parliament or Jatiya Sangsad; 300 seats elected by popular vote from single terri¬ torial constituencies; members serve five-year terms elections: last held 1 October 2001 (the scheduled January 2007 election has been postponed) election results: percent of vote by party — BNP and alliance partners 41%, AL 40%, other 19%; seats by party — BNP 193, AL 58, JI 17, JP(Ershad faction) 14, IOJ 2, JP (Manzur) 4, other 12; note — the election of October 2001 brought to power a majority BNP government aligned with three other smaller par¬ ties — JI, IOJ, and Jatiya Party (Manzur) Judicial branch: Supreme Court (the chief justices and other judges are appointed by the president) Political parties and leaders: Awami League or AL [Sheikh HASINA]; Bangladesh Communist Party or BCP [Saifuddin Ahmed MANIK]; Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP [Khaleda ZIA); Islami Oikya Jote or IOJ [Mufti Fazlul Haq AMINI]; Jamaat-e-Islami Bangla¬ desh or JIB [Motiur Rahman NIZAMI]; Jatiya Party or JP (Ershad faction) [Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD]; Jatiya Party (Manzur faction) [Naziur Rahman MANZUR]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Badrudozza CHOWDHURY and Oli AHMED] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: ARF, AsDB, BIMSTEC, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Shamsher Mobin CHOWDHURY chancery: 3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 244-0183 FAX: [1] (202) 244-5366 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia A. BUTENIS embassy: Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka 1212 mailing address : G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1000 telephone: [880] (2) 885-5500 FAX: [880] (2) 882-3744 Flag description: green field with a large red disk shifted slightly to the hoist side of center; the red disk represents the rising sun and the sacrifice to achieve independence; the green field symbolizes the lush vegetation of Bangladesh ECONOMY Economy — overview: Despite sustained domestic and international efforts to improve economic and demographic prospects, Bangladesh remains a poor, overpopulated, and inefficiently-gov¬ erned nation. Although more than half of GDP is generated through the service sector, nearly two-thirds of Bangladeshis are employed in the agriculture sector, with rice as the single-most-important product. Major impediments to growth include frequent cyclones and floods, inefficient state-owned enterprises, inad¬ equate port facilities, a rapidly growing labor force that cannot be absorbed by agriculture, delays in exploiting energy 55 resources (natural gas), insufficient power supplies, and slow implementation of economic reforms. Reform is stalled in many instances by political infighting and corruption at all levels of govern¬ ment. Opposition from the bureaucracy, public sector unions, and other vested interest groups also have blocked progress. The BNP government, led by Prime Minister Khaleda ZIA, has the parliamentary strength to push through needed reforms, but the party’s political will to do so has been lacking in key areas. On an encouraging note, growth has been a steady 5-6% for the past sev¬ eral years. GDP (purchasing power parity): $336.7 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $69.34 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 6.6% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $2,300 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 19.9% industry: 20.6% services: 59.5% (2006 est.) Labor force: 68 million note: extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Oman, Qatar, and Malaysia; workers’ remittances estimated at $4.8 billion in 2005-06. (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 63% industry: 11% services: 26% (FY95/96) Unemployment rate: 2.5% (includes underemployment) (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 45% (2004 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.9% highest 10%: 28.6% (1995-96 est.) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 31.8 (2000) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.2% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 24.9% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $6,389 billion expenditures: $8,694 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 46.7% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: rice, jute, tea, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes, tobacco, pulses, oilseeds, spices, fruit; beef, milk, poultry Industries: cotton textiles, jute, gar¬ ments, tea processing, paper newsprint, cement, chemical fertilizer, light engi¬ neering, sugar Industrial production growth rate: 7.2% (2006 est.) THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Electricity— production: 18.09 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 93.7% hydro: 6.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 16.82 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 6,813 hbl/day (2004) Oil— consumption: 85,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Oil— proved reserves: 28.45 million bbl ( 1 January 2002) Natural gas— production: 13.1 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 13.1 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 300.2 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $339 million (2006 est.) Exports: $11.17 billion (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: garments, jute and jute goods, leather, frozen fish and seafood (2001) Exports— partners: US 23.6%, Germany 13.5%, UK 9.4%, France 6.4% (2005) Imports: $13.77 billion (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, iron and steel, textiles, foodstuffs, petroleum products, cement Imports— partners: India 14.1%, China 13.5%, Kuwait 8.5%, Singapore 6.2%, Japan 4.1%, Hong Kong 4.1% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $3,278 billion (2006 est.) Debt— external: $22.55 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $1,575 bil¬ lion (2000 est.) Currency (code): taka (BDT) Currency code: BDT Exchange rates: taka per US dollar— 69.031 (2006), 64.328 (2005), 59.513 (2004), 58.15 (2003), 57.888 (2002) Fiscal year: 1 July— 30 June Telephones — main lines in use: 1.07 million (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 9 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: totally inadequate for a modern country domestic: modernizing; introducing dig¬ ital systems; trunk systems include VHF and UHF microwave radio relay links, and some fiber-optic cable in cities international: country code — 880; satel¬ lite earth stations — 6; international radiotelephone communications and landline service to neighboring countries (2005) Radio broadcast stations: AM 15, FM 13, shortwave 2 (2006) Radios: 6.15 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 15 (1999) Televisions: 770,000 (1997) Internet country code: bd Internet hosts: 469 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 10 (2000) Internet users: 300,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 16 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 15 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 5 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) Pipelines: gas 2,604 km (2006) Railways: total: 2,768 km broad gauge: 946 km 1.676-m gauge narrow gauge: 1,822 km 1.000-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 239,226 km paved: 22,726 km unpaved: 216,500 km (2003) Waterways: 8,370 km note: includes up to 3,060 km main cargo routes; network reduced to 5,200 km in dry season (2006) Merchant marine: total: 42 ships (1000 GRT or over) 341,733 GRT/485,840 DWT by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 29, con¬ tainer 6, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 3 foreign-owned: 1 (China 1) registered in other countries: 10 (Antigua and Barbuda 4, Comoros 1, Malta 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Singapore 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Chittagong, Mongla Port Military branches: Bangladesh Defense Force: Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Navy, Bangladesh Air Force (Bangladesh Biman Bahini, BAF) (2006) 56 BARBADOS Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2005) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 35,170,019 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18—49; 26,841,255 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1.5% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: discussions with India remain stalled to delimit a small section of river boundary, exchange territory for 51 small Bangladeshi exclaves in India and 111 small Indian exclaves in Bangladesh, allocate divided villages, and stop illegal cross-border trade, migration, violence, and transit of terrorists through the porous border; Bangladesh resists India’s attempts to fence or wall off high-traffic sections of the porous boundary; a joint Bangladesh-India boundary inspection in 2005 revealed 92 pillars are missing; dispute with India over New Moore/South Talpatty/Purbasha Island in the Bay of Bengal deters maritime boundary delimitation; 21,000 Burmese Rohingya Muslim refugees reside in two camps in Bangladesh Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin ): 21,053 (Burma) IDPs: 65,000 (land conflicts, religious persecution) (2006) Illicit drugs: transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring countries BARBADOS \ INTRODUCTION Background: The island was uninhab¬ ited when first settled by the British in 1627. Slaves worked the sugar planta¬ tions established on the island until 1834 when slavery was abolished. The economy remained heavily dependent on sugar, rum, and molasses production through most of the 20th century. The gradual introduction of social and polit¬ ical reforms in the 1940s and 1950s led to complete independence from the UK in 1966. In the 1990s, tourism and man¬ ufacturing surpassed the sugar industry in economic importance. GEOGRAPHY j _ • _ Location: Caribbean, island in the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela Geographic coordinates: 13 10 N, 59 32 W Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total: 43 1 sq km land: 431 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 97 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical; rainy season (June to October) Terrain: relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Hillaby 336 m Natural resources: petroleum, fish, nat¬ ural gas Land use: arable land: 37.21% permanent crops: 2.33% other: 60.46% (2005) Irrigated land: 50 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides Environment — current issues: pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships; soil erosion; illegal solid waste dis¬ posal threatens contamination of aquifers Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: easternmost Carib¬ bean island PEOPLE Population: 280,946 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 19.7% (male 27,659/female 27,573) 15-64 years: 71.4% (male 98,633/female 102,020) 65 years and over: 8.9% (male 9,662/ female 15,399) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 35 years male: 33.8 years female: 36 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.369% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 12.61 births/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 8.61 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -0.31 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.003 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.967 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.627 male(s)/female total population: 0.938 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 11.55 deaths/1,000 live births male: 12.88 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73 years male: 71.02 years female: 75.01 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.65 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 1.5%; (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 2,500 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Barbadian(s) or Bajan (colloquial) adjective: Barbadian or Bajan (colloquial) Ethnic groups: black 90%, white 4%, Asian and mixed 6% Religions: Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%, other 12%), Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, other 12% Languages: English Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school 57 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK total population: 99.7% male: 99.7% female: 99.7% (2002 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Barbados Government type: parliamentary democracy Capital: name: Bridgetown geographic coordinates: 13 06 N, 5937 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: ll parishes and 1 city*; Bridgetown*, Christ Church, Saint Andrew, Saint George, Saint James, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Lucy, Saint Michael, Saint Peter, Saint Philip, Saint Thomas Independence: 30 November 1966 (from UK) National holiday: Independence Day, 30 November (1966) Constitution: 30 November 1966 Legal system: English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Sir Clifford Straughn HUSBANDS (since 1 June 1996) head of government: Prime Minister Owen Seymour ARTHUR (since 7 September 1994); Deputy Prime Minister Mia MOTTLEY (since 26 May 2003) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the gov¬ ernor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the monarch is heredi¬ tary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the gov¬ ernor general; the prime minister recom¬ mends the deputy prime minister Legislative branch: bicameral Parlia¬ ment consists of the Senate (21 seats; members appointed by the governor gen¬ eral) and the House of Assembly (30 seats; members are elected by direct pop¬ ular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Assembly — last held 21 May 2003 (next to be held by May 2008) election results: House of Assembly — per¬ cent of vote by party — NA; seats by party— BLP 23, DLP 7 Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Judicature (judges are appointed by the Service Commissions for the Judicial and Legal Services); Caribbean Court of Justice is the highest court of appeal Political parties and leaders: Barbados Labor Party or BLP [Owen ARTHUR]; Democratic Labor Party or DLP [David THOMPSON]; People’s Empowerment Party or PEP [David COMISSIONG] Political pressure groups and leaders: Barbados Secondary Teachers’ Union or BSTU [Patrick FROST]; Barbados Union of Teachers or BUT [Herbert GITTENS]; Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados or CTUSAB, which includes the BWU, NUPW, BUT, and BSTU [Leroy TROTMAN]; Barbados Workers Union or BWU [Leroy TROTMAN]; Clement Payne Labor Union [David COMIS- SIONG]; National Union of Public Workers [Joseph GODDARD] International organization participa¬ tion: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G- 77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael Ian KING chancery: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-9200 FAX: [1] (202) 332-7467 consulate(s) general: Miami, New York consulate(s) : Los Angeles Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mary M. OURISMAN embassy: U.S. Embassy, Wildey Business Park, Wildey, St. Michael mailing address: P. O. Box 302, Bridgetown; CMR 1014, APO AA 34055 telephone: [1] (246) 436-4950 FAX: [1] (246) 429-5246, 429-3379 Flag description: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold, and blue with the head of a black trident centered on the gold band; the trident head repre¬ sents independence and a break with the past (the colonial coat of arms contained a complete trident) ECONOMY Economy — overview: Historically, the Barbadian economy had been dependent on sugarcane cultivation and related activities, but production in recent years has diversified into light industry and tourism. Offshore finance and informa¬ tion services are important foreign exchange earners. The government con¬ tinues its efforts to reduce unemploy¬ ment, to encourage direct foreign invest¬ ment, and to privatize remaining state-owned enterprises. The economy contracted in 2002-03 mainly due to a decline in tourism. Growth was positive in 2005-06, as economic conditions in the US and Europe moderately improved. GDP (purchasing power parity): $5,146 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $3,142 billion (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 3.5% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $18,400 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 6% industry: 16% services: 78% (2000 est.) Labor force: 128,500 (2001 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 10% industry: 15% services: 75% (1996 est.) Unemployment rate: 10.7% (2003 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): -0.5% (2003 est.) Budget: revenues: $847 million (including grants) expenditures: $886 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) Agriculture— products: sugarcane, veg¬ etables, cotton Industries: tourism, sugar, light manu¬ facturing, component assembly for export Industrial production growth rate: -3.2% (2000 est.) Electricity— production: 896 million kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 833.3 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 1,000 bbl/day (2004) Oil— consumption: 11,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Oil— proved reserves: 1.254 million bbl (1 January 2002) Natural gas— production: 29.17 million cu m (2004 est.) 58 BELARUS Natural gas— consumption: 29.17 mil¬ lion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 141.6 million cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Exports: $209 million (2004 est.) Exports— commodities: sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and bever¬ ages, chemicals, electrical components Exports— partners: US 18.6%, Trinidad and Tobago 15%, UK 12.1%, Saint Lucia 8.4%, Jamaica 7.9%, Grenada 4.6%, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4.6% (2005) Imports: $1,476 billion (2004 est.) Imports— commodities: consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construc¬ tion materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components Imports— partners: US 37.2%, Trinidad and Tobago 22.1%, UK 5.5%, Japan 5.2% (2005) Debt— external: $668 million (2003) Economic aid — recipient: $9.1 million (1995) Currency (code): Barbadian dollar (BBD) Currency code: BBD Exchange rates: Barbadian dollars per US dollar— 2 (2006), 2 (2005), 2 (2004), 2 (2003), 2 (2002) Fiscai year: 1 April— 31 March COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 134,900 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 206,200 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: island-wide automatic tele¬ phone system international: country code — 1-246; satel¬ lite earth stations — 1 (Intelsat- Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and Saint Lucia Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 6, shortwave 0 (2004) Radios: 237,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus 2 cable channels) (2004) Televisions: 76,000 (1997) Internet country code: bb Internet hosts: 282 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 19 (2000) Internet users: 160,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 1 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2006) Roadways: total: 1,600 km paved: 1,600 km (2004) Merchant marine: total: 58 ships (1000 GRT or over) 433,390 GRT/664,998 DWT by type: bulk carrier 11, cargo 32, chem¬ ical tanker 7, passenger 1, passenger/ cargo 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 2, specialized tanker 1 foreign'owned: 57 (Bahamas, The 1, Canada 8, Greece 11, Lebanon 1, Monaco 1, Norway 29, UAE 1, UK 5) registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Bridgetown MILITARY Military branches: Royal Barbados Defense Force: Troops Command, Barbados Coast Guard (2007) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; volunteers at earlier age with parental consent; no conscription (2001 ) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 71,524 females age 18-49: 72,302 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 54,510 females age 18-49: 54,889 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 0.5% (2006 est.) Military — note: the Royal Barbados Defense Force includes a land-based Troop Command and a small Coast Guard; the primary role of the land ele¬ ment is to defend the island against external aggression; the Command con¬ sists of a single, part-time battalion with a small regular cadre that is deployed throughout the island; it increasingly supports the police in patrolling the coastline to prevent smuggling and other illicit activities (2005) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: in April 2006, the Permanent Court of Arbitration issued a decision that delimited a mar¬ itime boundary with Trinidad and Tobago and compelled Barbados to enter a fishing agreement limiting Barbadian fishermen’s catches of flying fish in Trinidad and Tobago’s exclusive eco¬ nomic zone; in 2005, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago agreed to compul¬ sory international arbitration under UNCLOS challenging whether the northern limit of Trinidad and Tobago’s and Venezuela’s maritime boundary extends into Barbadian waters; joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela’s claim that Aves Island sus¬ tains human habitation, a criterion under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea Illicit drugs: one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics bound for Europe and the US; offshore financial center BELARUS INTRODUCTION Background: After seven decades as a constituent republic of the USSR, Belarus attained its independence in 1991. It has retained closer political and economic ties to Russia than any of the other former Soviet republics. Belarus and Russia signed a treaty on a two-state union on 8 December 1999 envisioning greater political and economic integra¬ tion. Although Belarus agreed to a framework to carry out the accord, serious implementation has yet to take place. Since his election in July 1994 as the country’s first president, Alexandr LUKASHENKO has steadily consoli¬ dated his power through authoritarian means. Government restrictions on freedom of speech and the press, peaceful assembly, and religion continue. GEOGRAPHY Location: Eastern Europe, east of Poland Geographic coordinates: 53 00 N, 28 00 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 207,600 sq km land: 207,600 sq km water: 0 sq km 59 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Area — comparative: slightly smaller than Kansas Land boundaries: total: 2,900 km border countries: Latvia 141 km, Lithu¬ ania 502 km, Poland 407 km, Russia 959 km, Ukraine 891 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime Claims: none (landlocked) Climate: cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between conti¬ nental and maritime Terrain: generally flat and contains much marshland Elevation extremes: lowest point: Nyoman River 90 m highest point: Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m Natural resources: forests, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas, granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, clay Land use: arable land: 26.77% permanent crops: 0.6% other: 72.63% (2005) Irrigated land: 1,310 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: NA Environment — current issues: soil pol¬ lution from pesticide use; southern part of the country contaminated with fallout from 1986 nuclear reactor accident at Chornobyl’ in northern Ukraine Environment— international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution- Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: landlocked; glacial scouring accounts for the flatness of Belarusian terrain and for its 11,000 lakes PEOPLE Population: 9,724,723 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 14.7% (male 733,010/female 691,734) 15-64 years: 70.4% (male 3,327,119/ female 3,520,690) 65 years and over: 14.9% (male 471,863/ female 980,307) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 38.2 years male: 35.1 years female: 41.1 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: -0.41% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 9.5 births/1 ,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 13.98 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0.38 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.945 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.481 male(s)/female total population: 0.873 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 6.63 deaths/1,000 live births male: 7.67 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.05 years male: 64-31 years female: 76.14 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.22 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 0.3% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/* AIDS: 15,000 (2001 est.) HiV/AIDS— deaths: 1,000 (2001 est.) Nationality: noun: Belarusian(s) adjective: Belarusian Ethnic groups: Belarusian 81.2%, Russian 11.4%, Polish 3.9%, Ukrainian 2.4%, other 1.1% (1999 census) Religions: Eastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 20% (1997 est.) Languages: Belarusian, Russian, other Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.6% male: 99.8% female: 99.4% (1999 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Belarus conventional short form: Belarus local long form: Respublika Byelarus’ local short form: Byelarus’ former: Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic Government type: republic in name, although in fact a dictatorship Capital: name: Minsk geographic coordinates: 53 54 N, 27 34 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 6 provinces (voblastsi, singular — voblasts’) and 1 municipality* (horad); Brest, Homyel’, Horad Minsk*, Hrodna, Mahilyow, Minsk, Vitsyebsk note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers Independence: 25 August 1991 (from Soviet Union) National holiday: Independence Day, 3 July (1944); note — 3 July 1944 was the date Minsk was liberated from German troops, 25 August 1991 was the date of independence from the Soviet Union Constitution: 15 March 1994; revised by national referendum of 24 November 1996 giving the presidency greatly expanded powers and became effective 27 November 1996; revised again 17 October 2004 removing presidential term limits Legal system: based on civil law system Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Aleksandr LUKASHENKO (since 20 July 1994) head of government: Prime Minister Sergei SIDORSKIY (since 19 December 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir SEMASHKO (since NA December 2003) cabinet: Council of Ministers elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; first election took place 23 June and 10 July 1994; according to the 1994 constitution, the next election should have been held in 1999, however, Aleksandr LUKA¬ SHENKO extended his term to 2001 via a November 1996 referendum; subse¬ quent election held 9 September 2001; an October 2004 referendum ended pres¬ idential term limits and allowed the pres¬ ident to run in a third election, which was held on 19 March 2006; prime min¬ ister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president election results: Aleksandr LUKA¬ SHENKO reelected president; percent of vote— Aleksandr LUKASHENKO 82.6%, Aleksandr MILINKEVICH 6%, Alek¬ sandr KOZULIN 2.3%; note — election marred by electoral fraud Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly or Natsionalnoye Sobranie consists of the Council of the Republic or Soviet Respubliki (64 seats; 56 members elected by regional councils and eight members appointed by the president, to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Representatives or Palata Predstaviteley (110 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 17 and 31 October 2004; international observers widely denounced the elections as flawed and 60 BELARUS undemocratic based on massive govern' ment falsification; pro-LUKASHENKO candidates won every seat after many opposition candidates were disqualified for technical reasons election results: Soviet Respubliki — per- cent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — NA; Palata Predstaviteley — pen cent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — NA Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); Constitutional Court (half of the judges appointed by the president and half appointed by the Chamber of Representatives) Political parties and leaders: pro-gov- emment parties: Agrarian Party or AP [Mikhail SHIMANSKY]; Belarusian Communist Party or KPB; Belarusian Patriotic Movement (Belarusian Patriotic Party) or BPR [Nikolai ULAKHOVICH, chairman]; Liberal Democratic Party of Belarus [Sergei GAYDUKEVICH]; Party of Labor and Justice [Viktor SOKOLOV]; Social- Sports Party [Vladimir ALEXAN¬ DROVICH] opposition parties: 10 Plus Coalition [Aleksandr MILINKEVICH], includes: Belarusian Party of Communists or PKB [Syarhey KALYAKIN]; Belarusian Party of Labor (unregistered) [Aleksandr BUKHVOSTOV, Leonid LEMESHONAK]; Belarusian Popular Front or BPF [Vintsyuk VYACHORKA]; Belarusian Social-Democratic Gramada [Stanislav SHUSHKEVICH]; Green Party [Oleg GROMYKO]; Party of Freedom and Progress (unregistered) [Vladimir NOVOSYAD]; United Civic Party or UCP [Anatol LYABEDKA]; Women’s Party “Nadezhda” [Valentina MATUSEVICH, chairperson] other opposition includes: Belarusian Social-Democratic Party (People’s Assembly) or BSDP NH [Aleksandr KOZULIN]; Christian Conservative BPF [Zyanon PAZNIAK]; Ecological Party of Greens [Mikhail KARTASH]; Party of Popular Accord [Sergei YERMAKK]; Republican Party [Vladimir BELAZOR] Political pressure groups and leaders: Assembly of Pro-Democratic NGOs [Sergey MATSKEVICH]; Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions [Alyaksandr YAROSHUK]; Belarusian Helsinki Committee [Tatiana PROTKO]; Belarusian Organization of Working Women [Irina ZHIKHAR]; Charter 97 [Andrey SANNIKOV]; Lenin Communist Union of Youth (youth wing of the Belarusian Party of Communists or PKB); National Strike Committee of Entrepreneurs [Aleksandr VASILYEV, Valery LEVONEVSKYJ; Partnership NGO [Nikolay ASTREY- KA]; Perspektiva kiosk watchdog NGO [Anatol SHUMCHENKO]; Vyasna [Ales BYALATSKY]; Women’s Inde¬ pendent Democratic Movement [Lud¬ mila PETINA]; Youth Front (Malady Front) [Dzmitryy DASHKEVICH, Sya- rhey BAKHUN]; Zubr youth group [Vladimir KOBETS] International organization participa¬ tion: BSEC (observer), CEI, CIS, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mikhail KHVOSTOV chancery: 1619 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 986-1604 FAX: [1] (202) 986-1805 consulate(s) general: New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Karen B. STEWART embassy: 46 Starovilenskaya Street, Minsk 220002 mailing address: PSC 78, Box B Minsk, APO 09723 telephone: [375] (17) 210-12-83, 217- 7347, 217-7348 FAX: [375] (17) 234-7853 Flag description: red horizontal band (top) and green horizontal band one-half the width of the red band; a white ver¬ tical stripe on the hoist side bears Belarusian national ornamentation in red ECONOMY Economy — overview: Belarus’s economy in 2006 posted more than 8% growth. Trade with Russia — by far its largest single trade partner — decreased in 2006, largely as a result of a change in the way the Value Added Tax (VAT) on trade was collected. Trade with European countries increased. Belarus has seen little structural reform since 1995, when President LUKASHENKO launched the country on the path of “market socialism.” In keeping with this policy, LUKASHENKO reimposed administra¬ tive controls over prices and currency exchange rates and expanded the state’s right to intervene in the management of private enterprises. Since 2005, the gov¬ ernment has re-nationalized a number of private companies. In addition, busi¬ nesses have been subject to pressure by central and local governments, e.g., arbi¬ trary changes in regulations, numerous rigorous inspections, retroactive applica¬ tion of new business regulations, and arrests of “disruptive” businessmen and factory owners. A wide range of redistrib¬ utive policies has helped those at the bottom of the ladder; the Gini coeffi¬ cient is among the lowest in the world. Because of these restrictive economic policies, Belarus has had trouble attracting foreign investment, which remains low. Growth has been strong in recent years, despite the roadblocks in a tough, centrally directed economy with a high, but decreasing, rate of inflation. Belarus receives heavily discounted oil and natural gas from Russia and much of Belarus’ growth can be attributed to the re-export of Russian oil at market prices. This growth will be threatened in 2007, however, when Russia raises energy prices closer to world market prices for Belarus. Russia is planning to increase Belarusian gas prices from $47 per thou¬ sand cubic meters (tcm) to $100 per tcm for 2007, gradually increasing to world prices by 2011. Russia has also intro¬ duced an export duty on oil shipped to Belarus, which will increase gradually through 2009, and a requirement that Belarusian duties on re-exported Russian oil be shared with Russia — 70% will go to Russia in 2007, 80% in 2008, and 85% in 2009. GDP (purchasing power parity): $82.94 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $28.98 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 9.9% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $8,100 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 9.3% industry: 31.6% services: 59.1% (2005 est.) Labor force: 4.3 million (31 December 2005) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 14% industry: 34-7% services: 51.3% (2003 est.) Unemployment rate: 1.6% officially reg¬ istered unemployed; large number of underemployed workers (2005) Population below poverty line: 27.1% (2003 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 5.1% highest 10%: 20% (1998) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 30.4 (2000) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9.5% (2006 est.) 61 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Investment (gross fixed): 25.9% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $6,578 billion expenditures: $7,164 billion; including capital expenditures of $180 million (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: grain, potatoes, vegetables, sugar beets, flax; beef, milk Industries: metal -cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earthmovers, motorcy- cles, televisions, chemical fibers, fertib izer, textiles, radios, refrigerators Industrial production growth rate: 15.6% (2005 est.) Electricity— production: 29.33 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 99.5% hydro: 0.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0.4% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 31.05 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 4.723 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 8.5 billion kWh (2004) Oil— production: 34,260 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — consumption: 165,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: 14,500 bbl/day (2003 est.) Oil— imports: 360,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Natural gas— production: 180 million cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 20.5 billion cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas— exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 16.22 billion cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $511.8 mil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $19.61 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: machinery and equipment, mineral products, chemicals, metals, textiles, foodstuffs Exports— partners: Russia 35.8%, Netherlands 15.1%, UK 7%, Ukraine 5.7%, Poland 5.3%, Germany 4-4% (2005) Imports: $21.12 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — Commodities: mineral prod' ucts, machinery and equipment, chemi- cals, foodstuffs, metals Imports— partners: Russia 60.6%, Germany 6.7%, Ukraine 5.4% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $1,329 billion (2006 est.) Debt— external: $5,498 billion (30 June 2006 est.) Economic aid — recipient: $194.3 mil¬ lion (1995) Currency (code): Belarusian ruble (BYB/BYR) Currency code: BYB/BYR Excnange rates: Belarusian rubles per US dollar— 2,144.6 (2006), 2,150 (2005), 2,160.26 (2004), 2,051.27 (2003), 1,790.92 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 3,284,300 (2005) Telephones — mobile cellular: 4 098 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: Belarus lags behind its neighbors in upgrading telecommunica' tions infrastructure; state-owned Belteh com, is the sole provider of fixed line local and long distance service; modern- ization of the network to digital switching progressing slowly domestic: fixed line penetration is improving although rural areas continue to be underserved; 4 GSM wireless net¬ works are experiencing rapid growth; strict government controls on telecom¬ munications technologies international: country code — 375; Belarus is a member of the Trans-European Line (TEL), Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber¬ optic line, and has access to the Trans- Siberia Line (TSL); 3 fiber-optic segments provide connectivity to Latvia, Poland, Russia, and Ukraine; worldwide service is available to Belarus through this infrastructure; additional analog lines to Russia; Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik earth stations Radio broadcast stations: AM 28, FM 37, shortwave 11 (1998) Radios: 3.02 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 47 (plus 27 repeaters) (1995) Televisions: 2.52 million (1997) Internet country code: by Internet hosts: 33,641 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 23 (2002) Internet users: 3.394 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 86 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 41 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 22 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 4 9 14 to l ,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 12 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 45 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 35 (2006) Heliports: 1 (2006) Pipelines: gas 5,223 km; oil 2,321 km; refined products 1,686 km (2006) Railways: total: 5,512 km broad gauge: 5,497 km 1.520-m gauge (874 km electrified) standard gauge : 15 km 1.435 m (2005) Roadways: total: 93,310 km paved: 81,180 km unpaved: 12,130 km (2004) Waterways: 2 ,500 km (use limited by location on perimeter of country and by shallowness) (2003) Ports and terminals: Mazyr MILITARY Military branches: Belarus Armed Forces: Land Force, Air and Air Defense Force (2006) Military service age and obligation: 18-27 years of age for compulsory mili¬ tary service; conscript service obliga¬ tion — 18 months (2005) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 2,520,644 females age 18-49: 2,564,696 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 1,657,984 females age 18-4 9: 2,102,793 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 85,202 females age 18-49: 82,037 (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of GDP: 1.4% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: as of January 2007, ground demarcations of the boundaries with Latvia and Lithuania were complete and mapped with final ratification documentation in prepara¬ tion; 1997 boundary delimitation treaty with Ukraine remains unratified over unresolved financial claims, preventing demarcation and diminishing border security Illicit drugs: limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for the domestic market; transshipment point for illicit drugs to and via Russia, and to the Baltics and Western Europe; a small and lightly regulated financial center; new anti-money-laundering leg¬ islation does not meet international standards; few investigations or prosecu¬ tions of money-laundering activities 62 INTRODUCTION Background: Belgium became inde¬ pendent from the Netherlands in 1830; it was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. The country pros¬ pered in the past half century as a modem, technologically advanced European state and member of NATO and the EU. Tensions between the Dutch-speaking Flemings of the north and the French- speaking Walloons of the south have led in recent years to constitutional amend¬ ments granting these regions formal recog¬ nition and autonomy. GEOGRAPHY Location: Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands Geographic coordinates: 50 50 N, 4 00 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 30,528 sq km land: 30,278 sq km water: 250 sq km Area— comparative: about the size of Maryland Land boundaries: total: 1,385 km border countries: France 620 km, Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km, Netherlands 450 km Coastline: 66.5 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 1 2 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: geographic coor¬ dinates define outer limit continental shelf: median line with neigh¬ bors Climate: temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy Terrain: flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast Elevation extremes: lowest point: North Sea 0 m highest point: Signal de Botrange 694 m Natural resources: construction mate¬ rials, silica sand, carbonates Land use: arable land: 27-42% permanent crops: 0.69% other: 71.89% note: includes Luxembourg (2005) Irrigated land: 400 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes Environment — current issues: the envi¬ ronment is exposed to intense pressures from human activities: urbanization, dense transportation network, industry, extensive animal breeding and crop cul¬ tivation; air and water pollution also have repercussions for neighboring coun¬ tries; uncertainties regarding federal and regional responsibilities (now resolved) have slowed progress in tackling envi¬ ronmental challenges Environment — international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution- Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution- Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: crossroads of Western Europe; majority of West European capitals within 1,000 km of Brussels, the seat of both the European Union and NATO PEOPLE Population: 10,392,226 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 16.5% (male 873,130/female 836,785) 15-64 years: 66.1% (male 3,467,044/ female 3,406,030) 65 years and over : 17.4% (male 746,969/ female 1,062,268) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 41.1 years male: 39.9 years female: 42.4 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.12% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 10.29 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 10.32 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 1.22 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.043 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.018 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.703 male(s)/female total population: 0.959 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 4-56 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.13 deaths/ 1,000 live births female: 3.96 deaths/ 1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.92 years male: 75.75 years female: 82.24 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.64 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 10,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: less than 100 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Belgian(s) adjective: Belgian Ethnic groups: Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 1 1 % Religions: Roman Catholic 75%, other (includes Protestant) 25% Languages: Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgium conventional short form: Belgium local long form: Royaume de Belgique/ Koninkrijk Belgie local short form: Belgique/Belgie Government type: federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy 63 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Capital: name: Brussels geographic coordinates: 50 50 N, 4 20 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 10 provinces (French: provinces, singular — province; Dutch: provincies, singular — provincie) and 3 regions* (French: regions; Dutch: gewesten); Brussels* (Bruxelles) capital region; Flanders* region (five provinces): Antwerpen (Antwerp), Fimburg, Oost- Vlaanderen (East Flanders), Vlaams- Brabant (Flemish Brabant), West- Vlaanderen (West Flanders); Wallonia* region (five provinces): Brabant Wallon (Walloon Brabant), Hainaut, Liege, Luxembourg, Namur note: as a result of the 1993 constitu- tional revision that furthered devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a com¬ plex division of responsibilities Independence: 4 October 1830 (a provi¬ sional government declared independ¬ ence from the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King LEOPOLD I ascended to the throne) National holiday: 21 July (1831) ascen¬ sion to the Throne of King Leopold I Constitution: 7 February 1831; amended many times; revised 14 July 1993 to create a federal state Legal system: civil law system influ¬ enced by English constitutional theory; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reser¬ vations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory Executive branch: chief of state: King ALBERT II (since 9 August 1993); Heir Apparent Prince PHILIPPE, son of the monarch head of government: Prime Minister Guy VERHOFSTADT (since 13 July 1999) cabinet: Council of Ministers formally appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarchy is heredi¬ tary and constitutional; following legisla¬ tive elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coali¬ tion is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch and then approved by parliament note: government coalition — VLD, MR, PS, SP.A-Spirit Legislative branch: bicameral Parlia¬ ment consists of a Senate or Senaat in Dutch, Senat in French (71 seats; 40 members are directly elected by popular vote, 31 are indirectly elected; to serve four-year terms) and a Chamber of Deputies or Kamer van Volksvertegen- woordigers in Dutch, Chambre des Representants in French (150 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional repre¬ sentation to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate and Chamber of Deputies — last held 10 June 2007 (next to be held June 2011) election results: Senate — percent of vote by party — CD&V-NVA 19.4%, open VLD 12.4%, MR 12.3%, VB 11.9%, PS 10.2%, SP.A-Spirit 10%, CDH 5.9%, Ecolo 5.8%, GROEN! 3.6%, List Dedecker 3.4%, FN 2.3%, other 2.8%; seats by party — CD&V-NVA 9, open VLD 5, MR 6, VB 5, PS 4, SP.A-Spririt 4, CDH 2, Ecolo 2, GROEN! 1, List Dedecker 1, FN 1 (note — there are also 31 indirectly elected senators); Chamber of Deputies — percent of vote by party — CD&V-NVA 18.5%, MR 12.5%, VB 12%, open VLD 1 1.8%, PS 10.9%, SP.A- Spirit 10.3%, CDH 6.1%, Ecolo 5.1%, List Dedecker 4%, GROEN! 4%, FN 2%, other 2.8%; seats by party — CD&V- NVA 30, MR 23, VB 17, open VLD 18, PS 20, SP.A-Spirit 14, CDH 10, Ecolo 8, List Dedecker 5, GROEN! 4, FN 1 note: as a result of the 1993 constitu¬ tional revision that furthered devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a com¬ plex division of responsibilities; this reality leaves six governments each with its own legislative assembly Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie (in Dutch) or Cour de Cassation (in French) (judges are appointed for life by the government; candidacies have to be submitted by the High Justice Council) Political parties and leaders: Flemish parties: Christian Democrats and Flemish or CD & V [Jo VANDEURZENj; Flemish Liberal and Democrats or VLD [Bart SOMERS]; GROEN! [Vera DU A] (formerly AGALEV, Flemish Greens); List Dedecker [Jean-Marie DEDECKER]; New Flemish Alliance or NVA [Bart DE WEVER]; Social Progressive Alternative or SPA [Johan Vande LANOTTE]; Spirit [Geert LAMBERT] (new party now associated with SPA); Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) or VB [Frank VANHECKE] Francophone parties: Ecolo (Francophone Greens) [Jean-Michel JAVAUX, Isabelle DURANT, Claude BROUIR]; Humanist and Democratic Center of CDH [Joelle MILQUET]; National Front or FN [Daniel FERET]; Reform Movement or MR [Didier REYNDERS]; Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI RUPO]; other minor parties Political pressure groups and leaders: Christian, Socialist, and Liberal Trade Unions; Federation of Belgian Industries; numerous other associations repre¬ senting bankers, manufacturers, middle- class artisans, and the legal and medical professions; various organizations repre¬ sent the cultural interests of Flanders and Wallonia; various peace groups such as Pax Christi and groups representing immigrants Internationa! organization participa¬ tion: ACCT, AfDB. AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G-9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dominique STRUYE DE SWIELANDE chancery: 3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-6900 FAX: [1] (202) 333-3079 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York consulate(s) : Atlanta Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d’Affaires William. IMBRIE; note — Ambassador-designate Sam FOX may become the new ambassador in early 2007 pending Senate confirmation hearing embassy: Regentlaan 27 Boulevard du Regent, B-1000 Brussels mailing address: PSC 82, Box 002, APO AE 09710 telephone: [32] (2) 508-2111 FAX: [32] (2) 511-2725 Flag description: three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red; the design was based on the flag of France ECONOMY Economy— overview: This modern, pri¬ vate-enterprise economy has capitalized on its central geographic location, highly developed transport network, and diver¬ sified industrial and commercial base. Industry is concentrated mainly in the populous Flemish area in the north. 64 BELGIUM With few natural resources, Belgium must import substantial quantities of raw materials and export a large volume of manufactures, making its economy unusually dependent on the state of world markets. Roughly three-quarters of its trade is with other EU countries. Public debt is more than 90% of GDP. On the positive side, the government has succeeded in balancing its budget, and income distribution is relatively equal. Belgium began circulating the euro cur¬ rency in January 2002. Economic growth in 2001-03 dropped sharply because of the global economic slowdown, with moderate recovery in 2004-06. GDP (purchasing power parity): $342.8 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $369.6 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 3% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $33,000 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 24% services: 74.9% (2005 est.) Labor force: 4.89 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 1.3% industry: 24.5% services: 74-2% (2003 est.) Unemployment rate: 8.1% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 4% (1989 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 23% (1996) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 25 (1996) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.1% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 19.4% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $195.7 billion expenditures: $195.5 billion; including capital expenditures of $1.56 billion (2006 est.) Public debt: 90.3% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk Industries: engineering and metal prod¬ ucts, motor vehicle assembly, transporta¬ tion equipment, scientific instruments, processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum Industrial production growth rate: 3% (2006 est.) Electricity — production: 80.22 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 38.4% hydro: 0.6% nuclear: 59.3% other: 1.8% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 82.41 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 6.8 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — imports: 14 6 billion kWh (2004) Oil— production: 10,690 bbl/day (2004) Oil— consumption: 641,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: 450,000 bbl/day (2001) Oil — imports: 1.042 million bbl/day (2001) Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 17.06 bil¬ lion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 16.88 billion cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $6,925 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $335.3 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — Commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal products, foodstuffs Exports— partners: Germany 19.4%, France 17.3%, Netherlands 11.7%, UK 8.2%, US 6.4%, Italy 5.3% (2005) Imports: $333.5 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— Commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, phar¬ maceuticals, foodstuffs, transportation equipment, oil products Imports — partners: Netherlands 17.8%, Germany 17.2%, France 11.4%, UK 6.8%, Ireland 6.5%, US 5.4% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $9,626 billion (August 2006 est.) Debt — external: $1,053 trillion (30 June 2006 est.) Economic aid — donor: ODA, $1,072 billion (2002) Currency (code): euro (EUR) note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by finan¬ cial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries Currency code: EUR Exchange rates: euros per US dollar — 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 4.801 million (2004) Telephones — mobile cellular: 9.46 mil¬ lion (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: highly developed, technologically advanced, and com¬ pletely automated domestic and interna¬ tional telephone and telegraph facilities domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; extensive cable network; limited microwave radio relay network international: country code — 32; subma¬ rine cables — 5; satellite earth stations — 7 (Intelsat — 3) (2005) Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 79, shortwave 1 (1998) Radios: 8.075 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 25 (plus 10 repeaters) (1997) Televisions: 4.72 million (1997) Internet country code: be Internet hosts: 2.871 million (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 61 (2000) Internet users: 5.1 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 43 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 25 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1 ,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 7 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 16 (2006) Heliports: 1 (2006) Pipelines: gas 1,561 km; oil 158 km; refined products 535 km (2006) Railways: total: 3,521 km standard gauge: 3,521 km 1.43 5 -m gauge (2,927 km electrified) (2005) Roadways: total: 150,567 km paved: 117,442 km (includes 1,747 km of expressways) unpaved: 33,125 km (2004) Waterways: 2,043 km (1,528 km in reg¬ ular commercial use) (2006) Merchant marine: total: 66 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,952,159 GRT/6,521,645 DWT by type: bulk carrier 19, cargo 4, chemical tanker 2, container 10, liquefied gas 15, petroleum tanker 12, roll on/roll off 4 foreign' owned: 10 (Denmark 4, Greece 4, UK 2) registered in other countries: 1 13 (Antigua and Barbuda 4, Bahamas 13, Bermuda 4, Cyprus 1, French Southern and Antarctic Lands 6, Georgia 1, Gibraltar 2, Greece 12, Hong Kong 3, Luxembourg 9, Malta 10, Mozambique 2, Netherlands 2, Netherlands Antilles 4, Panama 11, 65 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Portugal 8, Russia 4, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3, Singapore 12, Sweden 2) (2006) Ports and terminals: Antwerp, Brussels, Gent, Liege, Oostende, Zeebrugge MILITARY Military branches: Belgian Armed Forces: Land, Naval, and Air Operations Commands (2005) Military service age and obligation: 16 years of age for voluntary military service; women comprise approx. 7% of the Belgian armed forces (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 2,436,736 females age 16—49: 2,369,463 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16—49: 1,998,003 females age 16—49: 1,940,918 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 64,263 females age 16-49: 61,402 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1.3% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: none Illicit drugs: growing producer of syn¬ thetic drugs and cannabis; transit point for US-bound ecstasy; source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine processors; transshipment point for cocaine, heroin, hashish, and marijuana entering Western Europe; despite a strengthening of legislation, the country remains vulnerable to money laundering related to narcotics, automobiles, alcohol, and tobacco; significant domestic consumption of ecstasy BELIZE INTRODUCTION Background: Belize was the site of sev¬ eral Mayan city states until their decline at the end of the first millennium A.D. The British and Spanish disputed the region in the 17th and 18th centuries; it formally became the colony of British Honduras in 1854. Territorial disputes between the UK and Guatemala delayed the independence of Belize until 1981. Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation until 1992. Tourism has become the mainstay of the economy. Current concerns include an unsustainable for¬ eign debt, high unemployment, growing involvement in the South American drug trade, growing urban crime, and increasing incidences of HIV/AIDS. GEOGRAPHY Location: Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico Geographic coordinates: 17 15 N, 88 45 W Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total: 22,966 sq km land: 22,806 sq km water: 160 sq km Area — comparative: slightly smaller than Massachusetts Land boundaries: total: 516 km border countries: Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km Coastline: 386 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm in the north, 3 nm in the south; note — from the mouth of the Sarstoon River to Ranguana Cay, Belize’s territorial sea is 3 nm; according to Belize’s Maritime Areas Act, 1992, the purpose of this limitation is to provide a framework for negotiating a definitive agreement on territorial differences with Guatemala exclusive economic zone: 200 nm ClimatG: tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry season (February to May) Terrain: flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Victoria Peak 1,160 m Natural resources: arable land poten¬ tial, timber, fish, hydropower Land use: arable land: 3.05% permanent crops: 1.39% other: 95.56% (2005) Irrigated land: 30 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and coastal flooding (especially in south) Environment— current issues: defor¬ estation; water pollution from sewage, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff; solid and sewage waste disposal Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: only country in Central America without a coastline on the North Pacific Ocean PEOPLE Population: 294,385 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 38.9% (male 58,459/female 56,183) 15-64 years: 57.5% (male 85,686/female 83,717) 65 years and over: 3.5% (male 4,979/ female 5,361) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 19.9 years male: 19.7 years female: 20 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.258% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 28.34 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 5.76 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.041 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.024 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.929 male(s)/female total population: 1.027 maie(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 24.38 deaths/1,000 live births male: 27.43 deaths/1,000 live births female: 21.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 68.25 years male: 66.44 years female: 70.16 years (2007 est.) 66 BELIZE Total fertility rate: 3.52 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 2.4% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS — people living with HI V/ AIDS: 3,600 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Belizean(s) adjective: Belizean Ethnic groups: mestizo 48.7%, Creole 24-9%, Maya 10.6%, Garifuna 6.1%, other 9.7% Religions: Roman Catholic 49.6%, Protestant 27% (Pentecostal 7.4%, Anglican 5.3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5.2%, Mennonite 4-1%, Methodist 3.5%, Jehovah’s Witnesses 1.5%), other 14%, none 9.4% (2000) Languages: Spanish 46%, Creole 32.9%, Mayan dialects 8.9%, English 3.9% (official), Garifuna 3.4% (Carib), German 3.3%, other 1.4%, unknown 0.2% (2000 census) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 76.9% male: 76.7% female: 77.1% (2000 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Belize former: British Honduras Government type: parliamentary democracy Capital: name: Belmopan geographic coordinates: 17 15 N, 88 46 W time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange Walk, Stann Creek, Toledo Independence: 21 September 1981 (from UK) National holiday: Independence Day, 21 September ( 1981 ) Constitution: 21 September 1981 Legal system: English law Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Sir Colville YOUNG, Sr. (since 17 November 1993) head of government: Prime Minister Said Wilbert MUSA (since 28 August 1998); Deputy Prime Minister Vildo MARIN (since 5 June 2007) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the gov¬ ernor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the monarch is heredi¬ tary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the gov¬ ernor general; prime minister recom¬ mends the deputy prime minister Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (12 seats; members appointed by the gov¬ ernor general- — 6 on the advice of the prime minister, 3 on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and 1 each on the advice of the Belize Council of Churches and Evangelical Association of Churches, the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Belize Better Business Bureau, and the National Trade Union Congress and the Civil Society Steering Committee; to serve five-year terms) and the House of Representatives (29 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms); note — number of seats will increase to 3 1 next election elections : House of Representatives — last held 5 March 2003 (next to be held in March 2008) election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — -PUP 21, UDP 8 Judicial branch: Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by the gov¬ ernor general on the advice of the prime minister) Political parties and leaders: National Alliance for Belizean Rights or NABR; National Reform Party or NRP [Cornelius DUECK]; People’s United Party or PUP [Said MUSA]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Dean BARROW]; Vision Inspired by the People or VIP [Paul MORGAN]; We the People Reform Movement [Hipolito BAUTISTA] Political pressure groups and leaders: Society for the Promotion of Education and Research or SPEAR [Gustavo PERERA]; Association of Concerned Belizeans or ACB [David VASQUEZ]; National Trade Union Congress of Belize or NTUC/B [Rene GOMEZ] International organization participa¬ tion: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G- 77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PC A, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Lisa M. SHOMAN chancery: 2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-9636 FAX: [1] (202) 332-6888 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert J. DIETER embassy: Floral Park Road, Belmopan City, Cayo District mailing address: 3050 Belize Place, Washington DC 20521-3050 telephone: [501] 822-4011 FAX: [501] 822-4012 Flag description: blue with a narrow red stripe along the top and the bottom edges; centered is a large white disk bearing the coat of arms; the coat of arms features a shield flanked by two workers in front of a mahogany tree with the related motto SUB UMBRA FLOREO (I Flourish in the Shade) on a scroll at the bottom, all encircled by a green garland ECONOMY Economy — overview: In this small, essentially private-enterprise economy tourism is the number one foreign exchange earner followed by exports of marine products, citrus, cane sugar, bananas, and garments. The govern¬ ment’s expansionary monetary and fiscal policies, initiated in September 1998, led to sturdy GDP growth averaging nearly 4% in 1999—2 006. Major concerns con¬ tinue to be the sizable trade deficit and unsustainable foreign debt. The govern¬ ment in 2006 announced it would seek a restructuring of its sovereign debt and has been negotiating with international creditors to find an acceptable formula for doing so. A key short-term objective remains the reduction of poverty with the help of international donors. GDP (purchasing power parity): $2,307 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $1,141 billion (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 3.5% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $8,400 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 22.5% industry: 14.8% services: 62.6% (2006 est.) Labor force: 113,000 note: shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 22.5% industry: 15.2% services: 62.3% (2005 est.) Unemployment rate: 9.4% (2006) Population below poverty line: 33.5% (2002 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% 67 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4 5% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 18.2% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $302.5 million expenditures: $357.5 million; including capital expenditures of $70 million (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: bananas, cacao, citrus, sugar; fish, cultured shrimp; lumber; garments Industries: garment production, food processing, tourism, construction, oil Industrial production growth rate: 4.6% (1999) Electricity — production: 175 million kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 59.9% hydro: 40.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 162.8 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity — imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 2,413 bbl/day (2006) Oil— consumption: 3,000 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil— exports: 1,960 bbl/day (2006) Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $173.4 mil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $359.5 million f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood Exports— partners: US 31%, UK 25.3%, France 4-9%, Jamaica 4% (2005) Imports: $543 million f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods; fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; food, beverages, tobacco Imports— partners: US 31%, Mexico 11.6%, Russia 8.8%, Cuba 6%, Guatemala 5.6%, China 4.6%, Spain 4.5% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $78.96 million (2006 est.) Debt— external: $1.2 billion (June 2005 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $NA Currency (code): Belizean dollar (BZD) Currency code: BZD Exchange rates: Belizean dollars per US dollar— 2 (2006), 2 (2005), 2 (2004), 2 (2003), 2 (2002) Fiscal year: 1 April— 31 March COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 33,300 (2005) Telephones — mobile cellular: 93,100 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: above-average system domestic: trunk network depends prima¬ rily on microwave radio relay international: country code — 501; satel¬ lite earth station — 8 (Intelsat — 2, unknown — 6) (2005) Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2006) Radios: 133,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 5 (2006) Televisions: 41,000 (1997) Internet country code: bz Internet hosts: 3,905 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000) Internet users: 35,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 43 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 38 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 26 (2006) Roadways: total: 2,872 km paved: 488 km unpaved: 2,384 km (1999) Waterways: 825 km (navigable only by small craft) (2007) Merchant marine: total: 285 ships (1000 GRT or over) 985,464 GRT/1,322,629 DWT by type: bulk carrier 36, cargo 203, chem¬ ical tanker 7, container 4, passenger/ cargo 3, petroleum tanker 13, refriger¬ ated cargo 12, roll on/roll off 6, special¬ ized tanker 1 foreign^owned: 225 (China 103, Croatia 1, Cyprus 2, Estonia 3, Germany 3, Greece 2, Hong Kong 8, Iceland 2, Indonesia 2, Italy 4, Japan 2, North Korea 2, South Korea 4, Latvia 6, Lithuania 1, Malaysia 1, Mexico 1, Norway 2, Poland 2, Russia 36, Singapore 6, Spain 3, Switzerland 1, Turkey 11, UAE 5, Ukraine 7, US 5) (2006) Ports and terminals: Belize City, Big Creek MILITARY Military branches: Belize Defense Force (BDF): Army, Maritime Wing, Air Wing, and Volunteer Guard Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; laws allow for conscription only if volunteers are insufficient; conscrip¬ tion has never been implemented; vol¬ unteers typically outnumber available positions by 3:1 (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 61,201 females age i S — 49: 60,048 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 44,238 females age 18-49: 43,633 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-4 9: 3,213 females age 18-49: 3,100 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1.4% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: annual minis¬ terial meetings under the OAS-initiated Agreement on the Framework for Negotiations and Confidence Building Measures continue to address Guate¬ malan land and maritime claims in Belize and Caribbean Sea; the Line of Adjacency created under the 2002 Differendum serves in lieu of the con¬ tiguous international boundary to con¬ trol squatting in the sparsely inhabited rain forests of Belize’s border region; Honduras claims Belizean-administered Sapodilla Cays in its constitution but agreed to a joint ecological park under the Differendum Trafficking in persons: current situation: Belize is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of labor and sexual exploitation; women and girls are trafficked mainly from Central America, and exploited in prostitution; children are trafficked to Belize for labor exploita¬ tion; Belize’s largely unmonitored bor¬ ders with Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico facilitate the movement of illegal migrants who are vulnerable to traffickers; girls are trafficked within the country for sexual exploitation, some¬ times with the consent and complicity of their close relatives; there are uncon¬ firmed reports that Indian and Chinese migrants are trafficked for involuntary servitude in homes and shops tier rating: Tier 3— Belize has failed to show evidence of significant law enforce¬ ment or victim protection efforts Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine; small-scale illicit producer of cannabis, primarily for local consump¬ tion; money-laundering activity related to narcotics trafficking and offshore sector 68 INTRODUCTION Background: Present day Benin was the site of Dahomey, a prominent West African kingdom that rose in the 15th century. The territory became a French Colony in 1872 and achieved independ¬ ence on 1 August 1960, as the Republic of Benin. A succession of military gov¬ ernments ended in 1972 with the rise to power of Mathieu KEREKOU and the establishment of a government based on Marxist-Leninist principles. A move to representative government began in 1989. Two years later, free elections ush¬ ered in former Prime Minister Nicephore SOGLO as president, marking the first successful transfer of power in Africa from a dictatorship to a democracy. KEREKOU was returned to power by elections held in 1996 and 2001, though some irregularities were alleged. KEREKOU stepped down at the end of his second term in 2006 and was suc¬ ceeded by Thomas YAYI Boni, a political outsider and independent. GEOGRAPHY Location: Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and Togo Geographic coordinates: 9 30 N, 2 15 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 1 12,620 sq km land: 1 10,620 sq km water: 2,000 sq km Area— comparative: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania Land boundaries: total: 1,989 km border countries: Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km, Togo 644 km Coastline: 121 km Maritime Claims: territorial sea: 200 nm Climate: tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Sokbaro 658 m Natural resources: small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber Land use: arable land: 23.53% permanent crops: 2.37% other: 74.1% (2005) Irrigated land: 120 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty har- mattan wind may affect north from December to March Environment — current issues: inade¬ quate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforesta¬ tion; desertification Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desert¬ ification, Endangered Species, Environ¬ mental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: sandbanks create dif¬ ficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands PEOPLE Population: 8,078,314 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mor¬ tality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the dis¬ tribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 43.9% (male 1,788,248/ female 1,754,940) 15-64 years: 53.7% (male 2,138,649/ female 2,203,291) 65 years and over: 2.4% (male 77,844/ female 115,342) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 17.7 years male: 17.3 years female: 18.1 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.674% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 38.1 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 11.94 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0.58 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.019 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.971 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.675 male(s)/female total population: 0.983 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 77.85 deaths/1,000 live births male: 82.32 deaths/1,000 live births female: 73.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 53.44 years male: 52.28 years female: 54-63 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 5.08 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 1.9% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 68,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 5,800 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria, yellow fever, and others are high risks in some locations respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2007) Nationality: noun: Beninese (singular and plural) adjective: Beninese Ethnic groups: Fon and related 39.2%, Adja and related 15.2%, Yoruba and related 12.3%, Bariba and related 9.2%, Peulh and related 7%, Ottamari and related 6.1%, Yoa-Lokpa and related 4%, Dendi and related 2.5%, other 1.6% (includes Europeans), unspecified 2.9% (2002 census) Religions: Christian 42.8% (Catholic 27.1%, Celestial 5%, Methodist 3.2%, 69 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK other Protestant 2.2%, other 5.3%), Muslim 24-4%, Vodoun 17.3%, other 15.5% (2002 census) Languages: French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 34.7% male: 47.9% female: 23.3% (2002 census) Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Benin conventional short form: Benin local long form: Republique du Benin local short form: Benin former: Dahomey Government type: republic Capital: name: Porto-Novo (official capital) geographic coordinates: 6 29 N, 2 37 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: Cotonou (seat of government) Administrative divisions: 12 depart¬ ments; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Kouffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou Independence: l August i960 (from France) National holiday: National Day, 1 August (1960) Constitution: adopted by referendum 2 December 1990 Legal system: based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Thomas YAYI Boni (since 6 April 2006); note — the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Thomas YAYI Boni (since 6 April 2006) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); runoff election held 19 March 2006 (next to be held in March 2011) election results: Thomas YAYI Boni elected president; percent of vote — Thomas YAYI Boni 74.5%, Adrien HOUNGBEDJI 25.5% Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (83 seats; members are elected by direct pop¬ ular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 31 March 2007 (next to be held by March 2011) election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — FCBE 35, ADD 20, PRD 10, other and independents 18 Judicial branch: Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Dynamic Democracy or ADD [Nicephore SOGLO]; Alliance of Progress Forces or AFP; African Movement for Democracy and Progress or MADEP [Sefou FAGBOHOUN]; Cauri Forces for an Emerging Benin or FCBE (a coalition of 20 smaller parties); Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI]; Impulse for Progress and Democracy or IPD; Key Force or FC; Movement for Development and Solidarity or MDS; Movement for Development by the Culture-Salute Party-Congress of People for Progress Alliance or Alliance MDC- PS-CPP; New Alliance or NA; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP; The Star Alliance (Alliance E’toile) [Sacca LAFIA]; Union of Tomorrow’s Benin or UBF [Bruno AMOUSSOU] note: approximately 20 additional minor parties Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Cyrille Segbe OGUIN chancery: 2124 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 232-6656 FAX: [1] (202) 265-1996 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Gayleatha B. BROWN embassy: Rue Caporal Bernard Anani, Cotonou mailing address : 01 B. P. 2012, Cotonou telephone: [229] 21-30-06-50 FAX: [229] 21-30-06-70 Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red (bottom) with a vertical green band on the hoist side ECONOMY Economy — overview: The economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and dependent on subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional trade. Growth in real output has averaged around 5% in the past six years, but rapid population growth has offset much of this increase. Inflation has subsided over the past several years. In order to raise growth still further, Benin plans to attract more foreign investment, place more emphasis on tourism, facilitate the development of new food processing sys¬ tems and agricultural products, and encourage new information and commu¬ nication technology. Specific projects to improve the business climate by reforms to the land tenure system, the commer¬ cial justice system, and the financial sector were included in Benin’s $307 mil¬ lion Millennium Challenge Account grant signed in February 2006. The 2001 privatization policy continues in telecommunications, water, electricity, and agriculture in spite of government reluctance. The Paris Club and bilateral creditors have eased the external debt situation, with Benin benefiting from a G8 debt reduction announced in July 2005, while pressing for more rapid struc¬ tural reforms. Benin continues to be hurt by Nigerian trade protection that bans imports of a growing list of products from Benin and elsewhere, which has resulted in increased smuggling and criminality in the border region. GDP (purchasing power parity): $8,989 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $4,622 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 4% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $1,100 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 32.8% industry: 13.7% services: 53.5% (2006 est.) Labor force: 3.211 million (1996) Unemployment rate: NA% Population below poverty line: 33% (2001 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 19.1% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $836.8 million expenditures: $1,064 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) 70 / BERMUDA Agriculture— products: cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts, cashews; livestock Industries: textiles, food processing, construction materials, cement Industrial production growth rate: 8.3% (2001 est.) Electricity— production: 82 million kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 14.2% hydro: 85.8% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 576.3 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 500 million kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004) Oil— consumption: 14,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Oil— proved reserves: 4.105 million bbl ( 1 January 2002) Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 1.133 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $342.7 mil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $563.1 million f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: cotton, cashews, shea butter, textiles, palm products, seafood Exports— partners: China 31.3%, Indonesia 8.1%, India 7.4%, Niger 6%, Togo 4.8%, Thailand 4-8%, Nigeria 4.6% (2005) imports: $927.3 million f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: foodstuffs, cap¬ ital goods, petroleum products Imports— partners: France 21.8%, Ghana 7.1%, Cote d’Ivoire 7%, China 6.7%, UK 5.2%, Belgium 4.9%, Togo 4-5%, Thailand 4-2%, Nigeria 4% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $607.3 million (2006 est.) Debt— external: $1.6 billion (2000) Economic aid— recipient: $342.6 mil¬ lion (2000) Currency (code): Communaute Finan- ciere Africaine franc (XOF); note — responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States Currency code: XOF Exchange rates: Communaute Finan- ciere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar— 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 76,300 (2005) Telephones— mobile ceilular: 386,700 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: fair system of open-wire, micro¬ wave radio relay, and cellular connections international: country code — 229; satel¬ lite earth station — 7 (Intelsat- Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2000) Radios: 660,000 (2000) Television broadcast stations: 1 (2001) Televisions: 66,000 (2000) Internet country code: bj Internet hosts: 867 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 4 (2002) Internet users: 425,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 5 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006) Railways: total: 578 km narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 16,000 km paved: 1,400 km unpaved: 14,600 km (2005) Waterways: 150 km (on River Niger along northern border) (2005) Ports and terminals: Cotonou MILITARY Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force Military service age and obligation: 21 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; in practice, volunteers may be taken at the age of 18; both sexes are eligible for military service; conscript tour of duty — 18 months (2006) Manpower available for military service: males age 21-49: 1,295,230 females age 21-49: 1,301,936 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 21-49: 749,774 females age 21-49: 751,329 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 76,661 females: 75,068 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1.7% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: two villages remain in dispute along the border with Burkina Faso; Benin accused Burkina Faso of moving boundary pillars; much of Benin-Niger boundary, including tri¬ point with Nigeria, remains undemar- cated; in 2005, Nigeria ceded thirteen villages to Benin, but border relations remain strained by rival gang clashes; Benin and Togo announced plans in 2006 to construct a joint hydroelectric dam on the Mona River at the southern end of the border Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: refugees (country of origin): 26,632 (Togo) (2006) Illicit drugs: transshipment point used by Nigerian traffickers for narcotics des¬ tined for Western Europe; vulnerable to money laundering due to poorly enforced financial regulations INTRODUCTION Background: Bermuda was first settled in 1609 by shipwrecked English colonists headed for Virginia. Tourism to the island to escape North American winters first developed in Victorian times. Tourism continues to be important to the island’s economy, although international business has overtaken it in recent years. Bermuda has developed into a highly successful offshore financial center. Although a referendum on independ¬ ence from the UK was soundly defeated in 1995, the present government has reopened debate on the issue. GEOGRAPHY Location: North America, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, east of South Carolina (US) Geographic coordinates: 32 20 N, 64 45 W Map references: North America Area: total: 53.3 sq km land: 53.3 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: about one-third the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km 71 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Coastline: 103 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm Climate: subtropical; mild, humid; gales, strong winds common in winter Terrain: low hills separated by fertile depressions Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Town Hill 76 m Natural resources: limestone, pleasant climate fostering tourism Land use: arable land: 20% permanent crops : 0% other: 80% (55% developed, 45% rural/ open space) (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: hurricanes (June to November) Environment— current issues: sustain- able development Geography — note: consists of about 138 coral islands and islets with ample rain- fall, but no rivers or freshwater lakes; some land was leased by US Government from 1941 to 1995 PEOPLE Population: 66,163 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 18.3% (male 6,094/female 6,014) 15-64 years: 69.2% (male 22,696/female 23,094) 65 years and over: 12.5% (male 3,597/ female 4,668) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 40.6 years male: 39.7 years female: 41.4 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.576% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 1 1.26 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 7.84 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 2.34 migrant (s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.013 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.983 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.771 male(s)/female total population: 0.959 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 8.08 deaths/1,000 live births male: 9.58 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.13 years male: 16 years female: 80.29 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.88 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 0.297% (2005) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 163 (2005) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 392 (2005) Nationality: noun: Bermudian(s) adjective: Bermudian Ethnic groups: black 54.8%, white 34.1%, mixed 6.4%, other races 4.3%, unspecified 0.4% (2000 census) Religions: Anglican 23%, Roman Catholic 15%, African Methodist Episcopal 11%, other Protestant 18%, other 12%, unaffiliated 6%, unspecified 1%, none 14% (2000 census) Languages: English (official), Portuguese Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 98% female: 99% (2005 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Bermuda former: Somers Islands Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK Government type: parliamentary; self- governing territory Capital: name: Hamilton geographic coordinates: 32 17 N, 64 46 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November Administrative divisions: 9 parishes and 2 municipalities*; Devonshire, Hamil¬ ton, Hamilton*, Paget, Pembroke, Saint George*, Saint George’s, Sandys, Smith’s, Southampton, Warwick Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK) National holiday: Bermuda Day, 24 May Constitution: 8 June 1968; amended 1989 and 2003 Legal system: English law Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Sir John VEREKER (since 11 April 2002) head of government: Premier Ewart BROWN (since 30 October 2006); Deputy Premier Paula COX cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the pre¬ mier, appointed by the governor elections: none; the monarch is heredi¬ tary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed premier by the governor Legislative branch: bicameral Parlia¬ ment consists of the Senate (11 seats; members appointed by the governor, the premier, and the opposition) and the House of Assembly (36 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve up to five-year terms) elections: last general election held 24 July 2003 (next to be held not later than July 2008) election results: percent of vote by party — PLP 51.7%, UBP 48%; seats by party— PLP 22, UBP 14 Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts Political parties and leaders: Progres¬ sive Labor Party or PLP [Ewart BROWN]; United Bermuda Party or UBP [Wayne FURBERT] Political pressure groups and leaders: Bermuda Employer’s Union [Eddie SAINTS]; Bermuda Industrial Union or BIU [Derrick BURGESS]; Bermuda Public Services Union or BPSU [Ed BALL]; Bermuda Union of Teachers [Michael CHARLES] International organization participa¬ tion: Caricom (associate), Interpol (sub¬ bureau), IOC, ITUC, UPU, WCO Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK) Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Consul General Gregory W. SLAYTON consulate(s) general: Crown Hill, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire DV03 mailing address: P. O. Box HM325, Hamilton HMBX; American Consulate General Hamilton, US Department of State, 5300 Hamilton Place, Washington, DC 20520-5300 telephone: [1] (441) 295-1342 FAX: [1] (441) 295-1592, [1] (441) 296- 9233 72 BERMUDA Flag description; red, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Bermudian coat of arms (white and green shield with a red lion holding a scrolled shield showing the sinking of the ship Sea Venture off Bermuda in 1609) centered on the outer half of the flag ECONOMY Economy— overview: Bermuda enjoys the highest per capita income in the world, more than 50% higher than that of the US. Its economy is primarily based on providing financial services for inter¬ national business and luxury facilities for tourists. A number of reinsurance com¬ panies relocated to the island following the 1 1 September 2001 attacks and again after Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, contributing to the expansion of an already robust international business sector. Bermuda’s tourism industry— which derives over 80% of its visitors from the US — continues to struggle but remains the island’s number two industry. Most capital equipment and food must be imported. Bermuda’s indus¬ trial sector is small, although construc¬ tion continues to be important; the average cost of a house in June 2003 had risen to $976,000. Agriculture is limited with only 20% of the land being arable. GDP (purchasing power parity): $4.5 billion (2004 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): NA GDP— real growth rate: 4 6% (2004 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $69,900 (2004 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 10% services: 89% (2002 est.) Labor force: 38,360 (2004) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture and fishing 3%, laborers 17%, clerical 19%, professional and technical 21%, administrative and managerial 15%, sales 7%, services 19% (2004 est.) Unemployment rate: 2.1% (2004 est.) Population below poverty line: 19% (2000) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.8% (November 2005) Budget: revenues: $738 million expenditures: $665 million (FY04/05) Agriculture — products: bananas, vegeta¬ bles, citrus, flowers; dairy products, honey Industries: international business, tourism, light manufacturing Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity — production: 682.5 million kWh (2005) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 616.7 mil¬ lion kWh (2005) Electricity — exports: OkWh (2005) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004) Oil — consumption: 4,658 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil — exports: 0 bbl/day (2005) Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Exports: $1,469 billion (2004 est.) Exports— commodities: reexports of pharmaceuticals Exports— partners: France 66.4%, Spain 11.9%, US 4.6% (2005) Imports: $982 million (2004 est.) Imports— commodities: clothing, fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, chemicals, food and live animals Imports— partners: France 38.9%, South Korea 20.9%, US 15.5% (2005) Debt — external: $160 million (FY99/00) Economic aid— recipient: $NA Currency (code): Bermudian dollar (BMD) Currency code: BMD Exchange rates: Bermudian dollar per US dollar — 1.0000 (fixed rate pegged to the US dollar) Fiscal year: 1 April— 31 March COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 56,000 (2002) Telephones— mobile cellular: 49,000 (2004) Telephone system: general assessment: good domestic: fully automatic digital tele¬ phone system; fiber optic trunk lines international: country code — 1-441; sub¬ marine cables — 3 (fiber optic); satellite earth stations — 3 (2005) Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2005) Radios: 82,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 3 (2005) Televisions: 66,000 (1997) Internet country code: bm Internet hosts: 8,114 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 20 (2000) Internet users: 39,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 1 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2006) Roadways: total: 447 km paved: 447 km note: public roads — 225 km; private roads — 222 km (2002) Merchant marine: total: 132 ships (1000 GRT or over) 7,873,728 GRT/8,688,692 DWT by type: bulk carrier 25, cargo 1, con¬ tainer 24, liquefied gas 23, passenger 19, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 16, refrigerated cargo 13, roll on/roll off 5 foreign-owned: 116 (Australia 3, Belgium 4, France 1, Germany 21, Greece 2, Hong Kong 10, Indonesia 1, Ireland 1, Israel 3, Monaco 2, Nigeria 11, Norway 5, Sweden 14, Switzerland 2, UK 9, US 27) registered in other countries: 6 (Liberia 1, Marshall Islands 4, Panama 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Hamilton, Saint George MILITARY Military branches: no regular military forces Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 15,151 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18—49: 12,165 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 408 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 0.11% (2005 est.) Military — note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of the UK TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: none 73 BHUTAN INTRODUCTION Background: In 1865, Britain and Bhutan signed the Treaty of Sinchulu, under which Bhutan would receive an annual subsidy in exchange for ceding some border land to British India. Under British influence, a monarchy was set up in 1907; three years later, a treaty was signed whereby the British agreed not to interfere in Bhutanese internal affairs and Bhutan allowed Britain to direct its foreign affairs. This role was assumed by independent India after 1947. Two years later, a formal Indo-Bhutanese accord returned the areas of Bhutan annexed by the British, formalized the annual subsi- dies the country received, and defined India’s responsibilities in defense and for¬ eign relations. A refugee issue of some 100,000 Bhutanese in Nepal remains unresolved; 90% of the refugees are housed in seven United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps. In March 2005, King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK unveiled the government’s draft constitution — which would introduce major demo¬ cratic reforms — and pledged to hold a national referendum for its approval. A referendum date has yet to be named, but should occur in 2008. In December 2006, the King abdicated the throne to his son, Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK, in order to give him experience as head of state before the democratic transition. GEOGRAPHY _ Location: Southern Asia, between China and India Geographic coordinates: 27 30 N, 90 30 E Map references: Asia Area: total: 47,000 sq km land: 47,000 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: about half the size of Indiana Land boundaries: total: 1,075 km border countries: China 470 km, India 605 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime Claims: none (landlocked) Climate: varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot summers in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in Himalayas Terrain: mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna Elevation extremes: lowest point: Drangme Chhu 97 m highest point: Kula Kangri 7,553 m Natural resources: timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbonate Land use: arable land: 2.3% permanent crops: 0.43% other: 97.27% (2005) Irrigated land: 400 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: violent storms from the Himalayas are the source of the country’s name, which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon; frequent land¬ slides during the rainy season Environment— current issues: soil ero¬ sion; limited access to potable water Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea Geography — note: landlocked; strategic location between China and India; con¬ trols several key Himalayan mountain passes PEOPLE Population: 2,327,849 note: other estimates range as low as 810,000 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 38.6% (male 465,340/female 433,184) 15-64 years: 57.4% (male 688,428/ female 647,134) 65 years and over: 4% (male 47,123/ female 46,640) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 20.5 years male: 20.4 years female: 20.7 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.082% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 33.28 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 12.46 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.074 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.064 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female total population: 1.066 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 96.37 deaths/1,000 live births male: 94-09 deaths/1,000 live births female: 98.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 55.17 years male: 55.38 years female: 54-96 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 4.67 children bom/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: less than 100 (1999 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Bhutanese (singular and plural) adjective: Bhutanese Ethnic groups: Bhote 50%, ethnic Nepalese 35% (includes Lhotsampas — one of several Nepalese ethnic groups), indigenous or migrant tribes 15% Religions: Lamaistic Buddhist 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced Hinduism 25% Languages: Dzongkha (official), Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects, Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 47% male: 60% female: 34% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Bhutan conventional short form: Bhutan local long form: Druk Gyalkhap local short form: Druk Yul Government type: absolute monarchy; special treaty relationship with India; note — transition to a constitutional monarchy is expected in 2008 Capital: name: Thimphu geographic coordinates: 27 28 N, 89 39 E time difference: UTC+6 ( 1 1 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 20 districts (dzongkhag, singular and plural); 74 BHUTAN Bumthang, Chhukha, Chirang, Daga, Gasa, Geylegphug, Ha, Lhuntshi, Mongar, Paro, Pemagatsel, Punakha, Samchi, Samdrup Jongkhar, Shemgang, Tashigang, Tashi Yangtse, Thimphu, Tongsa, Wangdi Phodrang Independence: 8 August 1949 (from India) National holiday: National Day (Ugyen WANGCHUCK became first hereditary king), 17 December (1907) Constitution: none; note — a draft con¬ stitution was unveiled in March 2005 and is expected to be adopted following the election of a new National Assembly in 2008 Legal system: based on Indian law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: each family has one vote in village-level elections Executive branch: chief of state: King Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK (since 14 December 2006); note — King jigme Singye WANGCHUCK abdicated the throne on 14 December 2006 and his son immediately succeeded him head of government: Prime Minister Khandu WANGCHUK (since 7 September 2006) cabinet: Council of Ministers (Lhengye Shungtsog) nominated by the monarch, approved by the National Assembly; members serve fixed, five-year terms; note — there is also a Royal Advisory Council (Lodoi Tsokde), members nomi¬ nated by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is heredi¬ tary, but democratic reforms in July 1998 grant the National Assembly authority to remove the monarch with two-thirds vote; election of a new National Assembly is expected in 2008 Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Tshogdu (150 seats; 105 members elected from village constituencies, 10 represent religious bodies, and 35 are designated by the monarch to represent government and other secular interests; to serve three- year terms) elections: first election to be held in 2008; note — local elections last held August 2005 (next to be held in 2008) election results: NA Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Appeal (the monarch); High Court (judges appointed by the monarch) Political parties and leaders: no legal parties Political pressure groups and leaders: Buddhist clergy; ethnic Nepalese organi¬ zations leading militant antigovernment campaign; Indian merchant community; United Front for Democracy (exiled) International organization participa¬ tion: AsDB, BIMSTEC, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (corre¬ spondent), ITU, NAM, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) Diplomatic representation in the US: none; note — the Permanent Mission to the UN for Bhutan has consular jurisdic¬ tion in the US; address: 2 United Nations Plaza, 27th Floor, New York, NY 10017; telephone [1] (212) 826-1919; FAX [1] (212) 826-2998 consulate(s) general: New York Diplomatic representation from the US: the US and Bhutan have no formal diplomatic relations, although informal contact is maintained between the Bhutanese and US Embassy in New Delhi (India) Flag description: divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the upper triangle is yellow and the lower tri¬ angle is orange; centered along the dividing line is a large black and white dragon facing away from the hoist side ECONOMY Economy— overview: The economy, one of the world’s smallest and least developed, is based on agriculture and forestry, which provide the main liveli¬ hood for more than 60% of the popula¬ tion. Agriculture consists largely of subsistence farming and animal hus¬ bandry. Rugged mountains dominate the terrain and make the building of roads and other infrastructure difficult and expensive. The economy is closely aligned with India’s through strong trade and monetary links and dependence on India’s financial assistance. The indus¬ trial sector is technologically backward, with most production of the cottage industry type. Most development proj¬ ects, such as road construction, rely on Indian migrant labor. Bhutan’s hydropower potential and its attraction for tourists are key resources. Model edu¬ cation, social, and environment pro¬ grams are underway with support from multilateral development organizations. Each economic program takes into account the government’s desire to pro¬ tect the country’s environment and cul¬ tural traditions. For example, the government, in its cautious expansion of the tourist sector, encourages visits by upscale, environmentally conscientious tourists. Detailed controls and uncertain policies in areas such as industrial licensing, trade, labor, and finance con¬ tinue to hamper foreign investment. GDP (purchasing power parity): $2.9 billion (2003 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $840.5 million (2005 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 8.8% (2005 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $1,400 (2003 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 24-7% industry: 37.2% services: 38.1% (2005) Labor force: NA note: major shortage of skilled labor Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 63% industry: 6% services: 31% (2004 est.) Unemployment rate: 2.5% (2004) Population below poverty line: 31.7% (2003) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.5% (2005 est.) Budget: revenues: $272 million expenditures: $350 million; including capital expenditures ot $NA note: the government of India finances nearly three-fifths of Bhutan’s budget expenditures (2005) Public debt: 81.4% of GDP (2004) Agriculture— products: rice, corn, root crops, citrus, foodgrains; dairy products, eggs Industries: cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages, cal¬ cium carbide, tourism Industrial production growth rate: 9.3% (1996 est.) Electricity— production: 2.05 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 0.1% hydro: 99.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 526.5 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 1.4 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 20 million kWh (2004) Oil — production: 0 bbl/day (2004) Oil— consumption: 1,160 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) 75 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Natural gas — proved reserves: Ocum (1 January 2005 est.) Exports: $186 million f.o.b. (2005) Exports— commodities: electricity (to India), cardamom, gypsum, timber, handicrafts, cement, fruit, precious stones, spices Exports — partners: India 69.2%, Japan 9.1%, Germany 3.7% (2005) Imports: $410 million c.i.f. (2005) Imports — commodities: fuel and lubri¬ cants, grain, aircraft, machinery and parts, vehicles, fabrics, rice Imports — partners: India 75.3%, Hong Kong 16.1%, Mexico 4.9% (2005) Debt — external: $593 million (2004) Economic aid— recipient: $78 million; note — substantial aid from India (2004) Currency (code): ngultrum (BTN); Indian rupee (INR) Currency code: BTN; INR Exchange rates: ngultrum per US dollar— 45.279 (2006), 44-101 (2005), 45.317 (2004), 46.583 (2003), 48.61 (2002) note: the ngultrum is pegged to the Indian rupee Fiscal year: 1 July— 30 June Telephones— main lines in use: 32,700 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 37,800 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: telecommunications facilities are poor domestic: very low teledensity; domestic service is very poor especially in rural areas; wireless service available since 2003 international: country code — 975; inter¬ national telephone and telegraph service via landline and microwave relay through India; satellite earth station— 1 (2005) Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 9, shortwave 1 (2006) Radios: 37,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 1 (2006) Televisions: 11,000 (1997) Internet country code: bt Internet hosts: 7,567 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA Internet users: 25,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 2 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006) Roadways: total: 8,050 km paved: 4,991 km unpaved: 3,059 km (2003) MILITARY Military branches: Royal Bhutan Army: Royal Bodyguard, Royal Bhutan Police (2005) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 483,860 females age 18-49: 453,683 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 314,975 females age 18-49: 296,833 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 23,939 females age 18-49: 21,979 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: over 100,000 Bhutanese Lhotshampas (Hindus) have been confined in seven UN Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees camps since 1990; Bhutan cooperates with India to expel Indian Nagaland sepa¬ ratists; lacking any treaty describing the boundary, Bhutan and China continue negotiations to establish a boundary alignment to resolve substantial carto¬ graphic discrepancies, the largest of which lies in Bhutan’s northwest BOLIVIA INTRODUCTION Background: Bolivia, named after inde¬ pendence fighter Simon BOLIVAR, broke away from Spanish rule in 1825; much of its subsequent history has con¬ sisted of a series of nearly 200 coups and countercoups. Democratic civilian rule was established in 1982, but leaders have faced difficult problems of deep-seated poverty, social unrest, and illegal drug production. In December 2005, Boliv¬ ians elected Movement Toward Social¬ ism leader Evo MORALES president — by the widest margin of any leader since the restoration of civilian rule in 1982 — after he ran on a promise to change the country’s traditional political class and empower the nation’s poor majority. However, since taking office, his contro¬ versial strategies have exacerbated racial and economic tensions between the Amerindian populations of the Andean west and the non-indigenous communi¬ ties of the eastern lowlands. GEOGRAPHY Location: Central South America, southwest of Brazil Geographic coordinates: 17 00 S, 65 00 W Map references: South America Area: total: 1,098,580 sq km land: 1,084,390 sq km water: 14,190 sq km Area— comparative: slightly less than three times the size of Montana Land boundaries: total: 6,940 km border countries: Argentina 832 km, Brazil 3,423 km, Chile 860 km, Paraguay 750 km, Peru 1,075 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime claims: none (landlocked) Climate: varies with altitude; humid and tropical to cold and semiarid Terrain: rugged Andes Mountains with a highland plateau (Altiplano), hills, low¬ land plains of the A.mazon Basin Elevation extremes: lowest point: Rio Paraguay 90 m highest point: Nevado Sajama 6,542 m Natural resources: tin, natural gas, petroleum, zinc, tungsten, antimony, silver, iron, lead, gold, timber, hydropower Land use: arable land: 2.78% permanent crops: 0.19% other: 97.03% (2005) Irrigated land: 1,320 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: flooding in the north¬ east (March- April) Environment— current issues: the clearing of land for agricultural purposes 76 BOLIVIA and the international demand for trop- ical timber are contributing to deforesta- tion; sod erosion from overgrazing and poor cultivation methods (including slash-and-burn agriculture); desertifica¬ tion; loss of biodiversity; industrial pollu¬ tion of water supplies used for drinking and irrigation Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection GOOgraphy — note: landlocked; shares control of Lago Titicaca, world’s highest navigable lake (elevation 3,805 m), with Peru PEOPLE Population: 9,119,152 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 34-3% (male 1,593,509/ female 1,532,155) 15-64 years: 61.1% (male 2,730,359/ female 2,841,872) 65 years and over: 4-6% (male 187,123/ female 234,134) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 22.2 years male: 21.5 years female: 22.9 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.42% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 22.82 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 7.44 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -1.18 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.961 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.799 male(s)/female total population: 0.979 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 50.43 deaths/1,000 live births male: 53.93 deaths/1,000 live births female: 46.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 66.19 years male: 63.53 years female: 68.97 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.76 chddren born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 4,900 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: less than 500 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Bolivian(s) adjective: Bolivian Ethnic groups: Quechua 30%, mestizo (mixed white and Amerindian ancestry) 30%, Aymara 25%, white 15% Religions: Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant (Evangelical Methodist) 5% Languages: Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara (official) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 86.7% male: 93.1% female: 80.7% (2001 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Bolivia conventional short form: Bolivia local long form: Republica de Bolivia local short form: Bolivia Government type: republic Capital: name: La Paz (administrative capital) geographic coordinates: 16 30 S, 68 09 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: Sucre (constitutional capital) Administrative divisions: 9 departments (departamentos, singular — departa- mento); Beni, Chuquisaca, Cocha¬ bamba, La Paz, Oruro, Pando, Potosi, Santa Cruz, Tarija Independence: 6 August 1825 (from Spain) National holiday: Independence Day, 6 August (1825) Constitution: 2 Pebruary 1967; revised in August 1994; referendum on new consti¬ tution to be held 6 August 2007 Legal system: based on Spanish law and Napoleonic Code; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age, universal and compulsory (married); 21 years of age, universal and compulsory (single) Executive branch: chief of state: President Juan Evo MORALES Ayma (since 22 January 2006); Vice President Alvaro GARCIA Linera (since 22 January 2006); note — the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Juan Evo MORALES Ayma (since 22 January 2006); Vice President Alvaro GARCIA Linera (since 22 January 2006) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 18 December 2005 (next to be held in 2010) election results: Juan Evo MORALES Ayma elected president; percent of vote — Juan Evo MORALES Ayma 53.7%; Jorge Pernando QUIROGA Ramirez 28.6%; Samuel DORIA MEDINA Arana 7.8%; Michiaki NAGATANI Morishit 6.5%; Felipe QUISPE Huanca 2.2%; Guildo ANGULA Cabrera 0.7% Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (27 seats; members are elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve five-year terms) and Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (130 seats; 70 members are directly elected from their districts and 60 are elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve five-year terms) elections: Chamber of Senators and Chamber of Deputies — last held 18 December 2005 (next to be held in 2010) election results : Chamber of Senators — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party— PODEMOS 13, MAS 12, UN 1, MNR 1; Chamber of Deputies — percent of vote by party— N A; seats by party — MAS 73, PODEMOS 43, UN 8, MNR 6 Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges appointed for 10- year terms by National Congress); District Courts (one in each depart¬ ment); provincial and local courts (to try minor cases) Political parties and leaders: Free Bolivia Movement or MBL [Franz BAR¬ RIOS]; Movement Toward Socialism or MAS [Juan Evo MORALES Ayma]; Movement Without Fear or MSM [Juan DEL GRANADO]; National Revolu¬ tionary Movement or MNR [Mirta QUEVEDO]; National Unity [Samuel DORIA MEDINA Arana]; Poder Democratico Nacional or PODEMOS [Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramirez]; Social Alliance [Rene JOAQUINO] Political pressure groups and leaders: Cocalero groups; indigenous organiza¬ tions; labor unions; Sole Confederation of Campesino Workers of Bolivia or CSUTCB International organization participation: CAN, CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, 77 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMISET, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Gustavo GUZMAN Saldana chancery: 3014 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-4410 FAX: [1] (202) 328-3712 consulate(s) general: Houston, Miami, New York, Oklahoma City, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington, DC Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Philip S. GOLDBERG embassy: Avenida Arce 2780, La Paz mailing address: P. O. Box 425, La Paz; APO AA 34032 telephone: [591] (2) 216-8000 FAX: [591] (2) 216-8111 Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with the coat of arms centered on the yellow band; similar to the flag of Ghana, which has a large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band ECONOMY Economy— overview: Bolivia, long one of the poorest and least developed Latin American countries, reformed its economy after suffering a disastrous eco¬ nomic crisis in the early 1980s. The reforms spurred real GDP growth, which averaged 4% in the 1990s, and poverty rates fell. Economic growth, however, lagged again beginning in 1999 because of a global slowdown and homegrown factors such as political turmoil, civil unrest, and soaring fiscal deficits, all of which hurt investor confidence. In 2003, violent protests against the pro-foreign investment economic policies of ex- President SANCHEZ DE LOZADA led to his resignation and the cancellation of plans to export Bolivia’s newly discov¬ ered natural gas reserves to large northern hemisphere markets. In 2005, the government passed a controversial natural gas law that imposed significantly higher taxes on the oil and gas firms and required production firms to sign new operating contracts, which were com¬ pleted in October 2006. Bolivian offi¬ cials are in the process of revamping the defunct state-owned oil company and acquiring majority ownership of five gas production, transportation, refining, and storage companies. The MORALES administration plans to increase state control over other sectors as well, including mining, electricity, telecommu¬ nications, transportation, and forestry. Real GDP growth in 2003-06 — helped by increased demand for natural gas in neighboring Brazil — was positive, but still below the levels seen during the 1990s. Bolivia’s fiscal position has improved in recent years, and the country had a record 6% fiscal surplus for 2006. In 2005, the G8 announced a $2 billion debt-for¬ giveness plan over the next few decades. The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank forgave a total of approx¬ imately $1.8 billion of Bolivian debt in 2006 that has helped reduce fiscal pres¬ sures on the government. GDP (purchasing power parity): $27.87 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $10.33 billion (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 4.5% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $3,100 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 12.8% industry: 36.1% services: 51.2% (2006 est.) Labor force: 4.3 million (2006 est. ) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% Unemployment rate: 7.8% in urban areas; widespread underemployment (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 64% (2004 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.3% highest 10%: 32% (1999) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 60.6 (2002) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4 3% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 12.4% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $4,153 billion expenditures: $3,619 billion; including capital expenditures of $741 million (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: soybeans, coffee, coca, cotton, corn, sugarcane, rice, pota¬ toes; timber Industries: mining, smelting, petroleum, food and beverages, tobacco, handicrafts, clothing Industrial production growth rate: 5.7% (2004 est.) Electricity— production: 4 472 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 44.4% hydro: 54% nuclear: 0% other: 1.5% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 4.168 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity — imports: 9 million kWh (2004) Oil — production: 42,000 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— consumption: 47,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Oil — proved reserves: 458.8 million bbl (1 January 2002) Natural gas— production: 10.05 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 2.14 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 7.91 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 679.6 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $688 million (2006 est.) Exports: $3,668 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: natural gas, soybeans and soy products, crude petro¬ leum, zinc ore, tin Exports— partners: Brazil 44.2%, US 12.5%, Argentina 10.9%, Colombia 7.8%, Peru 4.8% (2005) Imports: $2,934 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: petroleum products, plastics, paper, aircraft and air¬ craft parts, prepared foods, automobiles, insecticides, soybeans Imports— partners: Brazil 21.9%, Argentina 16.7%, US 13.8%, Chile 6.9%, Peru 6.5%, Japan 6.1%, China 5.8% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $3,303 billion (2006 est.) Debt— external: $5,916 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $221 million (2005 est.) Currency (code): boliviano (BOB) Currency code: BOB Exchange rates: bolivianos per US dollar— 8.0159 (2006), 8.0661 (2005), 7.9363 (2004), 7.6592 (2003), 7.17 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year Telephones — main lines in use: 646,300 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 2 421 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: new subscribers face bureaucratic difficulties; most telephones are concentrated in La Paz and other cities; mobile cellular telephone use expanding rapidly domestic: primary trunk system, which is being expanded, employs digital micro- wave radio relay; some areas are served by 78 BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA fiber-optic cable; mobile cellular systems are being expanded international: country code — 591; satellite earth station — 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 171, FM 73, shortwave 77 (1999) Radios: 5.25 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 48 (1997) Televisions: 900,000 (1997) Internet country code: bo Internet hosts: 20,085 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 9 (2000) Internet users: 480,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 1,084 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 16 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 1,068 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 60 914 to 1,523 m: 207 under 914 m: 797 (2006) Pipelines: gas 4,860 km; liquid petro¬ leum gas 47 km; oil 2,475 km; refined products 1,589 km; unknown (oil/water) 247 km (2006) Railways: total: 3,519 km narrow gauge: 3,519 km 1.000-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 62,479 km paved: 3,749 km unpaved: 58,730 km (2004) Waterways: 10,000 km (commercially navigable) (2007) Merchant marine: total: 24 ships (1000 GRT or over) 127,297 GRT/198,525 DWT by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 8, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 10 foreign' owned: 10 (Argentina 1, China 1, Egypt 2, Iran 1, Singapore 3, Taiwan 1, Yemen 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Puerto Aguirre (inland port on the Paraguay/Parana waterway at the Bolivia/Brazil border); Bolivia has free port privileges in mar¬ itime ports in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Paraguay MILITARY Military branches: Bolivian Armed Forces: Bolivian Army (Ejercito Bolivi¬ ano), Bolivian Navy (Armada Boliviana; includes marines), Bolivian Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Boliviana, FAB) (2007) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; when annual number of volun¬ teers falls short of goal, compulsory recruitment is effected, including con¬ scription of boys as young as 14; one esti¬ mate holds that 40% of the armed forces are under the age of 18, with 50% of those under the age of 16; conscript tour of duty — 12 months (2002) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 1,923,234 females age 18-49: 2,007,315 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 1 8 — 49 : 1,311,414 females age 18-4 9: 1,502,177 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 101,101 females age 18-M9: 98,671 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1.9% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: Chile rebuffs Bolivia’s reactivated claim to restore the Atacama corridor, ceded to Chile in 1884, offering instead unrestricted but not sover¬ eign maritime access through Chile for Bolivian natural gas and other commodities Trafficking in persons: current situation: Bolivia is a source and transit country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of labor and sexual exploita¬ tion to Argentina, Brazil, and Chile, as well as to Spain; children are trafficked internally for sexual exploitation, forced mining, and agricultural labor; illegal migrants from Asia transiting Bolivia are vulnerable as trafficking victims tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Bolivia has failed to show evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in the areas of prosecutions and victim protection Illicit drugs: world’s third-largest culti¬ vator of coca (after Colombia and Pem) with an estimated 26,500 hectares under cultivation in August 2005, an 8% increase from 2004; transit country for Peruvian and Colombian cocaine des¬ tined for Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Europe; cultivation steadily increasing despite eradication and alter¬ native crop programs; money-laundering activity related to narcotics trade, espe¬ cially along the borders with Brazil and Paraguay; major cocaine consumption BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA INTRODUCTION Background: Bosnia and Herzegovina’s declaration of sovereignty in October 1991 was followed by a declaration of independence from the former Yugoslavia on 3 March 1992 after a refer¬ endum boycotted by ethnic Serbs. The Bosnian Serbs — supported by neigh¬ boring Serbia and Montenegro — responded with armed resistance aimed at partitioning the republic along ethnic lines and joining Serb-held areas to form a “Greater Serbia.” In March 1994, Bosniaks and Croats reduced the number of warring factions from three to two by signing an agreement creating a joint Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. On 21 November 1995, in Dayton, Ohio, the warring parties ini¬ tialed a peace agreement that brought to a halt three years of interethnic civil strife (the final agreement was signed in Paris on 14 December 1995). The Dayton Peace Accords retained Bosnia and Herzegovina’s international bound¬ aries and created a joint multi-ethnic and democratic government charged with conducting foreign, diplomatic, and fiscal policy. Also recognized was a second tier of government comprised of two entities roughly equal in size: the Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska (RS). The Federation and RS governments were charged with overseeing most government functions. The Office of the High Representative (OHR) was established to oversee the implementation of the civilian aspects of the agreement. In 1995-96, a NATO-led international peacekeeping force (IFOR) of 60,000 troops served in Bosnia to implement and monitor the military 79 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK aspects of the agreement. IFOR was suc¬ ceeded by a smaller, NATO-led Stabilization Force (SFOR) whose mis¬ sion was to deter renewed hostilities. European Union peacekeeping troops (EUFOR) replaced SFOR in December 2004; their mission is to maintain peace and stability throughout the country. EUFOR plans to phase out its mission beginning in 2007. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southeastern Europe, bor¬ dering the Adriatic Sea and Croatia Geographic coordinates: 44 00 N, 18 00 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 51,129 sq km land: 51,129 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: slightly smaller than West Virginia Land boundaries: total: 1,459 km border countries: Croatia 932 km, Montenegro 225 km, Serbia 302 km Coastline: 20 km Maritime Claims: no data available Climate: hot summers and cold winters; areas of high elevation have short, cool summers and long, severe winters; mild, rainy winters along coast Terrain: mountains and valleys Elevation extremes: lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m highest point: Maglic 2,386 m Natural resources: coal, iron ore, bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, cobalt, manganese, nickel, clay, gypsum, salt, sand, forests, hydropower Land use: arable land: 19.61% permanent crops : 1.89% other: 78.5% (2005) Irrigated land: 30 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: destructive earth¬ quakes Environment— current issues: air pollu¬ tion from metallurgical plants; sites for disposing of urban waste are limited; water shortages and destruction of infra¬ structure because of the 1992-95 civil strife; deforestation Environment— international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: within Bosnia and Herzegovina’s recognized borders, the country is divided into a joint Bosniak/Croat Federation (about 51% of the territory) and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska or RS (about 49% of the territory); the region called Herzegovina is contiguous to Croatia and Montenegro, and traditionally has been settled by an ethnic Croat majority in the west and an ethnic Serb majority in the east PEOPLE Population: 4,552,198 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 15% (male 353,163/female 331,133) 15-64 years: 70.4% (male 1,615,011/ female 1,587,956) 65 years and over: 14.6% (male 273,240/ female 391,695) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 38.9 years male: 37.7 years female: 40.1 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.003% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 8.8 births/1 ,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 8.42 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 9.65 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.067 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.017 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.698 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 9.58 deaths/1,000 live births male: 10.98 deaths/ 1,000 live births female: 8.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.17 years male: 74.57 years female: 82.03 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.23 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 900 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 100 (2001 est.) Nationality: noun: Bosnian(s), Herze¬ govinian^) adjective: Bosnian, Herzegovinian Ethnic groups: Bosniak 48%, Serb 37.1%, Croat 14.3%, other 0.6% (2000) note: Bosniak has replaced Muslim as an ethnic term in part to avoid confusion with the religious term Muslim — an adherent of Islam Religions: Muslim 40%, Orthodox 31%, Roman Catholic 15%, other 14% Languages: Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.7% male: 99% female: 94-4% (2000 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Bosnia and Herzegovina local long form: none local short form: Bosna i Hercegovina former: People’s Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Government type: emerging federal democratic republic Capital: name: Sarajevo geographic coordinates: 43 52 N, 18 25 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: -R 1 hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 2 first-order administrative divisions and 1 interna¬ tionally supervised district* — Brcko dis¬ trict (Brcko Distrikt)*, the Bosniak/ Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Federacija Bosna i Hercegovina) and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska; note — Brcko district is in northeastern Bosnia and is an adminis¬ trative unit under the sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina; the district remains under international supervision Independence: 1 March 1992 (from Yugoslavia; referendum for independ¬ ence completed 1 March 1992; inde¬ pendence declared 3 March 1992) National holiday: National Day, 25 November (1943) Constitution: the Dayton Agreement, signed 14 December 1995 in Paris, included a new constitution now in force; note — each of the entities also has its own constitution Legal system: based on civil law system Suffrage: 18 years of age, universal Executive branch: chief of state : Chairman of the Presidency Nebojsa RADMANOVIC (chairman since 6 November 2006; presidency member since 1 October 2006 — Serb); other members of the three-member presidency rotating (every eight months): Zeljko KOMSIC (since 1 October 2006 — Croat) and Haris SILA- JDZIC (since 1 October 2006 — Bosniak) head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers Nikola SPIRIC (since 11 January 2007) 80 BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the council chairman; approved by the National House of Representatives elections: the three members of the presi- dency (one Bosniak, one Croat, one Serb) are elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for a second term, but then ineligible for four years); the chairmanship rotates every eight months and resumes where it left off fol¬ lowing each national election; election last held 1 October 2006 (next to be held in 2010); the chairman of the Council of Ministers is appointed by the presidency and confirmed by the National House of Representatives election results: percent of vote — Nebojsa RADMANOVIC with 53.3% of the votes for the Serb seat; Zeljko KOMSIC received 39.6% of the votes for the Croat seat; Haris S1LAJDZIC received 62.8% of the votes for the Bosniak seat note: President of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina: Borjana KRISTO (since 21 February 2007); Vice Presidents Spomenka MICIC (since NA 2007) and Mirsad KEBO (since NA 2007); President of the Republika Srpska: Milan JELIC (since 9 November 2006) Legislative branch: bicameral Parlia¬ mentary Assembly or Skupstina consists of the national House of Representatives or Predstavnicki Dom (42 seats, 28 seats allocated for the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and 14 seats for the Republika Srpska; members elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation, to serve four-year terms); and the House of Peoples or Dom Naroda (15 seats, 5 Bosniak, 5 Croat, 5 Serb; members elected by the Bosniak/Croat Federation’s House of Representatives and the Republika Srpska’s National Assembly to serve four-year terms); note — Bosnia’s election law specifies four-year terms for the state and first-order administrative division entity legislatures elections: national House of Repre¬ sentatives — elections last held 1 October 2006 (next to be held in 2010); House of Peoples — last constituted in January 2003 (next to be constituted in 2007) election results: national House of Representatives — percent of vote by party/coalition — NA; seats by party/coalition — SDA 9, SBiH 8, SNSD 7, SDP 5, SDS 3, HDZ-BH 3, HDZ 1990 2, other 5; House of Peoples — percent of vote by party/coalition — NA; seats by party/coalition — NA note: the Bosniak/Croat Federation has a bicameral legislature that consists of a House of Representatives (98 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); elections last held 1 October 2006 (next to be held in October 2010); percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party /coalition — SDA 28, SBiH 24, SDP 17, HDZ-BH 8, HDZ 100 7, other 14; and a House of Peoples (58 seats — 17 Bosniak, 17 Croat, li7 Serb, 7 other); last constituted December 2002; the Republika Srpska has a National Assembly (83 seats; mem¬ bers elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); elections last held 1 October 2006 (next to be held in the fall of 2010); percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party/coalition — SNSD 41, SDS 17, PDP 8, DNS 4, SBiH 4, SPRS 3, SDA 3, other 3; as a result of the 2002 constitutional reform process, a 28- member Republika Srpska Council of Peoples (COP) was established in the Republika Srpska National Assembly including eight Croats, eight Bosniaks, eight Serbs, and four members of the smaller communities Judicial branch: BH Constitutional Court (consists of nine members: four members are selected by the Bosniak/Croat Federation’s House of Representatives, two members by the Republika Srpska’s National Assembly, and three non-Bosnian members by the president of the European Court of Human Rights); BH State Court (con¬ sists of nine judges and three divisions — Administrative, Appellate and Criminal — having jurisdiction over cases related to state-level law and appellate jurisdiction over cases initiated in the entities); a War Crimes Chamber opened in March 2005 note: the entities each have a Supreme Court; each entity also has a number of lower courts; there are 10 cantonal courts in the Federation, plus a number of municipal courts; the Republika Srpska has five municipal courts Political parties and leaders: Alliance of Independent Social Democrats or SNSD [Milorad DODIK]; Bosnian Party or BOSS [Mirnes AJANOVIC]; Civic Democratic Party or GDS [Ibrahim SPAHIC]; Croat Christian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina or HKDU [Marin TOPIC]; Croat Party of Rights or HSP [Zvonko JURISIC]; Croat Peasants Party or HSS [Marko TADIC]; Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina or HDZ-BH [Dragan COVIC1; Croatian Democratic Union 1990 or HDZ1990 [Bozo LJUBIC]; Croatian Peoples Union [Milenko BRKIC]; Democratic National Union or DNZ [Rifet DOLIC]; Democratic Peoples Alliance or DNS [Marko PAVIC]; Liberal Democratic Party of LDS [Rasim KADIC]; New Croat Initiative or NHI [Kresimir ZUBAK]; Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina or SBiH [Haris SILAJDZIC]; Party for Democratic Action or SDA [Sulejman TIHIC]; Party of Democratic Progress or PDP [Mladen IVANICj; Serb Democratic Party or SDS [Mladen BOSIC]; Serb Radical Party of the Republika Srpska or SRS-RS [Milanko MIHAJLICAJ; Serb Radical Party-Dr. Vojislav Seselj or SRS-VS [Radislav KANJERICj; Social Democratic Party of BIH or SDP [Zlatko LAGUMDZIJA]; Social Democratic Union or SDU [Sejfudin TOKIC]; Socialist Party of Republika Srpska or SPRS [Petar DJOKIC] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: BIS, CE, CEI, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, 1PU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OIC (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNWTO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Bisera TURKOVIC chancery: 2109 E Street NW, Washing¬ ton, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 337-1500 FAX: [1] (202) 337-1502 consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Douglas L. McELHANEY embassy: Alipasina 43, 71000 Sarajevo mailing address : use embassy street address telephone: [387] (33) 445-700 FAX: [387] (33) 659-722 branch office(s): Banja Luka, Mostar Flag description: a wide medium blue vertical band on the fly side with a yellow isosceles triangle abutting the band and the top of the flag; the remainder of the flag is medium blue with seven full five-pointed white stars and two half stars top and bottom along the hypotenuse of the triangle ECONOMY Economy — overview: Bosnia and Herzegovina ranked next to Macedonia as the poorest republic in the old Yugoslav federation. Although agricul¬ ture is almost all in private hands, farms are small and inefficient, and the republic traditionally is a net importer of 81 THE CIA WORLD FACT BOOK food. The private sector is growing and foreign investment is slowly increasing, but government spending, at nearly 40% of adjusted GDP, remains unreasonably high. The interethnic warfare in Bosnia caused production to plummet by 80% from 1992 to 1995 and unemployment to soar. With an uneasy peace in place, output recovered in 1996-99 at high per- centage rates from a low base; but output growth slowed in 2000-02. Part of the lag in output was made up in 2003-06 when GDP growth exceeded 5% per year. National-level statistics are limited and do not capture the large share of black market activity. The konvertibilna marka (convertible mark or BAM) — the national currency introduced in 1998 — is pegged to the euro, and confidence in the currency and the banking sector has increased. Implementing privatization, however, has been slow, particularly in the Federation, although it is increasing in the Republika Srpska. Banking reform accelerated in 2001 as all the Communist-era payments bureaus were shut down; foreign banks, primarily from Western Europe, now control most of the banking sector. A sizeable current account deficit and high unemployment rate remain the two most serious eco¬ nomic problems. On 1 January 2006 a new value-added tax (VAT) went into effect. The VAT has been successful in capturing much of the gray market economy and has developed into a signif¬ icant and predictable source of revenues for all layers of government. The ques¬ tion of how to allocate revenue from VAT receipts is not completely resolved. Bosnia and Herzegovina became a member of the Central European Free Trade Agreement in December 2006. The country receives substantial recon¬ struction assistance and humanitarian aid from the international community but will have to prepare for an era of declining assistance. GDP (purchasing power parity): $25.28 billion note: Bosnia has a large informal sector that could also be as much as 50% of offi¬ cial GDP (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $9,217 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 6% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $5,600 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 14-2% industry: 30.8% services: 55% (2002) Labor force: 1.026 million (2001) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% Unemployment rate: 45.5% official rate; grey economy may reduce actual unem¬ ployment to 25—30% (31 December 2004 est.) Population below poverty line: 25% (2004 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Distribution of family income — Gini index: 26.2 (2001) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8.2% (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $5,643 billion expenditures: $5,677 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 24.5% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: wheat, corn, fruits, vegetables; livestock Industries: steel, coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, manganese, bauxite, vehicle assembly, textiles, tobacco products, wooden furni¬ ture, tank and aircraft assembly, domestic appliances, oil refining Industrial production growth rate: 5.5% (2003 est.) Electricity— production: 12.98 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 53.5% hydro: 46.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 11.03 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 3.05 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 2 billion kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004) Oil— consumption: 23,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 300 million cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 300 million cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $1.73 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $3.5 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: metals, clothing, wood products Exports— partners: Croatia 18.4%, Italy 17.1%, Slovenia 14.7%, Germany 12.8%, Austria 6.5%, Hungary 5.2%, China 4.2% (2005) Imports: $8.25 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs Imports — partners: Croatia 24.7%, Germany 13.6%, Slovenia 13%, Italy 11%, Austria 6.9%, Hungary 5.5% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $2.7 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $3,927 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $650 million (2001 est.) Currency (code): konvertibilna marka (convertible mark) (BAM) Currency code: BAM Exchange rates: konvertibilna maraka per US dollar— 1.5576 (2006), 1.5727 (2005), 1.5752 (2004), 1.7329 (2003), 2.0782 (2002) note: the convertible mark is pegged to the euro Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 968,900 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 1.594 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: telephone and tele¬ graph network needs modernization and expansion; many urban areas are below average as contrasted with services in other former Yugoslav republics domestic: NA international: country code — 387; no satellite earth stations Radio broadcast stations: AM 8, FM 16, shortwave 1 (1998) Radios: 940,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 33 (plus 277 repeaters) (September 1995) Televisions: NA Internet country code: ba Internet hosts: 31,490 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (2000) Internet users: 806,400 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 28 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 3 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 20 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 12 (2006) Heliports: 5 (2006) Railways: total: 608 km 82 BOTS WA N A standard, gauge: 608 km 1.435-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 21,846 km paved: 11,425 km (4,686 km of interurban roads) unpaved: 10,421 km (2005) Waterways: Sava River (northern border) open to shipping but use limited (2006) Ports and terminals: Bosanska Gradiska, Bosanski Brod, Bosanski Samac, and Brcko (all inland waterway ports on the Sava), Orasje MILITARY Military branches: VF Army (the air and air defense forces are subordinate commands within the Army), VRS Army (the air and air defense forces are subordinate commands within the Army) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina; 16 years of age in times of war; 18 years of age for Republika Srpska; 17 years of age for voluntary military service in the Federation and in the Republika Srpska; by law, military obli- gations cover all healthy men between the ages of 18 and 60, and all women between the ages of 18 and 55; service obligation is 4 months (July 2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 1,119,508 females age 18-49: 1,079,435 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 910,539 females age 18-49: 881,446 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 32,942 females age 18-49: 31,466 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 4.5% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia have delimited most of their boundary, but sections, along the Drina River remain in dispute; discussions continue with Croatia on several small disputed sections of the boundary related to maritime access that hinder final ratification of the 1999 border agreement Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 7,458 (Croatia) IDPs: 180,251 (Bosnian Croats, Serbs, and Muslims displaced in 1992-95 war) (2006) Illicit drugs: increasingly a transit point for heroin being trafficked to Western Europe; minor transit point for mark juana; remains highly vulnerable to money-laundering activity given a pri¬ marily cash-based and unregulated economy, weak law enforcement, and instances of corruption BOTSWANA INTRODUCTION Background: Formerly the British pro¬ tectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name upon independ¬ ence in 1966. Four decades of uninter¬ rupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and significant capital investment have created one of the most dynamic economies in Africa. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining, dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector due to the country’s conservation practices and extensive nature preserves. Botswana has one of the world’s highest known rates of HIV/AIDS infection, but also one of Africa’s most progressive and compre¬ hensive programs for dealing with the disease. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southern Africa, north of South Africa Geographic coordinates: 22 00 S, 24 00 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 600,370 sq km land: 585,370 sq km water: 15,000 sq km Area— comparative: slightly smaller than Texas Land boundaries: total: 4,013 km border countries: Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe 813 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime Claims: none (landlocked) Climate: semiarid; warm winters and hot summers Terrain: predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwest Elevation extremes: lowest point: junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers 513 m highest point: Tsodilo Hills 1,489 m Natural resources: diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver Land use: arable land: 0.65% permanent crops: 0.01% other: 99.34% (2005) Irrigated land: 10 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: periodic droughts; sea¬ sonal August winds blow from the west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure visibility Environment— current issues: over- grazing; desertification; limited fresh water resources Environment — international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: landlocked; popula¬ tion concentrated in eastern part of the country PEOPLE Population: 1,815,508 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mor¬ tality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the dis¬ tribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 35.8% (male 330,377/female 319,376) 15-64 years: 60.3% (male 549,879/ female 545,148) 83 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK 65 years and over: 3.9% (male 28,725/ female 42,003) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 20.9 years male: 20.7 years female: 21.1 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.503% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 23.17 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 13.63 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 5.49 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.034 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.009 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.684 male(s)/female total population: 1.003 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 43.97 deaths/1,000 live births male: 45.02 deaths/ 1,000 live births female: 42.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 50.58 years male: 51.55 years female: 49.58 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.73 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 37.3% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 350,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 33,000 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diar¬ rhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria (2007) Nationality: noun: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural) adjective: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural) Ethnic groups: Tswana (or Setswana) 79%, Kalanga 11%, Basarwa 3%, other, including Kgalagadi and white 7% Religions: Christian 71.6%, Badimo 6%, other 1.4%, unspecified 0.4%, none 20.6% (2001 census) Languages: Setswana 78.2%, Kalanga 7.9%, Sekgalagadi 2.8%, English 2.1% (official), other 8.6%, unspecified 0.4% (2001 census) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 81.2% male: 80.4% female: 81.8% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Botswana conventional short form: Botswana local long form: Republic of Botswana local short form: Botswana former: Bechuanaland Government type: parliamentary republic Capital: name: Gaborone geographic coordinates: 24 45 S, 25 55 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 9 districts and 5 town councils*; Central, Francis- town*, Gaborone*, Ghanzi, Jwaneng*, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Lobatse*, Northeast, Northwest, Selebi-Pikwe*, Southeast, Southern Independence: 30 September 1966 (from UK) National holiday: Independence Day (Botswana Day), 30 September (1966) Constitution: March 1965, effective 30 September 1966 Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law and local customary law; judicial review limited to matters of interpreta¬ tion; accepts compulsory 1CJ jurisdic¬ tion, with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state : President Festus G. MOGAE (since 1 April 1998); Vice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998); note— the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Festus G. MOGAE (since 1 April 1998); Vice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president indirectly elected for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 20 October 2004 (next to be held in 2009); vice president appointed by the president election results: Festus G. MOGAE elected president; percent of National Assembly vote— 52% Legislative branch: bicameral Parlia¬ ment consists of the House of Chiefs (a largely advisory 15 -member body with 8 permanent members consisting of the chiefs of the principal tribes, and 7 non¬ permanent members serving 5-year terms, consisting of 4 elected subchiefs and 3 members selected by the other 12 members) and the National Assembly (63 seats, 57 members are directly elected by popular vote, 4 are appointed by the majority party, and 2, the President and Attorney-General, serve as ex-officio members; members serve five-year terms) elections: National Assembly elections last held 30 October 2004 (next to be held in October 2009) election results: percent of vote by party — BDP 51.7%, BNF 26.1%, BCP 16.6%, other 5%; seats by party — BDP 44, BNF 12, BCP 1 Judicial branch: High Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrates’ Courts (one in each district) Political parties and leaders: Botswana Alliance Movement or BAM [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO]; Botswana Congress Party or BCP [Otlaadisa KOOSALETSE]; Botswana Democratic Party or BDP [Festus G. MOGAE]; Botswana National Front or BNF [Otswoletse MOUPO]; Botswana Peoples Party or BPP; MELS Movement of Botswana or MELS; New Democratic Front or NDF note: a number of minor parties joined forces in 1999 to form the BAM but did not capture any parliamentary seats — includes the United Action Party [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO]; the Independence Freedom Party or IFP [Motsamai MPHO]; the Botswana Progressive Union [D. K. KWELE] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WC'O, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Lapologang Caesar LEKOA chancery: 1531-1533 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 244-4990 FAX: [1] (202) 244-4164 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Katherine H. CANAVAN embassy: address NA, Gaborone mailing address: Embassy Enclave, P. O. Box 90, Gaborone telephone: [267] 353982 FAX: [267] 312782 Flag description: light blue with a hori¬ zontal white-edged black stripe in the center ECONOMY Economy — overview: Botswana has maintained one of the world’s highest 84 BOTSWANA economic growth rates since independ¬ ence in 1966, though growth slowed to 4-7% in 2006. Through fiscal discipline and sound management, Botswana has transformed itself from one of the poorest countries in the world to a middle- income country with a per capita GDP of more than $11,000 in 2006. Two major investment services rank Botswana as the best credit risk in Africa. Diamond mining has fueled much of the expansion and currently accounts for more than one-third of GDP and for 70-80% of export earnings. Tourism, financial serv¬ ices, subsistence farming, and cattle raising are other key sectors. On the downside, the government must deal with high rates of unemployment and poverty. Unemployment officially was 23.8% in 2004, but unofficial estimates place it closer to 40%. HIV/AIDS infec¬ tion rates are the second highest in the world and threaten Botswana’s impres¬ sive economic gains. An expected lev¬ eling off in diamond mining production overshadows long-term prospects. GDP (purchasing power parity): $17.94 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $9,761 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 5.4% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $10,900 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 2.4% industry: 46.9% (including 36% mining) services: 50.7% (2003 est.) Labor force: 288,400 formal sector employees (2004) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% Unemployment rate: 23.8% (2004) Population below poverty line: 30.3% (2003) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Distribution of family income— Gini index: 63 (1993) inflation rate (consumer prices): 11.4% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 21.8% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $4-256 billion expenditures: $3,968 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 7.1% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: livestock, sorghum, maize, millet, beans, sun¬ flowers, groundnuts Industries: diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash; livestock pro¬ cessing; textiles Industrial production growth rate: 6.3% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 823 million kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 2.464 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 1.699 billion kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004) Oil— consumption: 11,500 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: 16,000 bbl/day (2001) Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $1,698 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $4-836 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: diamonds, copper, nickel, soda ash, meat, textiles Exports — partners: European Free Trade Association (EFTA) 87%, Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 7%, Zimbabwe 4% (2004) Imports: $3,034 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: foodstuffs, machinery, electrical goods, transport equipment, textiles, fuel and petroleum products, wood and paper products, metal and metal products Imports— partners: Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 74%, EFTA 17%, Zimbabwe 4% (2004) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $7-445 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $520 million (2006 est.) Economic aid — recipient: $73 million (1995) Currency (code): pula (BWP) Currency code: BWP Exchange rates: pulas per US dollar— 5.8447 (2006), 5.1104 (2005), 4.6929 (2004), 4.9499 (2003), 6.3278 (2002) Fiscal year: 1 April — 31 March COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 132,000 (2005) Telephones — mobile cellular: 823,100 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: the system is expanding with the growth of mobile cellular service and participation in regional development domestic: small system of open-wire lines, microwave radio relay links, and a few radiotelephone communication stations; mobile cellular service is growing fast international: country code — 267; 2 inter¬ national exchanges; digital microwave radio relay links to Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa; satellite earth station — 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 8, FM 13, shortwave 4 (2001) Radios: 252,720 (2000) Television broadcast stations: 1 (2001) Televisions: 31,000 (1997) Internet country code: .bw Internet hosts: 5,499 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 11 (2001) Internet users: 60,000 (2002) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 85 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 75 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 55 under 914 m: 17 (2006) Railways: total: 888 km narrow gauge: 888 km 1. 067 -m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 24,355 km paved: 8,914 km unpaved: 15,441 km (2004) MILITARY Military branches: Botswana Defense Force (includes an air wing) (2006) Military service age and obligation: 18 is the apparent age of voluntary military service; the official qualifications for determining minimum age are unknown (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 350,649 females age 1 8 — 49: 361,642 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 136,322 females age 18^49: 136,315 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 1 8-49 : 21,103 females age 2 8 — 49: 21,379 (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of GDP: 3.3% (2006) 85 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: the alignment of the boundary with Namibia in the Kwando/Linyanti/Chobe River, includ¬ ing the Situngu marshlands, was resolved amicably in 2003; concerns from inter¬ national experts and local populations over the ecology of the Okavango Delta in Botswana and human displacement scuttled Namibian plans to construct a hydroelectric dam at Popavalle (Popa Falls) along the Angola-Namibia border; Botswana has built electric fences to stem the thousands of Zimbabweans who flee to find work and escape political per¬ secution; Namibia has long supported, and in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objec¬ tions to, plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River, thereby de facto recog¬ nizing the short, but not clearly delim¬ ited, Botswana-Zambia boundary BOUVET ISLAND Background: This uninhabited volcanic island is almost entirely covered by gla¬ ciers and is difficult to approach. It was discovered in 1739 by a French naval officer after whom the island was named. No claim was made until 1825, when the British flag was raised. In 1928, the UK waived its claim in favor of Norway, which had occupied the island the pre¬ vious year. In 1971, Norway designated Bouvet Island and the adjacent territo¬ rial waters a nature reserve. Since 1977, it has run an automated meteorological station on the island. Ocean, southwest of the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa) Geographic coordinates: 54 26 S, 3 24 E Map references: Antarctic Region Area: total: 49 sq km land: 49 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 29.6 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 4 nm Climate: antarctic Terrain: volcanic; coast is mostly inac¬ cessible Elevation extremes: lowest point: South Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Olav Peak 935 m Natural resources: none Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops : 0% other: 100% (93% ice) (2005) Irrigated land: 0 sq km Natural hazards: NA Environment— current issues: NA Geography— note: covered by glacial ice; declared a nature reserve PEOPLE Population: uninhabited GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Bouvet Island Dependency status: territory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice and Police from Oslo Legal system: the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply Flag description: the flag of Norway is used ECONOMY Economy — overview: no economic activity; declared a nature reserve COMMUNICATIONS Internet country code: bv Internet hosts: 6 (2006) Communications— note: automatic meteorological station TRANSPORTATION Ports and terminals: none; offshore anchorage only MILITARY Military — note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of Norway TRANSNATIONAL issues Disputes — international : none Location: island in the South Atlantic INTRODUCTION Background: Following three centuries under the rule of Portugal, Brazil became an independent nation in 1822 and a republic in 1889. By far the largest and most populous country in South America, Brazil overcame more than half a century of military intervention in the governance of the country when in 1985 the military regime peacefully ceded power to civilian rulers. Brazil continues to pursue industrial and agricultural growth and development of its interior. Exploiting vast natural resources and a large labor pool, it is today South America’s leading economic power and a regional leader. Highly unequal income distribution remains a pressing problem. GEOGRAPHY Location: Eastern South America, bor¬ dering the Atlantic Ocean Geographic coordinates: 10 00 S, 55 00 w Map references: South America Area: total: 8,51 1,965 sq km land: 8,456,510 sq km water: 55,455 sq km note: includes Arquipelago de Fernando de Noronha, Atol das Rocas, Ilha da Trindade, Ilhas Martin Vaz, and Penedos de Sao Pedro e Sao Paulo Area— comparative: slightly smaller than the US Land boundaries: total: 16,885 km border countries: Argentina 1,261 km, Bolivia 3,423 km, Colombia 1,644 km, French Guiana 730.4 km, Guyana 1,606 km, Paraguay 1,365 km, Peru 2,995 km, 86 BRAZIL Suriname 593 km, Uruguay 1,068 km, Venezuela 2,200 km Coastline: 7,491 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin Climate: mostly tropical, but temperate in south Terrain: mostly flat to rolling lowlands in north; some plains, hills, mountains, and narrow coastal belt Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pico da Neblina 3,014 m Natural resources: bauxite, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, plat¬ inum, tin, uranium, petroleum, hydro- power, timber Land use: arable land: 6.93% permanent crops: 0.89% other: 92.18% (2005) Irrigated land: 29,200 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost in south Environment— current issues: defor¬ estation in Amazon Basin destroys the habitat and endangers a multitude of plant and animal species indigenous to the area; there is a lucrative illegal wildlife trade; air and water pollution in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and several other large cities; land degradation and water pollution caused by improper mining activities; wetland degradation; severe oil spills Environment — international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental Pro¬ tocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Re¬ sources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: largest country in South America; shares common bound¬ aries with every South American country except Chile and Ecuador PEOPLE Population: 190,010,647 note: Brazil conducted a census in August 2000, which reported a population of 169,799,170; that figure was about 3.3% lower than projections by the US Census Bureau, and is close to the implied underenumeration of 4.6% for the 1991 census; estimates for this country explic¬ itly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 25.3% (male 24,554,254/ female 23,613,027) 15-64 years: 68.4% (male 64,437,140/ female 65,523,447) 65 years and over: 6.3% (male 4,880,562/ female 7,002,217) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 28.6 years male: 27.9 years female: 29.4 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.008% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 16.3 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 6.19 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -0.03 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.983 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.697 male(s)/female total population: 0.976 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 27.62 deaths/1,000 live births male: 31.27 deaths/1,000 live births female: 23.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.24 years male: 68.3 years female: 76.38 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.88 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.7% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS — people living with HIV/ AIDS: 660,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 15,000 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Brazilian(s) adjective: Brazilian Ethnic groups: white 53.7%, mulatto (mixed white and black) 38.5%, black 6.2%, other (includes Japanese, Arab, Amerindian) 0.9%, unspecified 0.7% (2000 census) Religions: Roman Catholic (nominal) 73.6%, Protestant 15.4%, Spiritualist 1.3%, Bantu/voodoo 0.3%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.2%, none 7.4% (2000 census) Languages: Portuguese (official), Spanish, English, French Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 88.6% male: 88.4% female: 88.8% (2004 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Federative Republic of Brazil conventional short form: Brazil local long form: Republica Federativa do Brasil local short form: Brasil Government type: federal republic Capital: name: Brasilia geographic coordinates: 15 47 S, 47 55 W time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins third Sunday in October; ends third Sunday in February note: Brazil is divided into four time zones, including one for the Fernando de Noronha Islands Administrative divisions: 26 states (estados, singular — estado) and 1 federal district* (distrito federal); Acre, Alagoas, Amapa, Amazonas, Bahia, Ceara, Distrito Federal*, Espirito Santo, Goias, Maranhao, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Para, Paraiba, Parana, Pernambuco, Piaui, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Norte, Rio Grande do Sul, Rondonia, Roraima, Santa Catarina, Sao Paulo, Sergipe, Tocantins Independence: 7 September 1822 (from Portugal) National holiday: Independence Day, 7 September (1822) Constitution: 5 October 1988 Legal system: based on Roman codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction 87 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Suffrage: voluntary between 16 and 18 years of age and over 70; compulsory over 18 and under 70 years of age; note — military conscripts do not vote Executive branch: chief of state: President Luiz Inacio LULA DA SILVA (since 1 January 2003); Vice President Jose ALENCAR (since 1 January 2003); note — the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Luiz Inacio LULA DA SILVA (since 1 January 2003); Vice President Jose ALENCAR (since 1 January 2003) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a single four-year term; election last held 1 October 2006 with runoff 29 October 2006 (next to be held 3 October 2010 and, if necessary, 31 October 2010) election results: Luiz Inacio LULA DA SILVA (PT) reelected president — 60.83%, Geraldo ALCKMIN (PSDB) 39.17% Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congresso Nacional consists of the Federal Senate or Senado Federal (81 seats; 3 members from each state and federal district elected according to the principle of majority to serve eight-year terms; one-third and two-thirds elected every four years, alternately) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara dos Deputados (513 seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: Federal Senate — last held 1 October 2006 for one-third of the Senate (next to be held in October 2010 for two-thirds of the Senate); Chamber of Deputies- — last held 1 October 2006 (next to be held in October 2010) election results: Federal Senate — percent of vote by party— N A; seats by party — PFL 6, PSDB 5, PMDB 4, PTB 3, PT 2, PDT 1, PSB 1, PL 1, PPS 1, PRTB 1, PP 1, PCdoB 1; total seats following elec¬ tion— PFL 18, PMDB 15, PSDB 15, PT 11, PDT 5, PTB 4, PSB 3, PL 3, PCdoB 2, PRB 2, PPS 1, PRTB 1, PP 1; Chamber of Deputies — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — PMDB 89, PT 83, PFL 65, PSDB 65, PP 42, PSB 27, PDT 24, PL 23, PTB 22, PPS 21, PCdoB 13, PV 13, PSC 9, other 17 Judicial branch: Supreme Federal Tribunal ( 1 1 ministers are appointed for life by the president and confirmed by the Senate); Higher Tribunal of Justice; Regional Federal Tribunals (judges are appointed for life); note — though appointed “for life,” judges, like all fed¬ eral employees, have a mandatory retire¬ ment age of 70 Political parties and leaders: Brazilian Democratic Movement Party or PMDB [Federal Deputy Michel TEMER]; Brazilian Labor Party or PTB [Roberto JEFFERSON]; Brazilian Renewal Labor Party or PRTB [Jose Levy FIDELIX da Cruz]; Brazilian Republican Party or PRB [Vitor Paulo Araujo DOS SANTOS]; Brazilian Social Democracy Party or PSDB [Senator Tasso JEREISSATI]; Brazilian Socialist Party or PSB [Governor Eduardo Henrique Accioly CAMPOS]; Communist Party of Brazil or PCdoB [Jose Renato RABELO]; Democratic Labor Party or PDT [Carlos Roberto LUPI]; Democratic Socialist Party or PSD [Luis Marques MENDES]; Freedom and Socialism Party or PSOL [Heloisa HELENA]; Green Party or PV [Jose Luiz de Franca PENNA]; Humanist Party of Solidarity or PHS; Liberal Front Party or PFL (now known as the Democrats Party or DEM); Liberal Party or PL; Partido Municipalista Renovador or PMR [Natal Wellington Rodrigues FURUCHO]; Party of the Republic or PR [Sergio TAMER]; Popular Socialist Party or PPS [Federal Deputy Roberto FREIRE]; Progressive Party or PP [Federal Deputy Pedro CORREA]; Social Christian Party or PSC; Workers’ Party or PT [Ricardo Jose Ribeiro BERZOINI] Political pressure groups and leaders: Landless Worker’s Movement; labor unions and federations; large farmers’ associations; religious groups including evangelical Christian churches and the Catholic Church International organization participa¬ tion: AfDB, BIS, CAN (associate), CSN, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UN WTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Antonio de Aguiar PATRIOTA chancery: 3006 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 238-2700 FAX: [1] (202) 238-2827 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Clifford M. SOBEL embassy: Avenida das Nacoes, Quadra 801, Lote 3, Distrito Federal Cep 70403- 900, Brasilia mailing address: Unit 3500, APO AA 34030 telephone: [55] (61) 3312-7 000 FAX: [55] (61) 3225-9136 consulate(s) general: Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo consulate(s) : Recife Flag description: green with a large yellow diamond in the center bearing a blue celestial globe with 27 white five- pointed stars (one for each state and the Federal District) arranged in the same pattern as the night sky over Brazil; the globe has a white equatorial band with the motto ORDEM E PROGRESSO (Order and Progress) ECONOMY Economy — overview: Characterized by large and well-developed agricultural, mining, manufacturing, and service sec¬ tors, Brazil’s economy outweighs that of all other South American countries and is expanding its presence in world mar¬ kets. From 2001-03 real wages fell and Brazil’s economy grew, on average only 2.2% per year, as the country absorbed a series of domestic and international eco¬ nomic shocks. That Brazil absorbed these shocks without financial collapse is a tribute to the resiliency of the Brazilian economy and the economic program put in place by former President CARDOSO and strengthened by President LULA DA SILVA. Since 2004, Brazil has enjoyed continued growth that yielded increases in employment and real wages. The three pillars of the economic pro¬ gram are a floating exchange rate, an inflation-targeting regime, and tight fiscal policy, initially reinforced by a series of IMF programs. The currency depreciated sharply in 2001 and 2002, which contributed to a dramatic current account adjustment; from 2003 to 2006, Brazil ran record trade surpluses and recorded its first current account sur¬ pluses since 1992. Productivity gains — particularly in agriculture — also contributed to the surge in exports. While economic management has been good, there remain important economic vulnerabilities. The most significant are debt-related: the government’s largely domestic debt increased steadily from 1994 to 2003 — straining government finances — before falling as a percentage of GDP beginning in 2003. Brazil improved its debt profile in 2006 by shifting its debt burden toward real denominated and domestically held instruments. LULA DA SILVA restated 88 BRAZIL his commitment to fiscal responsibility by maintaining the country’s primary sun plus during the 2006 election. Following his second inauguration, LULA DA SILVA announced a package of further economic reforms to reduce taxes and increase public investment. A major challenge will be to maintain sufficient growth to generate employment and reduce the government debt burden. GDP (purchasing power parity): $1,655 trillion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $967 bib lion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 3.7% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $8,800 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 8% industry: 38% services: 54% (2006 est.) Labor force: 96.34 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 20% industry: 14% services: 66% (2003 est.) Unemployment rate: 9.6% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 31% (2005) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.7% highest 10%: 31.27% (2002) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 56.7 (2005) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 20.2% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $244 billion expenditures: $219.9 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (FY07 est.) Public debt: 50% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: coffee, soybeans, wheat, rice, corn, sugarcane, cocoa, citrus; beef Industries: textiles, shoes, chemicals, cement, lumber, iron ore, tin, steel, air¬ craft, motor vehicles and parts, other machinery and equipment Industrial production growth rate: 3.2% (2006 est.) Electricity — production: 546 billion kWh (2005) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 8.3% hydro: 82.7% nuclear: 4-4% other: 4-6% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 415.9 billion kWh (2005) Electricity — exports: 7 million kWh (2004) Electricity — imports: 39 billion kWh; note — supplied by Paraguay (2005) Oil — production: 1.59 million bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil — Consumption: 2.1 million bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil— exports: 278,400 bbl/day (2005) Oil— imports: 379,400 bbl/day (2005) Oil — proved reserves: 12.22 billion bbl (2006 est.) Natural gas — production: 9.66 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 17.28 bil¬ lion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 8.07 billion cu m (2006 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 306 bil¬ lion cu m (2005 est.) Current account balance: $13.5 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $137.5 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: transport equip¬ ment, iron ore, soybeans, footwear, coffee, autos Exports— partners: US 19.2%, Argentina 8.4%, China 5.8%, Netherlands 4.5%, Germany 4.2% (2005) Imports: $91.4 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: machinery, electrical and transport equipment, chemical products, oil, automotive parts, electronics Imports— partners: US 17.5%, Argentina 8.5%, Germany 8.4%, China 7.3%, Japan 4.6% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $87.27 billion (January 2007 est.) Debt— external: $176.5 billion (30 November 2006 est.) Economic aid — recipient: $30 billion (2002) Currency (code): real (BRL) Currency code: BRL Exchange rates: reals per US dollar— 2.1761 (2006), 2.4344 (2005), 2.9251 (2004), 3.0771 (2003), 2.9208 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 42.382 million (2004) Telephones— mobile cellular: 86.21 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: good working system domestic: extensive microwave radio relay system and a domestic satellite system with 64 earth stations international: country code — 55; 3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations — 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region east), connected by microwave relay system to Mercosur Brazilsat B3 satellite earth station Radio broadcast stations: AM 1,365, FM 296, shortwave 161 (of which 91 are collocated with AM stations) (1999) Radios: 71 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 138 (1997) Televisions: 36.5 million (1997) Internet country code: br Internet hosts: 6.508 million (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 50 (2000) Internet users: 25.9 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 4,276 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 714 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 24 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 164 9 14 to 1,523 m: 464 under 914 m: 54 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 3,562 I, 524 to 2,437 m: 81 914 to 1 ,523 m: 1,634 under 914 m: 1,847 (2006) Heliports: 417 (2006) Pipelines: condensate/gas 244 km; gas II, 669 km; liquid petroleum gas 341 km; oil 5,212 km; refined products 4,755 km (2006) Railways: total: 29,252 km broad gauge: 4,877 km 1.600-m gauge (939 km electrified) standard gauge : 194 km 1.440-m gauge narrow gauge: 23,785 km 1.000-m gauge (581 km electrified) dual gauge: 396 km 1.000 m and 1.600-m gauges (three rails) (78 km electrified) (2005) Roadways: total: 1,751,868 km paved: 96,353 km unpaved: 1,655,515 km (2004) Waterways: 50,000 km (most in areas remote from industry and population) (2007) Merchant marine: total: 137 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,038,923 GRT/3,057,820 DWT by type: bulk carrier 21, cargo 21, chem¬ ical tanker 8, container 8, liquefied gas 12, passenger/cargo 12, petroleum tanker 47, roll on/roll off 8 foreign'owned: 15 (Chile 1, Germany 7, Norway 2, Spain 4, UK 1) registered in other countries: 5 (Ghana 1, Liberia 3, Marshall Islands 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Gebig, Itaqui, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande, San Sebasttiao, Santos, Sepetiba Terminal, Tubarao, Vitoria 89 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK MILITARY . v • . .■ m ‘ Military branches: Brazilian Army, Brazilian Navy (Marinha do Brasil (MB), includes Naval Air and Marine Corps (Corpo de Fuzileiros Navais)), Brazilian Air Force (Forca Aerea Brasileira, FAB) (2007) Military service age and obligation: 21-45 years of age for compulsory mili- tary service; conscript service obliga- tion — 9 to 12 months; 17-45 years of age for voluntary service; an increasing per- centage of the ranks are “long-service” volunteer professionals; women were allowed to serve in the armed forces beginning in early 1980s when the Brazilian Army became the first army in South America to accept women into career ranks; women serve in Navy and Air Force only in Women’s Reserve Corps (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 19-49: 45,586,036 females age 19-49: 45,728,704 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 19-49: 33,119,098 females age 19-49: 38,079,722 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 1,785,930 females age 19-49: 1,731,648 (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of GDP: 2.6% (2006 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil- Paraguay borders is locus of money laun¬ dering, smuggling, arms and illegal narcotics trafficking, and fundraising for extremist organizations; uncontested dis¬ pute with Uruguay over certain islands in the Quarai/Cuareim and Invernada boundary streams and the resulting tri- point with Argentina Trafficking in persons: current situation: Brazil is a source and destination country for women and girls trafficked for sexual exploitation within Brazil and to desti¬ nations in South America, the Caribbean, Western Europe, Japan, the US, and the Middle East, and for men trafficked within the country for forced agricultural labor; child sex tourism is a problem within the country, particularly in the resort areas and coastal cities of Brazil’s northeast; foreign victims from Bolivia, Peru, China, and Korea are traf¬ ficked to Brazil for labor exploitation in factories tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Brazil has failed to show evidence of increasing efforts to fight trafficking, specifically for its failure to apply effective criminal penalties against traffickers who exploit forced labor Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis; trace amounts of coca cultivation in the Amazon region, used for domestic con¬ sumption; government has a large-scale eradication program to control cannabis; important transshipment country for Bolivian, Colombian, and Peruvian cocaine headed for Europe; also used by traffickers as a way station for narcotics air transshipments between Peru and Colombia; upsurge in drug-related vio¬ lence and weapons smuggling; important market for Colombian, Bolivian, and Peruvian cocaine; illicit narcotics pro¬ ceeds earned in Brazil are often laun¬ dered through the financial system; significant illicit financial activity in the Tri-Border Area BRITISH INDIAN OCEAN TERRITORY INTRODUCTION Background: Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricul¬ tural workers, earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration order that had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia. GEOGRAPHY Location: archipelago in the Indian Ocean, south of India, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia Geographic coordinates: 6 00 S, 71 30 E; note — Diego Garcia 7 20 S, 72 25 E Map references: Political Map of the World Area: total: 54,400 sq km land: 60 sq km; Diego Garcia 44 sq km water: 54,340 sq km note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago of 55 islands Area— comparative: land area is about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 698 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds Terrain: flat and low (most areas do not exceed two meters in elevation) Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m Natural resources: coconuts, fish, sugar¬ cane Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) Irrigated land: 0 sq km Natural hazards: NA Environment — current issues: NA Geography — note: archipelago of 55 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and south¬ ernmost island, occupies strategic loca¬ tion in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility PEOPLE Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: approximately 1,200 former agri¬ cultural workers resident in the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois, were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles in the 1960s and 1970s; in November 2000 they were granted the right of return by a British High Court ruling, though no 90 BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS timetable has been set; in November 2004, there were approximately 4,000 UK and US military personnel and civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia GOVERNMENT Country name; conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory conventional short form: none abbreviation: BIOT Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Common¬ wealth Office in London Legal system: the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Commissioner Leigh TURNER (since July 2006); Adminis¬ trator Tony HUMPHRIES (since February 2005); note — both reside in the UK and are represented by the officer commanding British Forces on Diego Garcia cabinet: NA elections: none; the monarch is heredi¬ tary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the UK) Flag description: white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag ECONOMY Economy— overview: All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where a joint UK-US military facility is located. Construction projects and various serv¬ ices needed to support the military installation are performed by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the native Ilois return, they plan to reestab¬ lish sugarcane production and fishing. The territory makes money by selling fishing licenses and postage stamps. Electricity— production: NA kWh; note- electricity supplied by the US military Electricity— consumption: NA kWh Currency (COde): both the British Pound (GBP) and the US Dollar (USD) are accepted Telephones — main lines in use: NA Telephone system: general assessment: separate facilities for military and public needs are available domestic: all commercial telephone serv¬ ices are available, including connection to the Internet international: international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000) Radio broadcast stations: AM l, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) Radios: NA Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997) Televisions: NA Internet country code: io Internet hosts: 65 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 1 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2006) Roadways: total: NA paved: short section of paved road between port and airfield on Diego Garcia Ports and terminals: Diego Garcia MILITARY Military — note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016 TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia; in 2001, the former inhabitants of the Chagos Archipelago, evicted in 1967 and 1973 and now residing chiefly in Mauritius, were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation; in May 2006, the High Court of London reversed U.K. Government’s 2004 orders of council that banned habitation on the islands; a small group of Chagossians vis¬ ited Diego Garcia in April 2006; repatri¬ ation is complicated by the exclusive US military lease of Diego Garcia that restricts access to the largest viable island in the chain BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS INTRODUCTION Background: First inhabited by Arawak and later by Carib Indians, the Virgin Islands were settled by the Dutch in 1648 and then annexed by the English in 1672. The islands were part of the British colony of the Leeward Islands from 1872-1960; they were granted autonomy in 1967. The economy is closely tied to the larger and more populous US Virgin Islands to the west; the US dollar is the legal currency. GEOGRAPHY Location: Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico Geographic coordinates: 18 30 N, 64 30 W Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total: 153 sq km land: 153 sq km water: 0 sq km note: comprised of 16 inhabited and more than 20 uninhabited islands; includes the islands of Tortola, Anegada, Virgin Gorda, Jost van Dyke Area — comparative: about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 80 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm Climate: subtropical; humid; tempera¬ tures moderated by trade winds Terrain: coral islands relatively flat; vol¬ canic islands steep, hilly Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Sage 521 m Natural resources: NEGL Land use: arable land: 20% 91 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK permanent crops: 6.67% other: 73.33% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October) Environment— current issues: limited nat¬ ural fresh water resources (except for a few seasonal streams and springs on Tortola, most of the islands’ water supply comes from wells and rainwater catchments) Geography — note: strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico PEOPLE Population: 23,552 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0—14 years: 20.2% (male 2,410/female 2,337) 15-64 years: 74-5% (male 9,004/female 8,534) 65 years and over: 5.4% (male 665/female 602) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 31.7 years male: 31.9 years female: 31.5 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.923% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 14-82 births/1, 000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 4.42 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 8.83 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.031 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.055 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.105 male(s)/female total population: 1.053 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 16.13 deaths/1,000 live births male: 18.82 deaths/1,000 live births female: 13.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.86 years male: 75.71 years female: 78.07 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.72 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS — deaths: NA Nationality: noun: British Virgin Islander(s) adjective: British Virgin Islander Ethnic groups: black 83%, other 17% (includes white, Indian, Asian and mixed) Religions: Protestant 86% (Methodist 33%, Anglican 17%, Church of God 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah’s Witnesses 2%, other 15%), Roman Catholic 10%, other 2%, none 2% (1991) Languages: English (official) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.8% (1991 est.) male: NA% female: NA% GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: British Virgin Islands abbreviation: BVI Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing Government type: NA Capital: name: Road Town geographic coordinates: 18 27 N, 64 37 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: none (over¬ seas territory of the UK) Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK) National holiday: Territory Day, 1 July (1956) Constitution: 1 June 1977, amended in 2000 Legal system: English law Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor David PEAREY (since 18 April 2006) head of government: Chief Minister Dr. Orlando D. SMITH (since 17 June 2003) cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from members of the Legislative Council elections: none; the monarch is heredi¬ tary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed chief minister by the governor Legislative branch: unicameral Legis¬ lative Council (13 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote, 1 member from each of nine electoral districts, 4 at- large members; to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 16 May 2003 (next to be held in 2007) election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — NDP 8, VIP 5 Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal (one judge of the Supreme Court is a res¬ ident of the islands and presides over the High Court); Magistrate’s Court; Juvenile Court; Court of Summary Jurisdiction Political parties and leaders: Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Ethlyn SMITH]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Orlando SMITH]; United Party or UP [Gregory MADURO]; Virgin Islands Party or VIP [Ralph T. O’NEAL] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS (associate), UNESCO (associate), UPU Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the UK) Flag description: blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Virgin Islander coat of arms cen¬ tered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts a woman flanked on either side by a vertical column of six oil lamps above a scroll bearing the Latin word VIGILATE (Be Watchful) ECONOMY Economy — overview: The economy, one of the most stable and prosperous in the Caribbean, is highly dependent on tourism, generating an estimated 45% of the national income. An estimated 820,000 tourists, mainly from the US, visited the islands in 2005. In the mid- 1980s, the government began offering offshore registration to companies wishing to incorporate in the islands, and incorporation fees now generate sub¬ stantial revenues. Roughly 400,000 com¬ panies were on the offshore registry by yearend 2000. The adoption of a com¬ prehensive insurance law in late 1994, which provides a blanket of confiden¬ tiality with regulated statutory gateways for investigation of criminal offenses, made the British Virgin Islands even more attractive to international business. Livestock raising is the most important agricultural activity; poor soils limit the islands’ ability to meet domestic food requirements. Because of traditionally close links with the US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands has used the US dollar as its currency since 1959. GDP (purchasing power parity): $853.4 million (2004 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $839.7 million (2003) GDP— real growth rate: 1% (2002 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $38,500 (2004 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 1.8% 92 BRUNEI industry: 6.2% services: 92% (1996 est.) Labor force: 12,770 (2004) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 0.6% industry: 40% services: 59.4% (2005) Unemployment rate: 3.6% (1997) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2% (2005) Budget: revenues: $204.7 million expenditures: $180.4 million; including capital expenditures of $33.8 million (2004) Agriculture— products: fruits, vegeta¬ bles; livestock, poultry; fish Industries: tourism, light industry, con¬ struction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity— production: 42 million kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 39.06 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004) Oil— consumption: 480 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: NA bbl/day Oil — imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $134 3 mil¬ lion (1999) Exports: $25.3 million (2002) Exports — commodities: rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand Exports— partners: Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US (2004) imports: $187 million (2002 est.) Imports— commodities: building mate¬ rials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery Imports— partners: Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US (2004) Debt— external: $36.1 million (1997) Economic aid— recipient: $NA Currency (code): US dollar (USD) Currency code: USD Exchange rates: the US dollar is used Fiscal year: 1 April— 31 March COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 11,700 (2002) Telephones— mobile cellular: 8,000 (2002) Telephone system: general assessment: worldwide telephone service domestic: NA international: country code — 1-284; sub¬ marine cable to Bermuda Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004) Radios: 9,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus 1 cable company) (1997) Televisions: 4,000 (1997) Internet country code: vg Internet hosts: 525 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 16 (2000) Internet users: 4,000 (2002) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 3 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006) Roadways: total: 177 km paved: 177 km (2002) Merchant marine: registered in other countries: 1 (North Korea 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Road Town MILITARY Manpower available for military service: males age i 8 — 49: 6,410 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 5,295 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 201 (2005 est.) Military— note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of the UK TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: none Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe; large offshore finan¬ cial center makes it vulnerable to money laundering INTRODUCTION Background: The Sultanate of Brunei’s influence peaked between the 15th and 17th centuries when its control extended over coastal areas of northwest Borneo and the southern Philippines. Brunei subsequently entered a period of decline brought on by internal strife over royal succession, colonial expansion of European powers, and piracy. In 1888, Brunei became a British protectorate; independence was achieved in 1984- The same family has ruled Brunei for over six centuries. Brunei benefits from extensive petroleum and natural gas fields, the source of one of the highest per capita GDPs in Asia. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia Geographic coordinates: 4 30 N, 1 14 40 E Map references: Southeast Asia Area: total: 5,770 sq km land: 5,270 sq km water: 500 sq km Area— comparative: slightly smaller than Delaware Land boundaries: total: 381 km border countries: Malaysia 381 km Coastline: 161 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 1 2 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or to median line Climate: tropical; hot, humid, rainy Terrain: flat coastal plain rises to moun¬ tains in east; hilly lowland in west Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m 93 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK highest point: Bukit Pagon 1,850 m Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, timber Land use: arable land: 2.08% permanent crops: 0.87% Other: 97.05% (2005) Irrigated land: 10 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare Environment— current issues: seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: close to vital sea lanes through South China Sea linking Indian and Pacific Oceans; two parts physically separated by Malaysia; almost an enclave within Malaysia Population: 374,577 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 27.8% (male 53,512/female 50,529) 15-64 years: 69% (male 130,134/female 128,488) 65 years and over: 3.2% (male 5,688/ female 6,226) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 27.2 years male: 27.3 years female: 27.1 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.81% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 18.56 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 3.26 deaths/1,000 popula- tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 2.79 migrants )/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.059 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.013 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.914 male(s)/female total population: 1.022 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 13.12 deaths/1,000 live births male: 15.72 deaths/ 1,000 live births female: 10.4 deaths/ 1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.3 years male: 73.12 years female: 77.59 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.97 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: less than 200 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Bruneian(s) adjective: Bruneian Ethnic groups: Malay 67%, Chinese 15%, indigenous 6%, other 12% Religions: Muslim (official) 67%, Buddhist 13%, Christian 10%, other (includes indigenous beliefs) 10% Languages: Malay (official), English, Chinese Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.7% male: 95.2% female: 90.2% (2001 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam conventional short form: Brunei local long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam local short form: Brunei Government type: constitutional sub tanate Capital: name: Bandar Seri Begawan geographic coordinates: 4 53 N, 114 56 E time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 4 districts (daerah'daerah, singular — daerah); Belait, Brunei and Muara, Temburong, Tutong Independence: 1 January 1984 (from UK) National holiday: National Day, 23 February (1984); note — 1 January 1984 was the date of independence from the UK, 23 February 1984 was the date of independence from British protection Constitution: 29 September 1959 (some provisions suspended under a State of Emergency since December 1962, others since independence on 1 January 1984) Legal system: based on English common law; for Muslims, Islamic Shari’a law supersedes civil law in a number of areas Suffrage: none Executive branch: chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah (since 5 October 1967); note — the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah (since 5 October 1967) cabinet: Council of Cabinet Ministers appointed and presided over by the monarch; deals with executive matters; note — there is also a Religious Council (members appointed by the monarch) that advises on religious matters, a Privy Council (members appointed by the monarch) that deals with constitutional matters, and the Council of Succession (members appointed by the monarch) that determines the succession to the throne if the need arises elections: none; the monarch is hereditary Legislative branch: Legislative Council met on 25 September 2004 for first time in 20 years with 21 members appointed by the Sultan; passed constitutional amendments calling for a 45 -seat council with 15 elected members; Sultan dis¬ solved council on 1 September 2005 and appointed a new council with 29 mem¬ bers as of 2 September 2005 elections: last held in March 1962 (date of next election NA) Judicial branch: Supreme Court — chief justice and judges are sworn in by monarch for three-year terms; Judicial Committee of Privy Council in London is final court of appeal for civil cases; Shariah courts deal with Islamic laws (2006) Political parties and leaders: Brunei Solidarity National Party or PPKB [Haji Mohd HATTA bin Haji Zainal Abidin]; National Development Party or NDP [YASSIN Affendi] note: People’s Awareness Party or PAKAR [Awang Haji MAIDIN bin Haji Ahmad] was deregistered in 2007; parties are small and have limited activity Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participation: APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, C, EAS, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Pengiran Anak Dato PUTEH chancery: 3520 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 237-1838 FAX: [1] (202) 885-0560 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Emil SKODON embassy: Third Floor, Teck Guan Plaza, Jalan Sultan, Bandar Seri Begawan, BS8811 mailing address: PSC 470 (BSB), FPO AP 96507; P.O. Box 2991, Bandar Seri 94 BRUNEI Begawan BS8675, Negara Brunei Darussalam telephone: [673] 222-0384 FAX: [673] 222-5293 Flog description: yellow with two diag¬ onal bands of white (top, almost double width) and black starting from the upper hoist side; the national emblem in red is superimposed at the center; the emblem includes a swallow-tailed flag on top of a winged column within an upturned cres¬ cent above a scroll and flanked by two upraised hands ECONOMY Economy— overview: Brunei has a small well-to-do economy that encompasses a mixture of foreign and domestic entrepre¬ neurship, government regulation, welfare measures, and village tradition. Crude oil and natural gas production account for just over half of GDP and more than 90% of exports. Per capita GDP is among the highest in Asia, and substantial income from overseas investment supplements income from domestic production. The government provides for all medical serv¬ ices and free education through the uni¬ versity level and subsidizes rice and housing. Brunei’s leaders are concerned that steadily increased integration in the world economy will undermine internal social cohesion. Plans for the future include upgrading the labor force, reducing unemployment, strengthening the banking and tourist sectors, and, in general, further widening the economic base beyond oil and gas. GDP (purchasing power parity): $9,531 billion (2005 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $9,531 billion (2005 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 0.4% (2005 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $25,600 (2005 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 0.9% industry: 71.6% services: 27.5% (2005 est.) Labor force: 180,400 (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 2.9% industry: 61.1% services: 36% (2003 est.) Unemployment rate: 4% (2006) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.1% (2005) Budget: revenues: $3,765 billion expenditures: $4-815 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2004 est.) Agriculture — products: rice, vegetables, fruits; chickens, water buffalo, cattle, goats, eggs Industries: petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas, construction Industrial production growth rate: 1.8% (2005 est.) Electricity— production: 2.913 billion kWh (2005) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 2.726 billion kWh (2005 est.) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2005) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2005) Oil — production: 219,300 bbl/day (2006) Oil— consumption: 14,900 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil— exports: 205,600 bbl/day (2006) Oil — imports: 31,190 bbl/day (2006) Oil— proved reserves: 1.255 billion bbl (1 January 2002) Natural gas— production: 11.5 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 2 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 9.5 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 390.8 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Exports: $6,247 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.) Exports — Commodities: crude oil, nat¬ ural gas, refined products, clothing Exports— partners: Japan 36.8%, Indonesia 19.3%, South Korea 12.7%, US 9.5%, Australia 9.3% (2005) Imports: $1,481 billion c.i.f. (2005 est.) Imports — commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, chemicals Imports — partners: Singapore 32.7%, Malaysia 23.3%, Japan 6.9%, UK 5.3%, Thailand 4-5%, South Korea 4% (2005) Debt — external: $0 (2005) Economic aid— recipient: $NA Currency (code): Bruneian dollar (BND) Currency code: BND Exchange rates: Bruneian dollars per US dollar— 1.5886 (2006), 1.6644 (2005), 1.6902 (2004), 1.7422 (2003), 1.7906 (2002) Fiscal year: 1 April— 31 March COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 90,000 (2002) Telephones— mobile cellular: 205,900 (2004) Telephone system: general assessment: service throughout the country is excellent; international service is good to Southeast Asia, Middle East, Western Europe, and the US domestic: every service available international: country code — 673; satel¬ lite earth stations — 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean); digital sub¬ marine cable links to Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore (2006) Radio broadcast stations: AM l, FM 2 (transmitting on 18 different frequen¬ cies), shortwave 0 (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) station transmits two FM signals with English and Nepali service) (2006) Radios: 329,000 (1998) Television broadcast stations: 4 (includes 2 UHF stations broadcasting a subscription service) (2006) Televisions: 201,900 (1998) Internet country code: bn Internet hosts: 27 (2005) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000) Internet users: 56,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 2 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006) Heliports: 3 (2006) Pipelines: gas 672 km; oil 463 km (2006) Roadways: total: 3,650 km paved: 2,819 km unpaved: 831 km (2005) Waterways: 209 km (navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m) (2007) Merchant marine: total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 465,937 GRT/413,393 DWT by type: liquefied gas 8 foreign'Owned: 8 (UK 8) (2006) Ports and terminals: Fumut, Muara, Seria MILITARY Military branches: Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF): Royal Brunei hand Forces, Royal Brunei Navy, Royal Brunei Air Force (Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei) (2005) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age (est.) (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 103,885 95 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK females age 18-49: 93,024 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 85,045 females age 18-49: 77,436 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-4 9: 3,478 females age 18-49: 3,342 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 4.5% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: Brunei and Malaysia are still considering interna¬ tional adjudication over their disputed offshore and deepwater seabeds, where hydrocarbon exploration was terminated in 2003 international legal adjudication; Malaysia’s land boundary with Brunei around Limbang is in dispute; Brunei established an exclusive economic fishing zone encompassing Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands in 1984, but makes no public territorial claim to the offshore reefs; the 2002 “Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea” has eased tensions in the Spratly Islands but falls short of a legally binding “code of conduct” desired by several of the disputants Illicit drugs: drug trafficking and ille¬ gally importing controlled substances are serious offenses in Brunei and carry a mandatory death penalty BULGARIA INTRODUCTION Background: The Bulgars, a Central Asian Turkic tribe, merged with the local Slavic inhabitants in the late 7th century to form the first Bulgarian state. In suc¬ ceeding centuries, Bulgaria struggled with the Byzantine Empire to assert its place in the Balkans, but by the end of the 14th century the country was overrun by the Ottoman Turks. Northern Bulgaria attained autonomy in 1878 and all of Bulgaria became independent from the Ottoman Empire in 1908. Having fought on the losing side in both World Wars, Bulgaria fell within the Soviet sphere of influence and became a People’s Republic in 1946. Communist domination ended in 1990, when Bulgaria held its first mul¬ tiparty election since World War II and began the contentious process of moving toward political democracy and a market economy while combating inflation, unemployment, corruption, and crime. The country joined NATO in 2004 and the EU in 2007. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southeastern Europe, bor¬ dering the Black Sea, between Romania and Turkey Geographic coordinates: 43 00 N, 25 00 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 110,910 sq km land: 110,550 sq km water: 360 sq km Area — comparative: slightly larger than Tennessee Land boundaries: total: 1,808 km border countries: Greece 494 km, Mace¬ donia 148 km, Romania 608 km, Serbia 318 km, Turkey 240 km Coastline: 354 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 1 2 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers Terrain: mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast Elevation extremes: lowest point: Black Sea 0 m highest point: Musala 2,925 m Natural resources: bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land Land use: arable land: 29.94% permanent crops: 1.9% other: 68.16% (2005) Irrigated land: 5,880 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: earthquakes, landslides Environment— current issues: air pollu¬ tion from industrial emissions; rivers pol¬ luted from raw sewage, heavy metals, detergents; deforestation; forest damage from air pollution and resulting acid rain; soil contamination from heavy metals from metallurgical plants and industrial wastes Environment — international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution- Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution- Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Re¬ sources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change- Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, En¬ dangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia PEOPLE Population: 7,322,858 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 13.9% (male 521,117/female 496,022) 15-64 years: 68.7% (male 2,472,424/ female 2,556,102) 65 years and over: 17.4% (male 523,660/ female 753,533) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 40.9 years male: 38.8 years female: 43.1 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: -0.837% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 9.62 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 14.28 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -3.71 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.051 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.967 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.695 male(s)/female total population: 0.924 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 19.16 deaths/1,000 live births male: 22.75 deaths/1,000 live births female: 15.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.57 years male: 68.95 years 96 BULGARIA female: 76.4 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.39 children bom/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS — people living with HIV/ AIDS: 346 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 100 (2001 est.) Nationality: noun: Bulgarian(s) adjective: Bulgarian Ethnic groups: Bulgarian 83.9%, Turk 9.4%, Roma 4.7%, other 2% (including Macedonian, Armenian, Tatar, Circas¬ sian) (2001 census) Religions: Bulgarian Orthodox 82.6%, Muslim 12.2%, other Christian 1.2%, other 4% (2001 census) Languages: Bulgarian 84.5%, Turkish 9.6%, Roma 4.1%, other and unspecified 1.8% (2001 census) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.2% male: 98.7% female: 97.7% (2001 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Bulgaria conventional short form: Bulgaria local long form: Republika Balgariya local short form: Balgariya Government type: parliamentary democracy Capital: name: Sofia geographic coordinates: 42 41 N, 23 19 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 28 provinces (oblasti, singular — oblast); Blagoevgrad, Burgas, Dobrich, Gabrovo, Khaskovo, Kurdzhali, Kyustendil, Lovech, Mon¬ tana, Pazardzhik, Pernik, Pleven, Plovdiv, Razgrad, Ruse, Shumen, Silistra, Sliven, Smolyan, Sofiya, Sofiya-Grad, Stara Zagora, Turgovishte, Varna, Veliko Turnovo, Vidin, Vratsa, Yambol Independence: 3 March 1878 (as an autonomous principality within the Ottoman Empire); 22 September 1908 (complete independence from the Ottoman Empire) National holiday: Liberation Day, 3 March (1878) Constitution: adopted 12 July 1991 Legal system: civil law and criminal law based on Roman law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Georgi PAR- VANOV (since 22 January 2002); Vice President Angel MARIN (since 22 January 2002) head of government: Prime Minister Sergei STAN1SHEV (since 16 August 2005); Deputy Prime Ministers Ivaylo KALFIN, Daniel VULCHEV, and Emel ETEM (since 16 August 2005) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and elected by the National Assembly elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 22 and 29 October 2006 (next to be held in 2011); chairman of the Council of Ministers (prime minister) nominated by the president and elected by the National Assembly; deputy prime minis¬ ters nominated by the prime minister and elected by the National Assembly election results: Georgi PURVANOV reelected president; percent of vote — Georgi PURVANOV 77.3%, Volen SIDEROV 22.7%; Sergei STANISHEV elected prime minister, result of legisla¬ tive vote — 168 to 67 Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Narodno Sobranie (240 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four- year terms) elections: last held 25 June 2005 (next to be held in June 2009) election results: percent of vote by party — CfB 31.1%, NMS2 19.9%, MRF 12.7%, ATAKA 8.2%, UDF 7.7%, DSB 6.5%, BPU 5.2%, other 8.7%; seats by party— CfB 83, NMS2 53, MRF 33, UDF 20, ATAKA 17, DSB 17, BPU 13, independ¬ ents 4 Judicial branch: Supreme Adminis¬ trative Court; Supreme Court of Cassation; Constitutional Court (12 jus¬ tices appointed or elected for nine-year terms); Supreme Judicial Council (con¬ sists of the chairmen of the two Supreme Courts, the Chief Prosecutor, and 22 other members; responsible for appointing the justices, prosecutors, and investigating magistrates in the justice system; members of the Supreme Judicial Council elected for five-year terms, 11 elected by the National Assembly and 1 1 by bodies of the judiciary) Political parties and leaders: ATAKA (Attack Coalition) (coalition of parties headed by the Attack National Union); Attack National Union [Volen SIDEROV]; Bulgarian Agrarian National Union-People’s Union or BANU [Anastasia MOZER]; Bulgarian People’s Union or BPU (coalition of UFD, IMRO, and BANU); Bulgarian Socialist Party or BSP [Sergei STANI¬ SHEV]; Coalition for Bulgaria or CfB (coalition of parties dominated by BSP) [Sergei STANISHEV]; Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria or DSB [Ivan KOSTOV]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization or IMRO [Krasimir KARAKACHANOV]; Movement for Rights and Freedoms or MRF [Ahmed DOGAN]; National Movement for Simeon II or NMS2 [Simeon SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA]; New Time [Emil KOSHLUKOV]; Union of Democratic Forces or UDF [Petar STOYANOV]; Union of Free Democrats or UFD [Stefan SOFIYANSKI]; United Democratic Forces or UtDF (a coalition of center-right parties dominated by UDF) Political pressure groups and leaders: Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria or CITUB; Podkrepa Labor Confederation; numerous regional, ethnic, and national interest groups with various agendas International organization participa¬ tion: ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EU (new member), FAO, G-9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Elena B. POPTODOROVA chancery: 1621 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 387-0174 FAX: [1] (202) 234-7973 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John Ross BEYRLE embassy: 16 Kozyak Street, Sofia 1407 mailing address: American Embassy Sofia, US Department of State, 5740 Sofia Place, Washington, DC 20521-5740 telephone: [359] (2) 937-5100 FAX: [359] (2) 937-532 0 Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, and red; note — the national emblem, formerly on the hoist side of the white stripe, has been removed ECONOMY Economy — overview: Bulgaria, a former communist country that entered the EU 97 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK on 1 January 2007, has experienced macroeconomic stability and strong growth since a major economic down- turn in 1996 led to the fall of the then socialist government. As a result, the government became committed to eco- nomic reform and responsible fiscal plan- ning. Minerals, including coal, copper, and zinc, play an important role in industry. In 1997, macroeconomic sta¬ bility was reinforced by the imposition of a fixed exchange rate of the lev against the German D-mark — the currency is now fixed against the euro — and the negotiation of an IMF standby agree¬ ment. Low inflation and steady progress on structural reforms improved the busi¬ ness environment; Bulgaria has averaged 5.1% growth since 2000 and has begun to attract significant amounts of foreign direct investment. Corruption in the public administration, a weak judiciary, and the presence of organized crime remain the largest challenges for Bulgaria. GDP (purchasing power parity): $78.68 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $28.06 billion (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 6.3% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $10,700 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 13.6% industry: 32.1% services: 54-3% (2006 est.) Labor force: 3.51 million (30 September 2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 8.5% industry: 33.6% services: 57.9% (2nd qtr. 2006 est.) Unemployment rate: 9.6% (2006 est.) Population below poverty Sine: 14.1% (2003 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 25.4% (2005) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 31.6 (2005) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.5% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 23.8% of GDP (3rd qtr. 2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $13.28 billion expenditures: $12.16 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 25.6% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: vegetables, fruits, tobacco, wine, wheat, barley, sun¬ flowers, sugar beets; livestock Industries: electricity, gas, water; food, beverages, tobacco; machinery and equipment, base metals, chemical prod¬ ucts, coke, refined petroleum, nuclear fuel Industrial production growth rate: 11.3% (Third Quarter, 2006 est.) Electricity — production: 45.7 billion kWh (2006) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 47.8% hydro: 8.1% nuclear: 44.1% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 37.4 billion kWh (2006) Electricity — exports: 7.8 billion kWh (2006) Electricity — imports: 0 kWh (2006) Oil — production: 3,000 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil — consumption: 131,400 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— exports: 51,000 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— imports: 128,400 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— proved reserves: 15 million bbl (1 January 2006) Natural gas— production: 407,000 cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 3.472 bil¬ lion cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas — exports: 0 cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas— imports: 3.065 billion cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 5.947 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $5.1 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $15.5 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: clothing, footwear, iron and steel, machinery and equipment, fuels Exports— partners: Italy 12%, Turkey 10.5%, Germany 9.8%, Greece 9.5%, Belgium 5.9%, France 4.6% (2005) Imports: $23.8 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: machinery and equipment; metals and ores; chemicals and plastics; fuels, minerals, and raw materials Imports— partners: Russia 15.6%, Germany 13.6%, Italy 9%, Turkey 6.1%, Greece 5%, France 4.7% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $11.43 billion (February 2007 est.) Debt— external: $24.3 billion (30 November 2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $742 million (2005-06 est.) Currency (code): lev (BGL) Currency code: BGN Exchange rates: leva per US dollar— 1.5576 (2006), 1.5741 (2005), 1.5751 (2004), 1.7327 (2003), 2.077 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 2.483 million (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 6.245 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: extensive but anti¬ quated domestic: more than two-thirds of the lines are residential; telephone service is available in most villages; a fairly modern digital cable trunk line now con¬ nects switching centers in most of the regions, the others are connected by dig¬ ital microwave radio relay international: country code- — 359; direct dialing to 58 countries; satellite earth stations- — 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 2 Intelsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions) Radio broadcast stations: AM 31, FM 63, shortwave 2 (2001) Radios: 4.51 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 39 (plus 1,242 repeaters) (2001) Televisions: 3.31 million (1997) Internet country code: bg Internet hosts: 184,975 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 200 (2001) Internet users: 2.2 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 217 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 132 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 19 1,524 to 2,437 m: 15 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 96 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 85 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1 ,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 72 (2006) Heliports: 4 (2006) Pipelines: gas 2,505 km; oil 339 km; refined products 156 km (2006) Railways: total: 4,294 km standard gauge: 4,049 km 1.435-m gauge (2,710 km electrified) narrow gauge: 245 km 0.760-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 44,033 km paved: 43,593 km (includes 333 km of expressways) unpaved: 440 km (2004) Waterways: 470 km (2007) Merchant marine: total: 75 ships (1000 GRT or over) 872,653 GRT/1,294,877 DWT 98 BURKINA FASO by type: bulk carrier 40, cargo 17, chem- ical tanker 4, container 6, passenger/ cargo 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 4 foreign- owned: 2 (Germany 1, Russia 1) registered in other countries: 41 (Cambodia 1, Comoros 1, Malta 13, Panama 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 17, Slovakia 7, unknown 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Burgas, Vama MILITARY Military branches: Bulgarian Armed Forces: Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Bulgarian Air Forces (Bulgarski Voennovazdyshni Sily, BVVS) (2006) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; service in the Army is mandatory for all men under the age of 27; conscript service Qbligation — 9 months; as of May 2006, 67% of the Bulgarian Army comprised of profes- sional soldiers; conscription into the Army to end as of 1 January 2008; Air and Air Defense Forces and Naval Forces became fully professional at the end of 2006; Bulgarian Armed Forces encoun- tered difficulties meeting conscript quotas in April 2007 (2007) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 1,661,211 females age 18-49: 1,660,982 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18—49: 1,302,037 females age 18-49: 1,365,126 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 51,023 females age 18—49: 48,651 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 2.6% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: none Illicit drugs: major European transship¬ ment point for Southwest Asian heroin and, to a lesser degree, South American cocaine for the European market; limited producer of precursor chemicals; some money laundering of drug-related pro¬ ceeds through financial institutions BURKINA FASO CdTE OlVOiRE if . _ ¥ i --w: i v- INTRODUCTION Background: Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta) achieved independence from France in 1960. Repeated military coups during the 1970s and 1980s were followed by multiparty elections in the early 1990s. Current President Blaise COMPAORE came to power in a 1987 military coup and has won every election since then. Burkina Faso’s high population density and limited natural resources result in poor economic prospects for the majority of its citizens. Recent unrest in Cote d’Ivoire and northern Ghana has hindered the ability of several hundred thousand seasonal Burkinabe farm workers to find employ¬ ment in neighboring countries. GEOGRAPHY Location: Western Africa, north of Ghana Geographic coordinates: 13 00 N, 2 00 W Map references: Africa Area: total: 274,200 sq km land: 273,800 sq km water: 400 sq km Area — comparative: slightly larger than Colorado Land boundaries: total: 3,193 km border countries: Benin 306 km, Cote d’Ivoire 584 km, Ghana 549 km, Mali 1,000 km, Niger 628 km, Togo 126 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime Claims: none (landlocked) Climate: tropical; warm, dry winters; hot, wet summers Terrain: mostly flat to dissected, undu¬ lating plains; hills in west and southeast Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mouhoun (Black Volta) River 200 m highest point: Tena Kourou 749 m Natural resources: manganese, lime¬ stone, marble; small deposits of gold, phosphates, pumice, salt Land use: arable land: 17.66% permanent crops: 0.22% other: 82.12% (2005) Irrigated land: 250 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: recurring droughts Environment— current issues: recent droughts and desertification severely af¬ fecting agricultural activities, population distribution, and the economy; over- grazing; soil degradation; deforestation Environment — international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: landlocked savanna cut by the three principal rivers of the Black, Red, and White Voltas PEOPLE Population: 14,326,203 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mor¬ tality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the dis¬ tribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 46.7% (male 3,356,737/ female 3,327,058) 15-64 years: 50.9% (male 3,635,152/ female 3,650,303) 65 years and over: 2.5% (male 141,554/ female 215,399) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 16.5 years male: 16.3 years female: 16.7 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.997% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 45.28 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 15.31 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.009 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.996 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.657 male(s)/female total population: 0.992 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 89.79 deaths/1,000 live births male: 97.55 deaths/1,000 live births female: 81.8 deaths/ 1,000 live births (2007 est.) 99 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Life expectancy at birth: total population: 49.21 years male : 47.68 years female: 50.8 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 6.41 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 4.2% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 300,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 29,000 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria is a high risk in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2007) Nationality: noun: Burkinabe (singular and plural) adjective: Burkinabe Ethnic groups: Mossi over 40%, other approximately 60% (includes Gurunsi, Senufo, Lobi, Bobo, Mande, and Fulani) Religions: Muslim 50%, indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian (mainly Roman Catholic) 10% Languages: French (official), native African languages belonging to Sudanic family spoken by 90% of the population Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 21.8% male: 29.4% female: 15.2% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Burkina Faso local long form: none local short form: Burkina Faso former: Upper Volta, Republic of Upper Volta Government type: parliamentary republic Capital: name: Ouagadougou geographic coordinates: 12 22N, 1 31 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 45 provinces; Bale, Bam, Banwa, Bazega, Bougouriba, Boulgou, Boulkiemde, Comoe, Ganzour- gou, Gnagna, Gourma, fdouet, Ioba, Kadiogo, Kenedougou, Komondjari, Kompienga, Kossi, Koulpelogo, Kouri- tenga, Kourweogo, Leraba, Loroum, Mouhoun, Nahouri, Namentenga, Nayala, Noumbiel, Oubritenga, Oudalan, Passore, Poni, Sanguie, Sanmatenga, Seno, Sissili, Soum, Sourou, Tapoa, Tuy, Yagha, Yatenga, Ziro, Zondoma, Zoundweogo Independence: 5 August I960 (from France) National holiday: Republic Day, 11 December (1958) Constitution: 2 June 1991 approved by referendum, 11 June 1991 formally adopted; last amended January 2002 Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law Suffrage: universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Blaise COM- PAORE (since 15 October 1987) head of government: Prime Minister Paramanga Ernest YONLI (since 6 November 2000) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 13 November 2005 (next to be held in 2010); in April 2000, the constitution was amended reducing the presidential term from seven to five years, enforce¬ able as of 2005; prime minister appointed by the president with the consent of the legislature election results: Blaise COMPAORE reelected president; percent of popular vote — Blaise COMPAORE 80.3%, Benewende Stanislas SANKARA 4.9% Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (111 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: National Assembly election last held 6 May 2007 (next to be held in May 2012) election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party— CDP 73, RDA- ADF 14, UPR 5, UNIR-MS 4, CFD-B 3, UPS 2, PDP-PS 2, RDB 2, PDS 2, PAREN 1, PAI 1, RPC 1, UDPS 1 Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Appeals Court Political parties and leaders: African Democratic Rally-Alliance for Democracy and Federation or ADF- RDA [Gilbert OUEDRAOGO]; Citizen’s Popular Rally or RPC; Confederation for Federation and Democracy or CFD [Amadou Diemdioda DICKO]; Congress for Democracy and Progress or CDP [Roch Marc-Christian KABORE]; Convention of the Democratic Forces of Burkina or CFD-B; Movement for Tolerance and Progress or MTP [Nayabtigungou Congo KABORE]; Party for African Independence or PAI [Philippe OUEDRAOGO]; Party for Democracy and Progress/Socialist Party or PDP/PS [Ali LANKOANDE]; Party for Democracy and Socialism or PDS; Party for National Rebirth or PAREN; Rally for the Development of Burkina or RDB; Rally of Ecologists of Burkina Faso or RDEB [Ram OUEDRAGO]; Republican Party for Integration and Solidarity or PARIS [Cyril GOUN- GOUNGA]; Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS; Union for Rebirth — Sankarist Movement or UNIR-MS; Union for the Republic or UPR [Toussaint Abel COULIBALY]; Union of Sankarist Parties or UPS Political pressure groups and leaders: Burkinabe General Confederation of Labor or CGTB; Burkinabe Movement for Human Rights or MBDHP; Group of 14 February; National Confederation of Burkinabe Workers or CNTB; National Organization of Free Unions or ONSL; watchdog/political action groups throughout the country in both organiza¬ tions and communities International organization participa¬ tion: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (corre¬ spondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Tertius ZONGO chancery: 2340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-5577 FAX: [1] (202) 667-1882 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jeanine E. JACKSON embassy: 602 Avenue Raoul Follereau, Koulouba, Secteur 4 mailing address : 01 B. P. 35, Ouagadougou 01; pouch mail — US Department of State, 2440 Ouagadougou Place, Washington, DC 20521-2440 telephone: [226] 50-30-67-23 FAX: [226] 50-30-38-90, 50-3 1-23-68 Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a 100 BURKINA FASO yellow five-pointed star in the center; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia ECONOMY Economy— overview: One of the poorest countries in the world, land¬ locked Burkina Faso has few natural resources and a weak industrial base. About 90% of the population is engaged in subsistence agriculture, which is vul¬ nerable to periodic drought. Cotton is the main cash crop and the government has joined with three other cotton pro¬ ducing countries in the region — Mali, Niger, and Chad — to lobby for improved access to Western markets. GDP growth has largely been driven by increases in world cotton prices. Industry remains dominated by unprofitable government- controlled corporations. Following the CFA franc currency devaluation in January 1994, the government updated its development program in conjunction with international agencies; exports and economic growth have increased. The government devolved macroeconomic policy and inflation targeting to the West African regional central bank (BCEAO), but maintains control over fiscal and microeconomic policies, including implementing reforms to encourage private investment. The bitter internal crisis in neighboring Cote d’Ivoire continues to hurt trade and industrial prospects and deepens the need for international assistance. Burkina Faso is eligible for a Millennium Challenge Account grant, which would increase investment in the country’s human capital. GDP (purchasing power parity): $18.76 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $5,832 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 6.5% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $1,300 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 32.6% industry: 19.7% services: 47.7% (2006 est.) Labor force: 5 million note: a large part of the male labor force migrates annually to neighboring coun¬ tries for seasonal employment (2003) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 90% industry and services: 10% (2000 est.) Unemployment rate: NA% Population below poverty line: 45% (2003 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 46.8% (1994) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 48.2 (1998) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 20.5% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $1,158 billion expenditures: $1,714 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: cotton, peanuts, shea nuts, sesame, sorghum, millet, corn, rice; livestock Industries: cotton lint, beverages, agri¬ cultural processing, soap, cigarettes, tex¬ tiles, gold Industrial production growth rate: 14% (2001 est.) Electricity — production: 400 million kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 69.9% hydro: 30.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 372 million kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity — imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil — production: 0 bbl/day (2004) Oil— consumption: 8,200 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas — production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $604.6 mil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $543.5 million f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: cotton, live¬ stock, gold Exports — partners: China 39.7%, Singapore 13%, Thailand 5.9%, Ghana 5.4%, Taiwan 4-6% (2005) Imports: $1,016 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: capital goods, foodstuffs, petroleum Imports— partners: France 23.7%, Cote d’Ivoire 23.3%, Togo 6.7% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $1,328 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $1.85 billion (2003) Economic aid — recipient: $468.4 mil¬ lion (2003) Currency (code): Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note— responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States Currency code: XOF Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar— 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), • 696.99 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 97,400 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 572,200 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: all services only fair domestic: microwave radio relay, open- wire, and radiotelephone communica¬ tion stations international: country code — 226; satel¬ lite earth station— 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 17, shortwave 3 (2001) Radios: 394,020 (2000) Television broadcast stations: 1 (2002) Televisions: 131,340 (-2002) Internet country code: bf Internet hosts: 399 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2002) Internet users: 64,600 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 34 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 32 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 18 (2006) Railways: total: 622 km narrow gauge: 622 km 1.000-m gauge note:: another 660 km of this railway extends into Cote D’Ivoire (2005) Roadways: total: 15,272 km paved: 4,766 km unpaved: 10,506 km (2004) MILITARY Military branches: Army, Air Force of Burkina Faso (Force Aerienne de Burkina Faso, FABF), National Gendarmerie (2006) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; 20 years of age for voluntary mil¬ itary service (2001 ) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 2,651,687 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 1,530,324 (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of GDP: 1.2% (2006) 101 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— International: two villages remain in dispute along the border with Benin; Benin accuses Burkina Faso of moving boundary pillars; in recent years citizens and rogue security forces rob and harass local populations on both sides of the poorly-defined Burkina Faso-Niger border; despite the presence of over 9,000 UN forces (UNOCI) in Cote d’Ivoire since 2004, ethnic conflict continues to spread into neighboring states who can no longer send their migrant workers to work in Ivorian cocoa plantations BURMA INTRODUCTION Background: Britain conquered Burma over a period of 62 years (1824-1886) and incorporated it into its Indian Empire. Burma was administered as a province of India until 1937 when it became a separate, self-governing colony; independence from the Commonwealth was attained in 1948. Gen. NE WIN dominated the govern¬ ment from 1962 to 1988, first as military ruler, then as self-appointed president, and later as political kingpin. Despite multiparty legislative elections in 1990 that resulted in the main opposition party — the National League for Democracy (NLD) — winning a landslide victory, the ruling junta refused to hand over power. NLD leader and Nobel Peace Prize recipient AUNG SAN SUU KYI, who was under house arrest from 1989 to 1995 and 2000 to 2002, was imprisoned in May 2003 and subse¬ quently transferred to house arrest, where she remains virtually incommuni¬ cado. In February 2006, the junta extended her detention for another year. Her supporters, as well as all those who promote democracy and improved human rights, are routinely harassed or jailed. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Bangladesh and Thailand Geographic coordinates: 22 00 N, 98 00 E Map references: Southeast Asia Area: total: 678,500 sq km land: 657,740 sq km water: 20,760 sq km Area— comparative: slightly smaller than Texas Land boundaries: total: 5,876 km border countries: Bangladesh 193 km, China 2,185 km, India 1,463 km, Laos 235 km, Thailand 1,800 km Coastline: 1,930 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin Climate: tropical monsoon; cloudy, rainy, hot, humid summers (southwest monsoon, June to September); less cloudy, scant rainfall, mild temperatures, lower humidity during winter (northeast monsoon, December to April) Terrain: central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands Elevation extremes: lowest point: Andaman Sea 0 m highest point: Hkakabo Razi 5,881 m Natural resources: petroleum, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten, lead, coal, some marble, limestone, pre¬ cious stones, natural gas, hydropower Land use: arable land: 14.92% permanent crops : 1.31% other: 83.77% (2005) Irrigated land: 18,700 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: destructive earth¬ quakes and cyclones; flooding and land¬ slides common during rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts Environment — current issues: defor¬ estation; industrial pollution of air, soil, and water; inadequate sanitation and water treatment contribute to disease Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: strategic location near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes PEOPLE , Population: 47,373,958 note: estimates for this country take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 26.1% (male 6,277,073/ female 6,084,001) 15-64 years: 68.6% (male 16,089,764/ female 16,425,299) 65 years and over: 5.3% (male 1,075,868/ female 1,421,953) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 27.4 years male: 26.8 years female: 28 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.815% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 17.48 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 9.33 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.032 male(s)/female 15—64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.757 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 50.68 deaths/1,000 live births male: 57.33 deaths/1,000 live births female: 43.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) 102 BURMA Life expectancy at birth: total population: 62.49 years male: 60.29 years female: 64-83 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.95 children bom / woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 1.2% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 330,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 20,000 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorbome diseases: dengue fever and malaria are high risks in some locations note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2007) Nationality: noun: Burmese (singular and plural) adjective: Burmese Ethnic groups: Burman 68%, Shan 9%, Karen 7%, Rakhine 4%, Chinese 3%, Indian 2%, Mon 2%, other 5% Religions: Buddhist 89%, Christian 4% (Baptist 3%, Roman Catholic 1%), Muslim 4%, animist 1%, other 2% Languages: Burmese, minority ethnic groups have their own languages Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 89.9% male: 93.9% female: 86.4% (2000 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Union of Burma conventional short form: Burma local long form: Pyidaungzu Myanma Naingngandaw (translated by the US Government as Union of Myanma and by the Burmese as Union of Myanmar) local short form: Myanma Naingngandaw former: Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma note: since 1989 the military authorities in Burma have promoted the name Myanmar as a conventional name for their state; this decision was not approved by any sitting legislature in Burma, and the US Government did not adopt the name, which is a derivative of the Burmese short- form name Myanma Naingngandaw Government type: military junta Capital: name: Rangoon (Yangon) geographic coordinates: 16 47 N, 96 10 E time difference: UTC+6.5 (11.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: Nay Pyi Taw is administrative capital Administrative divisions: 7 divisions (taing-myar, singular — taing) and 7 states (pyi ne-myar, singular — pyi ne) divisions: Ayeyarwady, Bago, Magway, Mandalay, Sagaing, Tanintharyi, Yangon states: Chin State, Kachin State, Kayah State, Kayin State, Mon State, Rakhine State, Shan State Independence: 4 January 1948 (from UK) National holiday: Independence Day, 4 January (1948); Union Day, 12 February (1947) Constitution: 3 January 1974; suspended since 18 September 1988; national con¬ vention convened in 1993 to draft a new constitution but collapsed in 1996; reconvened in 2004 but does not include participation of democratic opposition Legal system: based on British common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) Sr. Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23 April 1992) head of government: Acting Prime Minister, Gen THEIN SEIN (since 18 May 2007) cabinet: Cabinet is overseen by SPDC; military junta assumed power 18 September 1988 under name State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) elections: none Legislative branch: unicameral People’s Assembly or Pyithu Hluttaw (485 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 27 May 1990, but Assembly never allowed by junta to convene election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — NLD 392 (opposi¬ tion), SNLD 23 (opposition), NUP 10 (pro-government), other 60 Judicial branch: remnants of the British-era legal system are in place, but there is no guarantee of a fair public trial; the judiciary is not independent of the executive Political parties and leaders: National League for Democracy or NLD [AUNG SHWE, AUNG SAN SUU KYI]; National Unity Party or NUP (pro¬ regime) [TUN YE]; Shan Nationalities League for Democracy or SNLD [HKUN HTUN OO]; and other smaller parties Political pressure groups and leaders: Ethnic Nationalities Council or ENC (based in Thailand); Federation of Trade Unions-Burma or FTUB (exile trade union and labor advocates); National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma or NCGUB (self-proclaimed gov¬ ernment in exile) [“Prime Minister” Dr. SEIN WIN] consists of individuals, some legitimately elected to the People’s Assembly in 1990 (the group fled to a border area and joined insurgents in December 1990 to form parallel govern¬ ment in exile); Kachin Independence Organization or KIO; Karen National Union or KNU; Karenni National People’s Party or KNPP; National Council-Union of Burma or NCUB (exile coalition of opposition groups); several Shan factions; United Wa State Army or UWSA; Union Solidarity and Development Association or USDA (pro-regime, a social and political mass- member organization) [HTAY OO, gen¬ eral secretary]; 88 Generation Students (pro-democracy movement) [MIN KO] International organization participa¬ tion: APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIM- STEC, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d’Affaires MYINT LWIN chancery: 2300 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-3344 FAX: [1] (202) 332-4351 consulate(s) general: New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d’Affaires Shari VILLAROSA embassy: 581 Merchant Street, Rangoon (GP0 521) mailing address: Box B, APO AP 96546 telephone: [95] (1) 379-880, 379-881 FAX: [95] (1) 256-018 Flag description: red with a blue rec¬ tangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing 14, white, five-pointed stars encircling a cogwheel containing a stalk of rice; the 14 stars represent the seven administrative divisions and seven states ECONOMY Economy — overview: Burma, a resource-rich country, suffers from perva¬ sive government controls, inefficient economic policies, and rural poverty. The junta took steps in the early 1990s to liberalize the economy after decades of failure under the “Burmese Way to Socialism,” but those efforts stalled, and 103 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK some of the liberalization measures were rescinded. Lacking monetary or fiscal stability, the economy suffers from serious macroeconomic imbalances — including rising inflation, fiscal deficits, multiple official exchange rates that overvalue the Burmese kyat, a distorted interest rate regime, unreliable statistics, and an inability to reconcile national accounts to determine a realistic GDP figure. Most overseas development assis¬ tance ceased after the junta began to sup¬ press the democracy movement in 1988 and subsequently refused to honor the results of the 1990 legislative elections. In response to the government of Burma’s attack in May 2003 on AUNG SAN SUU KYI and her convoy, the US imposed new economic sanctions in August 2003 against Burma— including a ban on imports of Burmese products and a ban on provision of financial serv¬ ices by US persons. Further, a poor investment climate hampers attracting outside investment slowing the inflow of foreign exchange. The most productive sectors will continue to be in extractive industries, especially oil and gas, mining, and timber with the latter especially causing environmental degradation. Other areas, such as manufacturing and services, are struggling with inadequate infrastructure, unpredictable import/ export policies, deteriorating health and education systems, and endemic corrup¬ tion. A major banking crisis in 2003 shuttered the country’s 20 private banks and disrupted the economy. As of 2006, the largest private banks operate under tight restrictions limiting the private sector’s access to formal credit. Official statistics are inaccurate. Published statis¬ tics on foreign trade are greatly under¬ stated because of the size of the black market and unofficial border trade— often estimated to be as large as the offi¬ cial economy. Though the Burmese government has good economic relations with its neighbors, better investment and business climates and an improved polit¬ ical situation are needed to promote serious foreign investment, exports, and tourism. GDP (purchasing power parity): $85.2 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $9.6 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 3% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $1,800 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 50% industry: 15% services: 35% (2006 est.) Labor force: 28.49 million (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 70% industry: 7% services: 23% (2001 est.) Unemployment rate: 10.2% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 25% (2000 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 32.4% (1998) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 21.4% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 11.8% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $2.18 billion expenditures: $2.36 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: rice, pulses, beans, sesame, groundnuts, sugarcane; hardwood; fish and fish products Industries: agricultural processing; wood and wood products; copper, tin, tung¬ sten, iron; cement, construction mate¬ rials; pharmaceuticals; fertilizer; natural gas; garments, jade and gems Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity— production: 6.02 billion kWh (FY05/06) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 44.5% hydro: 43.4% nuclear: 0% other: 12.1% (2002) Electricity— consumption: 5.325 billion kWh (FY05/06) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2006) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2006) Oil— production: 9,500 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil— consumption: 20,460 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil — exports: 5,000 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil— imports: 14,230 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil— proved reserves: less than 100 million bbl (2005) Natural gas— production: 10.2 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 2.7 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — exports: 7.5 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 283.2 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $1,247 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $3.56 billion f.o.b. note: official export figures are grossly underestimated due to the value of timber, gems, narcotics, rice, and other products smuggled to Thailand, China, and Bangladesh (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: gas, wood prod¬ ucts, pulses, beans, fish, rice, clothing, jade and gems Exports— partners: Thailand 43.8%, India 12.1%, China 6.7%, Japan 5% (2005) Imports: $1.98 billion f.o.b. note: import figures are grossly underesti¬ mated due to the value of consumer goods, diesel fuel, and other products smuggled in from Thailand, China, Malaysia, and India (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: fabric, petro¬ leum products, fertilizer, plastics, machinery, transport equipment; cement, construction materials, crude oil; food products, edible oil Imports— partners: China 28.8%, Thailand 21.8%, Singapore 18.4%, Malaysia 7.6% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $1.01 billion (2006 est.) Debt— external: $7,162 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $127 million (2001 est.) Currency (code): kyat (MMK) Currency code: MMK Exchange rates: kyats per US dollar— 1,280 (2006), 5.761 (2005), 5.7459 (2004), 6.0764 (2003), 6.5734 (2002) note: unofficial exchange rates ranged in 2004 from 815 kyat/US dollar to nearly 970 kyat/US dollar, and by yearend 2005, the unofficial exchange rate was 1,075 kyat/US dollar; data shown for 2002-05 are official exchange rates Fiscal year: 1 April— 31 March COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 476,200 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 183,400 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: barely meets min¬ imum requirements for local and inter¬ city service for business and government; international service is fair domestic: NA international: country code — 95; satellite earth stations — 2, Intelsat (Indian Ocean), and ShinSat (2004) Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave NA (2004) Radios: 4.2 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 2 (2004) Televisions: 320,000 (2000) Internet country code: mm Internet hosts: 42 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 note: as of September 2000, Internet connections were legal only for the gov¬ ernment, tourist offices, and a few large businesses (2000) Internet users: 78,000 (2005) 104 BURUNDI TRANSPORTATION Airports: 85 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 21 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 64 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 32 (2006) Heliports: 1 (2006) Pipelines: gas 2,224 km; oil 558 km (2006) Railways: total: 3,955 km narrow gauge: 3,955 km 1.000-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 27,000 km paved: 3,200 km unpaved: 23,800 km (2005) Waterways: 12,800 km (2007) Merchant marine: total: 34 ships (1000 GRT or over) 402,699 GRT/620,642 DWT by type: bulk carrier 8, cargo 20, pas¬ senger 2, passenger/cargo 3, specialized tanker 1 foreign'owned: 9 (Germany 5, Japan 4) (2006) Ports and terminals: Moulmein, Rangoon, Sittwe MILITARY Military branches: Myanmar Armed Forces (Tatmadaw): Army, Navy, Air Force (2005) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service for both sexes (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 1 8 — 49: 12,268,850 females age 18-49: 12,469,771 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 7,946,701 females age 18-49: 8,543,705 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 469,841 females: 455,689 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 2.1% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: over half of Burma’s population consists of diverse ethnic groups who have substantial num¬ bers of kin in neighboring countries; Thailand must deal with Karen and other ethnic rebels, illegal cross-border activities, Karen and other refugees, and asylum seekers from Burma; Thailand is studying the feasibility of jointly con¬ structing the Hatgyi Dam on the Salween River near the border with Burma; in 2004, international environ¬ mentalist pressure prompted China to halt construction of 13 dams on the Salween River which flows through China, Burma, and Thailand; India seeks cooperation from Burma to keep Indian Nagaland separatists, such as the United Liberation Front of Assam, from hiding in remote Burmese Uplands; Burmese Rohingya Muslim refugees reside in two camps in Bangladesh Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: IDPs: 540,000 (government offen¬ sives against ethnic insurgent groups near the eastern borders; most IDPs are ethnic Karen, Karenni, Shan, Tavoyan, and Mon) (2006) Trafficking in persons: current situation: Burma is a source country for men, women, and children trafficked to East and Southeast Asia for sexual exploita¬ tion, domestic service, and forced com¬ mercial labor; a significant number of victims are economic migrants who wind up in forced or bonded labor and forced prostitution; to a lesser extent, Burma is a country of transit and destination for women trafficked from China for sexual exploitation; internal trafficking of per¬ sons occurs primarily for labor in indus¬ trial zones and agricultural estates; internal trafficking of women and girls for sexual exploitation occurs from vil¬ lages to urban centers and other areas; the military junta’s economic misman¬ agement, human rights abuses, and policy of using forced labor are driving factors behind Burma’s large trafficking problem tier rating: Tier 3 — Burma does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so Illicit drugs: remains world’s second largest producer of illicit opium with an estimated production in 2005 of 380 metric tons, up 13% from 2004 and cul¬ tivation in 2005 was 40,000 hectares, a 10% increase from 2004; the decline in opium production in the United Wa State Army’s areas of greatest control was more than offset by increases in south and east Shan state; lack of government will to take on major narcotrafficking groups and lack of serious commitment against money laundering continues to hinder the overall antidrug effort; major source of methamphetamine and heroin for regional consumption; currently under Financial Action Task Force coun¬ termeasures due to continued failure to address its inadequate money- laundering controls (2005) INTRODUCTION Background: Burundi’s first democrati¬ cally elected president was assassinated in October 1993 after only 100 days in office, triggering widespread ethnic vio¬ lence between Hutu and Tutsi factions. More than 200,000 Burundians perished during the conflict that spanned almost a dozen years. Hundreds of thousands of Burundians were internally displaced or became refugees in neighboring coun¬ tries. An internationally brokered power- sharing agreement between the Tutsi-dominated government and the Hutu rebels in 2003 paved the way for a transition process that led to an inte¬ grated defense force, established a new constitution in 2005, and elected a majority Hutu government in 2005. The new government, led by President Pierre NKURUNZIZA, signed a South African brokered ceasefire with the country’s last rebel group in September of 2006 but still faces many challenges. GEOGRAPHY Location: Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo Geographic coordinates: 3 30 S, 30 00 E 105 THE CIA WORLD FACT BOOK Map references: Africa Area: total: 27,830 sq km land: 25,650 sq km water: 2,180 sq km Area — comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland Land boundaries: total: 974 km border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 233 km, Rwanda 290 km, Tanzania 451 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime claims: none (landlocked) Climate: equatorial; high plateau with considerable altitude variation (772 m to 2,670 m above sea level); average annual temperature varies with altitude from 23 to 17 degrees centigrade but is generally moderate as the average altitude is about 1,700 m; average annual rainfall is about 150 cm; two wet seasons (February to May and September to November), and two dry seasons (June to August and December to January) Terrain: hilly and mountainous, drop- ping to a plateau in east, some plains Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lake Tanganyika 772 m highest point: Heha 2,670 m Natural resources: nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper, plat¬ inum, vanadium, arable land, hydro¬ power, niobium, tantalum, gold, tin, tungsten, kaolin, limestone Land use: arable land: 35.57% permanen t crops : 13.12% other: 51.31% (2005) irrigated land: 210 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: flooding, landslides, drought Environment— current issues: soil ero¬ sion as a result of overgrazing and the expansion of agriculture into marginal lands; deforestation (little forested land remains because of uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel); habitat loss threatens wildlife populations Environment — international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea Geography— note: landlocked; straddles crest of the Nile-Congo watershed; the Kagera, which drains into Lake Victoria, is the most remote headstream of the White Nile PEOPLE Population: 8,390,505 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mor¬ tality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the dis¬ tribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0—14 years: 46.3% (male 1,951,879/ female 1,930,371) 15-64 years: 51.2% (male 2,131,759/ female 2,162,093) 65 years and over: 2.6% (male 85,522/ female 128,881) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 16.7 years male: 16.4 years female: 16.9 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 3.593% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 41.97 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 13.17 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 7.13 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.011 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.986 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.664 male(s)/female total population: 0.988 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 61.93 deaths/1,000 live births male: 68.91 deaths/1,000 live births female: 54.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 51.29 years male: 50.48 years female: 52.12 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 6.48 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 6% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 250,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 25,000 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diar¬ rhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorbome disease: malaria (2007) Nationality: noun: Burundian(s) adjective: Burundian Ethnic groups: Hutu (Bantu) 85%, Tutsi (Hamitic) 14%, Twa (Pygmy) 1%, Europeans 3,000, South Asians 2,000 Religions: Christian 67% (Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 5%), indige¬ nous beliefs 23%, Muslim 10% Languages: Kirundi (official), French (official), Swahili (along Lake Tanganyika and in the Bujumbura area) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 59.3% male: 67.3% female: 52.2% (2000 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Burundi conventional short form: Burundi local long form: Republique du Burundi/ Republika y’u Burundi local short form: Burundi former: Urundi Government type: republic Capital: name: Bujumbura geographic coordinates: 3 23 S, 29 22 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 17 provinces; Bubanza, Bujumbura Mairie, Bujumbura Rurale, Bururi, Cankuzo, Cibitoke, Gitega, Karuzi, Kayanza, Kirundo, Makamba, Muramvya, Muyinga, Mwaro, Ngozi, Rutana, Ruyigi Independence: 1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian administra¬ tion) National holiday: Independence Day, 1 July (1962) Constitution: 28 February 2005; ratified by popular referendum Legal system: based on German and Belgian civil codes and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: NA years of age; universal (adult) Executive branch: chief of state: President Pierre NKU- RUNZIZA (since 26 August 2005); First Vice President Martin NDUWI- MAN A — Tutsi (since 29 August 2005); Second Vice President Gabriel NTISEZ- ERANA — Hutu (since 9 February 2007) head of government: President Pierre NKURUNZIZA (since 26 August 2005); First Vice President Martin NDUWI- MAN A — Tutsi (since 29 August 2005); Second Vice President Gabriel NTISEZ- ERANA — Hutu (since 9 February 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by president elections: the president is elected by pop¬ ular vote to a five-year term (eligible for a second term); note — the constitution adopted in February 2005 permits the post-transition president to be elected by a two-thirds majority of the parliament; vice presidents nominated by the presi¬ dent, endorsed by parliament election results: Pierre NKURUNZIZA was elected president by the parliament 106 BURUNDI by a vote of 151 to 9; note — the consti¬ tution adopted in February 2005 permits the post-transition president to be elected by a two-thirds majority of the legislature Legislative branch: bicameral Parlia¬ ment or Parlement, consists of a National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (minimum 100 seats, 60% Hutu and 40% Tutsi with at least 30% being women; additional seats appointed by a National Independent Electoral Commission to ensure ethnic representa¬ tion; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and a Senate (54 seats; 34 members elected by indirect vote to serve five-year terms, with remaining seats assigned to ethnic groups and former chiefs of state) elections: National Assembly — last held 4 July 2005 (next to be held in 2010); Senate — last held 29 July 2005 (next to be held in 2010) election results: National Assembly — per¬ cent of vote by party— CNDD-FDD 58.6%, FRODEBU 21.7%, UPRONA 7.2%, CNDD 4.1%, MRC-Ruren- zangemero 2.1%, others 6.2%; seats by party— CNDD-FDD 59, FRODEBU 25, UPRONA 10, CNDD 4, MRC-Ruren- zangemero 2; Senate — percent of vote by party — NA%; seats by party — CNDD- FDD 30, FRODEBU 3, CNDD 1 Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Constitutional Court; Courts of Appeal (there are three in separate locations); Tribunals of First Instance (17 at the province level and 123 small local tribunals) Political parties and leaders: governing parties: Burundi Democratic Front or FRODEBU [Leonce NGENDAKU- MANA]; National Council for the Defense of Democracy, Front for the Defense of Democracy or CNDD-FDD [Jeremie NGENDAKUMANA]; Unity for National Progress or UPRONA [Aloys RUBUKA] note: a multiparty system was introduced after 1998, included are: National Council for the Defense of Democracy or CNDD; National Resistance Movement for the Rehabilitation of the Citizen or MRC-Rurenzangemero [Epitace BANYAGANAKANDI]; Party for National Redress or PARENA Qean- Baptiste BAGAZA] Political pressure groups and leaders: none International organization participa¬ tion: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Celestin NIYONGABO chancery: Suite 212, 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 342-2574 FAX: [1] (202) 342-2578 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia Newton MOLLER embassy: Avenue des Etats-Unis, Bujumbura mailing address : B. P. 1720, Bujumbura telephone: [257] 223454 FAX: [257] 222926 Flag description: divided by a white diagonal cross into red panels (top and bottom) and green panels (hoist side and fly side) with a white disk superimposed at the center bearing three red six- pointed stars outlined in green arranged in a triangular design (one star above, two stars below) ECONOMY Economy— overview: Burundi is a land¬ locked, resource-poor country with an underdeveloped manufacturing sector. The economy is predominantly agricul¬ tural with more than 90% of the popula¬ tion dependent on subsistence agriculture. Economic growth depends on coffee and tea exports, which account for 90% of foreign exchange earnings. The ability to pay for imports, therefore, rests primarily on weather conditions and international coffee and tea prices. The Tutsi minority, 14% of the popula¬ tion, dominates the government and the coffee trade at the expense of the Hutu majority, 85% of the population. An ethnic-based war that lasted for over a decade resulted in more than 200,000 deaths, forced more than 48,000 refugees into Tanzania, and displaced 140,000 others internally. Only one in two chil¬ dren go to school, and approximately one in 15 adults has HIV/AIDS. Food, medicine, and electricity remain in short supply. Political stability and the end of the civil war have improved aid flows and economic activity has increased, but underlying weaknesses — a high poverty rate, poor education rates, a weak legal system, and low administrative capacity — risk undermining planned economic reforms. Burundi grew about 5 percent in 2006. Delayed disbursements of funds from the World Bank may add to budget pressures in 2007. Burundi will continue to remain heavily dependent on aid from bilateral and multilateral donors. GDP (purchasing power parity): $5,781 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $776 mil¬ lion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 3.8% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $700 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 44-9% industry: 20.9% services: 34-1% (2006 est.) Labor force: 2.99 million (2002) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 93.6% industry: 2.3% services: 4.1% (2002 est.) Unemployment rate: NA% Population below poverty line: 68% (2002 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.8% highest 10%: 32.9% (1998) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 33.3 (1998) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 11% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 11.9% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $239.9 million expenditures: $297 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: coffee, cotton, tea, com, sorghum, sweet potatoes, bananas, manioc (tapioca); beef, milk, hides Industries: light consumer goods such as blankets, shoes, soap; assembly of imported components; public works con¬ struction; food processing Industrial production growth rate: 18% (2001) Electricity— production: 137 million kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 0.6% hydro: 99.4% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 157.4 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 30 million kWh; note — supplied by the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004) Oil — consumption: 3,100 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: NA bbl/day Oil — imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas — production: 0 cu m (2004 est.) 107 THE- CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Natural gas — consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $57.84 mil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $55.68 million f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: coffee, tea, sugar, cotton, hides Exports— partners: Germany 24.6%, Belgium 11.2%, Netherlands 8.1%, Switzerland 5.9%, US 4-7% (2005) Imports: $207.3 million f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: capital goods, petroleum products, foodstuffs Imports— partners: Kenya 17.1%, Tanzania 10%, Belgium 9.9%, Italy 7.7%, France 5.1%, Uganda 5%, China 4.7% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $87.69 million (2006 est.) Debt— external: $1.2 billion (2003) Economic aid— recipient: $105.5 mil¬ lion (2003) Currency (code): Burundi franc (BIF) Currency code: BIF Exchange rates: Burundi francs per US dollar— 1,030 (2006), 1,138 (2005), 1,100.91 (2004), 1,082.62 (2003), 930.75 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 27,700 (2004) Telephones— mobile cellular: 153,000 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: primitive system domestic: sparse system of open- wire, radiotelephone communications, and low-capacity microwave radio relay international: country code — 257; satel¬ lite earth station — 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001) Radios: 440,000 (2001) Television broadcast stations: 1 (2001) Televisions: 25,000 (1997) Internet country code: bi Internet hosts: 160 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000) Internet users: 25,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 8 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2006) Roadways: total: 12,322 km paved: 1,286 km unpaved: 11,036 km (2004) Waterways: mainly on Lake Tanganyika (2005) Ports and terminals: Bujumbura MILITARY Military branches: National Defense Force (Forces de Defense Nationales, FDN): Army (includes Naval Detach¬ ment and Air Wing) (2006) Military service age and obligation: 16 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 1,676,855 females age 16-49: 1,656,366 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 955,616 females age 16—49: 932,767 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 91,331 females age 16-49: 90,685 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 5.9% (2006 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: conflicts among Tutsi, Hutu, other ethnic groups, associated political rebels, armed gangs, and various government forces have abated somewhat in the Great Lakes region; UN Operation in Burundi (ONUB) completed its mandate in December 2006 after a three-year peace¬ keeping mission Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 20,359 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) IDPs: 100,000 (armed conflict between government and rebels; most IDPs in northern and western Burundi) (2006) 108 CAMBODIA INTRODUCTION Background: Most Cambodians consider themselves to be Khmers, descendants of the Angkor Empire that extended over much of Southeast Asia and reached its zenith between the 10th and 13th cen¬ turies. Attacks by the Thai and Cham (from present-day Vietnam) weakened the empire ushering in a long period of decline. The king placed the country under French protection in 1863. Cambodia became part of French Indochina in 1887. Following Japanese occupation in World War II, Cambodia gained full independence from France in 1953. In April 1975, after a five-year struggle, Communist Khmer Rouge forces captured Phnom Penh and evacu¬ ated all cities and towns. At least 1.5 million Cambodians died from execu¬ tion, forced hardships, or starvation during the Khmer Rouge regime under POF POT. A December 1978 Vietnam¬ ese invasion drove the Khmer Rouge into the countryside, began a 10-year Vietnamese occupation, and touched off almost 13 years of civil war. The 1991 Paris Peace Accords mandated demo¬ cratic elections and a ceasefire, which was not fully respected by the Khmer Rouge. UN-sponsored elections in 1993 helped restore some semblance of nor¬ malcy under a coalition government. Factional fighting in 1997 ended the first coalition government, but a second round of national elections in 1998 led to the formation of another coalition government and renewed political sta¬ bility. The remaining elements of the Khmer Rouge surrendered in early 1999. Some of the remaining Khmer Rouge leaders are awaiting trial by a UN-spon- sored tribunal for crimes against humanity. Elections in July 2003 were relatively peaceful, but it took one year of negotiations between contending political parties before a coalition gov¬ ernment was formed. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, between Thailand, Vietnam, and Faos Geographic coordinates: 13 00 N, 105 00 E Map references: Southeast Asia Area: total: 181,040 sq km land: 176,520 sq km water: 4,520 sq km Area— comparative: slightly smaller than Oklahoma Land boundaries: total: 2,572 km border countries: Faos 541 km, Thailand 803 km, Vietnam 1,228 km Coastline: 443 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm Climate: tropical; rainy, monsoon season (May to November); dry season (December to April); little seasonal tem¬ perature variation Terrain: mostly low, flat plains; moun¬ tains in southwest and north Elevation extremes: lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m highest point: Phnum Aoral 1,810 m Natural resources: oil and gas, timber, gemstones, some iron ore, manganese, phosphates, hydropower potential Land use: arable land: 20.44% permanent crops: 0.59% other: 78.97% (2005) Irrigated land: 2,700 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: monsoonal rains (June to November); flooding; occasional droughts Environment — current issues: illegal logging activities throughout the country and strip mining for gems in the western region along the border with Thailand have resulted in habitat loss and declining biodiversity (in particular, destruction of mangrove swamps threatens natural fisheries); soil erosion; in rural areas, most of the population does not have access to potable water; declining fish stocks because of illegal fishing and overfishing Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Fife Conservation, Ozone Payer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Faw of the Sea Geography— note: a land of paddies and forests dominated by the Mekong River and Tonle Sap PEOPLE Population: 13,995,904 note: estimates for this country take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 34% (male 2,405,561/female 2,355,404) 15-64 years : 62.4% (male 4,234,701/ female 4,500,994) 65 years and over: 3.6% (male 189,090/ female 310,154) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 21.3 years male: 20.6 years female: 22.1 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.729% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 25.53 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 8.24 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.021 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.941 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female total population: 0.953 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 58.45 deaths/1,000 live births male: 65.74 deaths/ 1,000 live births female: 50.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 61.29 years male: 59.27 years female: 63.4 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 3.12 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 2.6% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 170,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 15,000 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever 109 T H £ CIA WORLD FACTBOOK vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and Japanese encephalitis are high risks in some locations note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2007) Nationality: noun: Cambodian(s) adjective: Cambodian Ethnic groups: Khmer 90%, Vietnamese 5%, Chinese 1%, other 4% Religions: Theravada Buddhist 95%, other 5% Languages: Khmer (official) 95%, French, English Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 73.6% male: 84-7% female: 64.1% (2004 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Cambodia conventional short form: Cambodia local long form: Preahreacheanachakr Kampuchea (phonetic pronunciation) local short form: Kampuchea former: Khmer Republic, Democratic Kampuchea, People’s Republic of Kampuchea, State of Cambodia Government type: multiparty democracy under a constitutional monarchy Capital: name: Phnom Penh geographic coordinates: 1 1 33 N, 104 55 E time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 20 provinces (khaitt, singular and plural) and 4 munic¬ ipalities* (krong, singular and plural) provinces: Banteay Mean Cheay, Batdambang, Kampong Cham, Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Spoe, Kampong Thum, Kampot, Kandal, Kaoh Kong, Krachen, Mondol Kiri, Otdar Mean Cheay, Pouthisat, Preah Vihear, Prey Veng, Rotanah Kiri, Siem Reab, Stoeng Treng, Svay Rieng, Takev municipalities: Keb, Pailin, Phnum Penh (Phnom Penh), Preah Seihanu (Sihanoukville) Independence: 9 November 1953 (from France) National holiday: Independence Day, 9 November ( 1953) Constitution: promulgated 21 September 1993 Legal system: primarily a civil law mix¬ ture of French- influenced codes from the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) period, royal decrees, and acts of the legislature, with influences of customary law and rem¬ nants of communist legal theory; increasing influence of common law in recent years; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: King Norodom SIHA- MONI (since 29 October 2004) head of government: Prime Minister HUN SEN (since 14 January 1985); Deputy Prime Ministers SAR KFIENG (since 3 February 1992); SOK AN, LU LAY SRENG, TEA BANH, HOR NAMHONG, NHEK BUNCHHAY (since 16 July 2004); KEV PUT REAKSMEI (since 24 October 2006) cabinet: Council of Ministers in theory appointed by the monarch; in practice named by the prime minister elections: none; the monarch is chosen by a Royal Throne Council; following leg¬ islative elections, a member of the majority party or majority coalition is named prime minister by the Chairman of the National Assembly and appointed by the king Legislative branch: bicameral, consists of the National Assembly (123 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Senate (61 seats; 2 members appointed by the monarch, 2 elected by the National Assembly, and 57 elected by parliamen¬ tarians and commune councils; members serve five-year terms) elections: National Assembly — last held 27 July 2003 (next to be held in July 2008); Senate — last held 22 January 2006 (next to be held in January 2011) election results: National Assembly — per¬ cent of vote by party — CPP 47%, SRP 22%, FUNCINPEC 21%, other 10%; seats by party — CPP 73, FUNCINPEC 26, SRP 24; Senate — percent of vote by party— CPP 69%, FUNCINPEC 21%, SRP 10%; seats by party — CPP 45, FUNCINPEC 10, SRP 2 (January 2006) Judicial branch: Supreme Council of the Magistracy (provided for in the con¬ stitution and formed in December 1997); Supreme Court (and lower courts) exer¬ cises judicial authority Political parties and leaders: Cambodian People’s Party or CPP [CHEA SIM]; National United Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful, and Cooperative Cambodia or FUNCINPEC [KEV PUT REAKSMEI]; Norodom Ranariddh Party or NRP [Norodom RANARIDDH]; Sam Rangsi Party or SRP [SAM RANGSI] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: ACCT, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, EAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, 1FC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador EK SEREY- WATH chancery: 4530 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 726-7742 FAX: [1] (202) 726-8381 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph A. MUSSOMELI embassy: #1, Street 96, Sangkat Wat Phnom, Khan Daun Penh, Phnom Penh mailing address: Box P, APO AP 96546 telephone: [855] (23) 728-000 FAX: [855] (23) 728-600 Flag description: three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (double width), and blue with a white three-towered temple representing Angkor Wat outlined in black in the center of the red band; only national flag to incorporate an actual building in its design ECONOMY Economy— overview: In 1999, the first full year of peace in 30 years, the govern¬ ment made progress on economic reforms. The US and Cambodia signed a Bilateral Textile Agreement, which gave Cambodia a guaranteed quota of US tex¬ tile imports and established a bonus for improving working conditions and enforcing Cambodian labor laws and international labor standards in the industry. From 2001 to 2004, the economy grew at an average rate of 6.4%, driven largely by an expansion in the garment sector and tourism. With the January 2005 expiration of a WTO Agreement on Textiles and Clothing, Cambodia-based textile producers were forced to compete directly with lower- priced producing countries such as China and India. Better-than-expected garment sector performance led to more than 13% growth in 2006. Faced with the possibility that its vibrant garment industry, with more than 200,000 jobs, could be in serious danger, the Cambodian government has committed itself to a policy of continued support for no CAMBODIA high labor standards in an attempt to maintain favor with buyers. The tourism industry continues to grow rapidly, with foreign visitors surpassing 1 million per year beginning in 2005. In 2005, exploitable oil and natural gas deposits were found beneath Cambodia’s territo¬ rial waters, representing a new revenue stream for the government once com¬ mercial extraction begins in the coming years. Mining also is attracting signifi¬ cant investor interest, particularly in the northeastern parts of the country. The long-term development of the economy remains a daunting challenge. The Cambodian government is working with bilateral and multilateral donors, including the World Bank and IMF, to address the country’s many pressing needs. The major economic challenge for Cambodia over the next decade will be fashioning an economic environment in which the private sector can create enough jobs to handle Cambodia’s demographic imbalance. More than 50% of the population is less than 21 years old. The population lacks education and productive skills, particularly in the poverty-ridden countryside, which suf¬ fers from an almost total lack of basic infrastructure. GDP (purchasing power parity): $37.73 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $6.6 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 7.2% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $2,700 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 35% industry: 30% services: 35% (2004) Labor force: 7 million (2003 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 75% industry: NA% services: NA% (2004 est.) Unemployment rate: 2.5% (2000 est.) Population below poverty line: 40% (2004 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 33.8% (1997) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 40 (2004 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 18.7% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $731 million expenditures: $931.8 million; including capital expenditures of $291 million (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: rice, rubber, corn, vegetables, cashews, tapioca Industries: tourism, garments, rice milling, fishing, wood and wood products, rubber, cement, gem mining, textiles Industrial production growth rate: 22% (2002 est.) Electricity— production: 131 million kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 65% hydro: 35% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 121.8 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 100 million kWh (2005) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004) Oil— consumption: 3,750 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $369 million (2006 est.) Exports: $3.38 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: clothing, timber, rubber, rice, fish, tobacco, footwear Exports— partners: US 48.6%, Hong Kong 24-4%, Germany 5.6%, Canada 4.6% (2005) Imports: $4-446 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: petroleum products, cigarettes, gold, construction materials, machinery, motor vehicles, pharmaceutical products Imports— partners: Hong Kong 16.1%, China 13.6%, France 12.1%, Thailand 11.2%, Taiwan 10.2%, South Korea 7.5%, Vietnam 7.1%, Singapore 4.9%, Japan 4.1% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $1,385 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $3,664 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid — recipient: $504 million pledged in grants and concession loans for 2005 by international donors Currency (code): riel (KHR) Currency code: KHR Exchange rates: riels per US dollar — 4,103 (2006), 4,092.5 (2005), 4,016.25 (2004), 3,973.33 (2003), 3,912.08 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 36,400 (2003) Telephones— mobile cellular: 1.062 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: adequate landline and/or cellular service in Phnom Penh and other provincial cities; mobile phone coverage is rapidly expanding in rural areas domestic: NA international: country code — 855; ade¬ quate but expensive landline and cellular service available to all countries from Phnom Penh and major provincial cities; satellite earth station — 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region) Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 17, shortwave NA (2003) Radios: 1.34 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 9 (including 2 TV relay stations with French and Vietnamese broadcasts); excludes 18 regional relay stations (2006) Televisions: 94,000 (1997) Internet country code: kh Internet hosts: 1,378 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000) Internet users: 41,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 20 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 • 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 14 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Heliports: 2 (2006) Railways: total: 602 km narrow gauge: 602 km 1.000-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 38,257 km paved: 2,406 km unpaved: 35,851 km (2004) Waterways: 2,400 km (mainly on Mekong River) (2005) Merchant marine: total: 544 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,777,907 GRT/2,529,708 DWT hy type: bulk carrier 41, cargo 443, chem¬ ical tanker 11, container 10, livestock carrier 3, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 9, refrigerated cargo 19, roll on/roll off 2, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 1 foreign-owned: 407 (Bulgaria 1, Canada 6, China 128, Cyprus 12, Egypt 8, Gabon 1, Greece 8, Hong Kong 15, Indonesia 1, Japan 4, South Korea 23, Latvia 2, Lebanon 6, Nigeria 2, Norway 1, Philippines 1, Russia 105, Singapore 4, 111 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Spain 1, Syria 20, Taiwan 2, Turkey 26, UAE 1, Ukraine 17, US 8, Yemen 3, unknown 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Phnom Penh, Preah Seihanu (Sihanoukville) MILITARY Military branches: Royal Cambodian Armed Forces: Royal Cambodian Army, Royal Khmer Navy, Royal Cambodian Air Force (2005) Military service age and obligation: conscription law made effective in October 2006 requires all males between 18-30 to register for military service; service obligation is 18 months (2006) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 3,002,718 females age 18-49: 3,108,254 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 1,955,141 females age 18-49: 2,048,611 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 175,497 females age 18-A9: 172,788 (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of GDP: 3% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: Southeast Asian states must maintain border sur¬ veillance to check the spread of avian flu; Cambodia and Thailand dispute sec¬ tions of boundary with missing boundary markers and claims of Thai encroach¬ ments into Cambodian territory; mar¬ itime boundary with Vietnam is hampered by unresolved dispute over sovereignty of offshore islands; Cambodia accuses Thailand of obstructing access to Preah Vihear temple ruins awarded to Cambodia by ICJ decision in 1962 Trafficking in persons: current situation: Cambodia is a source, destination, and transit country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labor; a significant number of women and chil¬ dren are trafficked to Thailand and Malaysia for commercial sexual exploita¬ tion and forced labor; men are trafficked primarily to Thailand for forced labor in the construction and agricultural sectors, particularly the fishing industry, while women and girls are trafficked for factory and domestic work; children are traf¬ ficked to Vietnam and Thailand for the purpose of forced begging; Cambodia is a transit and destination point for women from Vietnam trafficked for sexual exploitation; trafficking for sexual exploitation also occurs within Cambodia’s borders, from rural areas to the cities tier rating: Tier 2 Watch Fist — Cambodia does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of traf¬ ficking; however, it is committed to making significant efforts to sustain progress over the coming year Illicit drugs: narcotics-related corrup¬ tion reportedly involving some in the government, military, and police; limited methamphetamine production; vulner¬ able to money laundering due to its cash- based economy and porous borders CAMEROON _ _ . _ : _ ' _ INTRODUCTION Background: The former French Cameroon and part of British Cameroon merged in 1961 to form the present country. Cameroon has generally enjoyed stability, which has permitted the development of agriculture, roads, and railways, as well as a petroleum industry. Despite a slow movement toward democratic reform, political power remains firmly in the hands of an ethnic oligarchy headed by President Paul BIYA. GEOGRAPHY Location: Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria Geographic coordinates: 6 00 N, 12 00 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 475,440 sq km land: 469,440 sq km water: 6,000 sq km Area— comparative: slightly larger than California Land boundaries: total: 4,591 km border countries: Central African Republic 797 km, Chad 1,094 km, Republic of the Congo 523 km, Equatorial Guinea 189 km, Gabon 298 km, Nigeria 1,690 km Coastline: 402 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 1 2 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm Climate: varies with terrain, from trop¬ ical along coast to semiarid and hot in north Terrain: diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau in center, mountains in west, plains in north Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Fako 4,095 m (on Mt. Cameroon) Natural resources: petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower Land use: arable land: 12.54% permanent crops : 2.52% other: 84.94% (2005) Irrigated land: 260 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases from Fake Nyos and Fake Monoun volcanoes Environment— current issues: water¬ borne diseases are prevalent; deforesta¬ tion; overgrazing; desertification; poaching; overfishing Environment — international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Flazardous Wastes, Faw of the Sea, Ozone Fayer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements GOOgraphy — note: sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa; throughout the country there are areas of thermal springs and indications of current or prior vol¬ canic activity; Mount Cameroon, the highest mountain in Sub-Saharan west Africa, is an active volcano PEOPLE Population: 18,060,382 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mor¬ tality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the dis- 112 CAMEROON tribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 41.3% (male 3,763,332/ female 3,695,053) 15-64 years: 55.5% (male 5,029,658/ female 4,994,786) 65 years and over: 3.2% (male 266,616/ female 310,937) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 18.9 years male: 18.7 years female: 19 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.241% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 35.07 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 12.66 deaths/1,000 popula- tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.018 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.007 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.857 male(s)/female total population: 1.007 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 65.84 deaths/1,000 live births male: 70.73 deaths/1,000 live births female: 60.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 52.86 years male: 52.15 years female: 53.59 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 4.49 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 6.9% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 560,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 49,000 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diar¬ rhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2007) Nationality: noun: Cameroonian(s) adjective: Cameroonian Ethnic groups: Cameroon Highlanders 31%, Equatorial Bantu 19%, Kirdi 11%, Fulani 10%, Northwestern Bantu 8%, Eastern Nigritic 7%, other African 13%, non- African less than 1% Religions: indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20% Languages: 24 major African language groups, English (official), French (official) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 61.9% male: 77% female: 59.8% (2001 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Cameroon conventional short form: Cameroon local long form: Republique du Cameroun/Republic of Cameroon local short form: Cameroun/Cameroon former: French Cameroon, British Cameroon, Federal Republic of Cameroon, United Republic of Cameroon Government type: republic; multiparty presidential regime Capital: name: Yaounde geographic coordinates: 352N, 1131E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 10 provinces; Adamaoua, Centre, Est, Extreme-Nord, Littoral, Nord, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Ouest Independence: 1 January 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship) National holiday: Republic Day (National Day), 20 May (1972) Constitution: 20 May 1972 approved by referendum, adopted 2 June 1972; revised January 1996 Legal system: based on French civil law system, with common law influence; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982) head of government: Prime Minister Ephraim INONI (since 8 December 2004) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the presi¬ dent from proposals submitted by the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 11 October 2004 (next to be held by October 2011); prime minister appointed by the president election results: President Paul BIYA reelected; percent of vote — Paul BIYA 70.9%, John FRU NDI 17.4%, Adamou Ndam NJOYA 4.5%, Garga Hainan ADJI 3.7% Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (180 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms); note — the president can either lengthen or shorten the term of the legislature elections: last held 23 June 2002 (next to be held in June 2007) election results: percent of vote by party— NA; seats by party — RDCP 133, SDF 21, UDC 5, other 21 note: the constitution calls for an upper chamber for the legislature, to be called a Senate, but it has yet to be established Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); High Court of Justice (consists of nine judges and six substitute judges, elected by the National Assembly) Political parties and leaders: Camer¬ oonian Democratic Union or UDC [Adamou Ndam NJOYA]; Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement or RDCP [Paul BIYA]; Movement for the Defense of the Republic or MDR [Dakole DAISSALA]; Movement for the Liberation and Development of Cameroon or MLDC [Marcel YON DO]; Movement for the Youth of Cameroon or MYC [Dieudonne TINA]; National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Maigari BELLO BOUBA]; Social Democratic Front or SDF [John FRU NDI]; Union of Peoples of Cameroon or UPC [Augustin Frederic KODOCK] Political pressure groups and leaders: Southern Cameroon National Council [Ayamba Ette OTUN]; Human Rights Defense Group [Albert MUKONG, president] International organization participa¬ tion: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, C, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jerome MENDOUGA chancery: 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-8790 FAX: [1] (202) 387-3826 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Niels MAR- QUARDT 113 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK embassy: Rue Nachtigal, Yaounde mailing address: P. O. Box 817, Yaounde; pouch: American Embassy, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2520 telephone: [237] 220 15 00; Consular: [237] 220 16 03 FAX: [237] 220 16 20; Consular FAX: [237] 220 17 52 branch office(s) : Douala Flag description: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), red, and yellow with a yellow five-pointed star centered in the red band; uses the pop¬ ular pan- African colors of Ethiopia ECONOMY Economy — overview: Because of its modest oil resources and favorable agri¬ cultural conditions, Cameroon has one of the best-endowed primary commodity economies in sub-Saharan Africa. Still, it faces many of the serious problems facing other underdeveloped countries, such as a top-heavy civil service and a generally unfavorable climate for busi¬ ness enterprise. Since 1990, the govern¬ ment has embarked on various IMF and World Bank programs designed to spur business investment, increase efficiency in agriculture, improve trade, and recap¬ italize the nation’s banks. In June 2000, the government completed an IMF- sponsored, three-year structural adjust¬ ment program; however, the IMF is pressing for more reforms, including increased budget transparency, privatiza¬ tion, and poverty reduction programs. International oil and cocoa prices have a significant impact on the economy. GDP (purchasing power parity): $42.48 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $16.27 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 3.5% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $2,400 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 45.2% industry: 16.1% services: 38.7% (2006 est.) Labor force: 6.394 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 70% industry: 13% services: 17% Unemployment rate: 30% (2001 est.) Population below poverty line: 48% (2000 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.9% highest 10%: 36.6% (1996) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 44.6 (2001) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.4% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 16.8% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $3,339 billion expenditures: $3,157 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 28.4% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains, root starches; livestock; timber Industries: petroleum production and refining, aluminum production, food processing, light consumer goods, tex¬ tiles, lumber, ship repair Industrial production growth rate: 4.2% (1999 est.) Electricity— production: 3.924 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 2.7% hydro: 97.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 3.649 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 82,300 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— consumption: 24,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Oil— proved reserves: 90 million bbl (2006 est.) Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — imports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — proved reserves: 110.4 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $419 million (2006 est.) Exports: $4,318 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: crude oil and petroleum products, lumber, cocoa beans, aluminum, coffee, cotton Exports— partners: Spain 17.3%, Italy 13.8%, France 9.5%, South Korea 8.1%, UK 8.1%, Netherlands 7.9%, Belgium 4.9%, US 4.3% (2005) Imports: $3,083 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: machinery, electrical equipment, transport equip¬ ment, fuel, food Imports — partners: France 24%, Nigeria 12%, Belgium 6.3%, China 5.6%, US 5.1%, Thailand 4-5%, Germany 4-2% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $1,336 billion (2006 est.) Debt— external: $3,657 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid — recipient: in January 2001, the Paris Club agreed to reduce Cameroon’s debt of $1.3 billion by $900 million; debt relief now totals $1.26 billion Currency (code): Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note — responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States Currency code: XAF Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar— 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002) Fiscal year: 1 July— 30 June COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 99,400 (2004) Telephones— mobile cellular: 2.259 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: available only to busi¬ ness and government domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter international: country code — 237; satel¬ lite earth stations— 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 3 (2001) Radios: 2.27 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: l (2001) Televisions: 450,000 (1997) Internet country code: cm Internet hosts: 39 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2002) Internet users: 167,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 47 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 11 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1 ,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 36 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1 ,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 9 (2006) Pipelines: gas 70 km; liquid petroleum gas 9 km; oil 1,107 km (2006) Railways: total: 987 km 114 CANADA narrow gauge: 987 km 1.000-m gauge (2005) Roadways; total: 50,000 km paved: 5,000 km unpaved: 45,000 km (2004) Waterways: navigation mainly on Benue River; limited during rainy season (2005) Merchant marine: total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 38,613 GRT/68,820 DWT by type: petroleum tanker 1 foreign-owned: 1 (France 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Douala, Limboh Terminal MILITARY Military branches: Cameroon Armed Forces: Army, Navy (includes naval infantry), Air Force (Armee de l’Air du Cameroun, AAC) (2006) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (1999) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 3,525,307 females age 18-49: 3,461,406 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 1,946,767 females age 18-49: 1,834,600 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 191,619 females age 18-49: 187,082 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1.3% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: joint Border Commission with Nigeria reviewed 2002 ICJ ruling on the entire boundary and bilaterally resolved differences, including June 2006 Greentree Agreement that immediately cedes sovereignty of the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon with a phase-out of Nigerian control within two years while resolving patriation issues; implementation of the ICJ ruling on the Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-N igeria maritime boundary in the Gulf of Guinea is pending due to imprecisely defined coor¬ dinates and a sovereignty dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an island at the mouth of the Ntem River; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission’s admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty, which also includes the Chad-Niger and Niger- N igeria boundaries Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 39,303 (Chad), 9,711 (Nigeria), 13,000 (Central African Republic); note — there are an additional 10,000 Central African refugees unregistered with UNHCR as of December 2006 (2006) CANADA Background: A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada became a self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties to the British crown. Economically and technologically the nation has developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south across an unfortified border. Canada faces the political challenges of meeting public demands for quality improvements in health care and education services, as well as responding to separatist concerns in predominantly francophone Quebec. Canada also aims to develop its diverse energy resources while maintaining its commitment to the environment. GEOGRAPHY Location: Northern North America, bor¬ dering the North Atlantic Ocean on the east, North Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on the north, north of the conterminous US Geographic coordinates: 60 00 N, 95 00 W Map references: North America Area: total: 9,984,670 sq km land: 9,093,507 sq km water: 891,163 sq km Area — comparative: somewhat larger than the US Land boundaries: total: 8,893 km border countries: US 8,893 km (includes 2,477 km with Alaska) Coastline: 202,080 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin Climate: varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north Terrain: mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Logan 5,959 m Natural resources: iron ore, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum, potash, diamonds, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural gas, hydropower Land use: arable land: 4.57% permanent crops: 0.65% other: 94.78% (2005) Irrigated land: 7,850 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to develop¬ ment; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains, a result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, and North American interior, and pro¬ duce most of the country’s rain and snow east of the mountains Environment— current issues: air pollu¬ tion and resulting acid rain severely affecting lakes and damaging forests; metal smelting, coal-burning utilities, and vehicle emissions impacting on agri¬ cultural and forest productivity; ocean waters becoming contaminated due to agricultural, industrial, mining, and forestry activities Environment— international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution- Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution- 115 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution- Volatile Organic Compounds, Marine Life Conservation Geography— note: second-largest country in world (after Russia); strategic location between Russia and US via north polar route; approximately 90% of the population is concentrated within 160 km of the US border PEOPLE Population: 33,390,141 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 17.3% (male 2,967,383/ female 2,824,189) 15-64 years: 69.2% (male 11,604,723/ female 11,490,839) 65 years and over: 13.5% (male 1,927,035/ female 2,575,972) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 39.1 years male: 38.1 years female: 40.2 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.869% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 10.75 births/1, 000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 7.86 deaths/ 1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 5.79 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.051 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.748 male(s)/female total population: 0.977 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 4-63 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.08 deaths/ 1,000 live births female: 4.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 80.34 years male: 76.98 years female: 83.86 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.61 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.3% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 56,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 1,500 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Canadian(s) adjective: Canadian Ethnic groups: British Isles origin 28%, Prench origin 23%, other European 15%, Amerindian 2%, other, mostly Asian, African, Arab 6%, mixed background 26% Religions: Roman Catholic 42.6%, Protestant 23.3% (including United Church 9.5%, Anglican 6.8%, Baptist 2.4%, Lutheran 2%), other Christian 4-4%, Muslim 1.9%, other and unspeci¬ fied 11.8%, none 16% (2001 census) Languages: English (official) 59.3%, Prench (official) 23.2%, other 17.5% Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Canada Government type: constitutional monarchy that is also a parliamentary democracy and a federation Capital: name: Ottawa geographic coordinates: 45 25 N, 75 40 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November note: Canada is divided into six time zones Administrative divisions: 10 provinces and 3 territories*; Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories*, Nova Scotia, Nunavut*, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory* Independence: 1 July 1867 (union of British North American colonies); 11 December 1931 (recognized by UK) National holiday: Canada Day, 1 July (1867) Constitution: made up of unwritten and written acts, customs, judicial decisions, and traditions; the written part of the constitution consists of the Constitution Act of 29 March 1867, which created a federation of four provinces, and the Constitution Act of 17 April 1982, which transferred formal control over the constitution from Britain to Canada, and added a Canadian Charter of Rights and Preedoms as well as procedures for constitutional amendments Legal system: based on English common law, except in Quebec, where civil law system based on French law pre¬ vails; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdic¬ tion, with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Michaelle JEAN (since 27 September 2005) head of government: Prime Minister Stephen HARPER (since 6 February 2006) cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime minister usually from among the members of his own party sitting in Parliament elections: none; the monarchy is heredi¬ tary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime min¬ ister for a five-year term; following leg¬ islative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition in the House of Commons is automatically designated prime minister by the governor general Legislative branch: bicameral Parlia¬ ment or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat (105 seats; members appointed by the governor general with the advice of the prime minister and serve until reaching 75 years of age) and the House of Commons or Chambre des Communes (308 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Commons — last held 23 January 2006 (next to be held in 2011) election results: House of Commons — percent of vote by party — Conservative Party 36.3%, Liberal Party 30.2%, New Democratic Party 17.5%, Bloc Quebecois 10.5%, Greens 4-5%, other 1%; seats by party — Conservative Party 124, Liberal Party 102, New Democratic Party 29, Bloc Quebecois 51, other 2; seats by party as of February 2007 — Conservative Party 125, Liberal Party 100, New Democratic Party 29, Bloc Quebecois 51, other 2 Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Canada (judges are appointed by the prime minister through the governor general); Federal Court of Canada; Federal Court of Appeal; Provincial Courts (these are named variously Court of Appeal, Court of Queens Bench, Superior Court, Supreme Court, and Court of Justice) Political parfies and leaders: Bloc Quebecois [Gilles DUCEPPEj; Con¬ servative Party of Canada [Stephen HARPER] (a merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Con- 116 CANADA servative Party); Green Party [Elizabeth MAY]; Liberal Party [Stephane DION]; New Democratic Party [Jack LAYTON] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: ACCT, AfDB, APEC, Arctic Council, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CDB, CE (observer), EAPC, EBRD, ESA (cooperating state), FAO, G'7, G-8, G- 10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAFTA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SECI (observer), UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNMOVIC, UNRWA, UNTSO, UN WTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael WILSON chancery: 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001 telephone: [1] (202) 682-1740 FAX: [1] (202) 682-7701 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Minne¬ apolis, New York, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Tucson consulate(s) : Anchorage, Houston, Philadelphia, Princeton (New Jersey), Raleigh, San Jose (California) Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador David H. WILKINS embassy: 490 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario KIN 1G8 mailing address: R O. Box 5000, Ogdensburgh, NY 13669-0430 telephone: [1] (613) 238-5335, 4470 FAX: [1] (613) 688-3082 consulate(s) general: Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg Flag description: two vertical bands of red (hoist and fly side, half width), with white square between them; an 11- pointed red maple leaf is centered in the white square; the official colors of Canada are red and white ECONOMY Economy — overview: As an affluent, high-tech industrial society in the tril- lion-dollar class, Canada resembles the US in its market-oriented economic system, pattern of production, &nd affluent living standards. Since World War II, the impressive growth of the manufacturing, mining, and service sectors has trans¬ formed the nation from a largely rural economy into one primarily industrial and urban. The 1989 US-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (which includes Mexico) touched off a dramatic increase in trade and economic integration with the US. Given its great natural resources, skilled labor force, and modem capital plant, Canada enjoys solid economic prospects. Top-notch fiscal management has pro¬ duced consecutive balanced budgets since 1997, although public debate continues over how to manage the rising cost of the publicly funded healthcare system. Exports account for roughly a third of GDP. Canada enjoys a substantial trade surplus with its principal trading partner, the US, which absorbs about 85% of Canadian exports. Canada is the US’ largest foreign supplier of energy, including oil, gas, uranium, and electric power. GDP (purchasing power parity): $1,178 trillion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $1,088 trillion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 2.7% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $35,600 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 2.3% industry: 29.2% services: 68.5% (2006 est.) Labor force: 17.59 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture 2%, manufacturing 14%, construction 5%, services 75%, other 3% (2004) Unemployment rate: 6.4% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 15.9%; note — this figure is the Low Income Cut- Off (LICO), a calculation that results in higher figures than found in many com¬ parable economies; Canada does not have an official poverty line (2003) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 23.8% (1994) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 33.1 (1998) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 21.3% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $183.5 billion expenditures: $181.8 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.) Public debt: 65.4% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: wheat, barley, oilseed, tobacco, fruits, vegetables; dairy products; forest products; fish Industries: transportation equipment, chemicals, processed and unprocessed minerals, food products, wood and paper products, fish products, petroleum and natural gas Industrial production growth rate: 0.7% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 573 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 28% hydro: 57.9% nuclear: 12.9% other: 1.3% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 522.4 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 33.01 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 22.48 billion kWh (2004) Oil — production: 3.135 million bbl/day (2004) Oil— consumption: 2.294 million bbl/day (2004) Oil — exports: 1.6 million bbl/day (2004) Oil— imports: 963,000 bbl/day (2004) Oil — proved reserves: 178.9 billion bbl note: includes oil sands (2004 est.) Natural gas— production: 183.6 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 95.85 bil¬ lion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 104 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — imports: 10.86 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 1.603 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $20.56 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $405 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: motor vehicles and parts, industrial machinery, aircraft, telecommunications equipment; chemi¬ cals, plastics, fertilizers; wood pulp, timber, crude petroleum, natural gas, electricity, aluminum Exports— partners: US 84.2%, Japan 2.1%, UK 1.8% (2005) Imports: $353.2 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, crude oil, chemicals, electricity, durable consumer goods Imports— partners: US 56.7%, China 7.8%, Mexico 3.8% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $35.79 billion (August 2006 est.) Debt— external: $684.7 billion (30 June 2006) Economic aid— donor: ODA, $2.6 bil¬ lion (2004) Currency (code): Canadian dollar (CAD) Currency code: CAD 117 THS CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Exchange rates: Canadian dollars per US dollar— 1.1334 (2006), 1.2118 (2005), 1.301 (2004), 1.4011 (2003), 1.5693 (2002) Fiscal year: 1 April— 31 March COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 18.276 million (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 16.6 mih lion (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: excellent service pro¬ vided by modern technology domestic: domestic satellite system with about 300 earth stations international: country code — 1; 5 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth sta¬ tions — 5 Intelsat (4 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) and 2 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) Radio broadcast stations: AM 245, FM 582, shortwave 6 (2004) Radios: 32.3 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 80 (plus many repeaters) (1997) Televisions: 21.5 million (1997) internet country code: ca Internet hosts: 3.934 million (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 760 (2000 est.) Internet users: 21.9 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 1,337 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 509 over 3,047 m: 18 2,438 to 3,047 m: 15 1,524 to 2,437 m: 151 9 14 to 1,523 m: 248 under 914 m: 77 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 828 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 66 914 to 1,523 m: 355 under 914 m: 407 (2006) Heliports: 12 (2006) Pipelines: crude and refined oil 23,564 km; liquid petroleum gas 74,980 km (2005) Railways: total: 48,467 km standard gauge: 48,467 km 1 .43 5 -m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 1,042,300 km paved: 415,600 km (includes 17,000 km of expressways) unpaved: 626,700 km (2005) Waterways: 631 km note: Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint Lawrence River of 3,058 km, shared with United States (2007) Merchant marine: total: 173 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,129,243 GRT/2, 7 16,340 DWT by type: bulk carrier 62, cargo 10, chem¬ ical tanker 9, container 2, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 63, petroleum tanker 13, roll on/roll off 8 foreigri'owned: 7 (Germany 3, Nether¬ lands 1, Norway 1, US 2) registered in other countries: 111 (Australia 1, Bahamas 18, Barbados 8, Cambodia 6, Cyprus 2, Denmark 1, Honduras 1, Hong Kong 28, Liberia 2, Malta 18, Marshall Islands 6, Panama 4, Russia 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6, US 4, Vanuatu 5) (2006) Ports and terminals: Fraser River Port, Halifax, Montreal, Port-Cartier, Quebec, Saint John’s (Newfoundland), Sept-Isles, Vancouver MILITARY Military branches: Canadian Forces: Land Forces Command, Maritime Command, Air Command, Canada Command (homeland security) (2006) Military service age and obligation: 16 years of age for voluntary military service; women comprise approximately 11% of Canada’s armed forces (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 8,216,510 females age J6-49: 8,034,939 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 6,740,490 females age 16-4 9: 6,580,868 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 223,821 females age 16-49: 212,900 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1.1% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: managed mar¬ itime boundary disputes with the US at Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and around the disputed Machias Seal Island and North Rock; US works closely with Canada to inten¬ sify security measures to monitor and control legal and illegal personnel, trans¬ port, and commodities across the inter¬ national border; sovereignty dispute with Denmark over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island and Greenland Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic drug market and export to US; use of hydroponics technology permits growers to plant large quantities of high-quality marijuana indoors; increasing ecstasy production, some of which is destined for the US; vulnerable to narcotics money laundering because of its mature financial services sector CAPE VERDE INTRODUCTION Background: The uninhabited islands were discovered and colonized by the Portuguese in the 15th century; Cape Verde subsequently became a trading center for African slaves and later an important coaling and resupply stop for whaling and transatlantic shipping. Following independence in 1975, and a tentative interest in unification with Guinea-Bissau, a one-party system was established and maintained until multi¬ party elections were held in 1990. Cape Verde continues to exhibit one of Africa’s most stable democratic govern¬ ments. Repeated droughts during the second half of the 20th century caused significant hardship and prompted heavy emigration. As a result, Cape Verde’s expatriate population is greater than its domestic one. Most Cape Verdeans have both African and Portuguese antecedents. GEOGRAPHY . / " • Location: Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal Geographic coordinates: 16 00 N, 24 00 W 118 CAPE VERDE Map references: Political Map of the World Area: total: 4,033 sq km land: 4,033 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: slightly larger than Rhode Island Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 965 km Maritime Claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and very erratic Terrain: Steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mt. Fogo 2,829 m (a vol¬ cano on Fogo Island) Natural resources: salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish, clay, gypsum Land use: arable land: 11.41% permanent crops: 0.74% other: 87.85% (2005) Irrigated land: 30 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust; volcanically and seismi- cally active Environment— current issues: soil ero¬ sion; deforestation due to demand for wood used as fuel; water shortages; deser¬ tification; environmental damage has threatened several species of birds and reptiles; illegal beach sand extraction; overfishing Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: strategic location 500 km from west coast of Africa near major north-south sea routes; important communications station; important sea and air refueling site PEOPLE Population: 423,613 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 36.9% (male 78,971/female 77,524) 15-64 years: 56.4% (male 116,751/ female 122,065) 65 years and. over: 6.7% (male 10,423/ female 17,879) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 20.2 years male: 19.4 years female: 21.1 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.606% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 24-4 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 6.5 deaths/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -11.83 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.019 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.956 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.583 male(s)/female total population: 0.948 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 45.27 deaths/1,000 live births male: 50.31 deaths/1,000 live births female: 40.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.02 years male: 67.69 years female: 74-44 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 3.28 children bom/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 0.035% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 775 (2001) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 225 (as of 2001) Nationality: noun: Cape Verdean(s) adjective: Cape Verdean Ethnic groups: Creole (mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1% Religions: Roman Catholic (infused with indigenous beliefs), Protestant (mostly Church of the Nazarene) Languages: Portuguese, Crioulo (a blend of Portuguese and West African words) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 76.6% male: 85.8% female: 69.2% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Cape Verde conventional short form: Cape Verde local long form: Republica de Cabo Verde local short form: Cabo Verde Government type: republic Capital: name: Praia geographic coordinates: 1455N, 23 31W time difference: UTC-1 (4 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 17 municipal¬ ities (concelhos, singular — concelho); Boa Vista, Brava, Maio, Mosteiros, Paul, Praia, Porto Novo, Ribeira Grande, Sal, Santa Catarina, Santa Cruz, Sao Domingos, Sao Filipe, Sao Miguel, Sao Nicolau, Sao Vicente, Tarrafal Independence: 5 July 1975 (from Portugal) National holiday: Independence Day, 5 July (1975) Constitution: 25 September 1992; a major revision on 23 November 1995 substantially increased the powers of the president; a 1999 revision created the position of national ombudsman (Provedor de Justica) Legal system: derived from the legal system of Portugal Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Pedro Verona PIRES (since 22 March 2001) head of government: Prime Minister Jose Maria Pereira NEVES (since 1 February 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 12 February 2006 (next to be held in February 2011); prime minister nomi¬ nated by the National Assembly and appointed by the president election results: Pedro PIRES reelected president; percent of vote — Pedro PIRES (PAICV) 51.2%, Carlos VIEGA (MPD) 48.8% Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (72 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 22 January 2006 (next to be held in January 2011) election results : percent of vote by party — PAICV 52.3%, MPD 44%, UCID 2.7%; seats by party— PAICV 41, MPD 29, UCID 2 Judicial branch: Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Supremo Tribunal de Justia Political parties and leaders: African Party for Independence of Cape Verde or PAICV (Jose Maria Pereira NEVES, chairman]; Democratic Alliance for Change or ADM [Dr. Eurico MON- TEIRO] (a coalition of PCD, PTS, and UCID); Democratic Christian Party or PDC [Manuel RODRIGUES]; Demo¬ cratic Renovation Party or PRD [Victor FIDALGO]; Democratic and Inde¬ pendent Cape Verdean Union or UCID [Antonio MONTEIRO]; Movement for Democracy or MPD [Agostinho LOPES]; 119 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO]; Party of Work and Solidarity or PTS [Isaias RODRIGUES]; Social Democratic Party or PSD Ooao ALEM] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jose BRITO chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 965-6820 FAX: [1] (202) 965-1207 consulate(s) general: Boston Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Roger D. PIERCE embassy: Rua Abilio Macedo n6, Praia mailing address : C. P. 201, Praia telephone: [238] 2-60-89-00 FAX: [238] 2-61-13-55 Flag description: five unequal hori¬ zontal bands; the top-most band of blue — equal to one half the width of the flag — is followed by three bands of white, red, and white, each equal to 1/12 of the width, and a bottom stripe of blue equal to one quarter of the flag width; a circle of 10, yellow, five-pointed stars, each representing one of the islands, is cen¬ tered on the red stripe and positioned 3/8 of the length of the flag from the hoist side ECONOMY Economy — overview: This island economy suffers from a poor natural resource base, including serious water shortages exacerbated by cycles of long¬ term drought. The economy is service- oriented, with commerce, transport, tourism, and public services accounting for 66% of GDP. Although nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas, the share of food production in GDP in 2004 was only 12%, of which fishing accounted for 1.5%. About 82% of food must be imported. The fishing potential, mostly lobster and tuna, is not fully exploited. Cape Verde annually runs a high trade deficit, financed by foreign aid and remittances from emigrants; remit¬ tances supplement GDP by more than 20%. Economic reforms are aimed at developing the private sector and attracting foreign investment to diversify the economy. Future prospects depend heavily on the maintenance of aid flows, the encouragement of tourism, remit¬ tances, and the momentum of the gov¬ ernment’s development program. Cape Verde has been exploring European Union membership in recent years. GDP (purchasing power parity): $3,129 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $1,128 billion (2005 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 5.5% (2005 est.) GDP — per capita (PPP): $6,000 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 12.1% industry: 21.9% services: 66% (2004 est.) Labor force: 120,600 (1990) Unemployment rate: 21% (2000 est.) Population below poverty line: 30% (2000) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4 7% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 25.5% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $324-6 million expenditures: $370.4 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: bananas, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, coffee, peanuts; fish Industries: food and beverages, fish pro¬ cessing, shoes and garments, salt mining, ship repair Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity— production: 44 million kWh (2004) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 4092 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004) Oil— consumption: 1,150 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $44 43 mil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $96.71 million f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: fuel, shoes, gar¬ ments, fish, hides Exports— partners: Spam 38.2%, Portugal 33.3%, US 9.2%, Morocco 5.4% (2005) Imports: $495.1 million f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: foodstuffs, industrial products, transport equipment, fuels Imports— partners: Portugal 40.8%, Italy 7.8%, Netherlands 7.2%, Spain 5.4%, Brazil 5.3%, France 4.7%, Belgium 4.6% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $166.4 million (2006 est.) Debt — external: $325 million (2002) Economic aid— recipient: $136 million (1999) Currency (code): Cape Verdean escudo (CVE) Currency code: CVE Exchange rates: Cape Verdean escudos (CVE) per US dollar— 87.946 (2006), 88.67 (2005), 88.808 (2004), 97.703 (2003), 117.168 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 71,400 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 81,700 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: effective system, extensive modernization from 1 996— 2000 following partial privatization in 1995 domestic: major service provider is Cabo Verde Telecom (CVT); fiber optic ring, completed in 2001, links all islands pro¬ viding Internet access and ISDN serv¬ ices; cellular service introduced in 1998 international: country code — 238; 2 coaxial submarine cables; HF radiotele¬ phone to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station — 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2001) Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 22 (plus 12 repeaters), shortwave 0 (2001) Radios: 100,000 (2002 est.) Television broadcast stations: l (plus 7 repeaters) (2001) Televisions: 15,000 (2002 est.) Internet country code: cv Internet hosts: 234 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): l (2002) Internet users: 25,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 7 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 7 over 3,047 m: 1 120 CAYMAN ISLANDS 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1 ,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Roadways: total: 1,350 km paved: 932 km unpaved: 418 km (2000) Merchant marine: total: 7 ships (1000 GRT or over) 12,300 GRT/7,726 DWT by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, pas- senger/cargo 4 foreigri'owned: 2 (Spain 1, UK 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Mindelo, Praia, Tarrafal MILITARY Military branches: People’s Revolu¬ tionary Armed Forces (FARP): Army, Coast Guard (includes maritime air wing) (2007) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 84,641 females age 18^9: 87,310 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age i 8 — 49 : 65,614 females age 18-49: 73,662 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 0.7% (2005) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: none Illicit drugs: used as a transshipment point for Latin American cocaine des¬ tined for Western Europe; the lack of a well-developed financial system limits the country’s utility as a money-laun¬ dering center CAYMAN ISLANDS Background: The Cayman Islands were colonized from Jamaica by the British during the 18th and 19th centuries, and were administered by Jamaica after 1863. In 1959, the islands became a territory within the Federation of the West Indies, but when the Federation dissolved in 1962, the Cayman Islands chose to remain a British dependency. GEOGRAPHY Location: Caribbean, three island (Grand Cayman, Cayman Brae, Little Cayman) group in Caribbean Sea, 240 km south of Cuba and 268 km northwest of Jamaica Geographic coordinates: 19 30 N, 80 30 W Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total: 262 sq km land: 262 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 160 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October) and cool, rel¬ atively dry winters (November to April) Terrain: low-lying limestone base sur¬ rounded by coral reefs Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: The Bluff (Cayman Brae) 43 m Natural resources: fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism Land use: arable land: 3.85% permanent crops: 0% other: 96.15% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: hurricanes (July to November) Environment— current issues: no nat¬ ural fresh water resources; drinking water supplies must be met by rainwater catchments Geography — note: important location between Cuba and Central America PEOPLE Population: 46,600 note: most of the population lives on Grand Cayman (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 20.3% (male 4,746/female 4,730) 15-64 years: 71% (male 16,135/female 16,964) 65 years and over: 8.6% (male 1,892/ female 2,133) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 37.5 years male: 37.1 years female: 37.9 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.496% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 12.6 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 4.98 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 17.34 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.003 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.951 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.887 male(s)/female total population: 0.956 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 7.8 deaths/1,000 live births male: 8.94 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 80.2 years male: 77.57 years female: 82.87 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.89 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Caymanian(s) adjective: Caymanian Ethnic groups: mixed 40%, white 20%, black 20%, expatriates of various ethnic groups 20% Religions: United Church (Presbyterian and Congregational), Anglican, Baptist, Church of God, other Protestant, Roman Catholic Languages: English Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1970 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Cayman Islands Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK Government type: British crown colony 121 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Capital: name: George Town (on Grand Cayman) geographic coordinates: 19 20 N, 81 23 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 8 districts; Creek, Eastern, Midland, South Town, Spot Bay, Stake Bay, West End, Western Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK) National holiday: Constitution Day, first Monday in July Constitution: 1959; revised 1962, 1972, and 1994 Legal system: British common law and local statutes Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Stuart JACK (since 23 November 2005) head of government: Leader of Govern- ment Business Kurt TIBBETTS (since 18 May 2005) cabinet: Executive Council (three mem¬ bers appointed by the governor, four members elected by the Legislative Assembly) elections: none; the monarch is heredi¬ tary; the governor is appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or coali¬ tion is appointed by the governor Leader of Government Business Legislative branch; unicameral Legislative Assembly (18 seats; 3 appointed members from the Executive Council and 15 elected by popular vote; to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 11 May 2005 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — PPM 9, UDP 5, independent 1 Judicial branch: Summary Court; Grand Court; Cayman Islands Court of Appeal Political parties and leaders: United Democratic Party or UDP [McKeeva BUSH]; People’s Progressive Movement or PPM [Kurt TIBBETTS]; note— no national teams (loose groupings of polit¬ ical organizations) were formed for the 2000 elections Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNESCO (asso¬ ciate), UPU Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the UK) Flag description: blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Caymanian coat of arms cen¬ tered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms includes a pineapple and turtle above a shield with three stars (representing the three islands) and a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto HE HATH FOUNDED IT UPON THE SEAS ECONOMY Economy— overview: With no direct taxation, the islands are a thriving off¬ shore financial center. More than 68,000 companies were registered in the Cayman Islands as of 2003, including almost 5 00 banks, 800 insurers, and 5,000 mutual funds. A stock exchange was opened in 1997. Tourism is also a mainstay, accounting for about 70% of GDP and 75% of foreign currency earn¬ ings. The tourist industry is aimed at the luxury market and caters mainly to visi¬ tors from North America. Total tourist arrivals exceeded 2.1 million in 2003, with about half from the US. About 90% of the islands’ food and consumer goods must be imported. The Caymanians enjoy one of the highest outputs per capita and one of the highest standards of living in the world. GDP (purchasing power parity): $1,939 billion (2004 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): NA GDP— real growth rate: 0.9% (2004 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $43,800 (2004 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 1.4% industry: 3.2% services: 95.4% (1994 est.) Labor force: 23,450 (2004) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 1.4% industry: 12.6% services: 86% (1995) Unemployment rate: 4 4% (2004) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.4% (2004) Budget: revenues: $423.8 million expenditures: $392.6 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2004) Agriculture— products: vegetables, fruit; livestock; turtle farming Industries: tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction, construction materials, furniture Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity— production: 400 million kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 372 million kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004) Oil— consumption: 2,600 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Exports: $2.52 million (2004) Exports— commodities: turtle products, manufactured consumer goods Exports— partners: mostly US (2004) Imports: $866.9 million (2004) Imports— commodities: foodstuffs, manufactured goods Imports— partners: US, Netherlands Antilles, Japan (2004) Debt— external: $70 million (1996) Economic aid— recipient: $390,000 (2004) Currency (code): Caymanian dollar (KYD) Currency code: KYD Exchange rates: Caymanian dollars per US dollar — 0.8496 (2006) Fiscal year: 1 April— 31 March COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 38,000 (2002) Telephones— mobile cellular: 17,000 (2002) Telephone system: general, assessment: reasonably good system domestic: liberalization of telecom market in 2003 reflected in falling prices and improving services international: country code — 1-345; 2 submarine fiber optic cables (Maya-1, Cayman-Jamaica); satellite earth sta¬ tion — 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (2004) Radios: 36,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 4 with cable system (2004) Televisions: 7,000 (1997) Internet country code: ky Internet hosts: 8,61 1 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 16 (2000) Internet users: 9,909 (2003) 122 CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC TRANSPORTATION Airports: 3 (2006) Airports — with poved runways: total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006) Roadways: total: 785 km paved: 785 km (2002) Merchant marine: total: 132 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,746,290 GRT/4,366,790 DWT by type: bulk carrier 32, cargo 14, chem- ical tanker 42, liquefied gas 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 14, refrigerated cargo 23, roll on/roll off 3, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 1 foreign-owned: 130 (Denmark 5, Germany 13, Greece 21, Italy 12, Japan 1, Malaysia 1, Netherlands 4, Norway 2, Philippines 1, Singapore 10, Sweden 9, UK 10, US 41) (2006) Ports and terminals: Cayman Brae, George Town MILITARY Military branches: no regular military forces; Royal Cayman Islands Police Force Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 10,703 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 8,600 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-4 9: 257 (2005 est.) Military — note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of the UK TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: none Illicit drugs: offshore financial center; vulnerable to drug transshipment to the US and Europe CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC INTRODUCTION Background: The former French colony of Ubangi-Shari became the Central African Republic upon independence in 1960. After three tumultuous decades of misrule — mostly by military govern¬ ments — civilian rule was established in 1993 and lasted for one decade. President Ange-Felix PATASSE’s civilian government was plagued by unrest, and in March 2003 he was deposed in a military coup led by General Francois BOZIZE, who estab¬ lished a transitional government. Though the government has the tacit support of civil society groups and the main parties, a wide field of candidates contested the municipal, legislative, and presidential elections held in March and May of 2005 in which General BOZIZE was affirmed as president. The govern¬ ment still does not fully control the countryside, where pockets of lawless¬ ness persist. GEOGRAPHY Location: Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo Geographic coordinates: 7 00 N, 21 00 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 622,984 sq km land: 622,984 sq km water: 0 sq km Area— comparative: slightly smaller than Texas Land boundaries: total: 5,203 km border countries: Cameroon 797 km, Chad 1,197 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 467 km, Sudan 1,165 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime claims: none (landlocked) Climate: tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers Terrain: vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwest Elevation extremes: lowest point: Oubangui River 335 m highest point: Mont Ngaoui 1,420 m Natural resources: diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower Land use: arable land : 3.1% permanent crops : 0.15% other: 96.75% (2005) Irrigated land: 20 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty har- mattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common Environment — current issues: tap water is not potable; poaching has diminished the country’s reputation as one of the last great wildlife refuges; desertification; deforestation Environment — international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Pro¬ tection, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea Geography — note: landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa PEOPLE Population: 4,369,038 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mor¬ tality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the dis¬ tribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 41.6% (male 914,566/female 903,849) 15-64 years: 54.2% (male 1,174,520/ female 1,195,364) 65 years and over: 4-1% (male 71,355/ female 109,384) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 18.5 years male: 18.2 years female: 18.9 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.505% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 33.52 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 18.46 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.012 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.983 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.652 male(s)/female total population: 0.978 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 83.97 deaths/1,000 live births male: 90.68 deaths/ 1,000 live births female: 77.05 deaths/ 1,000 live births (2007 est.) 123 THE CIA WORLD FACT BOOK Life expectancy at birth: total population: 43.74 years male: 43.69 years female: 43.79 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 4.32 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 13.5% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 260,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 23,000 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diar¬ rhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria respiratory disease: meningococcal men¬ ingitis (2007) Nationality: noun: Central African(s) adjective: Central African Ethnic groups: Baya 33%, Banda 27%, Mandjia 13%, Sara 10%, Mboum 7%, M’Baka 4%, Yakoma 4%, other 2% Religions: indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15% note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the Christian majority Languages: French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), tribal languages Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 51% male: 63.3% female: 39.9% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Central African Republic conventional short form: none local long form: Republique Centrafricaine local short form: none former: Ubangi-Shari, Central African Empire abbreviation: CAR Government type: republic Capital: name: Bangui geographic coordinates: 422N, 1835 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 14 prefectures (prefectures, singular — prefecture), 2 economic prefectures* (prefectures eco- nomiques, singular — prefecture econom- ique), and 1 commune**; Bamingui- Bangoran, Bangui**, Basse-Kotto, Haute- Kotto, Haut-Mbomou, Kemo, Lobaye, Mambere-Kadei, Mbomou, Nana-Grebizi*, Nana-Mambere, Ombella-Mpoko, Ouaka, Ouham, Ouham-Pende, Sangha-Mbaere*, Vakaga Independence: 13 August I960 (from France) National holiday: Republic Day, 1 December ( 1958) Constitution: ratified by popular refer¬ endum 5 December 2004; effective 27 December 2004 Legal system: based on French law Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state : President Francois BOZIZE (since 15 March 2003 coup) head of government: Prime Minister Elie DOTE (since 13 June 2005); note — Celestin GAOMBALET resigned 11 June 2005 cabinet: Council of Ministers elections: under the new constitution, the president elected to a five-year term (eli¬ gible for a second term); elections last held 13 March and 8 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010); prime minister appointed by the political party with a parliamentary majority election results: Francois BOZIZE elected president; percent of second round bal¬ loting — Francois BOZIZE (KNK) 64.6%, Martin ZIGUELE (MLPC) 35.4% Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (109 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 13 March 2005 and 8 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010) election results: percent of vote by party — MLPC 43%, RDC 18%, MDD 9%, FPP 6%, PSD 5%, ADP 4%, PUN 3%, FODEM 2%, PLD 2%, UPR 1%, FC 1%, independents 6%; seats by party— MLPC 47, RDC 20, MDD 8, FPP 7, PSD 6, ADP 5, PUN 3, FODEM 2, PLD 2, UPR 1, FC 1, independents 7 Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Constitutional Court (3 judges appointed by the president, 3 by the president of the National Assembly, and 3 by fellow judges); Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts; Inferior Courts Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP [Jacques MBOLIEDASJ; Central African Democratic Assembly or RDC [Andre KOLINGBA]; Civic Forum or FC [Gen. Timothee MALENDOMA]; Democratic Forum for Modernity or FODEM [Charles MASSI]; Liberal Democratic Party or PLD [Nestor KOMBO- NAGUEMON]; Movement for Democracy and Development or MDD [David DACKO]; Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People or MLPC [Ange-Felix PATASSE] (the party of deposed president); National Convergence or KNK; Patriotic Front for Progress or FPP [Abel GOUMBA]; People’s Union for the Republic or UPR [Pierre Sammy MAKFOY]; National Unity Party or PUN Qean-Paul NGOUPANDE]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Enoch LAKOUE] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC (observer), OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Emmanuel TOUABOY chancery: 1618 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-7800 FAX: [1] (202) 332-9893 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d’ Affaires James PANOS embassy: Avenue David Dacko, Bangui mailing address : B. P. 924, Bangui telephone: [236] 61 02 00 FAX: [236] 61 44 94 note: the embassy is currently operating with a minimal staff Flag description: four equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, green, and yellow with a vertical red band in center; there is a yellow five-pointed star on the hoist side of the blue band ECONOMY Economy— overview: Subsistence agri¬ culture, together with forestry, remains the backbone of the economy of the Central African Republic (CAR), with more than 70% of the population living in outlying areas. The agricultural sector generates more than half of GDP. Timber has accounted for about 16% of export earnings and the diamond industry, for 40%. Important constraints to economic development include the CAR’s land¬ locked position, a poor transportation system, a largely unskilled work force, and a legacy of misdirected macroeconomic policies. Factional fighting between the government and its opponents remains a drag on economic revitalization. Distribution of income is extraordinarily unequal. Grants from France and the international community can only par¬ tially meet humanitarian needs. GDP (purchasing power parity): $4,998 billion (2006 est.) 124 CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC GDP (official exchange rate): $1.55 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 3.5% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $1,200 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 55% industry: 20% services: 25% (2001 est.) Labor force: NA Unemployment rate: 8% (23% for Bangui) (2001 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.7% highest 10%: 47.7% (1993) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 61.3 (1993) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.6% (2001 est.) Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures : $NA Agriculture— products: cotton, coffee, tobacco, manioc (tapioca), yams, millet, corn, bananas; timber Industries: gold and diamond mining, logging, brewing, textiles, footwear, assembly of bicycles and motorcycles Industrial production growth rate: 3% (2002) Electricity — production: 109 million kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 19.8% hydro: 80.2% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 101.4 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004) Oil— consumption: 2,420 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Exports: $131 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) Exports — commodities: diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco Exports— partners: Belgium 35%, France 9.7%, Spain 8.7%, Italy 8.1%, China 7.1%, Indonesia 6.3%, Demo¬ cratic Republic of the Congo 4-7%, US 4.5%, Turkey 4.5% (2005) Imports: $203 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) Imports — commodities: food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, elec¬ trical equipment, motor vehicles, chemi¬ cals, pharmaceuticals Imports— partners: France 16.6%, Netherlands 10.3%, Cameroon 9.7%, US 7.3% (2005) Debt— external: $1.06 billion (2002 est.) Economic aid— recipient: ODA, $59.8 million; note — traditional budget subsi¬ dies from France (2002 est.) Currency (code): Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note — responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States Currency code: XAF Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar— 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 10,000 (2004) Telephones— mobile cellular: 60,000 (2004) Telephone system: general assessment: fair system domestic: network consists principally of microwave radio relay and low-capacity, low-powered radiotelephone communi¬ cation international: country code — 236; satel¬ lite earth station — 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM l, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2001) Radios: 283,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 1 (2001) Televisions: 18,000 (1997) Internet country code: cf Internet hosts: 10 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2002) Internet users: 9,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 50 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 47 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 9 14 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 13 (2006) Roadways: total: 23,810 km (1999) Waterways: 2,800 km (primarily on the Oubangui and Sangha rivers) (2005) Ports and terminals: Bangui, Nola, Salo, Nzinga MILITARY Military branches: Central African Armed Forces (FACA): Ground Forces, Military Air Service; General Directorate of Gendarmerie Inspection (DGIG), Republican Guard, National Police (2006) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service; conscript service obliga¬ tion is 2 years (2005) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 853,760 females age 18-49: 835,426 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 416,091 females age 18-49: 383,056 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1.1% (2006 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: periodic skir¬ mishes over water and grazing rights among related pastoral populations along the border with southern Sudan persist Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin ): 19,960 (Sudan), 3,325 (Democratic Republic of the Congo); note — UNHCR resumed repatriation of Southern Sudanese refugees in 2006 IDPs: 150,000 (ongoing unrest following coup in 2003) (2006) Trafficking in persons: current situation: Central African Republic is a source and destination country for children traf¬ ficked for domestic servitude, sexual exploitation, and forced labor in shops and commercial labor activities; while the majority of child victims are traf¬ ficked within the country, some are also trafficked to and from Cameroon and Nigeria tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — the Central African Republic failed to pro¬ vide evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons during 2005, specifically its inadequate law enforcement response to trafficking crimes 125 CHAD Aokxj. -f Em Kousai Oftmah Ab6ch4 N'DJAMENA Moundou DEM,, BSP. OF THE. CONGO 200 *m HU - - wmm CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC INTRODUCTION Background: Chad, part of France’s African holdings until 1960, endured three decades of civil warfare as well as invasions by Libya before a semblance of peace was finally restored in 1990. The government eventually drafted a demo¬ cratic constitution, and held flawed pres¬ idential elections in 1996 and 2001. In 1998, a rebellion broke out in northern Chad, which sporadically flares up despite several peace agreements between the government and the rebels. In 2005 new rebel groups emerged in western Sudan and have made probing attacks into eastern Chad. Power remains in the hands of an ethnic minority. In June 2005, President Idriss DEBY held a referendum successfully removing constitutional term limits. GEOGRAPHY Location: Central Africa, south of Libya Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 19 00 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 1.284 million sq km land: 1,259,200 sq km water: 24,800 sq km Area — comparative: slightly more than three times the size of California Land boundaries: total: 5,968 km border countries: Cameroon 1,094 km, Central African Republic 1,197 km, Libya 1,055 km, Niger 1,175 km, Nigeria 87 km, Sudan 1,360 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime Claims: none (landlocked) Climate: tropical in south, desert in north Terrain: broad, arid plains in center, desert in north, mountains in northwest, lowlands in south Elevation extremes: lowest point: Djourab Depression 160 m highest point: Emi Koussi 3,415 m Natural resources: petroleum, uranium, natron, kaolin, fish (Lake Chad), gold, limestone, sand and gravel, salt Land use: arable land: 2.8% permanent crops: 0.02% other: 97.18% (2005) Irrigated land: 300 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty har- mattan winds occur in north; periodic droughts; locust plagues Environment— current issues: inade¬ quate supplies of potable water; improper waste disposal in rural areas contributes to soil and water pollution; desertification Environment — international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping Geography— note: landlocked; Lake Chad is the most significant water body in the Sahel PEOPLE Population: 9,885,661 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 47.3% (male 2,366,496/ female 2,308,155) 15-64 years: 49.8% (male 2,250,211/ female 2,676,076) 65 years and over: 2.9% (male 120,666/ female 164,057) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 16.3 years male: 15 years female: 17.4 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.32% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 42.35 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 16.69 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -2.46 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.025 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.841 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.736 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 102.07 deaths/1,000 live births male: 108.27 deaths/1,000 live births female: 95.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 47.2 years male: 46.17 years female: 48.27 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 5.56 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 4 8% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 200,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 18,000 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2007) Nationality: noun: Chadian(s) adjective: Chadian Ethnic groups: Sara 27.7%, Arab 12.3%, Mayo-Kebhi 11.5%, Kanem-Bomou 9%, Ouaddai 8.7%, Hadjarai 6.7%, Tandjile 6.5%, Gorane 6.3%, Fitri-Batha 4-7%, other 6.4%, unknown 0.3% (1993 census) Religions: Muslim 53.1%, Catholic 20.1%, Protestant 14.2%, animist 7.3%, other 0.5%, unknown 1.7%, atheist 3.1% (1993 census) Languages: French (official), Arabic (official), Sara (in south), more than 120 different languages and dialects Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write French or Arabic total population: 47.5% male: 56% female: 39.3% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Chad conventional short form: Chad local long form: Republique du Tchad/Jumhuriyat Tshad local short form: Tchad/Tshad 126 CHAD Government type: republic Capital: name: N’Djamena geographic coordinates: 12 07 N, 15 03 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 14 prefectures (prefectures, singular — prefecture); Batha, Biltine, Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti, Chari- Baguirmi, Guera, Kanem, Lac, Logone Occidental, Logone Oriental, Mayo- Kebbi, Moyen-Chari, Ouaddai, Salamat, Tandj ile note: instead of 14 prefectures, there may be a new administrative structure of 28 departments (departments, singular — department) and 1 city*; Assongha, Baguirmi, Bahr El Gazal, Bahr Koh, Batha Oriental, Batha Occidental, Biltine, Borkou, Dababa, Ennedi, Guera, Hadjer Lamis, Kabia, Kanem, Lac, Lac Iro, Logone Occidental, Logone Oriental, Mandoul, Mayo-Boneye, Mayo-Dallah, Monts de Lam, N’Djamena*, Ouaddai, Salamat, Sila, Tandj ile Oriental, Tandj ile Occidental, Tibesti Independence: 11 August 1960 (from France) National holiday: Independence Day, 11 August ( 1960) Constitution: passed by referendum 31 March 1996; a June 2005 referendum removed constitutional term limits Legal system: based on French civil law system and Chadian customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno (since 4 December 1990) head of government: Prime Minister Nouradine Delwa KASSIRE Koumakoye (since 26 February 2007) cabinet: Council of State, members appointed by the president on the rec¬ ommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote to serve five-year term; if no candi¬ date receives at least 50% of the total vote, the two candidates receiving the most votes must stand for a second round of voting; last held 3 May 2006 (next to be held by May 2011); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno reelected president; percent of vote — Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY 64-7%, Delwa Kassire KOUMAKOYE 15.1%, Albert Pahimi PADACKE 7.8%, Mahamat ABDOULAYE 7.1%, Brahim KOULA- MALLAH 5.3%; note— a June 2005 national referendum altered the consti¬ tution removing presidential term limits and permitting Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno to run for reelection Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (155 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); note — the 1996 constitution called for a Senate that has never been formed elections: National Assembly — last held 21 April 2002 (next to be held by 2007) election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — MPS 110, RDP 12, FAR 9, RNDP 5, URD 5, UNDR 3, other 11 Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts; Magistrate Courts Political parties and leaders: Federation Action for the Republic or FAR [Ngarledjy YORONGARJ; Na¬ tional Rally for Development and Progress or RNDP [Delwa Kassire KOUMAKOYE]; National Union for Democracy and Renewal or UNDR [Saleh KEBZABO]; Party for Liberty and Development or PLD [Ibni Oumar Mahamat SALEH]; Patriotic Salvation Movement or MPS [Mahamat Saleh AHMAT, chairman]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Lol Mahamat CHOUA]; Union for Democracy and Republic or UDR [Jean ALINGUE]; Union for Renewal and Democracy or URD [Gen. Wadal Abdelkader KAMOUGUE] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mahamat Adam BECHIR chancery: 2002 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 462-4009 FAX: [1] (202) 265-1937 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Marc M. WALL embassy: Avenue Felix Eboue, N’Djamena mailing address: B. P. 413, N’Djamena telephone: [235] 516-211 FAX: [235] 515-654 Flag description: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; similar to the flag of Romania; also similar to the flags of Andorra and Moldova, both of which have a national coat of arms centered in the yellow band; design was based on the flag of France ECONOMY Economy— overview: Chad’s primarily agricultural economy will continue to be boosted by major foreign direct invest¬ ment projects in the oil sector that began in 2000. Over 80% of Chad’s population relies on subsistence farming and live¬ stock raising for its livelihood. Chad’s economy has long been handicapped by its landlocked position, high energy costs, and a history of instability. Chad relies on foreign assistance and foreign capital for most public and private sector investment projects. A consortium led by two US companies has been investing $3.7 billion to develop oil reserves — esti¬ mated at 1 billion barrels — in southern Chad. The nation’s total oil reserves have been estimated to be 2 billion barrels. Oil production came on stream in late 2003. Chad began to export oil in 2004. Cotton, cattle, and gum arabic provide the bulk of Chad’s non-oil export earnings. GDP (purchasing power parity): $14.98 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $4,967 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 1% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $1,500 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 32.5% industry: 26.6% services: 40.8% (2006 est.) Labor force: 2.719 million (1993) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 80% (subsistence farming, herding, and fishing) industry and services: 20% Unemployment rate: NA% Population below poverty line: 80% (2001 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 9.2% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $617.3 million expenditures: $877.6 million; including capital expenditures of $146 million (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: cotton, sorghum, millet, peanuts, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca); cattle, sheep, goats, camels Industries: oil, cotton textiles, meat¬ packing, beer brewing, natron (sodium carbonate), soap, cigarettes, construction materials 127 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Industrial production growth rate: 5% (1995) Electricity— production: 94 million kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 87.42 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: OkWh (2004) Oil — production: 225,000 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— consumption: 1,460 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: NA bbl/day Oil — imports: NA bbl/day Oil — proved reserves: 2 billion bbl (2005) Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $324 1 mil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $4-342 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: cotton, cattle, gum arabic, oil Exports— partners: US 78.1%, China 9.9%, Taiwan 4.1% (2005) Imports: $823.1 million f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: machinery and transportation equipment, industrial goods, foodstuffs, textiles Imports— partners: France 21.2%, Cameroon 15.4%, US 12.1%, Belgium 6.7%, Portugal 4.6%, Saudi Arabia 4.3%, Netherlands 4-1% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $352.8 million (2006 est.) Debt— external: $1.5 billion (2003 est.) Economic aid— recipient: ODA, $246.9 million (2003 est.) Currency (code): Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note — responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States Currency code: XAF Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar — 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 13,000 (2004) Telephones — mobile cellular: 210,000 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: primitive system domestic: fair system of radiotelephone communication stations international: country code- — 235; satellite earth station — 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 5 (2001) Radios: 1.67 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 1 (2001) Televisions: 10,000 (1997) Internet country code: td Internet hosts: 9 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2002) Internet users: 35,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION • , ■ Airports: 52 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 7 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 rn: 1 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 45 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 21 under 914 m: 10 (2006) Pipelines: oil 205 km (2006) Roadways: total: 33,400 km paved: 267 km unpaved: 33,133 km (1999) Waterways: Chari and Legone rivers are navigable only in wet season (2002) MILITARY Military branches: Chadian National Army (Armee Nationale Tchadienne, ANT), Chadian Air Force (Force Aerienne Tchadienne, FAT), Gendar¬ merie (2007) Military service age and obligation: 20 years of age for conscripts, with 3 -year service obligation; 18 years of age for vol¬ unteers; no minimum age restriction for volunteers with consent from a guardian; women are subject to 1 year of compul¬ sory military or civic service at age of 21 (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 20-49: 1,527,58 0 females age 20-49: 1,629,510 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 20-49: 794,988 females age 20-49: 849,500 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 94,536 females age 20-4 9: 93,521 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 4.2% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: since 2003, Janjawid armed militia and the Sudanese military have driven hundreds of thou¬ sands of Darfur residents into Chad; Chad remains an important mediator in the Sudanese civil conflict, reducing ten¬ sions with Sudan arising from cross- border banditry; Chadian Aozou rebels reside in southern Libya; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission’s admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty, which also includes the Chad-Niger and Niger- Nigeria boundaries Refugees and infernally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 234,000 (Sudan), 41,246 (Central African Republic) IDPs: 100,000 (2006) CHILE INTRODUCTION Background: Prior to the coming of the Spanish in the 16th century, northern Chile was under Inca rule while Araucanian Indians (also known as Mapuches) inhabited central and southern Chile. Although Chile declared its independence in 1810, deci¬ sive victory over the Spanish was not achieved until 1818. In the War of the Pacific (1879-83), Chile defeated Peru and Bolivia and won its present northern regions. It was not until the 1880s that the Araucanian Indians were completely subjugated. A three-year-old Marxist government of Salvador ALLEN DE was overthrown in 1973 by a military coup led by Augusto PINOCFIET, who ruled until a freely elected president was installed in 1990. Sound economic poli¬ cies, maintained consistently since the 1980s, have contributed to steady growth, reduced poverty rates by over half, and have helped secure the country’s commitment to democratic and representative government. Chile has increasingly assumed regional and international leadership roles befitting its status as a stable, democratic nation. GEOGRAPHY V _ _ . _ _ Location: Southern South America, bor¬ dering the South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina and Peru Geographic coordinates: 30 00 S, 71 00 W 128 CHILE Map references: South America Area: total: 756,950 sq km land: 748,800 sq km water: 8,150 sq km note: includes Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) and Isla Sala y Gomez Area— comparative: slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana Land boundaries: total: 6,339 km border countries: Argentina 5,308 km, Bolivia 860 km, Peru 171 km Coastline: 6,435 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200/350 nm Climate: temperate; desert in north; Mediterranean in central region; cool and damp in south Terrain: low coastal mountains; fertile central valley; rugged Andes in east Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Nevado Ojos del Salado 6,880 m Natural resources: copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molyb¬ denum, hydropower Land use: arable land: 2.62 % permanent crops: 0.43% other: 96.95% (2005) Irrigated land: 19,000 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis Environment— current issues: wide¬ spread deforestation and mining threaten natural resources; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage Environment— international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: strategic location rel¬ ative to sea lanes between Atlantic and Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage); Atacama Desert is one of world’s driest regions PEOPLE Population: 16,284,741 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 24-1% (male 2,010,576/ female 1,920,951) 15-64 years: 67.4% (male 5,480,703/ female 5,492,988) 65 years and over: 8.5% (male 576,698/ female 802,825) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 30.7 years male: 29.8 years female: 31.7 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.916% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 15.03 births/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 5.87 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.047 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.998 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.718 male(s)/female total population: 0.982 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 8.36 deaths/1,000 live births male: 9.09 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.96 years male: 73.69 years female: 80.4 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.97 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.3% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 26,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 1,400 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Chilean(s) adjective: Chilean Ethnic groups: white and white- Amerindian 95%, Amerindian 3%, other 2% Religions: Roman Catholic 70%, Evangelical 15.1%, Jehovah’s Witness 1.1%, other Christian 1%, other 4.6%, none 8.3% (2002 census) Languages: Spanish Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 95.7% male: 95.8% female: 95.6% (2002 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Chile conventional short form: Chile local long form: Republica de Chile local short form: Chile Government type: republic Capital: name: Santiago geographic coordinates: 33 27 S, 70 40 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins second Sunday in October; ends second Sunday in March Administrative divisions: 13 regions (regiones, singular — region); Aisen del General Carlos Ibanez del Campo, Antofagasta, Araucania, Atacama, Biobio, Coquimbo, Libertador General Bernardo O’Higgins, Los Lagos, Magallanes y de la Antartica Chilena, Maule, Region Metropolitana (Santiago), Tarapaca, Valparaiso note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica Independence: 18 September 1810 (from Spain) National holiday: Independence Day, 18 September (1810) Constitution: 11 September 1980, effec¬ tive 11 March 1981; amended 1989, 1991, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2003, and 2005 Legal system: based on Code of 1857 derived from Spanish law and subse¬ quent codes influenced by French and Austrian law; judicial review of legisla¬ tive acts in the Supreme Court; has not 129 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; note — in June 2005, Chile completed overhaul of its criminal justice system to a new, US-style adversarial system Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory Executive branch: chief of state: President Michelle BACHELET Jeria (since 11 March 2006); note — the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Michelle BACHELET Jeria (since 11 March 2006) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a single four-year term; election last held 11 December 2005, with runoff election held 15 January 2006 (next to be held in December 2009) election results: Michelle BACHELET Jeria elected president; percent of vote — Michelle BACHELET Jeria 53.5%; Sebastian PINERA Echenique 46.5% Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate or Senado (38 seats; mem¬ bers elected by popular vote to serve eight-year terms; one-half elected every four years) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (120 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate — last held 11 December 2005 (next to be held in December 2009); Chamber of Deputies — last held 11 December 2005 (next to be held in December 2009) election results: Senate — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — CPD 20 (PDC 6, PS 8, PPD 3, PRSD 3), APC 17 (UDI 9, RN 8), independent 1; Chamber of Deputies — percent of vote by party- — NA; seats by party — CPD 65 (PDC 21, PPD 22, PS 15, PRSD 7), APC 54 (UDI 34, RN 20), independent 1 Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are appointed by the president and ratified by the Senate from lists of candidates provided by the court itself; the president of the Supreme Court is elected every three years by the 20-member court); Constitutional Tribunal Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Chile (“Alianza”) or APC (including National Renewal or RN [Carlos LAR- RAIN Pena] and Independent Democratic Union or UDI [Hernan LARRAIN Fernandez]); Coalition of Parties for Democracy (“Concertacion”) or CPD (including Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Soledad ALVEAR], Socialist Party or PS [Camilo ESCALONA], Party for Democracy or PPD [Sergio BITAR Chacra], Radical Social Democratic Party or PRSD [Jose Antonio GOMEZ Urrutia]); Communist Party or PC [Guillermo TEILLIER] Political pressure groups and leaders: revitalized university student federations at all major universities; Roman Catholic Church; United Labor Central or CUT includes trade unionists from the country’s five largest labor confederations International organization participa¬ tion: APEC, BIS, CAN (associate), CSN, FAO, G-15, G-77, 1ADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mariano FERNANDEZ chancery: 1732 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 530-4104, 530-4106, 530-4107 FAX: [1] (202) 887-5579 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico) Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Craig A. KELLY embassy: Avenida Andres Bello 2800, Las Condes, Santiago mailing address: APO A A 34033 telephone: [56] (2) 232-2600 FAX: [56] (2) 330-3710 Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; there is a blue square the same height as the white band at the hoist-side end of the white band; the square bears a white five- pointed star in the center representing a guide to progress and honor; blue sym¬ bolizes the sky, white is for the snow-cov¬ ered Andes, and red stands for the blood spilled to achieve independence; design was influenced by the US flag ECONOMY Economy— overview: Chile has a market-oriented economy characterized by a high level of foreign trade. During the early 1990s, Chile’s reputation as a role model for economic reform was strengthened when the democratic gov¬ ernment of Patricio AYLWIN- — which took over from the military in 1990 — deepened the economic reform initiated hy the military government. Growth in real GDP averaged 8% during 1991-97, but fell to half that level in 1998 because of tight monetary policies implemented to keep the current account deficit in check and because of lower export earn¬ ings — the latter a product of the global financial crisis. A severe drought exacer¬ bated the recession in 1999, reducing crop yields and causing hydroelectric shortfalls and electricity rationing, and Chile experienced negative economic growth for the first time in more than 15 years. Despite the effects of the recession, Chile maintained its reputation for strong financial institutions and sound policy that have given it the strongest sovereign bond rating in South America. Between 2000 and 2006 growth ranged between 2%-6%. Throughout these years Chile maintained a low rate of inflation with GDP growth coming from high copper prices, solid export earnings (particularly forestry, fishing, and mining), and growing domestic con¬ sumption. Chile continues to attract for¬ eign direct investment, but most foreign investment goes into gas, water, elec¬ tricity and mining. Unemployment has exhibited a downward trend over the past year, dropping to 7.8% at the end of 2006. Chile deepened its longstanding commitment to trade liberalization with the signing of a free trade agreement with the US, which took effect on 1 January 2004. Chile signed or ratified a number of trade agreements in 2006, including with China and India. Chile claims to have more bilateral or regional trade agreements than any other country. It has 57 such agreements (not all of them full free trade agreements), including with the European Union, Mercosur, South Korea, and Mexico. GDP (purchasing power parity): $202.7 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $111.8 billion (2006) GDP— real growth rate: 4.2% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $12,700 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 5.9% industry: 49.3% services: 44.7% (2006 est.) Labor force: 6.94 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 13.6% industry: 23.4% services: 63% (2003) Unemployment rate: 7.8% (2006) Population below poverty line: 18.2% (2005) 130 CHILE Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.2% highest 10%: 47% (2000) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 53.8 (2003) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.6% (2006) Investment (gross fixed): 21% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $36.71 billion expenditures: $26.68 billion; including capital expenditures of $3.33 billion (2006 est.) Public debt: 3.9% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: grapes, apples, pears, onions, wheat, corn, oats, peaches, garlic, asparagus, beans; beef, poultry, wool; fish; timber Industries: copper, other minerals, food' stuffs, fish processing, iron and steel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles Industrial production growth rate: 3.1% (2006) Electricity — production: 47.6 billion kWh (2006) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 47% hydro: 51.5% nuclear: 0% other: 1.4% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 48.52 billion kWh (2006) Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 1.744 billion kWh (2004) Oil — production: 15,100 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil— consumption: 238,000 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil — exports: 0 bbl/day (2006) Oil— imports: 222,900 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil — proved reserves: 150 million bbl (1 January 2006) Natural gas— production: 1.09 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 8.29 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — exports: 7.2 million cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 7.2 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 97.98 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $5,063 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $58.21 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: copper, fruit, fish products, paper and pulp, chemicals, wine Exports — partners: US 15.8%, Japan 11.5%, China 11.1%, Netherlands 5.8%, South Korea 5.5%, Brazil 4.4%, Italy 4.2%, Mexico 4% (2005) Imports: $35.37 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — Commodities: petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, electrical and telecommunications equipment, industrial machinery, vehicles, natural gas Imports— partners: Argentina 14 8%, US 14.6%, Brazil 11.7%, China 7.8%, South Korea 4-8%, Yemen 4-4% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $17.16 billion (November 2006 est.) Debt — external: $47.6 billion (30 June 2006 est.) Economic aid — recipient: $0 (2006) Currency (code): Chilean peso (CLP) Currency code: CLP Exchange rates: Chilean pesos per US dollar— 530.29 (2006), 560.09 (2005), 609.37 (2004), 691.43 (2003), 688.94 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 3.436 million (2005) Telephones — mobile cellular: 10.57 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: modem system based on extensive microwave radio relay facilities domestic: extensive microwave radio relay links; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations international: country code — 56; satellite earth stations — 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 180 (8 inactive), FM 64, shortwave 17(1 inac- tive) (1998) Radios: 5.18 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 63 (plus 121 repeaters) (1997) Televisions: 3.15 million (1997) Internet country code: cl Internet hosts: 506,055 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 7 (2000) Internet users: 6.7 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 363 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 73 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 22 914 to 1 ,523 m: 22 under 914 m: 17 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 290 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 58 under 914 m: 216 (2006) Pipelines: gas 2,567 km; gas/liquid petroleum gas 42 km; liquid petroleum gas 539 km; oil 1,003 km; refined prod- ucts 757 km; unknown (oil/water) 97 km (2006) Railways: total: 6,585 km broad gauge: 2,831 km 1.676-m gauge (1,317 km electrified) narrow gauge: 3,754 km 1.000-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 79,605 km paved: 16,080 km (includes 407 km of expressways) unpaved: 63,525 km (2001) Merchant marine: total: 46 ships (1000 GRT or over) 649,091 GRT/898,110 DWT by type: bulk carrier 10, cargo 6, chemical tanker 10, container 1, liquefied gas 2, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 2, petro¬ leum tanker 7, roll on/roll off 1, vehicle carrier 3 foreign-owned: 1 (Argentina 1) registered in other countries: 1 7 (Argentina 6, Brazil 1, Marshall Islands 1, Panama 9) (2006) Ports and terminals: Antofagasta, Arica, Huasco, Iquique, Lirquen, San Antonio, San Vicente, Valparaiso MILITARY Military branches: Army of the Nation, Chilean Navy (Armada de Chile, includes naval air, marine corps, and Maritime Territory and Merchant Marine Directorate (Directemar)), Chilean Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de Chile, FACh), Chilean Carabineros (National Police) (2007) Military service age and obligation: all male citizens 18-45 are obligated to per¬ form military service; conscript service obligation — 12 months for Army, 24 months for Navy and Air Force (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 3,815,761 females age 18-49: 3,780,864 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 3,123,281 females age 18-49: 3,128,277 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 140,084 females age 18—49: 134,518 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 2.7% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: Chile rebuffs Bolivia’s reactivated claim to restore the 131 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Atacama corridor, ceded to Chile in 1884, offering instead unrestricted but not sovereign maritime access through Chile to Bolivian gas and other com¬ modities; Chile rejects Peru’s unilateral legislation to change its latitudinal mar¬ itime boundary with Chile to an equidis¬ tance line with a southwestern axis favoring Peru; territorial claim in Antarctica (Chilean Antarctic Territory) partially overlaps Argentine and British claims; the joint boundary commission, established by Chile and Argentina in 2001, has yet to map and demarcate the delimited boundary in the inhospitable Andean Southern Ice Field (Campo de Hielo Sur) Illicit drugs: important transshipment country for cocaine destined for Europe; economic prosperity and increasing trade have made Chile more attractive to traf¬ fickers seeking to launder drug profits, especially through the Iquique Free Trade Zone, but a new anti-money-laun- dering law improves controls; imported precursors passed on to Bolivia; domestic cocaine consumption is rising; signifi¬ cant consumer of cocaine CHINA INTRODUCTION Background: For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing the rest of the world in the arts and sciences, but in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the country was beset by civil unrest, major famines, military defeats, and for¬ eign occupation. After World War II, the Communists under MAO Zedong estab¬ lished an autocratic socialist system that, while ensuring China’s sovereignty, imposed strict controls over everyday life and cost the lives of tens of millions of people. After 1978, his successor DENG Xiaoping and other leaders focused on market-oriented economic development and by 2000 output had quadrupled. For much of the population, living standards have improved dramatically and the room for personal choice has expanded, yet political controls remain tight. GEOGRAPHY Location: Eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea, and South China Sea, between North Korea and Vietnam Geographic coordinates: 35 00 N, 105 00 E Map references: Asia Area: total: 9,596,960 sq km land: 9,326,410 sq km water: 270,550 sq km Area— comparative: slightly smaller than the US Land boundaries: total: 22,1 17 km border countries: Afghanistan 76 km, Bhutan 470 km, Burma 2,185 km, India 3,380 km, Kazakhstan 1,533 km, North Korea 1,416 km, Kyrgyzstan 858 km, Laos 423 km, Mongolia 4,677 km, Nepal 1,236 km, Pakistan 523 km, Russia (northeast) 3,605 km, Russia (northwest) 40 km, Tajikistan 414 km, Vietnam 1,281 km regional borders: Hong Kong 30 km, Macau 0.34 km Coastline: 14,500 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin Climate: extremely diverse; tropical in south to subarctic in north Terrain: mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west; plains, deltas, and hills in east Elevation extremes: lowest point: Turpan Pendi -154 m highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m Natural resources: coal, iron ore, petro¬ leum, natural gas, mercury, tin, tungsten, antimony, manganese, molybdenum, vanadium, magnetite, aluminum, lead, zinc, uranium, hydropower potential (world’s largest) Land use: arable land: 14-86% permanent crops : 1.27% other: 83.87% (2005) Irrigated land: 545,960 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and eastern coasts); damaging floods; tsunamis; earthquakes; droughts; land subsidence Environment— current issues: air pollu¬ tion (greenhouse gases, sulfur dioxide particulates) from reliance on coal pro¬ duces acid rain; water shortages, particu¬ larly in the north; water pollution from untreated wastes; deforestation; esti¬ mated loss of one-fifth of agricultural land since 1949 to soil erosion and eco¬ nomic development; desertification; trade in endangered species Environment— international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change- Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, En.- dangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: world’s fourth largest country (after Russia, Canada, and US); Mount Everest on the border with Nepal is the world’s tallest peak PEOPLE Population: 1,321,851,888 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 20.4% (male 143,527,634/ female 126,607,344) 15-64 years: 71.7% (male 487,079,770/ female 460,596,384) 65 years and over: 7.9% (male 49,683,856/ female 54,356,900) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 33.2 years male: 32.7 years female: 33.7 years (2007 est.) 132 CHINA Population growth rate: 0.606% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 13.45 births/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 7 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 43.39 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.11 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.134 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.057 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.914 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 22.12 deaths/1,000 live births male: 20.01 deaths/1,000 live births female: 24-47 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.88 years male: 71.13 years female: 74-82 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.75 children bom/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 840,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 44,000 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Chinese (singular and plural) adjective: Chinese Ethnic groups: Han Chinese 91.9%, Zhuang, Uygur, Hui, Yi, Tibetan, Miao, Manchu, Mongol, Buyi, Korean, and other nationalities 8.1% Religions: Daoist (Taoist), Buddhist, Christian 3%-4%, Muslim l%-2% note: officially atheist (2002 est.) Languages: Standard Chinese or Mandarin (Putonghua, based on the Beijing dialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghaiese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan (Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages (see Ethnic groups entry) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 90.9% male: 95.1% female: 86.5% (2000 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: People’s Republic of China conventional short form: China local long form: Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo local short form: Zhongguo abbreviation: PRC Government type: Communist state Capital: name: Beijing geographic coordinates: 39 56 N, 1 16 24 E time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: despite its size, all of China falls within one time zone Administrative divisions: 23 provinces (sheng, singular and plural), 5 autonomous regions (zizhiqu, singular and plural), and 4 municipalities (shi, singular and plural) provinces: Anhui, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guizhou, Hainan, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin, Liaoning, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan, Zhejiang; (see note on Taiwan) autonomous regions: Guangxi, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Xinjiang Uygur, Xizang (Tibet) municipalities: Beijing, Chongqing, Shanghai, Tianjin note: China considers Taiwan its 23rd province; see separate entries for the spe¬ cial administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau Independence: 221 BC (unification under the Qin or Ch’in Dynasty); 1 January 1912 (Manchu Dynasty replaced by a Republic); 1 October 1949 (People’s Republic established) National holiday: Anniversary of the Founding of the People’s Republic of China, 1 October (1949) Constitution: most recent promulgation 4 December 1982 Legal system: based on civil law system; derived from Soviet and continental civil code legal principles; legislature retains power to interpret statutes; con¬ stitution ambiguous on judicial review of legislation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003); Vice President ZENG Qinghong (since 15 March 2003) head of government: Premier WEN Jiabao (since 16 March 2003); Executive Vice Premier HUANG Ju (since 17 March 2003), Vice Premiers WU Yi (17 March 2003), ZENG Peiyan (since 17 March 2003), and HUI Liangyu (since 17 March 2003) cabinet: State Council appointed by the National People’s Congress (NPC) elections: president and vice president elected by the National People’s Congress for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); elections last held 15-17 March 2003 (next to be held in mid- March 2008); premier nominated by the president, confirmed by the National People’s Congress election results: HU Jintao elected presi¬ dent by the 10th National People’s Congress with a total of 2,937 votes (4 delegates voted against him, 4 abstained, and 38 did not vote); ZENG Qinghong elected vice president by the 10th National People’s Congress with a total of 2,578 votes (177 delegates voted against him, 190 abstained, and 38 did not vote); 2 seats were vacant Legislative branch: unicameral National People’s Congress or Quanguo Renmin Daibiao Dahui (2,985 seats; members elected by municipal, regional, and provincial people’s congresses to serve five-year terms) elections: last held December 2002-February 2003 (next to be held in late 2007-February 2008) election results: percent of vote — NA; seats — NA Judicial branch: Supreme People’s Court (judges appointed by the National People’s Congress); Local People’s Courts (comprise higher, intermediate, and local courts); Special People’s Courts (primarily military, maritime, and railway transport courts) Political parties and leaders: Chinese Communist Party or CCP [HU Jintao]; eight registered small parties controlled by CCP Political pressure groups and leaders: no substantial political opposition groups exist, although the government has iden¬ tified the Falungong spiritual movement and the China Democracy Party as sub¬ versive groups International organization participa¬ tion: AfDB, APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BCIE, BIS, CDB, EAS, FAO, G-24 (observer), G- 77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SCO, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador ZHOU Wenzhong chancery: 2300 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 328-2500 FAX: [1] (202) 328-2582 133 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Clark T. RANDT, Jr. embassy: Xiu Shui Bei Jie 3, 100600 Beij ing mailing address: PSC 461, Box 50, FPO AP 96521-0002 telephone: [86] (10) 6532-3831 FAX: [86] (10) 6532-3178 consulate(s) general: Chengdu, Guangzhou, Hong Kong and Macau, Shanghai, Shenyang Flag description: red with a large yellow five-pointed star and four smaller yellow five-pointed stars (arranged in a vertical arc toward the middle of the flag) in the upper hoist-side comer ECONOMY Economy — overview: China’s economy during the last quarter century has changed from a centrally planned system that was largely closed to international trade to a more market-oriented economy that has a rapidly growing pri¬ vate sector and is a major player in the global economy. Reforms started in the late 1970s with the phasing out of collec¬ tivized agriculture, and expanded to include the gradual liberalization of prices, fiscal decentralization, increased autonomy for state enterprises, the foun¬ dation of a diversified banking system, the development of stock markets, the rapid growth of the non-state sector, and the opening to foreign trade and invest¬ ment. China has generally implemented reforms in a gradualist or piecemeal fashion, including the sale of equity in China’s largest state banks to foreign investors and refinements in foreign exchange and bond markets in 2005. The restructuring of the economy and resulting efficiency gains have con¬ tributed to a more than tenfold increase in GDP since 1978. Measured on a pur¬ chasing power parity (PPP) basis, China in 2006 stood as the second-largest economy in the world after the US, although in per capita terms the country is still lower middle-income and 130 mil¬ lion Chinese fall below international poverty lines. Economic development has generally been more rapid in coastal provinces than in the interior, and there are large disparities in per capita income between regions. The government has struggled to: (a) sustain adequate job growth for tens of millions of workers laid off from state-owned enterprises, migrants, and new entrants to the work force; (b) reduce corruption and other economic crimes; and (c) contain envi¬ ronmental damage and social strife related to the economy’s rapid transfor¬ mation. From 100 million to 150 million surplus rural workers are adrift between the villages and the cities, many sub¬ sisting through part-time, low-paying jobs. One demographic consequence of the “one child” policy is that China is now one of the most rapidly aging coun¬ tries in the world. Another long-term threat to growth is the deterioration in the environment — notably air pollution, soil erosion, and the steady fall of the water table, especially in the north. China continues to lose arable land because of erosion and economic devel¬ opment. China has benefited from a huge expansion in computer Internet use, with more than 100 million users at the end of 2005. Foreign investment remains a strong element in China’s remarkable expansion in world trade and has been an important factor in the growth of urban jobs. In July 2005, China revalued its currency by 2.1% against the US dollar and moved to an exchange rate system that references a basket of currencies. In 2006 China had the largest current account surplus in the world — nearly $180 billion. More power generating capacity came on line in 2006 as large scale investments were com¬ pleted. Thirteen years in construction at a cost of $24 billion, the immense Three Gorges Dam across the Yangtze River was essentially completed in 2006 and will revolutionize electrification and flood control in the area. The 11th Five- Year Program (2006-10), approved by the National People’s Congress in March 2006, calls for a 20% reduction in energy consumption per unit of GDP by 2010 and an estimated 45% increase in GDP by 2010. The plan states that conserving resources and protecting the environ¬ ment are basic goals, but it lacks details on the policies and reforms necessary to achieve these goals. GDP (purchasing power parity): $10.17 trillion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $2,518 trillion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 10.7% (official data) (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $7,700 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 11.9% industry: 48.1% services: 40% note: industry includes construction (2006 est.) Labor force: 798 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 45% industry: 24% services: 31% (2005 est.) Unemployment rate: 4 2% official regis¬ tered unemployment in urban areas in 2005; substantial unemployment and underemployment in rural areas (2005) Population below poverty line: 10% (2004 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.8% highest 10%: 33.1% (2001) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 44 (2002) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 44.3% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $446.6 billion expenditures: $489.6 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 22.1% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: rice, wheat, potatoes, corn, peanuts, tea, millet, barley, apples, cotton, oilseed; pork; fish Industries: mining and ore processing, iron, steel, aluminum, and other metals, coal; machine building; armaments; tex¬ tiles and apparel; petroleum; cement; chemicals; fertilizers; consumer products, including footwear, toys, and electronics; food processing; transportation equip¬ ment, including automobiles, rail cars and locomotives, ships, and aircraft; telecommunications equipment, com¬ mercial space launch vehicles, satellites Industrial production growth rate: 22.9% (2006 est.) Electricity — production: 2.5 trillion kWh (2005) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 80.2% hydro: 18.5% nuclear: 1.2% other: 0.1% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 2.494 trillion kWh (2005) Electricity— exports: 11.2 billion kWh (2005) Electricity— imports: 5 billion kWh (2005) Oil — production: 3.631 million bbl/day (2005) Oil— consumption: 6.534 million bbl/day (2005) Oil— exports: 443,300 bbl/day (2005) Oil — imports: 3.181 million bbl/day (2005) Oil— proved reserves: 16.1 billion bbl (2006 est.) Natural gas— production: 52.88 billion cu m (2005) Natural gas— consumption: 47.91 bil¬ lion cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas— exports: 2.79 billion cu m (2005) 134 CHINA Natural gas— imports: Ocum (2005) Natural gas— proved reserves: 2.35 trillion cu m (2005 est.) Current account balance: $179.1 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $974 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: machinery and equipment, plastics, optical and medical equipment, iron and steel Exports— partners: US 21.4%, Hong Kong 16.3%, Japan 11%, South Korea 4.6%, Germany 4.3% (2005) Imports: $777.9 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: machinery and equipment, oil and mineral fuels, plas¬ tics, optical and medical equipment, organic chemicals, iron and steel Imports— partners: Japan 15.2%, South Korea 11.6%, Taiwan 11.2%, US 7.4%, Germany 4-6% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $1,034 trillion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $305.6 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $NA Currency (code): yuan (CNY); note— also referred to as the Renminbi (RMB) Currency code: CNY Exchange rates: yuan per US dollar — 7.97 (2006), 8.1943 (2005), 8.2768 /(2004), 8.277 (2003), 8.277 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 350.433 million (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 437.48 million (2006) Telephone system: general assessment: domestic and interna¬ tional services are increasingly available for private use; unevenly distributed domestic system serves principal cities, industrial centers, and many towns; China continues to develop its telecom¬ munications infrastructure, and is part¬ nering with foreign providers to expand its global reach; 3 of China’s 6 major telecommunications operators are part of an international consortium which, in December 2006, signed an agreement with Verizon Business to build the first next-generation optical cable system directly linking the US mainland and China domestic: interprovincial fiber-optic trunk lines and cellular telephone sys¬ tems have been installed; mobile cellular subscribership is increasing rapidly; a domestic satellite system with 55 earth stations is in place international: country code — 86; satellite earth stations — 5 Intelsat (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region) and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean regions); several international fiber-optic links to Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Russia, and Germany (2000) Radio broadcast stations: AM 369, FM 259, shortwave 45 (1998) Radios: 417 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 3,240 (of which 209 are operated by China Central Television, 3 1 are provincial TV stations, and nearly 3,000 are local city stations) (1997) Televisions: 400 million (1997) Internet country code: .cn Internet hosts: 232,780 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (2000) Internet users: 123 million (2006) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 486 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 403 over 3,047 m: 56 2,438 to 3,047 m: 127 1,524 to 2,437 m: 138 914 to 1 ,523 m: 22 under 914 m: 60 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 83 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 25 under 914 m: 39 (2006) Heliports: 32 (2006) Pipelines: gas 22,664 km; oil 15,256 km; refined products 6,106 km (2006) Railways: total: 74,408 km standard gauge: 74,408 km 1.435-m gauge (19,303 km electrified) (2004) Roadways: total: 1,870,661 km paved: 1,515,797 km (with at least 34,288 km of expressways) unpaved: 354,864 km (2004) Waterways: 123,964 km (2003) Merchant marine: total: 1,723 ships (1000 GRT or over) 21,405,633 GRT/32, 41 1,260 DWT by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 387, cargo 695, chemical tanker 45, combina¬ tion ore/oil 1, container 152, liquefied gas 31, passenger 8, passenger/cargo 83, petroleum tanker 261, refrigerated cargo 30, roll on/roll off 8, specialized tanker 6, vehicle carrier 14 foreign-owned: 13 (Hong Kong 7, Japan 3, South Korea 2, Norway 1) registered in other countries: 1,191 (Bahamas 3, Bangladesh 1, Belize 103, Bolivia 1, Cambodia 128, Cyprus 11, Georgia 2, Honduras 3, Hong Kong 274, India 2, North Korea 1, Liberia 35, Malaysia 1, Malta 14, Mongolia 4, Norway 3, Panama 420, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 103, Sierra Leone 2, Singapore 23, Thailand 1, Tuvalu 23, unknown 33) (2006) Ports and terminals: Dalian, Guang¬ zhou, Nanjing, Ningbo, Qingdao, Qinhuangdao, Shanghai MILITARY Military branches: People’s Liberation Army (PLA): Ground Forces, Navy (includes marines and naval aviation), Air Force (includes airborne forces), and Second Artillery Corps (strategic missile force); People’s Armed Police (PAP); Reserve and Militia Forces (2006) Military service age and obligation: 18-22 years of age for compulsory mili¬ tary service, with 24-month service obli¬ gation; no minimum age for voluntary service (all officers are volunteers); 18-19 years of age for women high school graduates who meet requirements for specific military jobs (2007) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 342,956,265 females age 18—4 9: 324,701,244 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 281,240,272 females age 18-49: 269,025,517 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18—49: 13,186,433 females age 18-49: 12,298,149 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 3.8% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: based on prin¬ ciples drafted in 2005, China and India continue discussions to resolve all aspects of their extensive boundary and territorial disputes together with a secu¬ rity and foreign policy dialogue to con¬ solidate discussions related to the boundary, regional nuclear proliferation, and other matters; recent talks and con¬ fidence-building measures have begun to defuse tensions over Kashmir, site of the world’s largest and most militarized terri¬ torial dispute with portions under the de facto administration of China (Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and Kashmir), and Pakistan (Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas); India does not recognize Pakistan’s ceding historic Kashmir lands to China in 1964; lacking any treaty describing the boundary, Bhutan and China continue negotiations to establish a boundary alignment to resolve substan¬ tial cartographic discrepancies, the 135 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK largest of which lies in Bhutan’s north¬ west; China asserts sovereignty over the Spratly Islands together with Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and pos¬ sibly Brunei; the 2002 “Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea” eased tensions in the Spratly’s but is not the legally binding “code of conduct” sought by some par¬ ties; Vietnam and China continue to expand construction of facilities in the Spratly’s and in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord on marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands; China occupies some of the Paracel Islands also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; China and Taiwan continue to reject both Japan’s claims to the uninhabited islands of Senkaku- shoto (Diaoyu Tai) and Japan’s unilater¬ ally declared equidistance line in the East China Sea, the site of intensive hydrocarbon prospecting; certain islands in the Yalu and Tumen rivers are in dis¬ pute with North Korea; China seeks to stem illegal migration of North Koreans; China and Russia have demarcated the once disputed islands at the Amur and Ussuri confluence and in the Argun River in accordance with their 2004 Agreement; in 2006, China and Tajikistan pledged to commence demar¬ cation of the revised boundary agreed to in the delimitation of 2002; demarcation of the China-Vietnam land boundary proceeds slowly and although the mar¬ itime boundary delimitation and fish¬ eries agreements were ratified in June 2004, implementation remains stalled; in 2004, international environmentalist and political pressure from Burma and Thailand prompted China to halt con¬ struction of 13 dams on the Salween River Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 300,897 (Vietnam), estimated 30,000-50,000 (North Korea) IDPs: 90,000 (2006) Trafficking in persons: current situation: China is a source, transit, and destina¬ tion country for women, men, and chil¬ dren trafficked for purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labor; the majority of trafficking in China is internal, but there is also international trafficking of Chinese citizens; women are lured through false promises of legiti¬ mate employment into commercial sexual exploitation in Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, and Japan; Chinese men and women are smuggled to countries throughout the world at enormous per¬ sonal expense and then forced into com¬ mercial sexual exploitation or exploitative labor to repay debts to traf¬ fickers; women and children are traf¬ ficked into China from Mongolia, Burma, North Korea, Russia, and Vietnam for forced labor, marriage, and sexual slavery; most North Koreans enter northeastern China voluntarily, but others reportedly are trafficked into China from North Korea; domestic traf¬ ficking remains the most significant problem in China, with an estimated minimum of 10,000-20,000 victims traf¬ ficked each year; the actual number of victims could be much greater; some experts believe that the serious and pro¬ longed imbalance in the male-female birth ratio may now be contributing to Chinese and foreign girls and women being trafficked as potential brides tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — China failed to show evidence of increasing efforts to address transnational traf¬ ficking; while the government provides reasonable protection to internal victims of trafficking, protection for Chinese and foreign victims of transnational traf¬ ficking remain inadequate Illicit drugs: major transshipment point for heroin produced in the Golden Triangle region of Southeast Asia; growing domestic drug abuse problem; source country for chemical precursors, despite new regulations on its large chemical industry CHRISTMAS ISLAND INTRODUCTION Background: Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed and settlement began by the UK in 1888. Phosphate mining began in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty to Australia in 1958. Almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a national park. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia Geographic coordinates: 10 30 S, 105 40 E Map references: Southeast Asia Area: total: 135 sq km land: 135 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: about three-quar¬ ters the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 138.9 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical with a wet season (December to April) and dry season; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds Terrain: Steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Murray Hill 361 m Natural resources: phosphate, beaches Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national park) (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a mar¬ itime hazard Environment— current issues: loss of rainforest; impact of phosphate mining Geography — note: located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean PEOPLE ■ Population: 1,402 (July 2006 est.) (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA Population growth rate: 0% (2007 est.) Birth rate: NA Death rate: NA Net migration rate: NA 136 CHRISTMAS ISLAND Sex ratio: NA Infant mortality rate: total: NA male: NA female: NA Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA male: NA female: NA Total fertility rate: NA HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS — people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS — deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Christmas Islander (s) adjective: Christmas Island Ethnic groups: Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10% note: no indigenous population (2001) Religions: Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997) Languages: English (official), Chinese, Malay Literacy: NA GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island conventional short form: Christmas Island Dependency status: non-self governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services Government type: NA Capital: name: The Settlement geographic coordinates: 18 44 N, 64 19 W time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: none (terri¬ tory of Australia) Independence: none (territory of Australia) National holiday: Australia Day, 26 January (1788) Constitution: Christmas Island Act of 1958-59 (1 October 1958) as amended by the Territories Law Reform Act of 1992 Legal system: under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general head of government: Administrator Neil LUCAS (since 30 January 2006) elections: none; the monarch is heredi¬ tary; administrator appointed by the gov¬ ernor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia Legislative branch: unicameral Christ¬ mas Island Shire Council (9 seats; mem¬ bers elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: held every two years with half the members standing for election; last held in May 2005 (next to be held in May 2007) election results: percent of vote — NA; seats — independents 9 Judicial branch: Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate’s Court Political parties and leaders: none Political pressure groups and leaders: none International organization participa¬ tion: none Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of Australia) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of Australia) Flag description: territorial flag; divided diagonally from upper hoist to lower fly; the upper triangle is green with a yellow image of the Golden Bosun Bird super¬ imposed, while the lower triangle is blue with the Southern Cross constellation, representing Australia, superimposed; a centered yellow disk displays a green map of the island; the flag of Australia is used for official purposes ECONOMY Economy — overview: Phosphate mining had been the only significant economic activity, but in December 1987 the Australian Government closed the mine. In 1991, the mine was reopened. With the support of the government, a $34 million casino opened in 1993, but closed in 1998. The Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support the creation of a commercial space¬ launching site on the island, expected to begin operations in the near future. GDP (purchasing power parity): $NA Labor force: NA Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA Agriculture— products: NA Industries: tourism, phosphate extrac¬ tion (near depletion) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: NA hydro: NA nuclear: NA other: NA Exports: $NA Exports— commodities: phosphate Exports — partners: Australia, NZ (2004) Imports: $NA Imports — commodities: consumer goods Imports — partners: principally Australia (2004) Economic aid — recipient: $NA Currency (code): Australian dollar (AUD) Currency code: AUD Exchange rates: Australian dollars per US dollar— 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002) Fiscal year: 1 July— 30 June COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: NA Telephone system: general assessment: service provided by the Australian network domestic: GSM mobile telephone service replaced older analog system in February 2005 international: country code — 61-8; satel¬ lite earth stations — 1 INTELSAT earth station provides telephone and telex service (2005) Radio broadcast stations: AM l, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2006) Radios: 1,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 0 (TV broadcasts received via satellite from mainland Australia) (2006) Televisions: 600 (1997) Internet country code: ex Internet hosts: 2,368 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000) Internet users: 464 (2001) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 1 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) Roadways: total: 142 km paved: 32 km unpaved: 110 km (2006) Ports and terminals: Flying Fish Cove MILITARY Military — note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of Australia TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: none 137 CLIPPERTON ISLAND INTRODUCTION Background: This isolated island was named for John CLIPPERTON, a pirate who made it his hideout early in the 18th century. Annexed by France in 1855, it was seized by Mexico in 1897. Arbitration eventually awarded the island to France, which took possession in 1935. GEOGRAPHY Location: Middle America, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, 1,120 km south- west of Mexico Geographic coordinates: 10 17 N, 109 13 W Map references: Political Map of the World Area: total: 6 sq km land: 6 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: about 12 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 11.1 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical; humid, average tem¬ perature 20-32 degrees C, wet season (May to October) Terrain: coral atoll Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Rocher Clipperton 29 m Natural resources: fish Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (all coral) (2005) Irrigated land: 0 sq km Natural hazards: NA Environment— current issues: NA Geography — note: reef 12 km in circum¬ ference PEOPLE Population: uninhabited GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Clipperton Island local long form: none local short form: lie Clipperton former: sometimes called lie de la Passion Dependency status: possession of France; administered by France from French Polynesia by a high commis¬ sioner of the Republic Legal system: the laws of France, where applicable, apply Flag description: the flag of France is used ECONOMY Economy— overview: Although 115 species of fish have been identified in the territorial waters of Clipperton Island, the only economic activity is tuna fishing. TRANSPORTATION Ports and terminals: none; offshore anchorage only MILITARY Military — note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of France TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: none COCOS (KEELING) ISLANDS INTRODUCTION Background: There are 27 coral islands in the group. Captain William KEELING discovered the islands in 1609, but they remained uninhabited until the 19th century. From the 1820s to 1978, members of the CLUNIE-ROSS family controlled the islands and the copra produced from local coconuts. Annexed by the UK in 1857, the Cocos Islands were transferred to the Australian Government in 1955. The population on the two inhabited islands generally is split between the ethnic Europeans on West Island and the ethnic Malays on Home Island. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Indonesia, about halfway from Australia to Sri Lanka Geographic coordinates: 12 30 S, 96 50 E Map references: Southeast Asia Area: total: 14 sq km land: 14 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the two main islands of West Island and Home Island Area— comparative: about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 26 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year Terrain: flat, low-lying coral atolls Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 5 m Natural resources: fish Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: cyclone season is October to April 138 COCOS (KEELING) ISLANDS Environment— current issues: fresh water resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs Geography— note: islands are thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation PEOPLE Population: 596 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0—14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA Population growth rate: 0% (2007 est.) Birth rate: NA Death rate: NA Net migration rate: NA Infant mortality rate: total: NA male: NA female: NA Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA male: NA female: NA Total fertility rate: NA HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HI V/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Cocos Islander(s) adjective: Cocos Islander Ethnic groups: Europeans, Cocos Malays Religions: Sunni Muslim 80%, other 20% (2002 est.) Languages: Malay (Cocos dialect), English Literacy: NA GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands Dependency status: non-self governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services Government type: NA Capital: name: West Island geographic coordinates: 12 10 S, 96 55 E time difference: UTC+6.5 (11.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: none (terri¬ tory of Australia) Independence: none (territory of Australia) National holiday: Australia Day, 26 January (1788) Constitution: Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955 (23 November 1955) as amended by the Territories Law Reform Act of 1992 Legal system: based upon the laws of Australia and local laws Suffrage: NA Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by the Australian governor general head of government: Administrator (non¬ resident) Neil LUCAS (since 30 January 2006) cabinet: NA elections: none; the monarch is heredi¬ tary; administrator appointed by the gov¬ ernor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia Legislative branch: unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council (7 seats) elections: held every two years with half the members standing for election; last held in May 2005 (next to be held in May 2007) Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Magistrate’s Court Political parties and leaders: none Political pressure groups and leaders: none International organization participa¬ tion: none Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of Australia) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of Australia) Flag description: the flag of Australia is used ECONOMY Economy — overview: Grown through¬ out the islands, coconuts are the sole cash crop. Small local gardens and fishing contribute to the food supply, but additional food and most other necessi¬ ties must be imported from Australia. There is a small tourist industry. GDP (purchasing power parity): $NA Labor force: NA Labor force— by occupation: note, the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society Ltd. employs construction workers, steve¬ dores, and lighterage workers; tourism employs others Unemployment rate: 60% (2000 est.) Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA Agriculture— products: vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts Industries: copra products and tourism Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: NA hydro: NA nuclear: NA other: NA Exports: $NA Exports — commodities: copra Exports— partners: Australia (2004) Imports: $NA Imports— commodities: foodstuffs Imports— partners: Australia (2004) Economic aid— recipient: $NA Currency (code): Australian dollar (AUD) Currency code: AUD Exchange rates: Australian dollars per US dollar— 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002) Fiscal year: 1 July— 30 June COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 287 (1992) Telephone system: general assessment: connected within Australia’s telecommunication system domestic: NA international: country code — 61; tele¬ phone, telex, and facsimile communica¬ tions with Australia and elsewhere via satellite; 1 INTELSAT satellite earth sta¬ tion (2001) Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2004) Radios: 300 (1992) Television broadcast stations: NA Televisions: NA Internet country code: cc Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000) Internet users: NA TRANSPORTATION Airports: 1 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) Roadways: total: 22 km paved: 10 km unpaved: 12 km (2006) Ports and terminals: Port Refuge MILITARY Military — note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of Australia; the territory has a five-person police force TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: none 139 COLOMBIA INTRODUCTION Background: Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are Ecuador and Venezuela). A 40-year conflict between government forces and anti-government insurgent groups and illegal paramilitary groups — both heavily funded by the drug trade — escalated during the 1990s. The insurgents lack the military or popular support necessary to overthrow the gov¬ ernment, and violence has been decreasing since about 2002, but insur¬ gents continue attacks against civilians and large swaths of the countryside are under guerrilla influence. More than 32,000 former paramilitaries had demo¬ bilized by the end of 2006 and the United Self Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) as a formal organization had largely ceased to function. Still, some renegades continued to engage in crim¬ inal activities. The Colombian Government has stepped up efforts to reassert government control throughout the country, and now has a presence in every one of its municipalities. However, neighboring countries worry about the violence spilling over their borders. GEOGRAPHY Location: Northern South America, bor¬ dering the Caribbean Sea, between Panama and Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Ecuador and Panama Geographic coordinates: 4 00 N, 72 00 w Map references: South America Area: total: 1,138,910 sq km land: 1,038,700 sq km water: 100,210 sq km note: includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, and Serrana Bank Area — comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Texas Land boundaries: total: 6,309 km border countries : Brazil 1,644 km, Ecuador 590 km, Panama 225 km, Peru 1,800 km, Venezuela 2,050 km Coastline: 3,208 km (Caribbean Sea 1,760 km, North Pacific Ocean 1,448 km) Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation Climate: tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands Terrain: flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes Mountains, eastern lowland plains Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Pico Cristobal Colon 5,775 m note: nearby Pico Simon Bolivar also has the same elevation Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper, emeralds, hydropower Land use: arable land: 2.01% permanent crops : 1.37% other: 96.62% (2005) Irrigated land: 9,000 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earth¬ quakes; periodic droughts Environment — current issues: deforesta¬ tion; soil and water quality damage from overuse of pesticides; air pollution, espe¬ cially in Bogota, from vehicle emissions Environment— international agreements: party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change- Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endan¬ gered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Pro¬ tection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea Geography— note: only South Ameri¬ can country with coastlines on both the North Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea PEOPLE Population: 44,379,598 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 29.8% (male 6,696,471/ female 6,539,612) 15-64 years: 64.8% (male 14,012,140/ female 14,732,874) 65 years and over: 5.4% (male 1,042,645/ female 1,355,856) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 26.6 years male: 25.6 years female: 27.5 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.433% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 20.16 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 5.54 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -0.29 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.024 male(s)./female 15-64 years: 0.951 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.769 male(s)/female total population: 0.961 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 20.13 deaths/' 1,000 live births male: 23.86 deaths/1,000 live births female: 16.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.27 years male: 68.44 years female: 76.24 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.51 children bom/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 0,7% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 190,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 3,600 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Colombian(s) adjective: Colombian Ethnic groups: mestizo 58%, white 20%, mulatto 14%, black 4%, mixed black- Amerindian 3%, Amerindian 1% Religions: Roman Catholic 90%, other 10% Languages: Spanish Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.8% male: 92.9% female: 92.7% (2004 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Colombia conventional short form: Colombia local long form: Republica de Colombia local short form: Colombia Government type: republic; executive branch dominates government structure Capital: name: Bogota 140 COLOMBIA geographic coordinates: 436N, 74 05 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 32 depart¬ ments (departamentos, singular — depar- tamento) and 1 capital district* (distrito capital); Amazonas, Antioquia, Arauca, Atlantico, Bogota*, Bolivar, Boyaca, Caldas, Caqueta, Casanare, Cauca, Cesar, Choco, Cordoba, Cundinamarca, Guainia, Guaviare, Huila, La Guajira, Magdalena, Meta, Narino, Norte de Santander, Putumayo, Quindio, Risaralda, San Andres y Providencia, Santander, Sucre, Tolima, Valle del Cauca, Vaupes, Vichada Independence: 20 July 1810 (from Spain) National holiday: Independence Day, 20 July (1810) Constitution: 5 July 1991; amended many times Legal system: based on Spanish law; a new criminal code modeled after US procedures was enacted into law in 2004 and is gradually being implemented; judicial review of executive and legisla¬ tive acts Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Alvaro URIBE Velez (since 7 August 2002); Vice President Francisco SANTOS (since 7 August 2002); note — -the president is both the chief of state and head of gov¬ ernment head of government: President Alvaro URIBE Velez (since 7 August 2002); Vice President Francisco SANTOS (since 7 August 2002) cabinet: Cabinet consists of a coalition of the three largest parties that supported President URIBE’s reelection — the PSUN, PC, and CR — and independents elections: president and vice president elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); elec¬ tion last held 28 May 2006 (next to be held in May 2010) election results: President Alvaro URIBE Velez reelected president; percent of vote — Alvaro URIBE Velez 62%, Carlos GAVIRIA Diaz 22%, Horacio SERPA Uribe 12%, other 4% Legislative branch: bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Senate or Senado (102 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Camara de Representantes (166 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate — last held 12 March 2006 (next to be held in March 2010); House of Representatives — last held 12 March 2006 (next to be held in March 2010) election results: Senate — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — PSUN 20, PC 18, PL 18, CR 15, PDI 10, other parties 21; House of Representatives — percent of vote by party— NA; seats by party— PL 35, PSUN 33, PC 29, CR 20, PDA 8, other parties 41 Judicial branch: four roughly coequal, supreme judicial organs; Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (highest court of criminal law; judges are selected by their peers from the nominees of the Superior Judicial Council for eight- year terms); Council of State (highest court of administrative law; judges are selected from the nominees of the Superior Judicial Council for eight-year terms); Constitutional Court (guards integrity and supremacy of the constitu¬ tion; rules on constitutionality of laws, amendments to the constitution, and international treaties); Superior Judicial Council (administers and disciplines the civilian judiciary; resolves jurisdictional conflicts arising between other courts; members are elected by three sister courts and Congress for eight-year terms) Political parties and leaders: Colomb¬ ian Conservative Party or PC [Julio MANZUR Abdala]; Alternative Democratic Pole or PDA [Carlos GAVIRIA Diaz]; Liberal Party or PL [Cesar GAVIRIA Trujillo]; Social National Unity Party or PSUN [Carlos GARCIA Orjuela]; Radical Change or CR [German VARGAS Lleras] note: Colombia has 15 formally recog¬ nized political parties, and numerous unofficial parties that did not meet the vote threshold in the March 2006 leg¬ islative elections required for recognition Political pressure groups and leaders: two largest insurgent groups active in Colombia — Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC and National Liberation Army or ELN International organization participa¬ tion: BCIE, CAN, CDB, CSN, FAO, G- 3, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PC A, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Carolina BARCO Isakson chancery: 2118 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 387-8338 FAX: [1] (202) 232-8643 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Washington, DC Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William B. WOOD embassy: Calle 22D-BIS, numbers 47-51, Apartado Aereo 383 1 mailing address: Carrera 45 #22D-45, Bogota, D.C., APO AA 34038 telephone: [57] (1) 315-0811 FAX: [57] (1)315-2197 Flag description: three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double-width), blue, and red; similar to the flag of Ecuador, which is longer and bears the Ecuadorian coat of arms superimposed in the center ECONOMY Economy— overview: Colombia’s economy has experienced positive growth over the past three years despite a serious armed conflict. The economy continues to improve in part because of austere government budgets, focused efforts to reduce public debt levels, an export-oriented growth strategy, an improved security situation in the country, and high commodity prices. Ongoing economic problems facing President URIBE range from reforming the pension system to reducing high unemployment, and to achieving con¬ gressional passage of a fiscal transfers reform; furthermore, new exploration is needed to offset declining oil production. However, the government’s economic policy, democratic security strategy, and the signing of a free trade agreement with the US have engendered a growing sense of confidence in the economy, par¬ ticularly within the business sector. GDP (purchasing power parity): $374 4 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rafe): $106.8 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 6.8% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $8,600 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 12% industry: 35.2% services: 52.7% (2006 est.) Labor force: 20.81 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 22.7% industry: 18.7% services: 58.5% (2000 est.) Unemployment rate: 11.1% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 49.2% (2005) 141 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 7.9% highest 10%: 34.3% (2004) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 53.8 (2005) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.3% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 22.8% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $50.7 billion expenditures: $52.29 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 45.3% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: coffee, cut flowers, bananas, rice, tobacco, corn, sugarcane, cocoa beans, oilseed, vegeta¬ bles; forest products; shrimp Industries: textiles, food processing, oil, clothing and footwear, beverages, chem¬ icals, cement; gold, coal, emeralds Industrial production growth rate: 5.8% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 46.93 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 26% hydro: 72.7% nuclear: 0% other: 1.3% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 42.01 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 1.682 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 48 million kWh (2004) Oil— production: 512,400 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— consumption: 269,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Oil— proved reserves: 1.282 billion bbl (2006 est.) Natural gas— production: 6.18 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 6.18 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 114 4 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $2,219 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $24.86 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: petroleum, coffee, coal, nickel, emeralds, apparel, bananas, cut flowers Exports— partners: US 41.8%, Vene¬ zuela 9.9%, Ecuador 6.3% (2005) Imports: $24.33 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: industrial equipment, transportation equipment, consumer goods, chemicals, paper prod¬ ucts, fuels, electricity Imports — partners: US 28.5%, Mexico 8.3%, China 7.6%, Brazil 6.5%, Venezuela 5.7% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $16.5 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $37.21 billion (30 June 2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $NA Currency (code): Colombian peso (COP) Currency code: COP Exchange rates: Colombian pesos per US dollar— 2,358.6 (2006), 2,320.75 (2005), 2,628.61 (2004), 2,877.65 (2003), 2,504.24 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 7,678,800 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 21.85 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: modern system in many respects domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system; domestic satellite system with 41 earth stations; fiber-optic net¬ work linking 50 cities international: country code — 57; satellite earth stations — 6 Intelsat, 1 Inmarsat; 3 fully digitalized international switching centers; 8 submarine cables Radio broadcast stations: AM 454, FM 34, shortwave 27 (1999) Radios: 21 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 60 (1997) Televisions: 4.59 million (1997) Internet country code: co Internet hosts: 581,877 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 18 (2000) Internet users: 4.739 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 984 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 101 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 38 914 to 1 ,523 m: 40 under 914 m: 12 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 883 over 3,047 m: 1 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 35 914 to 1,523 m: 275 under 914 m: 572 (2006) Heliports: 2 (2006) Pipelines: gas 4,360 km; oil 6,140 km; refined products 3,158 km (2006) Railways: total: 3,304 km standard gauge: 150 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 3,154 km 0.914-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 112,988 km paved: 16,270 km unpaved: 96,718 km (2004) Waterways: 18,000 km (2005) Merchant marine: total: 17 ships (1000 GRT or over) 42,413 GRT/58,737 DWT by type: cargo 13, liquefied gas 1, petro¬ leum tanker 3 registered in other countries: 7 (Antigua and Barbuda 2, Panama 5) (2006) Ports and terminals: Barranquilla, Buenaventura, Cartagena, Muelles El Bosque, Puerto Bolivar, Santa Marta, Turbo Military branches: Army (Ejercito Nacional), National Navy (Armada Nacional, includes naval aviation, naval infantry, and coast guard), Colombian Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de Colombia, FAC) (2006) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obliga¬ tion — 24 months (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 10,212,456 females age 18-49: 10,561,562 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 6,986,228 females age 18-49: 8,794,465 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 389,735 females age 18-49: 383,146 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 3.4% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: memorials and countermemorials were filed by the par¬ ties in Nicaragua’s 1999 and 2001 pro¬ ceedings against Honduras and Colombia at the ICJ over the maritime boundary and territorial claims in the western Caribbean Sea — final public hearings are scheduled for 2007; dispute with Venezuela over maritime boundary and Venezuelan-administered Los Monjes Islands near the Gulf of Venezuela; Colombian-organized illegal narcotics, guerrilla, and paramilitary activities penetrate all of its neighbors’ borders and have caused over 300,000 persons to flee the country, mostly into neighboring states 142 COMOROS Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: IDPs: 1.8-3. 8 million (conflict between government and illegal armed groups and FARC factions; drug wars) (2006) Illicit drugs: illicit producer of coca, opium poppy, and cannabis; world’s leading coca cultivator with 144,000 hectares in coca cultivation in 2005, a 26% increase over 2004, producing a potential of 545 mt of pure cocaine; the world’s largest producer of coca deriva¬ tives; supplies cocaine to most of the US market and the great majority of other international drug markets; in 2005, aerial eradication dispensed herbicide to treat over 130,000 hectares but aggres¬ sive replanting on the part of coca growers means Colombia remains a key producer; a significant portion of non- US narcotics proceeds are either laun¬ dered or invested in Colombia through the black market peso exchange; impor¬ tant supplier of heroin to the US market; opium poppy cultivation fell 50% between 2003 and 2004 to 2,100 hectares yielding a potential 3.8 metric tons of pure heroin, mostly for the US market; no poppy estimate was con¬ ducted in 2005 COMOROS «... » mm 0 x mm n u'man Ocean iM^RONl \ Gtande Gomote Aj (NjazMfo) \jeuen man!) mom Mozambique Channel INTRODUCTION Background: Comoros has endured 19 coups or attempted coups since gaining independence from France in 1975. In 1997, the islands of Anjouan and Moheli declared independence from Comoros. In 1999, military chief Col. AZALI seized power. He pledged to resolve the secessionist crisis through a confederal arrangement named the 2000 Fomboni Accord. In December 2001, voters approved a new constitution and presi¬ dential elections took place in the spring of 2002. Each island in the archipelago elected its own president and a new union president took office in May 2002. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southern Africa, group of islands at the northern mouth of the Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique Geographic coordinates: 12 10 S, 44 15 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 2,170 sq km land: 2,170 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 340 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical marine; rainy season (November to May) Terrain: volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Le Kartala 2,360 m Natural resources: NEGL Land use: arable land: 35.87% permanent crops: 23.32% other: 40.81% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); Le Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano Environment— current issues: soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivation on slopes without proper ter¬ racing; deforestation Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel PEOPLE Population: 711,417 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 42.6% (male 151,920/female 150,851) 15-64 years: 54.4% (male 191,096/ female 196,120) 65 years and over: 3% (male 9,933/female 11,497) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 18.7 years male: 18.4 years female: 18.9 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.84% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 36.35 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 7.95 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.007 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.974 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.864 male(s)/female total population: 0. 985 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 70.66 deaths/1,000 live births male: 78.86 deaths/1,000 live births female: 62.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 62.73 years male: 60.37 years female: 65.15 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 4 97 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.12% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Comoran(s) adjective: Comoran Ethnic groups: Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava Religions: Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2% Languages: Arabic (official), French (official), Shikomoro (a blend of Swahili and Arabic) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 56.5% male: 63.6% female: 49.3% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Union of the Comoros conventional short form: Comoros local long form: Union des Comores local short form: Comores 143 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Government type: republic Capital: name: Moroni geographic coordinates: 11 41 S, 43 16 H time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 3 islands and 4 municipalities*; Grande Comore, Anjouan, Domoni*, Fomboni*, Moheli, Moroni*, Moutsamoudou* Independence: 6 July 1975 (from France) National holiday: Independence Day, 6 July (1975) Constitution: 23 December 2001 Legal system: French and Islamic law in a new consolidated code Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI (since 26 May 2006) head of government: President Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI (since 26 May 2006) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: as defined by the 2001 constitu¬ tion, the presidency rotates every four years among the elected presidents from the three main islands in the Union; election last held 14 May 2006 (next to be held by May 2010); prime minister appointed by the president; note — the post of prime minister has been vacant since May 2002 election results: Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI elected president; percent of vote — Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI 58.0%, Ibrahim HALIDI 28.3%, Mohamed DJAANFAMI 13.7% Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly of the Union (33 seats; 15 deputies are selected by the individual islands’ local assemblies and 18 by uni¬ versal suffrage; to serve for five years); elections: last held 18 and 25 April 2004 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — CdIA 12, CRC 6; note — 15 additional seats are filled by deputies from local island assemblies Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supremes (two members appointed by the president, two members elected by the Federal Assembly, one elected by the Council of each island, and others are former presidents of the republic) Political parties and leaders: Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros or CRC [AZALI Assowmani]; Camp of the Autonomous Islands or CdIA (a coalition of parties organized by the islands’ presidents in opposition to the Union President); Front National pour la Justice or FNJ [Ahmed RACHID] (Islamic party in opposition); Mouvement pour la Democratic et le Progress or MDP-NGDC [Abbas DJOUSSOUFJ; Parti Comorien pour la Democratic et le Progress or PCDP [Ali MROUDJAE]; Rassemblement National pour le Development or RND [Omar TAMOU, Abdoulhamid AFFRAI- TANE] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AMF, AU, COMESA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Representative to the US and Ambassador to the UN Mahmoud M. ABOUD chancery: Mission to the US, 336 East 45th Street (2nd floor), New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 750-1637 Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the ambassador to Madagascar is accredited to Comoros Flag description: four equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), white, red, and blue with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist; centered within the tri¬ angle is a white crescent with the convex side facing the hoist and four white, five- pointed stars placed vertically in a line between the points of the crescent; the horizontal bands and the four stars repre¬ sent the four main islands of the archi¬ pelago — Mwali, Njazidja, Nzwani, and Mayotte (a territorial collectivity of France, but claimed by Comoros); the crescent, stars, and color green are tradi¬ tional symbols of Islam ECONOMY Economy — overview: One of the world’s poorest countries, Comoros is made up of three islands that have inadequate trans¬ portation links, a young and rapidly increasing population, and few natural resources. The low educational level of the labor force contributes to a subsis¬ tence level of economic activity, high unemployment, and a heavy dependence on foreign grants and technical assis¬ tance. Agriculture, including fishing, hunting, and forestry, contributes 40% to GDP, employs 80% of the labor force, and provides most of the exports. The country is not self-sufficient in food pro¬ duction; rice, the main staple, accounts for the bulk of imports. The govern¬ ment — which is hampered by internal political disputes — is struggling to upgrade education and technical training, privatize commercial and indus¬ trial enterprises, improve health services, diversify exports, promote tourism, and reduce the high population growth rate. Increased foreign support is essential if the goal of 4% annual GDP growth is to be met. Remittances from 150,000 Comorans abroad help supplement GDP. GDP (purchasing power parity): $441 million (2002 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $402 mil¬ lion (2005 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 3% (2005 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $600 (2005 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 40% industry: 4% services: 56% (2001 est.) Labor force: 144,500 (1996 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 80% industry and services: 20% Unemployment rate: 20% (1996 est.) Population below poverty line: 60% (2002 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (2005 est.) Budget: revenues: $27.6 million expenditures: $NA (2001 est.) Agriculture — products: vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca) Industries: fishing, tourism, perfume distillation Industrial production growth rate: -2% (1999 est.) Electricity — production: 19 million kWh (2004) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 90.6% hydro: 9.4% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 17.67 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity — imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004) Oil— consumption: 720 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) 144 CONGO, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE Current account balance: 417 million (2005 est.) Exports: $34 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) Exports — Commodities: vanilla, ylang- ylang (perfume essence), cloves, copra Exports— partners: France 26.8%, Singapore 16.3%, Japan 14.6%, Germany 13.2%, US 5.6%, Netherlands 4.9% (2005) imports: $115 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) Imports— commodities: rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods, petroleum products, cement, transport equipment Imports— partners: France 22.2%, UAE 9.8%, South Africa 7.2%, Pakistan 6.4%, Kenya 5.1%, Belgium 4.6%, India 4.4%, Italy 4.2% (2005) Debt — external: $232 million (2000 est.) Economic aid — recipient: $24 million (2003 est.) Currency (code): Comoran franc (KMF) Currency code: KMF Exchange rates: Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar— 392.03 (2006), 395.6 (2005), 396.21 (2004), 435.9 (2003), 522.74 (2002) note: the Comoran franc is pegged to the euro at a rate of 491.9677 Comoran francs per euro Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 16,900 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 16,100 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: sparse system of microwave radio relay and HF radiotele¬ phone communication stations domestic: HF radiotelephone communi¬ cations and microwave radio relay international: country code — 269; HF radiotelephone communications to Madagascar and Reunion Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001) Radios: 90,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: NA Televisions: 1,000 (1997) Internet country code: km Internet hosts: 5 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000) Internet users: 20,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 4 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2006) Roadways: total: 880 km paved: 673 km unpaved: 207 km (1999) Merchant marine: total: 121 ships (1000 GRT or over) 564,882 GRT/80 1,238 DWT by type: bulk carrier 10, cargo 85, chem¬ ical tanker 1 , container 1 , livestock car¬ rier 1, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 9, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 5, specialized tanker 1 foreign'Otvned: 72 (Bangladesh 1, Bulgaria 1, Greece 10, India 1, Kenya 1, Kuwait 1, Lebanon 6, Nigeria 2, Norway 1, Pakistan 2, Philippines 1, Russia 4, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Saudi Arabia 3, Syria 4, Turkey 11, UAE 6, Ukraine 14, US 2) (2006) Ports and terminals: Mayotte, Moutsamoudou MILITARY Military branches: Comoran Defense Force: Comoran Security Force (includes Gendarmerie and Army), Comoran Federal Police (2006) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-4 9: 138,940 females age 18-49: 139,491 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 98,792 females age 18-49: 106,415 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 2.8% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: claims French-administered Mayotte CONGO, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE INTRODUCTION Background: Established as a Belgian colony in 1908, the Republic of the Congo gained its independence in 1960, but its early years were marred by polit¬ ical and social instability. Col. Joseph MOBUTU seized power and declared himself president in a November 1965 coup. He subsequently changed his name — to MOBUTU Sese Seko — as well as that of the country — to Zaire. MOBUTU retained his position for 32 years through several sham elections, as well as through the use of brutal force. Ethnic strife and civil war, touched off by a massive inflow of refugees in 1994 from fighting in Rwanda and Burundi, led in May 1997 to the toppling of the MOBUTU regime by a rebellion backed by Rwanda and Uganda and fronted by Laurent KABILA. He renamed the country the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), but in August 1998 his regime was itself challenged by a second insurrection again backed by Rwanda and Uganda. Troops from Angola, Chad, Namibia, Sudan, and Zimbabwe inter¬ vened to support KABILA’s regime. A cease-fire was signed in July 1999 by the DRC, Congolese armed rebel groups, Angola, Namibia, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zimbabwe but sporadic fighting con¬ tinued. Laurent KABILA was assassi¬ nated in January 2001 and his son, Joseph KABILA, was named head of state. In October 2002, the new presi¬ dent was successful in negotiating the withdrawal of Rwandan forces occupying eastern Congo; two months later, the Pretoria Accord was signed by all remaining warring parties to end the fighting and establish a government of national unity. A transitional govern¬ ment was set up in July 2003. Joseph KABILA as president and four vice pres¬ idents represented the former govern¬ ment, former rebel groups, and the political opposition. The transitional government held a successful constitu¬ tional referendum in December 2005 and elections for the presidency, National Assembly, and provincial legis¬ latures in 2006. KABILA was inaugu¬ rated president in December 2006. The National Assembly was installed in September 2006. Its president, Vital KAMERHE, was chosen in December. Provincial assemblies were constituted in 145 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK early 2007, and elected governors and national senators in January 2007. GEOGRAPHY Location: Central Africa, northeast of Angola Geographic coordinates: 0 00 N, 25 00 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 2,345,410 sq km land: 2,267,600 sq km water: 77,810 sq km Area — comparative: slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US Land boundaries: total: 10,730 km border countries: Angola 2,511 km (of which 225 km is the boundary of Angola’s discontiguous Cabinda Province), Burundi 233 km, Central African Republic 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Rwanda 217 km, Sudan 628 km, Tanzania 459 km, Uganda 765 km, Zambia 1,930 km Coastline: 37 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: boundaries with neighbors Climate: tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north of Equator — wet season (April to October), dry season (December to February); south of Equator — wet season (November to March), dry season (April to October) Terrain: vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains in east Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pic Marguerite on Mont Ngaliema (Mount Stanley) 5,110 m Natural resources: cobalt, copper, nio¬ bium, tantalum, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, uranium, coal, hydro¬ power, timber Land use: arable land: 2.86% permanent crops: 0. 47% other: 96.67% (2005) Irrigated land: 110 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: periodic droughts in south; Congo River floods (seasonal); in the east, in the Great Rift Valley, there are active volcanoes Environment— current issues: poaching threatens wildlife populations; water pol¬ lution; deforestation; refugees respon¬ sible for significant deforestation, soil erosion, and wildlife poaching; mining of minerals (coltan — a mineral used in cre¬ ating capacitors, diamonds, and gold) causing environmental damage Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification Geography — note: straddles equator; has very narrow strip of land that controls the lower Congo River and is only outlet to South Atlantic Ocean; dense tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands PEOPLE Population: 65,751,512 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mor¬ tality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the dis¬ tribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 47.6% (male 15,718,614/ female 15,557,058) 15-64 years: 49.9% (male 16,224,734/ female 16,571,549) 65 years and over: 2.6% (male 680,313/ female 999,244) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 16.1 years male: 15.8 years female: 16.4 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 3.39% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 42.96 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 10.34 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 1.28 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.979 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.681 male(s)/female total population: 0.985 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 65.52 deaths/1,000 live births male: 71.55 deaths/ 1,000 live births female: 59.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 57.2 years male: 54-97 years female: 59.5 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 6.37 children bom/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 4 2% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 1.1 million (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 100,000 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorbome diseases: malaria, plague, and African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sick¬ ness) are high risks in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007) Nationality: noun: Congolese (singular and plural) adjective: Congolese or Congo Ethnic groups: over 200 African ethnic groups of which the majority are Bantu; the four largest tribes — Mongo, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu), and the Mangbetu- Azande (Hamitic) make up about 45% of the population Religions: Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%, other (includes syncretic sects and indigenous beliefs) 10% Languages: French (official), Lingala (a lingua franca trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write French, Lingala, Kingwana, or Tshiluba total population: 65.5% male: 76.2% female: 55.1% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Democratic Republic of the Congo conventional short form: none local long form: Republique Democrat- ique du Congo local short form: none former: Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo/Leopoldville, Congo/ Kinshasa, Zaire abbreviation: DRC Government type: republic Capital: name: Kinshasa geographic coordinates: 4 18 S, 15 18E time difference: UTC+1 (six hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 10 provinces (provinces, singular — province) and 1 city* (ville); Bandundu, Bas-Congo, Equateur, Kasai-Occidental, Kasai- Oriental, Katanga, Kinshasa*, Maniema, Nord-Kivu, Orientale, Sud-Kivu 146 CONGO, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE note: according to the Constitution adopted in December 2005, the current administrative divisions will be subdi¬ vided into 26 new provinces by 2009 Independence: 30 June 1960 (from Belgium) National holiday: Independence Day, 30 June (1960) Constitution: 18 February 2006 Legal system: a new constitution was adopted by referendum 18 December 2005; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdic¬ tion, with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory Executive branch: chief of state: President Joseph KABILA (since 17 January 2001); note — fol¬ lowing the assassination of his father, Joseph KABILA succeeded to the presi¬ dency which he retained through the 2003-2006 transition; he was subse¬ quently elected president in October 2006 head of government: Prime Minister Antoine GIZENGA (since 30 December 2006); cabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president elections: under the new constitution the president is elected by popular vote to a five-year term (eligible for a second term); elections last held 30 July 2006 with a second round held on 29 October 2006 (next to be held in 2011); prime minister appointed by the president election results: results of 29 October 2006 elections (second round); Joseph KABILA 58%, Jean-Pierre BEMBA Gombo 42% note: Joseph KABILA succeeded his father, Laurent Desire KABILA, fol¬ lowing the latter’s assassination in January 2001; negotiations with rebel leaders led to the establishment of a tran¬ sitional government in July 2003 with free elections held on 30 July 2006 and 29 October 2006 confirming Joseph KABILA as president Legislative branch: bicameral legislature consists of a National Assembly (500 seats; 61 members elected by majority vote in single-member constituencies, 439 members elected by open list propor¬ tional-representation in multi-member constituencies; to serve five-year terms) and a Senate (108 seats; members elected by provincial assemblies to serve five-year terms) elections: National Assembly — last held 30 July 2006 (next to be held in 2011); Senate — last held 19 January 2007 (next to be held by 2012) election results: National Assembly — per¬ cent of vote by party — NA; seats by party— PPRD 111, MLC 64, PALU 34, MSR 27, FR 26, RCD 15, independents 63, others 160 (includes 63 political par¬ ties that won 10 or fewer seats); Senate — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — PPRD 22, MLC 14, FR 7, RCD 7, PDC 6, CDC 3, MSR 3, PALU 2, independents 26, others 18 (political parties that won a single seat) Judicial branch: Constitutional Court; Appeals Court or Cour de Cassation; Council of State; High Military Court; plus civil and military courts and tri¬ bunals Political parties and leaders: Christian » Democrat Party or PDC [Jose ENDUNDO]; Congolese Rally for Democracy or RCD [Azarias RUBERWA]; Convention of Christian Democrats or CDC; Forces of Renewal or FR [Mbusa NYAMWISI]; Movement for the Liberation of the Congo or MLC [Jean-Pierre BEMBA]; People’s Party for Reconstruction and Democracy or PPRD [Joseph KABILA]; Social Movement for Renewal or MSR [Pierre LUMBI]; Unified Lumumbist Party or PALU [Antoine GIZENGA]; Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Etienne TSHISEKEDI]; Union of Mobutuist Democrats or UDEMO [MOBUTU Nzanga] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, COMESA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (suspended), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Faida MITIFU chancery: 1800 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009: note — Consular Office at 1726 M Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 234-7690, 7691 FAX: [1] (202) 234-2609 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Roger MEECE embassy: 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa mailing address: Unit 31550, APO AE 09828 telephone: [243] (81) 225 5872 FAX: [243] (81) 301 0558 Flag description: sky blue field divided diagonally from the lower hoist corner to upper fly corner by a red stripe bordered by two narrow yellow stripes; a yellow, five-pointed star appears in the upper hoist comer ECONOMY Economy— overview: The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo — a nation endowed with vast potential wealth — is recovering from two decades of decline. Conflict, which began in August 1998, dramatically reduced national output and government revenue, increased external debt, and resulted in the deaths of perhaps 3.5 mil¬ lion people from violence, famine, and disease. Foreign businesses curtailed operations due to uncertainty about the outcome of the conflict, lack of infra¬ structure, and the difficult operating environment. Conditions began to improve in late 2002 with the with¬ drawal of a large portion of the invading foreign troops. The transitional govern¬ ment reopened relations with interna¬ tional financial institutions and international donors, and President KABILA has begun implementing reforms. Much economic activity still occurs in the informal sector, and is not reflected in GDP data. Economic sta¬ bility improved during the period 2003-06, although an uncertain legal framework, corruption, and a lack of transparency in government policy con¬ tinues to hamper growth. In 2005-06, renewed activity in the mining sector, the source of most export income, boosted Kinshasa’s fiscal position and GDP growth. The International Monetary Fund program for the DRC, however, expired at the end of March 2006 and probably will not be reinstated until mid-2007. Government reforms and improved security may lead to increased government revenues, outside budget assistance, and foreign direct investment in 2007. GDP (purchasing power parity): $44 44 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $7.98 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 6.4% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $700 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 55% industry: 11% services: 34% (2000 est.) Labor force: 15 million (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% 147 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Unemployment rate: NA% Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 18.2% (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $700 million expenditures: $2 billion (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, quinine, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, bananas, root crops, com, fruits; wood products Industries: mining (diamonds, gold, copper, cobalt, coltan zinc), mineral pro¬ cessing, consumer products (including textiles, footwear, cigarettes, processed foods and beverages), cement, commer¬ cial ship repair Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity— production: 353 million kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 1.8% hydro: 98.2% nuclear: 0% other : 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 658.3 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: NA Electricity— imports: 330 million kWh (2004) Oil— production: 21,090 bbl/day (2004) Oil— consumption: 8,200 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: 21,090 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil — imports: 8,220 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil— proved reserves: 1.538 billion bbl ( 1 January 2002) Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — proved reserves: 991.1 million cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Exports: $1,108 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) Exports— commodities: diamonds, copper, crude oil, coffee, cobalt Exports— partners: Belgium 38.2%, US 17.8%, China 11.7%, France 8%, Finland 7.8%, Chile 4-3% (2005) Imports: $1,319 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) Imports— commodities: foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, fuels Imports— partners: South Africa 17.7%, Belgium 15.3%, France 8.6%, Kenya 7.5%, Zambia 6.6%, Germany 4-4%, US 4.3%, Cote d’Ivoire 4.1% (2005) Debt — external: $10 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $2.2 billion (FY03/04) Currency (code): Congolese franc (CDF) Currency code: CDF Exchange rates: Congolese francs per US dollar— 464-69 (2006), 437.86 (2005), 401.04 (2004), 405.34 (2003), 346.49 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 10,600 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 2.746 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: poor domestic: barely adequate wire and microwave radio relay service in and between urban areas; domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations international: country code — 243; satel¬ lite earth station — 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2001) Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 2 (2001) Radios: 18.03 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 4 (2001) Televisions: 6.478 million (1997) Internet country code: cd Internet hosts: 1,778 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): l (2001) Internet users: 140,600 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 234 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 25 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 9 14 m: 1 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 209 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1 ,523 m: 94 under 914 m: 97 (2006) Pipelines: gas 54 km; oil 78 km (2006) Railways: total: 5,138 km narrow gauge: 3,987 km 1.067-m gauge (858 km electrified); 125 km 1.000-m gauge; 1,026 km 0.600-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 153,497 km paved: 2,794 km unpaved: 150,703 km (2004) Waterways: 15,000 km (2005) Merchant marine: total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 1 004 GRT/1,640 DWT ' ’ by type: petroleum tanker 1 foreign' owned: 1 (Congo, Republic of the 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Banana, Boma, Bukavu, Bumba, Goma, Kalemie, Kindu, Kinshasa, Kisangani, Matadi, Mbandaka MILITARY Military branches: Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC): Army, Navy, Congolese Air Force (Force Aerienne Congolaise, FAC) (2006) Military service age and obligation: 18-45 years of age for military service Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 11,365,610 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 6,464,223 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 2.5% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: heads of the Great Lakes states and UN pledge to abate tribal, rebel, and militia fighting in the northeastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DROC); in 2006, the UN Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) maintained over 18,000 uniformed peacekeepers in the region, first deployed in 1999; despite significant repatriation efforts by govern¬ ments and international organizations, in 2006, Angolans, Rwandans, Sudanese, and residents of other neigh¬ boring states reside as refugees in the DROC; members of Uganda’s Lords Resistance Army forces take refuge in DROC’s Garamba National Park; the location of the boundary in the broad Congo River with the Republic of the Congo is indefinite except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 106,772 (Angola), 42,360 (Rwanda), 19,032 (Burundi), 18,954 (Uganda), 11,723 (Sudan), 5,243 (Republic of Congo) IDPs: 1.1 million (fighting between gov¬ ernment forces and rebels since mid- 1990s; most IDPs are in eastern provinces) (2006) illicit drugs: one of Africa’s biggest pro¬ ducers of cannabis, but mostly for domestic consumption; while rampant corruption and inadequate supervision leaves the banking system vulnerable to money laundering, the lack of a well- developed financial system limits the country s utility as a money-laundering center 148 CONGO, REPUBLIC OF THE INTRODUCTION Background: Upon independence in 1960, the former French region of Middle Congo became the Republic of the Congo. A quarter century of experi¬ mentation with Marxism was abandoned in 1990 and a democratically elected government took office in 1992. A brief civil war in 1997 restored 'former Marxist President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, and ushered in a period of ethnic and political unrest. Southern-based rebel groups agreed to a final peace accord in March 2003, but the calm is tenuous and refugees continue to present a humani¬ tarian crisis. The Republic of Congo was once one of Africa’s largest petroleum producers, but with declining production it will need to hope for new offshore oil finds to sustain its oil earnings over the long term. GEOGRAPHY - Location: Western Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and Gabon Geographic coordinates: 1 00 S, 15 00 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 342,000 sq km land: 341,500 sq km water: 500 sq km Area — comparative: slightly smaller than Montana Land boundaries: total: 5,504 km border countries: Angola 201 km, Cameroon 523 km, Central African Republic 467 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Gabon 1,903 km Coastline: 169 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 200 nm Climate: tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to October); persistent high temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating climate astride the Equator Terrain: coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Berongou 903 m Natural resources: petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, gold, magnesium, natural gas, hydropower Land use: arable land: 1.45% permanent crops: 0.15% other: 98.4% (2005) Irrigated land: 20 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: seasonal flooding Environment — current issues: air pollu¬ tion from vehicle emissions; water pollu¬ tion from the dumping of raw sewage; tap water is not potable; deforestation Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea Geography— note: about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe- Noire, or along the railroad between them PEOPLE Population: 3,800,610 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mor¬ tality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the dis¬ tribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 46.3% (male 885,039/female 873,753) 15-64 years: 50.8% (male 958,992/ female 973,445) 65 years and over: 2.9% (male 44,994/ female 64,387) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 16.7 years male: 16.4 years female: 17 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.639% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 42.16 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 12.59 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -3.17 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.013 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.985 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.699 male(s)/female total population: 0.988 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 83.26 deaths/1,000 live births male: 88.93 deaths/1,000 live births female: 77.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 53.29 years male: 52.1 years female: 54-52 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 5.99 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 4 9% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 90,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 9,700 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diar¬ rhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria (2007) Nationality: noun: Congolese (singular and plural) adjective: Congolese or Congo Ethnic groups: Kongo 48%, Sangha 20%, M’Bochi 12%, Teke 17%, Europeans and other 3% Religions: Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2% Languages: French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca trade languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo is the most widespread) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 83.8% male: 89.6% female: 78.4% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of the Congo conventional short form: Congo (Brazzaville) local long form: Republique du Congo local short form: none former: Middle Congo, Congo/ Brazzaville, Congo Government type: republic Capital: name: Brazzaville 149 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK geographic coordinates: 4 16S, 15 17E time difference: UTC+1 (six hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 10 regions (regions, singular — region) and 1 com¬ mune*; Bouenza, Brazzaville*, Cuvette, Cuvette-Ouest, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala, Niari, Plateaux, Pool, Sangha independence: 15 August 1960 (from France) National holiday: Independence Day, 15 August (1960) Constitution: approved by referendum 20 January 2002 Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law Suffrage: 1 8 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Denis SASSOU- NGUESSO (since 25 October 1997, fol¬ lowing the civil war in which he toppled elected president Pascal LISSOUBA); note — the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October 1997, following the civil war in which he toppled elected president Pascal LISSOUBA) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 10 March 2002 (next to be held in 2009) election results: Denis SASSOU- NGUESSO reelected president; percent of vote— Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO 89.4%, Joseph Kignoumbi Kia MBOUNGOU 2.7% Legislative branch: bicameral Parlia¬ ment consists of the Senate (66 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the National Assembly (137 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate — last held 11 July 2002 (next to be held in July 2007); National Assembly — last held 27 May and 26 June 2002 (next to be held by May 2007) election results: Senate — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — FDP 56, other 10; National Assembly — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — FDP 83, UDR 6, UPADS 3, other 45 Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme Poiitical parties and leaders: Demo¬ cratic and Patriotic Forces or FDP [Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, president] (an alliance of Convention for Alternative Democracy, Congolese Labor Party or PCT, Liberal Republican Party, National Union for Democracy and Progress, Patriotic Union for the National Reconstruction, and Union for the National Renewal); Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development or MCDDI [Michel MAMPOUYA]; Pan-African Union for Social Development or UPADS [Martin MBERI]; Rally for Democracy and Social Progress or RDPS [Jean-Pierre Thystere TCHICAYA, president]; Rally for Democracy and the Republic or RDR [Raymond Damasge NGOLLO]; Union for Democracy and Republic or UDR; Union of Democratic Forces or UFD [Sebastian EBAO]; many less important parties Political pressure groups and leaders: Congolese Trade Union Congress or CSC; General Union of Congolese Pupils and Students or UGEEC; Revolutionary Union of Congolese Women or URFC; Union of Congolese Socialist Youth or UJSC International organization participa¬ tion: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW (signatory), UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Serge MOMBOULI chancery: 4891 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 726-5500 FAX: [1] (202) 726-1860 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert WEISBERG embassy: NA mailing address: NA telephone: [243] (88) 43608 note: the embassy is temporarily collo¬ cated with the US Embassy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (US Embassy Kinshasa, 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa) Flag description: divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a yellow band; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the lower triangle is red; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia ECONOMY Economy— overview: The economy is a mixture of village agriculture and handi¬ crafts, an industrial sector based largely on oil, support services, and a govern¬ ment characterized by budget problems and overstaffing. Oil has supplanted forestry as the mainstay of the economy, providing a major share of government revenues and exports. In the early 1980s, rapidly rising oil revenues enabled the government to finance large-scale devel¬ opment projects with GDP growth aver¬ aging 5% annually, one of the highest rates in Africa. The government has mortgaged a substantial portion of its oil earnings through oil-backed loans that have contributed to a growing debt burden and chronic revenue shortfalls. Economic reform efforts have been undertaken with the support of interna¬ tional organizations, notably the World Bank and the IMF. However, the reform program came to a halt in June 1997 when civil war erupted. Denis SASSOU- NGUESSO, who returned to power when the war ended in October 1997, publicly expressed interest in moving for¬ ward on economic reforms and privatiza¬ tion and in renewing cooperation with international financial institutions. Economic progress was badly hurt by slumping oil prices and the resumption of armed conflict in December 1998, which worsened the republic’s budget deficit. The current administration presides over an uneasy internal peace and faces diffi¬ cult economic challenges of stimulating recovery and reducing poverty. Recovery of oil prices has boosted the economy’s GDP and near-term prospects. In March 2006, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) treatment for Congo. GDP (purchasing power parity): $5,099 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $5,163 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 7.5% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $1,400 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 6.2% industry: 55.3% services: 38.5% (2006 est.) Labor force: NA Unemployment rate: NA% Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.6% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 27.2% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $2,985 billion expenditures: $1,664 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) 150 COOK ISLANDS Agriculture — products: cassava (tapioca), sugar, rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables, coffee, cocoa; forest products Industries: petroleum extraction, cement, lumber, brewing, sugar, palm oil, soap, flour, cigarettes Industrial production growth rate: 0% (2002 est.) Electricity— production: 6.847 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 0.3% hydro: 99.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 5.127 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 1.25 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 9 million kWh (2004) Oil— production: 267,100 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— consumption: 6,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Oil— proved reserves: 93.5 million bbl (1 January 2002) Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 90.61 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $1,215 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $5,996 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: petroleum, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee, diamonds Exports— partners: China 38.4%, US 28.6%, Taiwan 11.6%, South Korea 7.1% (2005) Imports: $1,964 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— Commodities: capital equip¬ ment, construction materials, foodstuffs Imports— partners: France 23.1%, China 10.1%, US 7.3%, India 7.2%, Italy 6.7%, Belgium 4-5% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $547 million (2006 est.) Debt — external: $5 billion (2000 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $159.1 mil¬ lion (1995) Currency (code): Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note — responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States Currency code: XAF Exchange rates: Communaute Finan- ciere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar— 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 13,800 (2004) Telephones— mobile cellular: 490,000 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: services barely ade¬ quate for government use; key exchanges are in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, and Loubomo; intercity lines frequently out of order domestic: primary network consists of microwave radio relay and coaxial cable international: country code — 242; satel¬ lite earth station — 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM l, FM 5, shortwave 3 (2001) Radios: 341,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: l (2001) Televisions: 33,000 (1997) Internet country code: eg Internet hosts: 46 (2004) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000) Internet users: 36,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 32 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 28 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1 ,523 m: 1 1 under 914 m: 11 (2006) Pipelines: gas 89 km; liquid petroleum gas 4 km; oil 744 km (2006) Railways: total: 894 km narrow gauge: 894 km 1.067-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 17,289 km paved: 864 km unpaved: 16,425 km (2004) Waterways: 4,385 km (on Congo and Oubanqui rivers) (2005) Merchant marine: registered in other countries: 1 (Congo, Democratic Republic of the 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Brazzaville, Djeno, Impfondo, Ouesso, Oyo, Pointe-Noire MILITARY Military branches: Congolese Armed Forces (FAC): Army, Navy, Congolese Air Force (Armee de I’Air Congolaise), Gendarmerie, Republican Guard (2007) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 688,628 females age 18-49: 685,388 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 406,016 females age 18-49: 394,745 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 38,464 females age 1 8 — 49 : 38,082 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 3.1% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: Congo hosts about 63,000 refugees from neighboring states, primarily from the Pool border area of the Democratic Republic of the Congo; the location of the boundary in the broad Congo River with the Democratic Republic of the Congo is indefinite except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 56,380 (Democratic Republic of Congo), 6,478 (Rwanda) IDPs: 48,000 (multiple civil wars since 1992; most IDPs are ethnic Lari) (2006) COOK ISLANDS INTRODUCTION Background: Named after Captain COOK, who sighted them in 1770, the islands became a British protectorate in 1888. By 1900, administrative control was transferred to New Zealand; in 1965, residents chose self-government in free association with New Zealand. The emi¬ gration of skilled workers to New Zealand and government deficits are continuing problems. GEOGRAPHY Location: Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand Geographic coordinates: 21 14 S, 159 46 W 151 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Ftekahenga Penrhyn Pvkapuka^ Manihiki Island Suwarrow South Pacific Ocean Palmerston , AitiftakL .. * Mmuae Takutm .. MWaro Attu Mauka O ISO 30 Qfcro 0 150 300 ml ■ — — * AVARUA Rarotonga Mangaia Map references: Oceania Area: total: 236.7 sq km land: 236.7 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: 1.3 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 120 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 1 2 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin Climate: tropical oceanic; moderated by trade winds; a dry season from April to November and a more humid season from December to March Terrain: low coral atolls in north; vol¬ canic, hilly islands in south Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Te Manga 652 m Natural resources: NEGL Land use: arable land: 16.67% permanent crops: 8.33% other: 75% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: typhoons (November to March) Environment— current issues: NA Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, bdazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography— note: the northern Cook Islands are seven low-lying, sparsely pop¬ ulated, coral atolls; the southern Cook Islands, where most of the population lives, consist of eight elevated, fertile, volcanic isles, including the largest, Rarotonga, at 67 sq km PEOPLE Population: 21,750 (July 2007 est.) Age Structure: 0-14 years: 34.1% (male 2,718/female 2,388) 15-64 years: 59.5% (male 4,531/female 4395) , 65 years and over: 6.4% (male 489/female 469) (2001 census) Median age: total: 25.3 years male: 24-7 years female: 25.9 years (2001 census) Population growth rate: -1.2% between 1996-2001 (2001 census) Birth rate: 21 births/1,000 population (2001 census) Death rate: NA Sex ratio: 1.07 male(s)/female (2001 census) Infant mortality rate: total: NA male: NA female: NA Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA male: NA female: NA Total fertility rate: 3.1 children bom/ woman (2001 census) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Cook Islander(s) adjective: Cook Islander Ethnic groups: Cook Island Maori (Polynesian) 87.7%, part Cook Island Maori 5.8%, other 6.5% (2001 census) Religions: Cook Islands Christian Church 55.9%, Roman Catholic 16.8%, Seventh -Day Adventists 7.9%, Church of Latter Day Saints 3.8%, other Protestant 5.8%, other 4.2%, unspecified 2.6%, none 3% (2001 census) Languages: English (official), Maori Literacy: definition: NA total population: 95% male: NA% female: NA% People — note: 2001 census counted a resident population of 15,017 GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Cook Islands former: Harvey Islands Dependency status: self-governing in free association with New Zealand; Cook Islands is fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsi¬ bility for external affairs and defense, in consultation with the Cook Islands Government type: self-governing parlia¬ mentary democracy Capital: name: Avarua geographic coordinates: 21 12 S, 159 46 W time difference: UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: none Independence: none (became self-gov¬ erning in free association with New Zealand on 4 August 1965 and has the right at any time to move to full inde¬ pendence by unilateral action) National holiday: Constitution Day, first Monday in August (1965) Constitution: 4 August 1965 Legal system: based on New Zealand law and English common law Suffrage: NA years of age; universal (adult) Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Frederick GOODWIN (since 9 February 2001 ); New Zealand High Commissioner John BRYAN (since 6 September 2005), representative of New Zealand head of government: Prime Minister Jim MARURAI (since 14 December 2004); Deputy Prime Minister Terepai MAO ATE (since 9 August 2005) cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister; collectively responsible to Parliament elections: none; the monarch is heredi¬ tary; the UK representative is appointed by the monarch; the New Zealand high commissioner is appointed by the New Zealand Government; following legisla¬ tive elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coali¬ tion usually becomes prime minister Legislative branch: bicameral Parlia¬ ment consisting of a Legislative Assembly (or lower house) (25 seats, 24 seats representing districts of the Cook Islands, 1 seat representing Cook Islanders living overseas; members elected by pop¬ ular vote to serve five-year terms) and a House of Ariki (or upper house) made up of traditional leaders note: the House of Ariki advises on tradi¬ tional matters and maintains considerable influence but has no legislative powers elections: last held 26 September 2006 (next to be held by 201 1 ) election results: percent of vote by party — Demo 51.9%, CIP 45.5%, independent 2.7%; seats by party— Demo 15, CIP 8, independent 1 Judicial branch: High Court Politica! parties and leaders: Cook Islands Party or CIP [Henry PUNA]; Democratic Party or Demo [Dr. Terepai MAOATE] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA 152 COOK ISLANDS International organization participa¬ tion: ACP, AsDB, FAO, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IOC, ITUC, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO Diplomatic representation in the US: none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand) Flag description: blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a large circle of 15 white five- pointed stars (one for every island) cen¬ tered in the outer half of the flag ECONOMY Economy — overview: Like many other South Pacific island nations, the Cook Islands’ economic development is hin¬ dered by the isolation of the country from foreign markets, the limited size of domestic markets, lack of natural resources, periodic devastation from nat¬ ural disasters, and inadequate infrastruc¬ ture. Agriculture, employing about one-third of the working population, provides the economic base with major exports made up of copra and citrus fruit. Black pearls are the Cook Islands’ leading export. Manufacturing activities are limited to fruit processing, clothing, and handicrafts. Trade deficits are offset by remittances from emigrants and by foreign aid, overwhelmingly from New Zealand. In the 1980s and 1990s, the country lived beyond its means, main¬ taining a bloated public service and accumulating a large foreign debt. Subsequent reforms, including the sale of state assets, the strengthening of eco¬ nomic management, the encouragement of tourism, and a debt restructuring agreement, have rekindled investment and growth. GDP (purchasing power parity): $183.2 million (2005 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $183.2 million (2005 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 0.1% (2005 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $9,100 (2005 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 15.1% industry: 9.6% services: 75.3% (2004) Labor force: 6,820 (2001) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 29% industry: 15% services: 56% (1995) Unemployment rate: 13.1% (2005) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.1% (2005 est.) Budget: revenues: $70.95 million expenditures: $69.05 million; including capital expenditures of $5,744 million (FY05/06) Agriculture — products: copra, citrus, pineapples, tomatoes, beans, pawpaws, bananas, yams, taro, coffee; pigs, poultry Industries: fruit processing, tourism, fishing, clothing, handicrafts Industrial production growth rate: 1% (2002) Electricity— production: 28 million kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 26.04 mil¬ lion kWh (2004 est.) Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004) Oil — consumption: 420 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $26.67 mil¬ lion (2005) Exports: $5,222 million (2005) Exports — commodities: copra, papayas, fresh and canned citrus fruit, coffee; fish; pearls and pearl shells; clothing Exports — partners: Australia 34%, Japan 27%, NZ 25%, US 8% (2004) Imports: $81.04 million (2005) Imports — commodities: foodstuffs, tex¬ tiles, fuels, timber, capital goods Imports — partners: NZ 61%, Fiji 19%, US 9%, Australia 6%, Japan 2% (2004) Debt — external: $141 million (1996 est.) Economic aid — recipient: $13.1 mil¬ lion; note — New Zealand continues to furnish the greater part (1995) Currency (code): NZ dollar (NZD) Currency code: NZD Exchange rates: NZ dollars per US dollar— 1.5408 (2006), 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002) Fiscal year: 1 April — 31 March COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 6,200 (2002) Telephones— mobile cellular: 1,500 (2002) Telephone system: general assessment: Telecom Cook Islands offers international direct dialing, Internet, email, fax, and Telex domestic: the individual islands are con¬ nected by a combination of satellite earth stations, microwave systems, and VHF and HF radiotelephone; within the islands, service is provided by small exchanges connected to subscribers by open-wire, cable, and fiber-optic cable international: country code — 682; satel¬ lite earth station — 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004) Radios: 14,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 1 (outer islands receive satellite broadcasts) (2004) Televisions: 4,000 (1997) Internet country code: ck Internet hosts: 1,456 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (2000) Internet users: 3,600 (2002) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 9 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Roadways: total: 320 km paved: 33 km unpaved: 287 km (2003) Merchant marine: total: 6 ships (1000 GRT or over) 48,422 GRT/5 1,900 DWT by type: cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 3 foreign' owned: 5 (Norway 1, NZ 1, Sweden 3) (2006) Ports and terminals: Avatiu MILITARY Military branches: no regular military forces; Ministry of Police and Disaster Management (2005) Military — note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of New Zealand, in consultation with the Cook Islands and at its request TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: none 153 CORAL SEA ISLANDS INTRODUCTION Background: Scattered over more than three-quarters of a million square kilo¬ meters of ocean, the Coral Sea Islands were declared a territory of Australia in 1969. They are uninhabited except for a small meteorological staff on the Willis Islets. Automated weather stations, bea¬ cons, and a lighthouse occupy many other islands and reefs. GEOGRAPHY Location: Oceania, islands in the Coral Sea, northeast of Australia Geographic coordinates: 18 00 S, 152 00 E Map references: Oceania Area: total: less than 3 sq km land: less than 3 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes numerous small islands and reefs scattered over a sea area of about 780,000 sq km, with the Willis Islets the most important Area— comparative: NA Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 3,095 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical Terrain: sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays) Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Cato Island 6 m Natural resources: NEGL Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (mostly grass or scrub cover) (2005) Irrigated land: 0 sq km Natural hazards: occasional tropical cyclones Environment— current issues: no per¬ manent fresh water resources Geography — note: important nesting area for birds and turtles PEOPLE Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: there is a staff of three to four at the meteorological station on Willis Island (July 2007 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Coral Sea Islands Territory conventional short form: Coral Sea Islands Dependency status: territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of the Transport and Regional Services Legal system: the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply Executive branch: administered from Canberra by the Department of the Transport and Regional Services Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of Australia) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of Australia) Flag description: the flag of Australia is used ECONOMY Economy-overview: no economic activity COMMUNICATIONS Communications— note: there are auto¬ matic weather stations on many of the isles and reefs relaying data to the mainland TRANSPORTATION Ports and terminals: none; offshore anchorage only MILITARY Military — note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of Australia; visited regularly by the Royal Australian Navy; Australia has control over the activities of visitors TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: none COSTA RICA INTRODUCTION Background: Although explored by the Spanish early in the 16th century, initial attempts at colonizing Costa Rica proved unsuccessful due to a combination of fac¬ tors, including: disease from mosquito- infested swamps, brutal heat, resistance by natives, and pirate raids. It was not until 1563 that a permanent settlement Cartago was established in the cooler, fertile central highlands. The area remained a colony for some two and a half centuries. In 1821, Costa Rica became one of several Central American provinces that jointly declared their independence from Spain. Two years later it joined the United Provinces of Central America, but this federation dis¬ integrated in 1838, at which time Costa Rica proclaimed its sovereignty and independence. Since the late 19th cen¬ tury, only two brief periods of violence have marred the country’s democratic development. Although it still maintains a large agricultural sector, Costa Rica has expanded its economy to include strong technology and tourism industries. The standard of living is relatively high. Land ownership is widespread. GEOGRAPHY Location: Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama Geographic coordinates: 10 00 N 84 00 W Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total: 51,100 sq km hind: 50,660 sq km water: 440 sq km note: includes Isla del Coco 154 COSTA RICA Area— comparative: slightly smaller than West Virginia Land boundaries: total: 639 km border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km Coastline: 1,290 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm Climate: tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands Terrain: coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m Natural resources: hydropower Land use: arable land: 4-4% permanent crops : 5.87% other: 89.73% (2005) Irrigated land: 1,080 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes Environment — current issues: deforesta- tion and land use change, largely a result of the clearing of land for cattle ranching and agriculture; soil erosion; coastal marine pollution; fisheries protection; solid waste management; air pollution Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation Geography — note: four volcanoes, two of them active, rise near the capital of San Jose in the center of the country; one of the volcanoes, Irazu, erupted destructively in 1963-65 PEOPLE Population: 4,133,884 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 27.8% (male 587,395/female 560,408) 15-64 years: 66.4% (male 1,388,114/ female 1,357,157) 65 years and over: 5.8% (male 111,758/ female 129,052) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 26.8 years male: 26.3 years female: 27.2 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.412% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 18.02 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 4.39 deaths/1,000 popula- tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0.48 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.048 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.023 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.866 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 9.45 deaths/1,000 live births male: 10.32 deaths/1,000 live births female: 8.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.21 years male: 74.61 years female: 79.94 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.21 children born/woman (2007 est.) HiV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.6% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 12,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 900 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Costa Rican(s) adjective: Costa Rican Ethnic groups: white (including mes¬ tizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese 1%, other 1% Religions: Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, Jehovah’s Witnesses 1.3%, other Protestant 0.7%, other 4-8%, none 3.2% Languages: Spanish (official), English Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96% male: 95.9% female: 96.1% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Costa Rica conventional short form: Costa Rica local long form: Republica de Costa Rica local short form: Costa Rica Government type: democratic republic Capital: name: San Jose geographic coordinates: 9 56 N, 84 05 W time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 7 provinces (provincias, singular — provincia); Ala- juela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain) National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821) Constitution: 7 November 1949 Legal system: based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has accepted compulsory 1CJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory Executive branch: chief of state: President Oscar ARIAS Sanchez (since 8 May 2006); First Vice President Laura CHINCHILLA (since 8 May 2006); Second Vice President Kevin CASAS Zamora (since 8 May 2006); note — the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government : President Oscar ARIAS Sanchez (since 8 May 2006); First Vice President Laura CHIN¬ CHILLA (since 8 May 2006); Second Vice President Kevin CASAS Zamora (since 8 May 2006) cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a single four-year term; election last held 5 February 2006 (next to be held in February 2010) election results: Oscar ARIAS Sanchez elected president; percent of vote — Oscar ARIAS Sanchez (PLN) 40.9%; Otton SOLIS (PAC) 39.8%, Otto GUE¬ VARA Guth (PML) 8%, Ricardo TOLEDO (PUSC) 3% Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (57 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 5 February 2006 (next to be held in February 2010) election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — PLN 25, PAC 17, PML 6, PUSC 5, other 4 Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly) Political parties and leaders: Authentic Member from Heredia [Jose SALAS]; Citizen Action Party or PAC [Otton SOLIS]; Costa Rican Renovation Party or PRC [Gerardo Justo OROZCO Alvarez]; Democratic Force Party or PFD [Vladimir DE LA CRUZ]; General Union Party or PUGEN [Carlos Alberto FERNANDEZ Vega]; Homeland First or PP [Juan Jose VARGAS Fallas]; Independent Worker Party or PIO [Jose Alberto CUBERO Carmona]; Liberta- 155 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK rian Movement Party or PML [Otto GUEVARA Guth]; National Christian Alliance Party or ANC [Juan Carlos CHAVEZ Mora]; National Integration Party or PIN [Walter MUNOZ Cespedes]; National Liberation Party or PLN [Francisco Antonio PACHECO]; National Patriotic Party or PPN [Daniel Enrique REYNOLDS Vargas]; National Restoration Party or PRN [Carlos AVENDANO]; Nationalist Democratic Alliance or ADN [Jose Miguel VIL- LALOBOS Umana]; Patriotic Union or UP [Humberto ARCE Salas]; Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC [Luis FILMAN]; Union for Change Party or UPC [Antonio ALVAREZ Desanti]; United Leftist Coalition or IU [Humberto VARGAS Carbonel] Political pressure groups and leaders: Authentic Confederation of Democratic Workers or CATD (Communist Party affiliate); Chamber of Coffee Growers; Confederated Union of Workers or CUT (Communist Party affiliate); Costa Rican Confederation of Democratic Workers or CCTD (Liberation Party affiliate); Costa Rican Exporter’s Chamber or CADEXCO; Costa Rican Solidarity Movement; Costa Rican Union of Private Sector Enterprises or UCCAEP [Rafael CARRILLO]; Federation of Public Service Workers or FTSP; National Association for Economic Development or ANFE; National Association of Educators or ANDE; National Association of Public and Private Employees or ANEP [Albino VARGAS]; Rerum Novarum or CTRN (PLN affiliate) [Gilbert BROWN] International organization participa¬ tion: BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WOO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Tomas DUENAS chancery: 2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-2945 FAX: [1] (202) 265-4795 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Hammond (temporary location in Louisiana), Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Tampa (temporarily closed), Washington, DC consulate(s) : San Francisco Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mark LANGDALE embassy: Calle 120 Avenida O, Pavas, San Jose mailing address: APO AA 34020 telephone: [506] 519-2000 FAX: [506] 519-2305 Flag description: five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double width), white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white elliptical disk on the hoist side of the red band; above the coat of arms a light blue ribbon contains the words, AMERICA CENTRAL, and just below it near the top of the coat of arms is a white ribbon with the words, REPUB- LICA COSTA RICA ECONOMY Economy — overview: Costa Rica’s basi¬ cally stable economy depends on tourism, agriculture, and electronics exports. Poverty has remained at roughly 20% for nearly 20 years, and the strong social safety net that had been put into place by the government has eroded due to increased financial constraints on gov¬ ernment expenditures. Immigration from Nicaragua has increasingly become a concern for the government. The esti¬ mated 300,000-500,000 Nicaraguans estimated to be in Costa Rica legally and illegally are an important source of (mostly unskilled) labor, but also place heavy demands on the social welfare system. Foreign investors remain attracted by the country’s political sta¬ bility and high education levels, and tourism continues to bring in foreign exchange. The government continues to grapple with its large internal and external deficits and sizable internal debt. Reducing inflation remains a diffi¬ cult problem because of rising import prices, labor market rigidities, and fiscal deficits. The country also needs to reform its tax system and its pattern of public expenditure. The current admin¬ istration has made it a priority to pass the necessary reforms to implement the US- Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). CAFTA imple¬ mentation would result in an improved investment climate. GDP (purchasing power parity): $50 89 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $21.39 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 7.9% (2006 est ) GDP— per capita (PPP): $12,500 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 8.6% industry: 31% services: 60.4% (2006 est.) Labor force: 1.866 million note: this official estimate excludes Nicaraguans living in Costa Rica legally and illegally (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 20% industry: 22% services : 58% (1999 est.) Unemployment rate: 6.6% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 18% (2004 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.1% highest 10%: 36.8% (2002) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 46.5 (2000) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 12.1% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 19.4% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $3,134 billion expenditures: $3,475 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 53.4% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: bananas, pine¬ apples, coffee, melons, ornamental plants, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber Industries: microprocessors, food pro¬ cessing, textiles and clothing, construc¬ tion materials, fertilizer, plastic products Industrial production growth rate: 8.4% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 8.4 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 1.5% hydro: 81.9% nuclear: 0% other: 16.6% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 7.574 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 440 million kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 202 million kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004) Oil— consumption: 44,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $1,176 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $7,931 billion (2006 est ) Exports-commodities: bananas, pineapples, coffee, melons, ornamental P ants, sugar; textiles, electronic compo¬ nents, medical equipment 156 COTE D’IVOIRE Exports— partners: US 42.6%, Hong Kong 6.9%, Netherlands 6.4%, Guatemala 4.2% (2005) Imports: $10.88 billion (2006 est.) Imports— Commodities: raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum Imports— partners: US 41.3%, Japan 5.6%, Venezuela 4-8%, Mexico 4.8%, Ireland 4.3%, Brazil 4.2%, China 4-2% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $2.5 billion (2006 est.) Debt— external: $6.42 billion (30 June 2006 est.) Currency (code): Costa Rican colon (CRC) Currency code: CRC Exchange rates: Costa Rican colones per US dollar — 511.3 (2006), 477.79 (2005), 437.91 (2004), 398.66 (2003), 359.82 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 1.388 million (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 1.101 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: the parastatal monopoly provides good domestic tele¬ phone service in terms of breadth of cov¬ erage; restricted cellular telephone service domestic: point-to-point and point-to- multi-point microwave, fiber-optic, and coaxial cable link rural areas; Internet service is available international: country code— 506; con¬ nected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth stations — 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); 2 submarine cables (2006) Radio broadcast stations: AM 65, FM 51, shortwave 19 (2002) Radios: 980,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 20 (plus 43 repeaters) (2002) Televisions: 525,000 (1997) Internet country code: cr Internet hosts: 12,751 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (of which only one is legal) (2000) Internet users: 1 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 157 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 32 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 19 under 914 m: 9 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 125 914 to 1 ,523 m: 24 under 914 m: 101 (2006) Pipelines: refined products 242 km (2006) Railways: total: 278 km narrow gauge: 278 km 1.067-m gauge note: none of the railway network is in use (2007) Roadways: total: 35,330 km paved: 8,621 km unpaved: 26,709 km (2004) Waterways: 730 km (seasonally navi¬ gable by small craft) (2005) Merchant marine: total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,308 GRT/743 DWT by type: passenger/cargo 2 (2006) Ports and terminals: Caldera, Puerto Limon MILITARY Military branches: no regular military forces; Ministry of Public Security, Government, and Police (2006) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 997,690 females age 18-^19: 968,290 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 829,874 females age 18-49: 809,343 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age i 8 — 49 ; 41,097 females age 18-49: 39,243 Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 0.4% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: in September 2005, Costa Rica took its case before the ICJ to advocate the navigation, security, and commercial rights of Costa Rican vessels using the Rio San Juan over which Nicaragua retains sovereignty Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 9,470 (Colombia) (2006) Illicit drugs: transshipment country for cocaine and heroin from South America; illicit production of cannabis in remote areas; domestic cocaine consumption, particularly crack cocaine, is rising; sig¬ nificant consumption of amphetamines COTE D’IVOIRE INTRODUCTION Background: Close ties to France since independence in 1960, the development of cocoa production for export, and for¬ eign investment made Cote d’Ivoire one of the most prosperous of the tropical African states, but did not protect it from political turmoil. In December 1999, a military coup — the first ever in Cote d’Ivoire’s history — overthrew the gov¬ ernment. Junta leader Robert GUEI bla¬ tantly rigged elections held in late 2000 and declared himself the winner. Popular protest forced him to step aside and brought runner-up Laurent GBAGBO into power. Ivorian dissidents and disaffected members of the military launched a failed coup attempt in September 2002. Rebel forces claimed the northern half of the country, and in January 2003 were granted ministerial positions in a unity government under the auspices of the Linas-Marcoussis Peace Accord. President GBAGBO and rebel forces resumed implementation of the peace accord in December 2003 after a three-month stalemate, but issues that sparked the civil war, such as land reform and grounds for citizenship, remain unre¬ solved. The central government has yet to exert control over the northern regions and tensions remain high between GBAGBO and opposition leaders. Several thousand French and West African troops remain in Cote d’Ivoire to maintain peace and facilitate the disarmament, demobilization, and rehabilitation process. GEOGRAPHY Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Ghana and Liberia 157 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Geographic coordinates: 8 00 N, 5 00 W Map references: Africa Area: total: 322,460 sq km land: 318,000 sq km water: 4,460 sq km Area — comparative: slightly larger than New Mexico Land boundaries: total: 3,110 km border countries: Burkina Faso 584 km, Ghana 668 km, Guinea 610 km, Liberia 716 km, Mali 532 km Coastline: 515 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm Climate: tropical along coast, semiarid in far north; three seasons — warm and dry (November to March), hot and dry (March to May), hot and wet (June to October) Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in northwest Elevation extremes: lowest point: Gulf of Guinea 0 m highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, manganese, iron ore, cobalt, bauxite, copper, gold, nickel, tan¬ talum, silica sand, clay, cocoa beans, coffee, palm oil, hydropower Land use: arable land: 10.23% permanent crops : 11.16% other: 78.61% (2005) Irrigated land: 730 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; during the rainy season torrential flooding is possible Environment— current issues: defor¬ estation (most of the country’s forests — once the largest in West Africa — have been heavily logged); water pollution from sewage and industrial and agricul¬ tural effluents Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography— note: most of the inhabi¬ tants live along the sandy coastal region; apart from the capital area, the forested interior is sparsely populated PEOPLE Population: 18,013,409 158 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mor¬ tality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the dis¬ tribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 40.6% (male 3,603,386/ female 3,711,211) 15—64 years: 56.6% (male 5,128,824/ female 5,060,027) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 246,130/ female 263,831) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 19.3 years male: 19.5 years female: 19 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.995% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 34.69 births/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 14.74 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.971 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.014 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.933 male(s)/female total population: 0.994 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 87.41 deaths/1,000 live births male: 103.84 deaths/ 1,000 live births female: 70.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 49 years male: 46.43 years female: 51.66 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 4.43 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 7% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 570,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 47,000 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diar¬ rhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria, yellow fever, and others are high risks in some locations water contact: schistosomiasis note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2007) Nationality: noun: Ivoirian(s) adjective: Ivoirian Ethnic groups: Akan 42.1%, Voltaiques or Gur 17.6%, Northern Mandes 16.5%, Krous 11%, Southern Mandes 10%, other 2.8% (includes 130,000 Lebanese and 14,000 French) (1998) Religions: Muslim 35-40%, indigenous 25-40%, Christian 20-30% (2001) note: the majority of foreigners (migra¬ tory workers) are Muslim (70%) and Christian (20%) Languages: French (official), 60 native dialects with Dioula the most widely spoken Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 50.9% male: 57.9% female: 43.6% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Cote d’Ivoire conventional short form: Cote d’Ivoire local long form: Republique de Cote d’Ivoire local short form: Cote d’Ivoire former: Ivory Coast Government type: republic; multiparty presidential regime established 1960 note: the government is currently oper¬ ating under a power-sharing agreement mandated by international mediators Capital: name: Yamoussoukro geographic coordinates: 5 19 N, 4 02 W time difference: UTC 0(5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: although Yamoussoukro has been the official capital since 1983, Abidjan remains the commercial and administra¬ tive center; the US, like other countries, maintains its Embassy in Abidjan Administrative divisions: 19 regions; Agneby, Bafing, Bas-Sassandra, Denguele, Dix-Huit Montagnes, Fromager, Haut- Sassandra, Lacs, Lagunes, Marahoue, Moyen-Cavally, Moyen-Comoe, N’zi- Comoe, Savanes, Sud-Bandama, Sud- Comoe, Vallee du Bandama, Worodougou, Zanzan Independence: 7 August 1960 (from France) National holiday: Independence Day, 7 August (1960) constitution: approved by referendum 23 July 2000 Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review in the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations COTE D’IVOIRE Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Laurent GBAGBO (since 26 October 2000) head of government: Prime Minister Guillaume SORO (since 4 April 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president; note — under the cur¬ rent power-sharing agreement the prime minister and the president share the authority to appoint ministers elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held 26 October 2000 (next to be held by October 2007, after the government postponed elections in 2005 and 2006 and the UN Security Council voted to extend its mandate); prime minister appointed by the president (cur¬ rent Prime Minister BANNY was appointed by African Union mediators as part of the existing power-sharing agreement) election results: Laurent GBAGBO elected president; percent of vote — Laurent GBAGBO 59.4%, Robert GUEI 32.7%, Francis WODIE 5.7%, other 2.2% Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (225 seats; members are elected in single- and multi-district elec¬ tions by direct popular vote to serve five- year terms) elections: elections last held 10 December 2000 with by-elections on 14 January 2001 (next to be held by October 2007 after the government postponed the elections in 2005 and 2006) election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — FPI 96, PDCI-RDA 94, RDR 5, PIT 4, other 2, independents 22, vacant 2 note: a Senate that was scheduled to be created in the October 2006 elections never took place Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consists of four chambers: Judicial Chamber for criminal cases, Audit Chamber for financial cases, Constitutional Chamber for judicial review cases, and Administrative Chamber for civil cases; there is no legal limit to the number of members Political parties and leaders: Citizen’s Democratic Union or UDCY [Theodore MEL EG]; Democratic Party of Cote d’lvoire-African Democratic Rally or PDCI-RDA [Henri Konan BEDIE]; Ivorian Popular Front or FPI [Laurent GBAGBO]; Ivorian Worker’s Party or PIT [Francis WODIE]; Opposition Movement of the Future or MFA [Anaky KOBENAN]; Rally of the Republicans or RDR [Alassane OUATTARA]; Union for Democracy and Peace in Cote d’Ivoire or UDPCI [Mabri TOIKEUSE]; over 20 smaller parties Political pressure groups and leaders: Federation of University and High School Students of Cote d’Ivoire or FESCI [Serges KOFFI]; Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace or RHDP [Alphonse DJEDJE MADY]; Young Patriots [Charles BLE GOUDE] International organization participa¬ tion: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-24, G- 77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signa¬ tory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Daouda DIABATE chancery: 3421 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 797-0300 FAX: [1] (202) 244-3088 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Aubrey HOOKS embassy: Riviera Golf 01, Abidjan mailing address: B. P. 1866, Abidjan 01 telephone: [225] 20 21 09 79 FAX: [225] 20 22 32 59 Flag description: three equal vertical bands of orange (hoist side), white, and green; similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and has the colors reversed — green (hoist side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of Italy, which is green (hoist side), white, and red; design was based on the flag of France ECONOMY Economy — overview: Cote d’Ivoire is among the world’s largest producers and exporters of coffee, cocoa beans, and palm oil. Consequently, the economy is highly sensitive to weather conditions and to fluctuations in international prices for these products. Despite govern¬ ment attempts to diversify the economy, it is still heavily dependent on agricul¬ ture and related activities, engaging roughly 68% of the population. Growth was negative in 2000-03 because of the difficulty of meeting the conditions of international donors, continued low prices of key exports, foreign divestment and civil war. Political turmoil has con¬ tinued to damage the economy since 2004, with a rising risk premium associ¬ ated with doing business in the country, foreign investment shriveling, trans¬ portation costs increasing, French busi¬ nesses fleeing, and criminal elements that traffic in weapons and diamonds gaining ground. The government will continue to survive financially off of the sale of cocoa, which represents 90% of foreign exchange earnings, but the gov¬ ernment will probably lose between 10% and 20% of its cocoa harvest to northern rebels who smuggle the cocoa they con¬ trol to neighboring countries where cocoa prices are higher. The government remains hopeful that ongoing explo¬ ration of Cote d’Ivoire’s offshore oil reserves will result in significant produc¬ tion that could boost daily crude output from roughly 33,000 barrels per day (b/d) to more than 200,000 b/d by the end of the decade. GDP (purchasing power parity): $29.05 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $17.19 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 1.2% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $1,600 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 27% industry: 18.5% services: 54-5% (2006 est.) Labor force: 6.738 million (68% agricul¬ tural) (2006 est.) Unemployment rate: 13% in urban areas (1998) Population below poverty line: 37% (1995) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.1% highest 10%: 28.8% (1995) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 45.2 (1998) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.2% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 11.8% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $2,837 billion expenditures: $3,154 billion; including capital expenditures of $420 million (2006 est.) Public debt: 69.4% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: coffee, cocoa beans, bananas, palm kernels, corn, rice, manioc (tapioca), sweet potatoes, sugar, cotton, rubber; timber Industries: foodstuffs, beverages; wood products, oil refining, truck and bus assembly, textiles, fertilizer, building materials, electricity, ship construction and repair Industrial production growth rate: 15% (1998 est.) 159 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Electricity— production: 4.625 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 61.9% hydro: 38.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 3.202 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 1.1 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 32,900 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— consumption: 23,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Oil — proved reserves: 220 million bbl (2006 est.) Natural gas — production: 1.3 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 1.3 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gae— imports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 28.32 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $460 million (2006 est.) Exports: $7,832 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: cocoa, coffee, timber, petroleum, cotton, bananas, pineapples, palm oil, fish Exports— partners: France 18.3%, US 14.1%, Netherlands 11%, Nigeria 8%, Panama 4-4% (2005) Imports: $5,548 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: fuel, capital equipment, foodstuffs Imports— partners: France 27.7%, Nigeria 24-5%, Singapore 6.6% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $1.4 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $11.96 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: ODA, $1 bib lion (1996 est.) Currency (code): Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note — responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States Currency code: XOF Exchange rates: Communaute Finan- ciere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar— 522.89 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year _ COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 257,900 (2004) Telephones— mobile cellular: 2.19 mil¬ lion (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: well developed by African standards but operating well below capacity domestic: open-wire lines and microwave radio relay; 90% digitalized international: country code — 225; satel¬ lite earth stations — 2 Intelsat ( 1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); 2 subma¬ rine cables (June 1999) Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 3 (1998) Radios: 2.26 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 14 (1998) Televisions: 1.09 million (2000) Internet country code: .d Internet hosts: 2,534 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 5 (2001) Internet users: 160,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 35 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 7 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 28 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 5 (2006) Pipelines: condensate 109 km; gas 240 km; oil 112 km (2006) Railways: total: 660 km narrow gauge: 660 km 1.000 meter gauge note: an additional 622 km of this rail¬ road extends into Burkina Faso (2005) Roadways: total: 80,000 km paved: 6,500 km unpaved: 73,500 km note: includes intercity and urban roads; another 20,000 km of dirt roads are in poor condition and 150,000 km of dirt roads are impassable (2006) Waterways: 980 km (navigable rivers, canals, and numerous coastal lagoons) (2005) Ports and terminals: Abidjan, Aboisso, Dabou, San-Pedro MILITARY Military branches: Cote d’Ivoire Defense and Security Forces (FDSC): Army, Navy, Air Force (2006) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obliga¬ tion — 18 months (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 18—49: 3,696,106 females age 18-49: 3,569,967 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 1,973,265 females age 18—49: 1,911,777 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 189,354 females age i 8 — 49 : 192,600 (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of GDP: 1.6% (2005 est) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: despite the presence of over 9,000 UN forces (UNOCI) in Cote d’Ivoire since 2004, ethnic conflict there has displaced hun¬ dreds of thousands of Ivorians in and out of the country as well as driven out migrants from neighboring states who worked in Ivorian cocoa plantations; Ivorian rebels reportedly hide along the borders of neighboring states Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 39,919 (Liberia) IDPs: 750,000 (2002 coup; most IDPs are in western regions) (2006) Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for local consumption; utility as a narcotic transshipment point to Europe reduced by ongoing political instability; while rampant corruption and inade¬ quate supervision leave the banking system vulnerable to money laundering, the lack of a developed financial system limits the country’s utility as a major money-laundering center CROATIA INTRODUCTION Background: The lands that today com¬ prise Croatia were part of the Austro- Hungarian Empire until the close of World War I. In 1918, the Croats, Serbs, and Slovenes formed a kingdom known after 1929 as Yugoslavia. Following World War II, Yugoslavia became a fed¬ eral independent Communist state under the strong hand of Marshal TITO. Although Croatia declared its independ¬ ence from Yugoslavia in 1991, it took four years of sporadic, but often bitter, fighting before occupying Serb armies 160 CROATIA were mostly cleared from Croatian lands. Under UN supervision, the last Serb- held enclave in eastern Slavonia was returned to Croatia in 1998. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southeastern Europe, bor¬ dering the Adriatic Sea, between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia Geographic coordinates: 45 10 N, 15 30 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 56,542 sq km land: 56,414 sq km water: 128 sq km Area-comparative: slightly smaller than West Virginia Land boundaries: total: 2,197 km border countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina 932 km, Hungary 329 km, Serbia 241 km, Montenegro 25 km, Slovenia 670 km Coastline: 5,835 km (mainland 1,777 km, islands 4,058 km) Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation Climate: Mediterranean and conti¬ nental; continental climate predominant with hot summers and cold winters; mild winters, dry summers along coast Terrain: geographically diverse; flat plains along Hungarian border, low mountains and highlands near Adriatic coastline and islands Elevation extremes: lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m highest point: Dinara 1,830 m Natural resources: oil, some coal, bauxite, low-grade iron ore, calcium, gypsum, natural asphalt, silica, mica, clays, salt, hydropower Land use: arable land: 25.82% permanent crops : 2.19% other: 71.99% (2005) Irrigated land: no sq km (2003) Natural hazards: destructive earth¬ quakes Environment — current issues: air pollu¬ tion (from metallurgical plants) and resulting acid rain is damaging the forests; coastal pollution from industrial and domestic waste; landmine removal and reconstruction of infrastructure con¬ sequent to 1992-95 civil strife Environment— international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution- Sulfur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Pro¬ tection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution- Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Geography— note: controls most land routes from Western Europe to Aegean Sea and Turkish Straits; the vast majority of Adriatic Sea islands lie off the coast of Croatia — some 1,200 islands, islets, ridges, and rocks PEOPLE Population: 4,493,312 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 16% (male 368,639/female 349,703) 15-64 years: 67.1% (male 1,499,354/ female 1,515,932) 65 years and over: 16.9% (male 292,526/ female 467,158) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 40.6 years male: 38.6 years female: 42.3 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: -0.035% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 9.63 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 11.57 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 1.58 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.054 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.989 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.626 male(s)/female total population: 0.926 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 6.6 deaths/1,000 live births male: 6.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.9 years male: 71.26 years female: 78.75 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.41 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 200 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: less than 10 (2001 est.) Nationality: noun: Croat(s), Croatian(s) adjective: Croatian Ethnic groups: Croat 89.6%, Serb 4-5%, other 5.9% (including Bosniak, Hungarian, Slovene, Czech, and Roma) (2001 census) Religions: Roman Catholic 87.8%, Orthodox 4.4%, other Christian 0.4%, Muslim 1.3%, other and unspecified 0.9%, none 5.2% (2001 census) Languages: Croatian 96.1%, Serbian 1%, other and undesignated 2.9% (including Italian, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, and German) (2001 census) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.1% male: 99.3% female: 97.1% (2001 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Croatia conventional short form: Croatia local long form: Republika Hrvatska local short form: Hrvatska former: People’s Republic of Croatia, Socialist Republic of Croatia Government type: presidential/parlia¬ mentary democracy Capital: name: Zagreb geographic coordinates: 45 48 N, 15 58 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 20 counties (zupanije, zupanija — singular) and 1 city* (grad — singular); Bjelovarsko- Bilogorska Zupanija, Brodsko-Posavska Zupanija, Dubrovacko-Neretvanska Zupanija, Istarska Zupanija, Karlovacka Zupanija, Koprivnicko-Krizevacka Zupanija, Krapinsko-Zagorska Zupanija, Licko-Senjska Zupanija, Medimurska Zupanija, Osjecko-Baranjska Zupanija, Pozesko-Slavonska Zupanija, Primorsko- Goranska Zupanija, Sibensko-Kninska Zupanija, Sisacko-Moslavacka Zupanija, Splitsko-Dalmatinska Zupanija, Varazdinska Zupanija, Viroviticko- Podravska Zupanija, Vukovarsko- 161 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Srijemska Zupanija, Zadarska Zupanija, Zagreb*, Zagrebacka Zupanija Independence: 25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia) National holiday: Independence Day, 8 October (1991); note — 25 June 1991 was the day the Croatian Parliament voted for independence; following a three-month moratorium to allow the European Community to solve the Yugoslav crisis peacefully, Parliament adopted a decision on 8 October 1991 to sever constitutional relations with Yugoslavia Constitution: adopted on 22 December 1990; revised 2000, 2001 Legal system: based on civil law system Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed) Executive branch: chief of state: President Stjepan (Stipe) MESIC (since 18 February 2000) head of government: Prime Minister Ivo SANADER (since 9 December 2003); Deputy Prime Ministers Jadranka KOSOR (since 23 December 2003) and Damir POLANCEC (since 15 February 2005) cabinet: Council of Ministers named by the prime minister and approved by the parliamentary Assembly elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 16 January 2005 (next to be held in January 2010); the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president and then approved by the Assembly election results: Stjepan MESIC reelected president; percent of vote — Stjepan MESIC 66%, Jadranka KOSOR 34% in the second round Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly or Sabor (152 seats; members elected from party lists by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 23 November 2003 (next to be held in November 2007) election results: percent of vote by party — NA; number of seats by party — HDZ 63, SDP 34, HNS 11, HSS 9, HSP 7, IDS 4, HDSSB 3, HSLS 3, HSU 3, SDSS 3, other 12 note: minority government coalition — HDZ, DC, HSLS, HSU, SDSS; note — the Democratic Center party or DC withdrew from the government in February 2006 Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; judges for both courts appointed for eight-year terms by the Judicial Council of the Republic, which is elected by the Assembly Political parties and leaders: Croatian Bloc or HB [Ivic PASALIC]; Croatian Christian Democratic Union or HKDU [Anto KOVACEVIC]; Croatian Democratic Congress of Slavonia and Baranja or HDSSB [Branimir GLAVAS]; Croatian Democratic Union or HDZ [Ivo SANADER]; Croatian Party of Rights or HSP [Anto DJAPIC]; Croatian Peasant Party or HSS [Josip FRISCIC]; Croatian Pensioner Party or HSU [Vladimir JORDAN]; Croatian People’s Party or HNS [Vesna PUSIC] (in 2005 party merged with Libra to become Croatian People’s Party-Liberal Democrats or NS-LD); Croatian Social Liberal Party or HSLS [Djurdja ADLESIC]; Croatian True Revival Party or HIP [Miroslav TUDJMAN]; Demo¬ cratic Centre or DC [Vesna SKARE- OZBOLT]; Independent Democratic Serb Party or SDSS [Vojislav STAN- IMIROVIC]; Istrian Democratic Assembly or IDS [Ivan JAKOVCIC]; Social Democratic Party of Croatia or SDP [Ivica RACAN] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: ACCT (observer), BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Neven JURICA chancery: 2343 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 588-5899 FAX: [1] (202) 588-8936 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert A BRADTKE embassy: 2 Thomas Jefferson Street 10010 Zagreb mailing address: use street address telephone: [385] (1) 661-2200 FAX: [385] (1) 661-2373 Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue super¬ imposed by the Croatian coat of arms (red and white checkered) ECONOMY Economy — overview: Once one of the wealthiest of the Yugoslav republics, Croatia’s economy suffered badly during the 1991-95 war as output collapsed and the country missed the early waves of investment in Central and Eastern Europe that followed the fall of the Berlin Wall. Since 2000, however, Croatia’s economic fortunes have begun to improve slowly, with moderate but steady GDP growth between 4% and 5% led by a rebound in tourism and credit- driven consumer spending. Inflation over the same period has remained tame and the currency, the kuna, stable. Nevertheless, difficult problems still remain, including a stubbornly high unemployment rate, a growing trade deficit and uneven regional develop¬ ment. The state retains a large role in the economy, as privatization efforts often meet stiff public and political resistance. While macroeconomic stabilization has largely been achieved, structural reforms lag because of deep resistance on the part of the public and lack of strong support from politicians. The EU accession process should accelerate fiscal and struc¬ tural reform. GDP (purchasing power parity): $60.26 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $37.42 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 4.6% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $13,400 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 6.8% industry: 30.9% services: 62.3% (2006 est.) Labor force: 1.72 million (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 2.7% industry: 32.8% services: 64-5% (2004) Unemployment rate: 17.2% official rate; labor force surveys indicate unemploy¬ ment around 14% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 11% (2003) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.4% highest 10%: 24.5% (2003 est.) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 29 (2001) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.4% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 28.5% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $17.78 billion 162 CROATIA expenditures: $19.06 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 56.2% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: wheat, corn, sugar beets, sunflower seed, barley, alfalfa, clover, olives, citrus, grapes, soy¬ beans, potatoes; livestock, dairy products Industries: chemicals and plastics, machine tools, fabricated metal, elec¬ tronics, pig iron and rolled steel prod¬ ucts, aluminum, paper, wood products, construction materials, textiles, ship¬ building, petroleum and petroleum refining, food and beverages, tourism industrial production growth rate: 5% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 12.95 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 33.6% hydro: 66% nuclear: 0% other: 0.4% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 16.53 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 600 million kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 5.086 billion kWh (2004) Oil— production: 20,500 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— consumption: 93,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Oil— proved reserves: 93.6 million bbl ( 1 January 2002) Natural gas— production: 1.64 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 2.75 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 1.11 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 24.64 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $2,892 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $11.17 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: transport equip¬ ment, textiles, chemicals, foodstuffs, fuels Exports — partners: Italy 21.8%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 14-7%, Germany 10.7%, Slovenia 8.1%, Austria 7.3% (2005) Imports: $21.79 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: machinery, transport and electrical equipment; chemicals, fuels and lubricants; food¬ stuffs Imports — partners: Italy 15.9%, Germany 14-9%, Russia 9.1%, Slovenia 6.8%, Austria 5.8%, China 4-7%, France 4.2% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $11.07 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $33.09 billion (30 June 2006 est.) Economic aid — recipient: ODA, $166.5 million (2002) Currency (code): kuna (HRK) Currency code: HRK Exchange rates: kuna per US dollar — 5.8625 (2006), 5.9473 (2005), 6.0358 (2004), 6.7035 (2003), 7.8687 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 1.89 million (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 2.984 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: reconstruction plan calls for replacement of all analog circuits with digital and enlarging the network; a backup will be included in the plan for the main trunk international: country code — 385; digital international service is provided through the main switch in Zagreb; Croatia par¬ ticipates in the Trans-Asia-Europe (TEL) fiber-optic project, which consists of 2 fiber-optic trunk connections with Slovenia and a fiber-optic trunk line from Rijeka to Split and Dubrovnik; Croatia is also investing in ADRIA 1, a joint fiber-optic project with Germany, Albania, and Greece Radio broadcast stations: AM 16, FM 98, shortwave 5 (1999) Radios: 1.51 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 36 (plus 321 repeaters) (1995) Televisions: 1.22 million (1997) Internet country code: hr Internet hosts: 18,825 (2006) internet Service Providers (ISPs): 9 (2000) Internet users: 1.451 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 68 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 23 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 9 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 45 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 37 (2006) Heliports: 2 (2006) Pipelines: gas 1,340 km; oil 583 km (2006) Railways: total: 2,726 km standard gauge: 2,726 km 1.435-m gauge (1,199 km electrified) (2005) Roadways: total: 28,344 km paved: 24,186 km (includes 742 km of expressways) unpaved: 4,158 km (2004) Waterways: 785 km (2006) Merchant marine: total: 72 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,079,286 GRT/1,724,698 DWT by type: bulk carrier 22, cargo 11, chem¬ ical tanker 3, passenger/cargo 27, petro¬ leum tanker 5, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 3 registered in other countries: 36 (Belize 1, Cyprus 2, Liberia 7, Malta 10, Marshall Islands 2, Panama 5, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 9) (2006) Ports and terminals: Omisalj, Ploce, Rijeka, Sibenik, Vukovar (on Danube) MILITARY Military branches: Ground Forces (Hrvatska Kopnena Vojska, HKoV), Naval Forces (Hrvatska Ratna Mornarica, HRM), Air and Air Defense Forces (Hrvatsko Ratno Zrakoplovstvo i Protuzrakoplovna Obrana, HRZiPZO), Joint Education and Training Command, Logistics Command; Military Police Force supports each of the three Croatian military forces (2006) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service, with 6-month service obligation; 16 years of age with consent for volun¬ tary service (December 2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 1,005,058 females age 18—49: 1,008,511 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 725,914 females age 18-49: 823,611 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18—4 9: 29,020 females age 18—49: 27,897 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 2.39% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: dispute remains with Bosnia and Herzegovina over several small disputed sections of the boundary related to maritime access that hinders ratification of the 1999 border agreement; the Croatia-Slovenia land and maritime boundary agreement, which would have ceded most of Pirin Bay and maritime access to Slovenia and several villages to Croatia, remains un¬ ratified and in dispute; Slovenia also 163 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK protests Croatia’s 2003 claim to an exclu¬ sive economic zone in the Adriatic; as a European Union peripheral state, neigh¬ boring Slovenia must conform to the strict Schengen border rules to curb illegal migration and commerce through southeastern Europe while encouraging close cross-border ties with Croatia Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: IDPs: 4,200-7,000 (Croats and Serbs displaced in 1992-95 war) (2006) Illicit drugs: transit point along the Balkan route for Southwest Asian heroin to Western Europe; has been used as a transit point for maritime shipments of South American cocaine bound for Western Europe CUBA INTRODUCTION Background: The native Amerindian population of Cuba began to decline after the European discovery of the island by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1492 and following its development as a Spanish colony during the next several centuries. Large numbers of African slaves were imported to work the coffee and sugar plantations, and Havana became the launching point for the annual treasure fleets bound for Spain from Mexico and Peru. Spanish rule, marked initially by neglect, became increasingly repressive, provoking an independence movement and occasional rebellions that were harshly suppressed. It was US interven¬ tion during the Spanish-American War in 1898 that finally overthrew Spanish rule. The subsequent Treaty of Paris established Cuban independence, which was granted in 1902 after a three-year transition period. Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in 1959; his iron rule has held the regime together since then. Cuba’s Communist revolution, with Soviet support, was exported throughout Latin America and Africa during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The country is now slowly recovering from a severe economic recession in 1990, fol¬ lowing the withdrawal of former Soviet subsidies, worth $4 billion to $6 billion annually. Cuba portrays its difficulties as the result of the US embargo in place since 1961. Illicit migration to the US — using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, air flights, or via the southwest border — is a continuing problem. The US Coast Guard intercepted 2,810 individuals attempting to cross the Straits of Florida in fiscal year 2006. GEOGRAPHY Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, 150 km south of Key West, Florida Geographic coordinates: 21 30 N, 80 00 w Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total: 1 10,860 sq km land: 1 10,860 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania Land boundaries: total: 29 km border countries: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay 29 km note: Guantanamo Naval Base is leased by the US and remains part of Cuba Coastline: 3,735 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to April); rainy season (May to October) Terrain: mostly flat to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains in the south¬ east Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Pico Turquino 2,005 m Natural resources: cobalt, nickel, iron ore, chromium, copper, salt, timber, silica, petroleum, arable land Land use: arable land: 27.63% permanent crops: 6.54% other: 65.83% (2005) Irrigated land: 8,700 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: the east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to November (in general, the country averages about one hurricane every other year); droughts are common Environment — current issues: air and water pollution; biodiversity loss; deforestation Environment— international agreements: party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change- Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, En¬ dangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation Geography — note: largest country in Caribbean and westernmost island of the Greater Antilles PEOPLE Population: 11,394,043 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 18.8% (male 1,100,672/ female 1,042,327) 15-64 years: 70.5% (male 4,019,648/ female 4,016,429) 65 years and over: 10.7% (male 554,043/ female 660,924) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 36.3 years male: 35.7 years female: 37 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.273% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 1 1.44 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 7.14 deaths/1,0 00 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -1.57 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.056 male(s)/female 164 CUBA 15-64 years: 1.001 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.838 male(s)/female total population: 0.992 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 6.04 deaths/1,000 live births male: 6.76 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.26 deaths/ 1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.08 years male: 74-85 years female: 79.43 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.6 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 3,300 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Cuban(s) adjective: Cuban Ethnic groups: mulatto 51%, white 37%, black 11%, Chinese 1% Religions: nominally 85% Roman Catholic prior to CASTRO assuming power; Protestants, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Jews, and Santeria are also represented Languages: Spanish Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.8% male: 99.8% female: 99.8% (2002 census) People — note: illicit emigration is a continuing problem; Cubans attempt to depart the island and enter the US using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, direct flights, or falsified visas; Cubans also use non-maritime routes to enter the US including direct flights to Miami and over-land via the southwest border GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Cuba conventional short form: Cuba local long form: Republica de Cuba local short form: Cuba Government type: Communist state Capital: name: Havana geographic coordinates: 23 08 N, 82 22 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 14 provinces (provincias, singular— provincia) and 1 special municipality* (municipio espe¬ cial); Camaguey, Ciego de Avila, Cienfuegos, Ciudad de La Habana, Granma, Guantanamo, Holguin, Isla de la Juventud*, La Habana, Las Tunas, Matanzas, Pinar del Rio, Sancti Spiritus, Santiago de Cuba, Villa Clara Independence: 20 May 1902 (from Spain 10 December 1898; administered by the US from 1898 to 1902); not acknowledged by the Cuban Government as a day of independence National holiday: Triumph of the Revolution, 1 January (1959) Constitution: 24 February 1976; amended July 1992 and June 2002 Legal system: based on Spanish civil law and influenced by American legal concepts, with large elements of Communist legal theory; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 16 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President of the Council of State and President of the Council of Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz (prime minister from February 1959 until 24 February 1976 when office was abol¬ ished; president since 2 December 1976); First Vice President of the Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (since 2 December 1976); note — the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President of the Council of State and President of the Council of Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz (prime minister from February 1959 until 24 February 1976 when office was abolished; president since 2 December 1976); First Vice President of the Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (since 2 December 1976) cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the president of the Council of State and appointed by the National Assembly or the 31 -member Council of State, elected by the Assembly to act on its behalf when it is not in session elections: president and vice presidents elected by the National Assembly for a term of five years; election last held 6 March 2003 (next to be held in 2008) election results: Fidel CASTRO Ruz reelected president; percent of legislative vote — 100%; Raul CASTRO Ruz elected vice president; percent of legisla¬ tive vote — 100% note: due to an ongoing health problem, Fidel CASTRO Ruz provisionally trans¬ ferred power to his brother Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz on 31 July 2006 in accor¬ dance with the Cuban Constitution; Fidel CASTRO has not yet reclaimed control of the government Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly of People’s Power or Asemblea Nacional del Poder Popular (609 seats; members elected directly from slates approved by special candi¬ dacy commissions to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 19 January 2003 (next to be held in 2008) election results: percent of vote — PCC 97.6%; seats — PCC 609 Judicial branch: People’s Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo Popular (president, vice president, and other judges are elected by the National Assembly) Political parties and leaders: Cuban Communist Party or PCC [Fidel CASTRO Ruz, first secretary] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: ACP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS (excluded from formal participa¬ tion since 1962), OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: none; note — Cuba has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Principal Officer Dagoberto RODRIGUEZ Barrera; address: Cuban Interests Section, Swiss Embassy, 2630 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009; telephone: [1] (202) 797-8518; FAX: [1] (202) 797-8521 Diplomatic representation from the US: none; note — the US has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Principal Officer Michael E. PARMLY; address: USINT, Swiss Embassy, Calzada between L and M Streets, Vedado, Havana; telephone: [53] (7) 833-3551 through 3559 (operator assistance required); FAX: [53] (7) 833-3700; pro¬ tecting power in Cuba is Switzerland Flag description: five equal horizontal bands of blue (top, center, and bottom) alternating with white; a red equilateral triangle based on the hoist side bears a white, five-pointed star in the center ECONOMY Economy — overview: The government continues to balance the need for eco¬ nomic loosening against a desire for firm political control. It has rolled back lim¬ ited reforms undertaken in the 1990s to increase enterprise efficiency and alle¬ viate serious shortages of food, consumer goods, and services. The average Cuban’s 165 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK standard of living remains at a lower level than before the downturn of the 1990s, which was caused by the loss of Soviet aid and domestic inefficiencies. Since late 2000, Venezuela has been providing Cuba oil on preferential terms, and it currently supplies about 98,000 barrels per day of petroleum products. Cuba has been paying for the oil, in part, with the serv¬ ices of Cuban personnel, including some 20,000 medical professionals. In 2006, high metals prices continued to boost Cuban earnings from nickel and cobalt production. Havana continued to invest in the country’s energy sector to mitigate electrical blackouts that have plagued the country since 2004- GDP (purchasing power parity): $45.51 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $40 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 9.5% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $4,000 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 5.1% industry: 27.2% services: 67.6% (2006 est.) Labor force: 4.82 million note: state sector 78%, non-state sector 22% (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 20% industry: 19.4% services: 60.6% (2005) Unemployment rate: 1.9% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 1 1.9% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $35.07 billion expenditures: $36.41 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: sugar, tobacco, citrus, coffee, rice, potatoes, beans; live¬ stock Industries: sugar, petroleum, tobacco, construction, nickel, steel, cement, agri¬ cultural machinery, pharmaceuticals Industrial production growth rate: 17.6% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 15.34 billion kWh (2005) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 93.9% hydro: 0.6% nuclear: 0% other: 5.4% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 14.1 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity — imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil — production: 72,000 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil — consumption: 204,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: NA bbl/day Oil — imports: NA bbl/day Oil — proved reserves: 259 million bbl (2006 est.) Natural gas — production: 704 million cu m (2004) Natural gas — consumption: 704 million cu m (2004) Natural gas— exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 70.79 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $1,218 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $2,956 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: sugar, nickel, tobacco, fish, medical products, citrus, coffee Exports— partners: Netherlands 25.8%, Canada 21.1%, China 10%, Spain 6.8% (2005) Imports: $9.51 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: petroleum, food, machinery and equipment, chemicals Imports— partners: China 14.5%, Spain 13.7%, Canada 8.4%, US 8.3%, Germany 7.2%, Brazil 5.6%, Italy 5.6%, Mexico 5.1%, Japan 4% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $2,618 billion (2006 est.) Debt— external: $15.15 billion (con¬ vertible currency); another $15-20 bil¬ lion owed to Russia (2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $68.2 million (1997 est.) Currency (code): Cuban peso (CUP) and Convertible peso (CUC) Currency code: CUP (nonconvertible Cuban peso) and CUC (convertible Cuban peso) Exchange rates: Convertible pesos per US dollar — 0.9231 (2006) note: Cuba has three currencies in circu¬ lation: the Cuban peso (CUP), the con¬ vertible peso (CUC), and the US dollar (USD), although the dollar is being withdrawn from circulation; in April 2005 the official exchange rate changed from $1 per CUC to $1.08 per CUC (0.93 CUC per $1), both for individuals and enterprises; individuals can buy 24 Cuban pesos (CUP) for each CUC sold, or sell 25 Cuban pesos for each CUC bought; enterprises, however, must exchange CUP and CUC at a 1:1 ratio. Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 849,900 (2005) Telephones — mobile cellular: 134,500 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: greater investment beginning in 1994 and the establishment of a new Ministry of Information Technology and Communications in 2000 has resulted in improvements in the system; wireless service is expensive and remains restricted to foreigners and regime elites, many Cubans procure wireless service illegally with the help of foreigners domestic: national fiber-optic system under development; 85% of switches dig¬ itized by end of 2004; telephone line density remains low, at less than 10 per 100 inhabitants; domestic cellular service expanding international: country code — 53; fiber¬ optic cable laid to but not linked to US network; satellite earth station — 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) Radio broadcast stations: AM 169, FM 55, shortwave 1 (1998) Radios: 3.9 million (1997) Teievision broadcast stations: 58 (1997) Televisions: 2.64 million (1997) Internet country code: cu Internet hosts: 2,234 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 5 (2001) Internet users: 190,000 note: private citizens are prohibited from buying computers or accessing the Internet without special authorization; foreigners may access the Internet in large hotels but are subject to firewalls; some Cubans buy illegal passwords on the black market or take advantage of public outlets to access limi ted email and the government-controlled “intranet” (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 170 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 78 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1 ,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 37 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 92 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 29 under 914 m: 62 (2006) Pipelines: gas 49 km; oil 230 km (2006) 166 CYPRUS Railways: total: 4,226 km standard gauge: 4,226 km 1.435-m gauge (140 km electrified) note: an additional 7,742 km of track is used by sugar plantations; about 65% of this track is standard gauge; the rest is narrow gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 60,858 km paved: 29,820 km (includes 638 km of expressway) unpaved: 31,038 km (1999) Waterways: 240 km (2005) Merchant marine: total: 11 ships (1000 GRT or over) 33,932 GRT/48,791 DWT by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 2 foreigri'oumed: 1 (Spain 1) registered in other countries: 17 (Bahamas 1, Cyprus 2, Netherlands Antilles 1, Panama 11, Spain 1, unknown 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Cienfuegos, Havana, Matanzas MILITARY Military branches: Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR): Revolutionary Army (ER), Revolutionary Navy (Marina de Guerra Revolucionaria, MGR), Revolutionary Air and Air Defense Force (DAAFAR), Youth Labor Army (EJT) (2007) Military service age and obligation: 17 years of age; both sexes are eligible for military service (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 17-49: 2,967,865 females age 17-49: 2,913,559 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 17-49: 2,441,927 females age 17-49: 2,396,741 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18—49: 91,901 females age 18—49: 87,500 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 3.8% (2006 est.) Military— note: Moscow, for decades the key military supporter and supplier of Cuba, cut off almost all military aid by 1993 TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased to US and only mutual agreement or US aban¬ donment of the area can terminate the lease Trafficking in persons: current situation: Cuba is a source country for women and children trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced child labor; Cuba is a major destination for sex tourism, which largely caters to European, Canadian, and Latin Am¬ erican tourists and involves large num¬ bers of minors; there are reports that Cuban women have been trafficked to Mexico for sexual exploitation; forced labor victims also include children coerced into working in commercial agri¬ culture tier rating: Tier 3 — Cuba does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so Illicit drugs: territorial waters and air space serve as transshipment zone for US- and European-bound drugs; estab¬ lished the death penalty for certain drug- related crimes in 1999 CYPRUS « INTRODUCTION Background: A former British colony, Cyprus became independent in 1960 fol¬ lowing years of resistance to British rule. Tensions between the Greek Cypriot majority and Turkish Cypriot minority came to a head in December 1963, when violence broke out in the capital of Nicosia. Despite the deployment of UN peacekeepers in 1964, sporadic inter- communal violence continued forcing most Turkish Cypriots into enclaves throughout the island. In 1974, a Greek Government-sponsored attempt to seize control of Cyprus was met by military intervention from Turkey, which soon controlled more than a third of the island. In 1983, the Turkish-held area declared itself the “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus” (TRNC), but it is rec¬ ognized only by Turkey. The latest two- year round of UN-brokered talks — between the leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communi¬ ties to reach an agreement to reunite the divided island — ended when the Greek Cypriots rejected the UN settlement plan in an April 2004 referendum. The entire island entered the EU on 1 May 2004, although the EU acquis — the body of common rights and obligations — applies only to the areas under direct government control, and is suspended in the areas administered by Turkish Cypriots. However, individual Turkish Cypriots able to document their eligi¬ bility for Republic of Cyprus citizenship legally enjoy the same rights accorded to other citizens of European Union states. Nicosia continues to oppose EU efforts to establish direct trade and economic links to north Cyprus as a way of encour¬ aging the Turkish Cypriot community to continue to support reunification. GEOGRAPHY Location: Middle East, island in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey Geographic coordinates: 35 00 N, 33 00 E Map references: Middle East Area: total: 9,250 sq km (of which 3,355 sq km are in north Cyprus) land: 9,240 sq km water: 10 sq km Area — comparative: about 0.6 times the size of Connecticut Land boundaries: total: NA; note — boundary with Dhekelia is being resurveyed 167 THE CIA WO rld factbook border countries: Akrotiri 47-4 km, Dhekelia NA Coastline: 648 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation Climate: temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters Terrain: central plain with mountains to north and south; scattered but significant plains along southern coast Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Olympus 1,951 m Natural resources: copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble, clay earth pigment Land use: arable land: 10.81% permanent crops: 4-32% Other: 84.87% (2005) Irrigated land: 400 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: moderate earthquake activity; droughts Environment— current issues: water resource problems (no natural reservoir catchments, seasonal disparity in rain¬ fall, sea water intrusion to island’s largest aquifer, increased salination in the north); water pollution from sewage and industrial wastes; coastal degradation; loss of wildlife habitats from urbanization Environment— international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution- Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution- Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change- Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, En¬ dangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily and Sardinia) PEOPLE Population: 788,457 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 19.9% (male 80,273/female 76,826) 15-64 years: 68.3% (male 272,924/ female 265,738) 65 years and over: 11.8% (male 40,458/ female 52,238) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 35.1 years male: 34.1 years female: 36.2 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.527% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 12.56 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 7.72 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0.42 migrants )/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.045 male(s)/female 15— 64 years: 1.027 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.774 male(s)/female total population: 0.997 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 6.89 deaths/1,000 live births male: 8.54 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.16 deaths/ 1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.98 years male: 75.6 years female: 80.49 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.8 children bom/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HI V/ AIDS: less than 1,000 (1999 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Cypriot(s) adjective: Cypriot Ethnic groups: Greek 77%, Turkish 18%, other 5% (2001) Religions: Greek Orthodox 78%, Muslim 18%, other (includes Maronite and Armenian Apostolic) 4% Languages: Greek, Turkish, English Literacy: definition: age 15 and oyer can read and write total population: 97.6% male: 98.9% female: 96.3% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Cyprus conventional short form: Cyprus local long form: Kypriaki Dimokratia/ Kibris Cumhuriyeti local short form: Kypros/Kibris note: the Turkish Cypriot community, which administers the northern part of the island, refers to itself as the “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus” (TRNC) Government type: republic note: a separation of the two ethnic com¬ munities inhabiting the island began fol¬ lowing the outbreak of communal strife m 1963; this separation was further solid¬ ified after the Turkish intervention in July 1974 that followed a Greek junta- supported coup attempt gave the Turkish Cypriots de facto control in the north; Greek Cypriots control the only interna¬ tionally recognized government; on 15 November 1983 Turkish Cypriot “President” Rauf DENKTASH declared independence and the formation of a “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus” (TRNC), which is recognized only by Turkey Capital: name: Nicosia (Leflcosia) geographic coordinates : 35 10N, 33 22 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Stand ar d Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 6 districts; Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Nicosia, Paphos; note — Turkish Cypriot area’s administrative divisions include Kyrenia, all but a small part of Famagusta, and small parts of Lefkosia (Nicosia) and Larnaca Independence: 16 August 1960 (from UK); note — Turkish Cypriots pro¬ claimed self-rule on 13 February 1975 and independence in 1983, but these proclamations are only recognized by Turkey National holiday: Independence Day, 1 October (1960); note — Turkish Cypriots celebrate 15 November (1983) as Independence Day Constitution: 16 August 1960 note: from December 1963, the Turkish Cypriots no longer participated in the government; negotiations to create the basis for a new or revised constitution to govern the island and for better relations between Greek and Turkish Cypriots have been held intermittently since the mid-1960s; in 1975, following the 1974 Turkish intervention, Turkish Cypriots created their own constitution and gov¬ erning bodies within the “Turkish Federated State of Cyprus,” which became the “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)” when the Turkish Cypriots declared their inde¬ pendence in 1983; a new constitution for the “TRNC” passed by referendum on 5 May 1985, although the “TRNC” remains unrecognized by any country other than Turkey Legal system: based on common law, with civil law modifications; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reser¬ vations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Tassos PAPADOPOULOS (since 1 March 2003); note — the president is both the chief of state and head of government; 168 CYPRUS post of vice president is currently vacant; under the 1960 constitution, the post is reserved for a Turkish Cypriot head of government: President Tassos PAPADOPOULOS (since 1 March 2003) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed jointly by the president and vice president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 16 February 2003 (next to be held in February 2008) election results: Tassos PAPADO¬ POULOS elected president; percent of vote — Tassos PAPADOPOULOS 51.5%, Glafkos KLIR1DIS 38.8%, Alekos MARKIDIS 6.6% note: Mehmet Ali TALAT became “presi¬ dent” of the “TRNC”, 24 April 2005, after “presidential” elections on 17 April 2005; results — Mehmet Ali TALAT 55.6%, Dervis EROGLU 22.7%; Ferdi Sabit SOYER is “TRNC prime minister” and heads the Council of Ministers (cabinet) in coalition with “Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister” Turgay AVCI Legislative branch: unicameral — area under government control: House of Representatives or Vouli Antiprosopon (80 seats, 56 assigned to the Greek Cypriots, 24 to Turkish Cypriots; note — only those assigned to Greek Cypriots are filled; members are elected by pop¬ ular vote to serve five-year terms); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: Assembly of the Republic or Cumhuriyet Meclisi (50 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: area under government control: last held 21 May 2006 (next to be held 2011); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: last held 14 December 2003 (next to be held in 2008) election results: area under government control: House of Pvepresentatives — per¬ cent of vote by party — AKEL 31.1%, DISY 30.3%, DIKO 17.9%, EDEK 8.9%, EURO.KO 5.8%, Greens 2.0%; seats by party — AKEL (Communist) 18, DISY 18, DIKO 11, EDEK 5, EURO.KO 3, Greens 1; area administered by Turkish Cypriots: Assembly of the Republic — percent of vote by party — CTP 35.8%, UBP 32.3%, Peace and Democratic Movement 13.4%, DP 12.3%; seats by party — CTP 19, UBP 18, Peace and Democratic Movement 6, DP 7; note — “TRNC” seats by party as of September 2006— CTP 25, OP 3, UBP 13, DP 6, BDH 1, independents 2 Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed jointly by the president and vice president) note: there is also a Supreme Court in the area administered by Turkish Cypriots Political parties and leaders: area under government control: Democratic Party or DIKO [Marios KAROYIAN]; Demo¬ cratic Rally or DISY [Nikos ANAS- TASIADHIS]; European Democracy or EURO.DI [Prodromos PRODROMOU] (evolved from For Europe which merged with New Horizons); European Party or EURO.KO [Demetris SYLLOURIS]; Fighting Democratic Movement or ADIK [Dinos MIKHA1LIDIS]; Green Party of Cyprus [George PERDIKIS]; Movement for Social Democrats or EDEK [Yannakis OMIROU]; Political Movement of Hunters [Michalis PAFITANIS]; Progressive Party of the Working People or AKEL (Communist Party) [Dimitrios CHRISTOFIAS]; United Democrats or EDI [Michalis PAPAPETROU] area administered by Turkish Cypriots: Communal Liberation Party or TKP [Huseyin ANGOLEMLI]; Cyprus Socialist Party or KSP [Kazim ONGEN]; Democratic Party or DP [Serder DENK- TASH]; Freedom and Reform Party or OP [Turgay AVCI]; National Unity Party or UBP [Tahsin ERTUGRULOGLU]; Nationalist Justice Party or MAP [Ata TEPE]; New Party or YP [Huseyin TURAN]; Our Party or BP [Okyay SADIKOGLU]; Patriotic Unity Movement or YBH [Oguz OZEN]; Peace and Democratic Movement or BDH [Mustafa AKINCI]; Renewal Progress Party or YAP [Ertugrul HASIPOGLU]; Republican Turkish Party or CTP [Ferdi Sabit SOYER]; United Cyprus Party or BKP [Isset IZCAN] Political pressure groups and leaders: Confederation of Cypriot Workers or SEK (pro- West); Confederation of Revolution¬ ary Labor Unions or Dev-Is; Federation of Turkish Cypriot Labor Unions or Turk- Sen; Pan-Cyprian Labor Federation or PEO (Communist controlled) international organization participa¬ tion: Australia Group, C, CE, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WiPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Andreas KAKOURIS chancery: 2211 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 462-5772, 462-0873 FAX: [1] (202) 483-6710 consulate(s) general: New York note: representative of the Turkish Cypriot community in the US is Hilmi AKIL; office at 1667 K Street NW, Washington, DC; telephone [1] (202) 887-6198 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald L. SCHLICHER embassy: corner of Metochiou and Ploutarchou Streets, 2407 Engomi, Nicosia mailing address: P. O. Box 24536, 1385 Nicosia telephone: [357] (22) 393939 FAX: [357] (22) 780944 Flag description: white with a copper- colored silhouette of the island (the name Cyprus is derived from the Greek word for copper) above two green crossed olive branches in the center of the flag; the branches symbolize the hope for peace and reconciliation between the Greek and Turkish communities note: the “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus” flag has a white field with narrow horizontal red stripes positioned a small distance from the top and bottom edges between which is centered a red crescent and red five-pointed star ECONOMY Economy — overview: The area of the Republic of Cyprus under government control has a market economy domi¬ nated by the service sector, which accounts for 76% of GDP. Tourism and financial services are the most important sectors; erratic growth rates over the past decade reflect the economy’s reliance on tourism, which often fluctuates with political instability in the region and economic conditions in Western Europe. Nevertheless, the economy in the area under government control grew a healthy 3.7% to 3.8% per year in 2004, 2005, and 2006, well above the EU average. Cyprus joined the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM2) in May 2005. The government has initiated an aggressive austerity program, which has cut the budget deficit to well below 3%, and the EU is expected to invite Cyprus to adopt the euro as its national currency on 1 January 2008. As in the area administered by Turkish Cypriots, water shortages are a perennial problem; a few desalination plants are now on line. After 10 years of drought, the country received substantial rainfall from 2001-04 alleviating immediate con¬ cerns. Rainfall in 2005 and 2006, how¬ ever, was well below average making water rationing likely in 2007. The Turkish Cypriot economy has roughly 45% of the per capita GDP of the south, and economic growth tends to be volatile, given the north’s relative isola- 169 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK tion, bloated public sector, reliance on the Turkish lira, and small market size. The Turkish Cypriot economy grew around 10.6% in 2006, fueled by growth in the construction and education sec¬ tors, as well as increased employment of Turkish Cypriots in the area under gov¬ ernment control. The Turkish Cypriots are heavily dependent on transfers from the Turkish Government. Ankara directly finances around one-third of the “TRNC’s” budget. Aid from Turkey has reached over $400 million annually in recent years. Agriculture and services, together, employ more than half of the work force. GDP (purchasing power parity): area under government control: $18.04 billion area administered by Turkish Cypriots: $4.54 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): area under government control: $16.37 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: area under government control: 3.8% area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 10.6% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): area under government control: $23,000 area administered by Turkish Cypriots: $7,135 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: area under government control: agriculture 3.7%; industry 19.6%; services 76.8% (2005 est.) area administered by Turkish Cypriots: agri¬ culture 10.6%; industry 20.5%; services 68.9% (2003 est.) Labor force: area under government control: 380,000 area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 95,025 (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: area under government control: agriculture 7.4%, industry 38.2%, services 54.4% (2004 est.) area administered by Turkish Cypriots: agri¬ culture 14.5%, industry 29%, services 56.5% (2004 est.) Unemployment rate: area under government control: 5.5% (2005 est.) area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 5.6% (2004 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): area under government control: 2.8% (2005 est.) area administered by Turkish Cypriots- 9.1% (2004 est.) Investment (gross fixed): area under government control: 21.2 /o of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: area under government control: revenues: $7,395 billion; expenditures: $7,695 bil¬ lion (2005 est.) area administered by Turkish Cypriots: rev¬ enues: $685.7 million; expenditures: $432.8 million (2003 est.) Public debt: area under government control: 64.8% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: citrus, vegeta¬ bles, barley, grapes, olives, vegetables; poultry, pork, lamb; dairy, cheese Industries: tourism, food and beverage processing, cement and gypsum produc¬ tion, ship repair and refurbishment, tex¬ tiles, light chemicals, metal products, wood, paper, stone, and clay products Industrial production growth rate: area under government control: 2.4% (2005 est.) area administered by Turkish Cypriots: -0.3% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: area under government control: 3.926 bil¬ lion kWh area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 998.9 million kWh (2004) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: area under government control: 3.651 bil¬ lion kWh (2004) area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 797.9 million kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: area under government control: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: area under government control: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: area under government control- 300 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil — consumption: area under government control: 53,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— Imports: NA bbl/day Current account balance: area under government control: -$1,051 billion (2006 est.) Exports: area under government control: $1.34 bil¬ lion f.o.b. area administered by Turkish Cypriots: *68.1 million f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: area under government control: citrus potatoes, pharmaceuticals, cement, clothing and cigarettes area administered by Turkish Cypriots: citrus, dairy, potatoes, textiles Exports— partners: France 17.7%, UK 17%, Greece 12.2%, Germany 5.7% (2005) Imports: area under government control: $5.8 bil¬ lion f.o.b. area administered by Turkish Cypriots: $1.2 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: area under government control: consumer goods, petroleum and lubricants, inter¬ mediate goods, machinery, transport equipment area administered by Turkish Cypriots: vehicles, fuel, cigarettes, food, minerals, chemicals, machinery Imports— partners: Greece 17.3%, Italy 10.3%, UK 9%, Germany 8.4%, Israel 7.1% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: area under government control: $4,613 billion area administered by Turkish Cypriots: $NA (2006 est.) Debt— external: area under government control: $12.63 billion area administered by Turkish Cypriots: $NA (2006 est.) Economic aid — recipient: area under government control: $NA area administered by Turkish Cypriots: under a July 2006 agreement, Turkey plans to provide the area administered by Turkish Cypriots 1.875 billion YTL ($1.3 billion) over three years (600 million YTL in 2006, 625 million YTL in 2007 and 650 million YTL in 2008); Turkey has forgiven most past aid Currency (code): area under government control: Cypriot pound (CYP) area administered by Turkish Cypriots: Turkish New lira (YTL) Currency code: CYP; TRL Exchange rates: Cypriot pounds per US dollar 0.4586 (2006), 0.4641 (2005), 0.4686 (2004), 0.5174 (2003), 0.6107 (2002) Turkish lira per US dollar 1.4451 (2006), 1.3436 (2005), 1.426 million (2004), 1.501 million (2003), 1.507 mil¬ lion (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS *: \ V v, :•> Telephones — main lines in use: area under government control: 420,000 (2005); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 86,228 (2002) 170 CZECH REPUBLIC Telephones— mobile cellular: area under government control: 718,800 (2005); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 143,178 (2002) Telephone system: general assessment: excellent in both area under government control and area administered by Turkish Cypriots domestic: open-wire, fiber-optic cable, and microwave radio relay international: country code — 357 (area administered by Turkish Cypriots uses the country code of Turkey — 90); tropos¬ pheric scatter; 3 coaxial and 5 fiber-optic submarine cables; satellite earth sta¬ tions — 3 Intelsat ( 1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean), 2 Eutelsat, 2 Intersputnik, and 1 Arabsat Radio broadcast stations: area under government control: AM 5, FM 76, shortwave 0 area administered by Turkish Cypriots: AM 1, FM 20, shortwave 1 (2004) Radios: Greek Cypriot area: 310,000 (1997); Turkish Cypriot area: 56,450 (1994) Television broadcast stations: area under government control: 8 area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 2 (plus 4 relay) (2004) Televisions: Greek Cypriot area: 248,000 (1997); Turkish Cypriot area: 52,300 (1994) Internet country code: cy Internet hosts: 67,589 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 6 (2000) Internet users: 298,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 16 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 3 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 9 14 m: 2 (2006) Heliports: 10 (2006) Roadways: total: 14,496 km (area under government control: 12,146 km; area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 2,350 km) paved: area under government control: 7,845 km (includes 276 km of express¬ ways); area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 1,370 km unpaved: area under government control: 4,301 km; area administered by Turkish Cypriots: 980 km (2005/1996 est.) Merchant marine: total: 884 ships (1000 GRT or over) 19,477,944 GRT/ 31,157,473 DWT by type: bulk carrier 354, cargo 210, chemical tanker 44, container 145, liq¬ uefied gas 8, passenger 7, passenger/cargo 23, petroleum tanker 64, refrigerated cargo 15, roll on/roll off 9, vehicle car¬ rier 5 foreign-oumed: 111 (Belgium 1, Canada 2, China 11, Croatia 2, Cuba 2, Denmark 1, Estonia 6, Germany 214, Greece 337, Greenland 1, Hong Kong 1, India 5, Iran 2, Ireland 3, Israel 3, Italy 2, Japan 17, South Korea 1, Latvia 4, Netherlands 18, Norway 16, Philippines 1, Poland 20, Portugal 2, Russia 53, Singapore 1, Slovakia 1, Slovenia 4, Spain 7, Sweden 3, Switzerland 4, Syria 3, UAE 11, UK 6, Ukraine 4, US 7, unknown 1) registered in other countries: 81 (Bahamas 13, Belize 2, Cambodia 12, Georgia 1, Gibraltar 1, Greece 1, Isle of Man 1, Liberia 3, Malta 15, Marshall Islands 15, Norway 2, Panama 14, Portugal 1, Russia 2, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Sierra Leone 1, Turkey 2) (2006) Ports and terminals: area under govern¬ ment control: Larnaca, Limassol, Vasilikos; area administered by Turkish Cypriots: Famagusta, Kyrenia MILITARY Military branches: Republic of Cyprus: Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG; includes air and naval elements); north Cyprus: Turkish Cypriot Security Force (GKK) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age (2004) Manpower available tor military service: Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG): males age 18-49: 184,352 females age 18—49: 175,567 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG): males age 18-49: 150,750 females age 18-49: 144,344 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG): males age 18—49: 6,578 females age 18—49: 6,200 (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of GDP: 3.8% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: hostilities in 1974 divided the island into two de facto autonomous entities, the internationally recognized Cypriot Government and a Turkish-Cypriot community (north Cyprus); the 1,000-strong UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) has served in Cyprus since 1964 and maintains the buffer zone between north and south; on 1 May 2004, Cyprus entered the European Union still divided, with the EU’s body of legislation and standards (acquis com- munitaire) suspended in the north Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: IDPs: 210,000 (both Turkish and Greek Cypriots; many displaced for over 30 years) (2006) Trafficking in persons; current situation: Cyprus is primarily a destination country for a large number of women trafficked from Eastern and Central Europe, the Philippines, and the Dominican Republic for the purpose of sexual exploitation; traffickers continued to fraudulently recruit victims for work as dancers in cabarets and nightclubs on short-term “artiste” visas, for work in pubs and bars on employment visas, or for illegal work on tourist or student visas; there were credible reports of female domestic workers from India, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines forced to work excessively long hours and denied proper compensation tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Cyprus does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of traf¬ ficking and failed to show evidence of increasing efforts to address its serious trafficking for sexual exploitation problem; however, it is making signifi¬ cant efforts to do so Illicit drugs: minor transit point for heroin and hashish via air routes and container traffic to Europe, especially from Lebanon and Turkey; some cocaine transits as well; despite a strengthening of anti-money-laundering legislation, remains vulnerable to money laundering; reporting of suspicious transactions in offshore sector remains weak CZECH REPUBLIC INTRODUCTION Background: Following the First World War, the closely related Czechs and Slovaks of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire merged to form Czechoslovakia. During the interwar years, the new country’s leaders were frequently preoc¬ cupied with meeting the demands of other ethnic minorities within the republic, most notably the Sudeten Germans and the Ruthenians (Ukrain- 171 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK ians). After World War II, a truncated Czechoslovakia fell within the Soviet sphere of influence. In 1968, an invasion by Warsaw Pact troops ended the efforts of the country’s leaders to liberalize Communist party rule and create “socialism with a human face.” Anti- Soviet demonstrations the following year ushered in a period of harsh repression. With the collapse of Soviet authority in 1989, Czechoslovakia regained its freedom through a peaceful “Velvet Revolution.” On 1 January 1993, the country underwent a “velvet divorce” into its two national components, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Czech Republic joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004- GEOGRAPHY Location: Central Europe, southeast of Germany Geographic coordinates: 49 45 N, 15 30 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 78,866 sq km land: 77,276 sq km water: 1,590 sq km Area— comparative: slightly smaller than South Carolina Land boundaries: total: 2,290.2 km border countries: Austria 466.3 km, Germany 810.3 km, Poland 761.8 km, Slovakia 251.8 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime claims: none (landlocked) Climate: temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters Terrain: Bohemia in the west consists of rolling plains, hills, and plateaus sur¬ rounded by low mountains; Moravia in the east consists of very hilly country Elevation extremes: lowest point: Elbe River 115 m highest point: Snezka 1,602 m Natural resources: hard coal, soft coal, kaolin, clay, graphite, timber Land use: arable land: 38.82% permanent crops: 3% other: 58.18% (2005) Irrigated land: 240 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: flooding Environment— current issues: air and water pollution in areas of northwest Bohemia and in northern Moravia around Ostrava present health risks; acid rain damaging forests; efforts to bring industry up to EU code should improve domestic pollution Environment — international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution- Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution- Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change- Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography— note: landlocked; strategi¬ cally located astride some of oldest and most significant land routes in Europe; Moravian Gate is a traditional military corridor between the North European Plain and the Danube in central Europe PEOPLE Population: 10,228,744 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 14.1% (male 738,391/female 698,999) 15-64 years: 71.2% (male 3,657,877/ female 3,627,493) 65 years and over: 14-7% (male 588,531/ female 917,453) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 39.5 years male: 37.9 years female: 41.3 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: -0.071% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 8.96 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 10.64 deaths/ 1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0.97 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.056 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.008 male(s)/female 65 years and over : 0.641 male(s)/female total population: 0.951 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 3.86 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4-21 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.42 years male: 73.14 years female: 79.88 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.22 children bom/ woman (2007 est.) HiV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 2,500 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: less than 10 (2001 est.) Nationality: noun: Czech(s) adjective: Czech Ethnic groups: Czech 90.4%, Moravian 3.7%, Slovak 1.9%, other 4% (2001 census) Religions: Roman Catholic 26.8%, Protestant 2.1%, other 3.3%, unspecified 8.8%, unaffiliated 59% (2001 census) Languages: Czech 94.9%, Slovak 2%, other 2.3%, unidentified 0.8% (2001 census) Literacy: definition: NA total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Czech Republic conventional short form: Czech Republic local long form: Ceska Republika local short form: Cesko Government type: parliamentary democ¬ racy Capital: name: Prague geographic coordinates: 40 55 N, 21 00 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 13 regions (kraje, singular — kraj) and 1 capital city* (hlavni mesto); Jihocesky Kraj, Jihomoravsky Kraj, Karlovarsky Kraj, Kralovehradecky Kraj, Liberecky Kraj, Moravskoslezsky Kraj, Olomoucky Kraj, Pardubicky Kraj, Plzensky Kraj, Praha (Prague)*, Stredocesky Kraj, Ustecky Kraj, Vysocina, Zlinsky Kraj Inuependence: 1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia) National holiday: Czech Founding Day, 28 October (1918) Constitution: ratified 16 December 1992, effective 1 January 1993 172 CZECH REPUBLIC Legal system: civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; legal code modified to bring it in line with Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) obliga¬ tions and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Vaclav KLAUS (since 7 March 2003) head of government: Prime Minister Mirek TOPOLANEK (since 9 January 2007); Deputy Prime Ministers Petr NECAS (since 9 January 2007), Jiri CUNEK (since 9 January 2007), Martin BURSIK (since 9 January 2007), and Alexandr VONDRA (since 9 January 2007) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the presi¬ dent on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); last successful election held 28 February 2003 (after earlier elections held 15 and 24 January 2003 were incon¬ clusive; next election to be held in January 2008); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Vaclav KLAUS elected president on 28 February 2003; Vaclav KLAUS 142 votes, Jan SOKOL 124 votes (third round; combined votes of both chambers of parliament) Legislative branch: bicameral Parlia¬ ment or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat (81 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber of Deputies or Poslanecka Snemovna (200 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate— last held in two rounds 20-21 and 27-28 October 2006 (next to be held in October 2008); Chamber of Deputies — last held 2-3 June 2006 (next to be held by June 2010) election results: Senate — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — ODS 41, CSSD 12, KDU-CSL 11, others 15, independents 2; Chamber of Deputies — percent of vote by party — ODS 35.4%, CSSD 32.3%, KSCM 12.8%, KDU-CSL 7.2%, Greens 6.3%, other 6%; seats by party— ODS 81, CSSD 74, KSCM 26, KDU-CSL 13, Greens 6 Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; chairman and deputy chairmen are appointed by the president for a 10-year term Political parties and leaders: Association of Independent Candidates- European Democrats or SNK-ED [Jana HYBASKOVA]; Christian Democratic Union-Czechoslovak People’s Party or KDU-CSL [Jiri CUNEK]; Civic Democratic Alliance or ODA Qirina NOVAKOVA]; Civic Democratic Party or ODS [Mirek TOPOLANEK]; Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia or KSCM [Vojtech FILIP]; Czech Social Democratic Party or CSSD [Jiri PAROUBEK]; Freedom Union- Democratic Union or US-DEU [Jan HADRAVA]; Green Party [Martin BURSIK]; Independent Democrats (NEZDEM) [Vladimir ZELEZNY]; Party of Open Society (SOS) [Pavel NOVACEK]; Path of Change [Jiri LOBKOWITZ] Political pressure groups and leaders: Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions or CMKOS [Milan STECH] International organization participa¬ tion: ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA (coop¬ erating state), EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PC A, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Petr KOLAR chancery: 3900 Spring of Freedom Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 274-9100 FAX: [1] (202) 966-8540 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Richard W. GRABER embassy: Trziste 15, 11801 Prague 1 mailing address : use embassy street address telephone: [420] 257 022 000 FAX: [420] 257 022 809 Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side (identical to the flag of the former Czechoslovakia) ECONOMY Economy — overview: The Czech Republic is one of the most stable and prosperous of the post-Communist states of Central and Eastern Europe. Growth in 2000-05 was supported by exports to the EU, primarily to Germany, and a strong recovery of foreign and domestic investment. Domestic demand is playing an ever more important role in underpin¬ ning growth as interest rates drop and the availability of credit cards and mort¬ gages increases. The current account deficit has declined to around 3% of GDP as demand for Czech products in the European Union has increased. Inflation is under control. Recent acces¬ sion to the EU gives further impetus and direction to structural reform. In early 2004, the government passed increases in the Value Added Tax (VAT) and tightened eligibility for social benefits with the intention to bring the public finance gap down to 4% of GDP by 2006. However, due to significant increases in social spending in the run-up to June 2006 elections, the government is not likely to meet this goal. Negotiations on pension and healthcare reforms are continuing without clear prospects for agreement and implemen¬ tation. Privatization of the state-owned telecommunications firm Cesky Telecom took place in 2005. Intensified restruc¬ turing among large enterprises, improve¬ ments in the financial sector, and effective use of available EU funds should strengthen output growth. GDP (purchasing power parity): $224 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $118.8 billion (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 6.1% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $21,900 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 2.8% industry: 37.8% services: 59.4% (2006 est.) Labor force: 5.31 million (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 4-1% industry: 37.6% services: 58.3% (2003) Unemployment rate: 8.4% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4-3% highest 10%: 22.4% (1996) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 27.3 (2003) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.7% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 26.2% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $57.88 billion expenditures: $62.53 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 29.1% of GDP (2006 est.) 173 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Agriculture — products: wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, poultry industries: metallurgy, machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, glass, arma¬ ments Industrial production growth rate: 9.5% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 79.14 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 76.1% hydro: 2.9% nuclear: 20% other: 1% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 58.8 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 24.6 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 9.8 billion kWh (2004) Oil— production: 15,240 bbl/day (2005) Oil— consumption: 203,100 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: 26,670 bbl/day (2001) Oil— imports: 182,000 bbl/day (2004) Oil— proved reserves: 17.25 million bbl ( 1 January 2002) Natural gas— production: 216 million cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 9.6 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 88 million cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 8.815 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 3.964 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $4,352 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $89.34 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — Commodities: machinery and transport equipment 52%, chemicals 5%, raw materials and fuel 9% (2003) Exports— partners: Germany 33.5%, Slovakia 8.7%, Austria 5.5%, Poland 5.5%, France 5.3%, UK 4.6%, Italy 4.3% (2005) Imports: $87.7 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— Commodities: machinery and transport equipment 46%, raw materials and fuels 15%, chemicals 10% (2003) Imports — partners: Germany 30%, Russia 5.7%, Slovakia 5.4%, China 5.1%, Poland 5%, Italy 4.8%, France 4.5%, Netherlands 4% (2005) Reserves ot foreign exchange and gold: $30.99 billion (2006 est.) Debt— external: $50.2 billion (30 June 2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $2.4 billion in available EU structural adjustment and cohesion funds (2004-06) Currency (code): Czech koruna (CZK) Currency code: CZK Exchange rates: koruny per US dollar— 22.596 (2006), 23.957 (2005), 25.7 (2004), 28.209 (2003), 32.739 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year Telephones— main lines in use: 3,217,300 (2005) Telephones — mobile cellular: 11.776 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: privatization and modernization of the Czech telecommu¬ nication system got a late start but is advancing steadily; growth in the use of mobile cellular telephones is particularly vigorous domestic: 86% of exchanges now digital; existing copper subscriber systems now being enhanced with Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) equip¬ ment to accommodate Internet and other digital signals; trunk systems include fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay international: country code — 420; satel¬ lite earth stations — 2 Intersputnik (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions), 1 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 1 Globalstar Radio broadcast stations: AM 31, FM 304, shortwave 17 (2000) Radios: 3,159,134 (December 2000) Television broadcast stations: 150 (plus 1,434 repeaters) (2000) Televisions: 3,405,834 (December 2000) Internet country code: cz Internet hosts: 1.267 million (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): more than 300 (2000) Internet users: 5.1 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 121 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 46 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1 ,523 m: 2 under 9 14 m: 19 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 75 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1 ,523 m: 25 under 914 m: 49 (2006) Heliports: 2 (2006) Pipelines: gas 7,010 km; oil 547 km; refined products 94 km (2006) Railways: total: 9,572 km standard gauge: 9,473 km 1.435- (2,951 km electrified) m gauge narrow gauge: 99 km 0.760- (2005) m gauge Roadways: total: 127,747 km paved: 127,747 km (includes 518 km of expressways) (2003) Waterways: 664 km (principally on Elbe as well as Vltava and Oder rivers) (2005) Merchant marine: registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Decin, Prague, Usti nad Labem MILITARY Military branches: Army of the Czech Republic (ACR): Joint Forces Command (includes Army and Air Forces), Support and Training Forces Command (2007) Military service age and obligation: 18-50 years of age for voluntary military service; on-going transformation of mili¬ tary service into a fully professional, all¬ volunteer force no longer dependent on conscription began in January 2004 and is scheduled to be completed by 2007 (2005) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 2,414,728 females age 18-49: 2,329,412 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 1,996,631 females age 18^9: 1,923,508 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 66,583 females age 18-49: 63,363 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1.81% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: in 2006, Austrian public protests for the Czech Republic to close the Temelin nuclear power plant resulted in an Austrian par¬ liamentary motion threatening interna¬ tional legal action Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and minor transit point for Latin American cocaine to Western Europe; producer of synthetic drugs for local and regional markets; sus¬ ceptible to money laundering related to drug trafficking, organized crime; signifi¬ cant consumer of ecstasy 174 DENMARK INTRODUCTION Background: Once the seat of Viking raiders and later a major north European power, Denmark has evolved into a modem, prosperous nation that is partic¬ ipating in the general political and eco¬ nomic integration of Europe. It joined NATO in 1949 and the EEC (now the EU) in 1973. However, the country has opted out of certain elements of the European Union’s Maastricht Treaty, including the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), European defense cooperation, and issues con¬ cerning certain justice and home affairs. GEOGRAPHY Location: Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, on a peninsula north of Germany (Jutland); also includes two major islands (Sjaelland and Fyn) Geographic coordinates: 56 00 N, 10 00 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 43,094 sq km land: 42,394 sq km water: 700 sq km note: includes the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea and the rest of metropol¬ itan Denmark (the Jutland Peninsula, and the major islands of Sjaelland and Fyn), but excludes the Faroe Islands and Greenland Area — comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Massachusetts Land boundaries: total: 68 km border countries: Germany 68 km Coastline: 7,314 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation Climate: temperate; humid and overcast; mild, windy winters and cool summers Terrain: low and flat to gently rolling plains Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lammefjord -7 m highest point: Yding Skovhoej 173 m Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, fish, salt, limestone, chalk, stone, gravel and sand Land use: arable land: 52.59% permanent crops: 0.19% other: 47.22% (2005) Irrigated land: 4,490 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: flooding is a threat in some areas of the country (e.g., parts of Jutland, along the southern coast of the island of Lolland) that are protected from the sea by a system of dikes Environment— current issues: air pollu¬ tion, principally from vehicle and power plant emissions; nitrogen and phosphorus pollution of the North Sea; drinking and surface water becoming polluted from animal wastes and pesticides Environment— international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution- Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution- Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiver¬ sity, Climate Change, Climate Change- Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: controls Danish Straits (Skagerrak and Kattegat) linking Baltic and North Seas; about one-quarter of the population lives in greater Copenhagen PEOPLE Population: 5,468,120 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 18.6% (male 520,669/female 494,228) 15-64 years: 66% (male 1,817,757/ female 1,792,974) 65 years and over: 15.4% (male 363,828/ female 478,664) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 40.1 years male: 39.2 years female: 40.9 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0 311% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 10.91 births/l,000population (2007 est.) Death rate: 10.3 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 2.5 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.053 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.014 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.977 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 4-45 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4-49 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4-41 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.96 years male: 75.65 years female: 80.41 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.74 children bom/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 5,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: less than 100 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Dane(s) adjective: Danish Ethnic groups: Scandinavian, Inuit, Faroese, German, Turkish, Iranian, Somali Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 95%, other Christian (includes Protestant and Roman Catholic) 3%, Muslim 2% Languages: Danish, Faroese, Green- landic (an Inuit dialect), German (small minority) note: English is the predominant second language Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Denmark conventional short form: Denmark local long form: Kongeriget Danmark local short form: Danmark Government type: constitutional monarchy Capital: name: Copenhagen geographic coordinates: 55 40 N, 12 35 E 175 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: metropolitan Denmark — 5 regions (regioner, sin- gular — region); Hovedstaden, Midtjyl- land, Nordjylland, Sjaelland, Syddanmark note: an extensive local government reform merged 271 municipalities into 98 and 13 counties into five regions, effective 1 January 2007 Independence: first organized as a uni¬ fied state in 10th century; in 1849 became a constitutional monarchy National holiday: none designated; Constitution Day, 5 June (1849) is gen¬ erally viewed as the National Day Constitution: 5 June 1953 constitution allowed for a unicameral legislature and a female chief of state Legal system: civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compul¬ sory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Queen MARGPvETHE II (since 14 January 1972); Heir Apparent Crown Prince FREDERIK, elder son of the monarch (born 26 May 1968) head of government: Prime Minister Anders Fogh RASMUSSEN (since 27 November 2001) cabinet: Council of State appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is heredi¬ tary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch Legislative branch: unicameral People’s Assembly or Folketinget (179 seats, including 2 from Greenland and 2 from the Faroe Islands; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of propor¬ tional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 8 February 2005 (next to be held in February 2009) election results: percent of vote by party — Liberal Party 29%, Social Democrats 25.9%, Danish People’s Party 13.2%, Conservative Party 10.3%, Social Liberal Party 9.2%, Socialist People’s Party 6%, Unity List 3.4%, other 3%; seats by party— Liberal Party 52, Social Democrats 47, Danish People’s Party 24, Conservative Party 18, Social Liberal Party 17, Socialist People’s Party 11, Unity List 6; note — does not include the two seats from Greenland and the two seats from the Faroe Islands Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch for life) Political parties and leaders: Christian Democrats [Bodil KORNBEK] (was Christian People’s Party); Conservative Party [Bendt BENDTSEN] (sometimes known as Conservative People’s Party); Danish People’s Party [Pia KJAERS- GAARD]; Liberal Party [Anders Fogh RASMUSSEN]; Red-Green Unity List [collective leadership] (bloc includes Left Socialist Party, Communist Party of Denmark, Socialist Workers’ Party); Social Democratic Party [Helle THORN1NG-SCHMIDT]; Social Lib¬ eral Party [Marianne JELVED]; Socialist People’s Party [Villy SOEVNDAL] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: AfDB, Arctic Council, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G-9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IE A, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Friis Arne PETERSEN chancery: 3200 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-4300 FAX: [1] (202) 328-1470 consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James P. CAIN embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Alle 24, 2100 Copenhagen mailing address: PSC 73, APO AE 09716 telephone: [45] 33 41 71 00 FAX: [45] 35 43 02 23 Flag description: red with a white cross that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side, and that design element of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) was subse¬ quently adopted by the other Nordic countries of Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden ECONOMY Economy— overview: The Danish economy has in recent years undergone strong expansion fueled primarily by pri¬ vate consumption growth, but also sup¬ ported by exports and investments. This thoroughly modern market economy fea¬ tures high-tech agriculture, up-to-date small-scale and corporate industry, extensive government welfare measures, comfortable living standards, a stable currency, and high dependence on for¬ eign trade. Unemployment is low and capacity constraints are limiting growth potential. Denmark is a net exporter of food and energy and enjoys a comfort¬ able balance of payments surplus. Government objectives include stream¬ lining the bureaucracy and further priva¬ tization of state assets. The government has been successful in meeting, and even exceeding, the economic convergence criteria for participating in the third phase (a common European currency) of the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), but Denmark has decided not to join 12 other EU mem¬ bers in the euro. Nonetheless, the Danish krone remains pegged to the euro. Economic growth gained momentum in 2004 and the upturn con¬ tinued through 2006. The controversy over caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad printed in a Danish news¬ paper in September 2005 led to boycotts of some Danish exports to the Muslim world, especially exports of dairy prod¬ ucts, but the boycotts did not have a sig¬ nificant impact on the overall Danish economy. Because of high GDP per capita, welfare benefits, a low Gini index, and political stability, the Danish living standards are among the highest in the world. A major long-term issue will be the sharp decline in the ratio of workers to retirees. GDP (purchasing power parity): $201.5 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $257.3 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 3.2% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $37,000 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 1.4% industry: 24.6% services: 74% (2006 est.) Labor force: 2.91 million (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 3% industry: 21% services: 76% (2004 est.) Unemployment rate: 3 8% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 24% (2000 est.) Distribution of family income— Gini Index: 23.2 (2002) 176 DENMARK Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.8% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 22.2% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $147 billion expenditures: $138.9 billion; including capital expenditures of $4.6 billion (2006 est.) Public debt: 28.1% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: barley, wheat, potatoes, sugar beets; pork, dairy prod¬ ucts; fish Industries: iron, steel, nonferrous metals, chemicals, food processing, machinery and transportation equip¬ ment, textiles and clothing, electronics, construction, furniture and other wood products, shipbuilding and refurbish¬ ment, windmills, pharmaceuticals, med¬ ical equipment Industrial production growth rate: 2.5% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 43.35 billion kWh (2006) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 82.7% hydro: 0.1% nuclear: 0% other: 17.3% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 36.41 billion kWh (2006) Electricity — exports: 13.72 billion kWh (2006) Electricity— imports: 6.77 billion kWh (2006) Oil— production: 342,000 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil — consumption: 171,000 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil— exports: 320,000 bbl/day (2006) Oil— imports: 164,000 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil— proved reserves: 1.3 billion bbl (2005 est.) Natural gas — production: 9.87 billion cu m (2006 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 4.824 bil¬ lion cu m (2006 est.) Natural gas — exports: 4.964 billion cu m (2006 est.) Natural gas — imports: 0 cu m (2006 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 99.99 billion cu m (2006 est.) Current account balance: $4,941 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $93.93 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — Commodities: machinery and instruments, meat and meat products, dairy products, fish, pharmaceuticals, fur¬ niture, windmills Exports — partners: Germany 17.6%, Sweden 13.2%, UK 8.7%, US 6.4%, France 5.5%, Netherlands 5.3%, Norway 5.1% (2005) imports: $89.32 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— Commodities: machinery and equipment, raw materials and semimanu¬ factures for industry, chemicals, grain and foodstuffs, consumer goods Imports — partners: Germany 20.5%, Sweden 13.8%, Norway 6.6%, Nether¬ lands 6.5%, UK 5.9%, China 4-7%, France 4.2%, Italy 4.1% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $30.38 billion (August 2006 est.) Debt— external: $405 billion (30 June 2006) Economic aid— donor: ODA, $2.13 bil¬ lion (2005) Currency (code): Danish krone (DKK) Currency code: DKK Exchange rates: Danish kroner per US dollar— 5.9468 (2006), 5.9969 (2005), 5.9911 (2004), 6.5877 (2003), 7.8947 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 3.35 million (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 5.469 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: excellent telephone and telegraph services domestic: buried and submarine cables and microwave radio relay form trunk network, 4 cellular mobile communica¬ tions systems international: country code — 45; 18 sub¬ marine fiber-optic cables linking Denmark with Canada, Faroe Islands, Germany, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and UK; satel¬ lite earth stations — 6 Intelsat, 10 Eutelsat, 1 Orion, 1 Inmarsat (Blaavand- Atlantic-East); note — the Nordic coun¬ tries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) share the Danish earth station and the Eik, Norway, sta¬ tion for worldwide Inmarsat access (1997) Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 355, shortwave 0 (1998) Radios: 6.02 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 26 (plus 51 repeaters) (1998) Televisions: 3.121 million (1997) Internet country code: dk Internet hosts: 2.416 million (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 13 (2000) Internet users: 3.763 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 92 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 28 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1 ,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 3 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 64 914 to 1 ,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 61 (2006) Pipelines: condensate 12 km; gas 3,931 km; oil 626 km; oil/gas/water 2 km (2006) Railways: total: 2,673 km standard gauge: 2,673 km 1.435-m gauge (601 km electrified) (2005) Roadways: total: 72,257 km paved: 72,257 km (includes 1,032 km of expressways) (2005) Waterways: 400 km (2001) Merchant marine: total: 293 ships (1000 GRT or over) 7,986,735 GRT/9,936,43 1 DWT by type: bulk carrier 7, cargo 63, chemical tanker 48, container 86, liquefied gas 4, livestock carrier 2, passenger 1, pas¬ senger/cargo 40, petroleum tanker 23, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 8, specialized tanker 4 foreign-owned: 25 (Canada 1, Germany 13, Greece 5, Greenland 1, Norway 3, Sweden 1 , UK 1 ) registered in other countries: 409 (Antigua and Barbuda 14, Bahamas 59, Belgium 4, Cayman Islands 5, Cyprus 1, Egypt 1, Estonia 2, France 1, French Southern and Antarctic Lands 2, Gibraltar 1, Hong Kong 6, Isle of Man 53, North Korea 1, Liberia 8, Lithuania 10, Malta 6, Marshall Islands 1, Mexico 2, Netherlands 9, Netherlands Antilles 1, Norway 32, Panama 34, Portugal 4, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 14, Singapore 52, South Africa 1, Spain 1, Sweden 4, UK 46, US 24, Vanuatu 6, Venezuela 3, Vietnam 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Aalborg, Aarhus, Asnaesvaerkets, Copenhagen, Elsinore, Ensted, Esbjerg, Fredericia, Frederik- shavn, Kalundborg, Odense, Roenne MILITARY Military branches: Defense Command: Army Operational Command, Admiral Danish Fleet, Island Command Green¬ land, Tactical Air Command (2006) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscripts serve an ini¬ tial training period that varies from 4 to 12 months according to specialization; reservists are assigned to mobilization units following completion of their con¬ script service; women eligible to volun¬ teer for military service (2004) 177 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 1,175,108 females age 18-49: 1,150,627 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 1 8-49 : 955,168 females age 18-49: 935,643 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 1 8-49 : 31,317 females age 18-49: 29,558 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1.5% (2005 est.) _ TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES _ --- Disputes— international: Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark’s claim that the Faroe Islands continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm; Faroese continue to study proposals for full inde- pendence; sovereignty dispute with Canada over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island and Greenland DHEKELIA INTRODUCTION Background: By terms of the 1960 Treaty of Establishment that created the inde¬ pendent Republic of Cyprus, the UK retained full sovereignty and jurisdiction over two areas of almost 254 square kilo¬ meters — Akrotiri and Dhekelia. The larger of these is the Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area, which is also referred to as the Eastern Sovereign Base Area. GEOGRAPHY Location: on the southeast coast of Cyprus near Famagusta Geographic coordinates: 34 59 N, 33 45 E Map references: Middle East Area: total: 130.8 sq km note: area surrounds three Cypriot enclaves Area — comparative: about three-quar¬ ters the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: total: NA; note — boundary with Cyprus is being resurveyed Coastline: 27.5 km Climate: temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters Environment— current issues: netting and trapping of small migrant songbirds in the spring and autumn Geography — note: British extraterrito¬ rial rights also extended to several small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus PEOPLE Population: no indigenous personnel note: approximately 2,200 resident mili¬ tary personnel; there are another 5,000 British citizens who are families of mili¬ tary personnel or civilian staff on both the bases of Akrotiri and Dhekelia; Cyprus citizens work on the base but do not live there Languages: English, Greek GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area conventional short form: Dhekelia Dependency status: overseas territory of UK; administered by an administrator who is also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus Capital: name: Episkopi Cantonment; located in Akrotiri geographic coordinates: 34 40 N, 32 51 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: + lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Constitution: Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Order in Council 1960, effective 16 August 1960 Legal system: the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Administrator Adr Vice-Marshal Richard LACEY (since 26 April 2006); note — reports to the British Ministry of Defense elections: none; the monarch is heredi¬ tary; the administrator is appointed by the monarch Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the UK) Flag description: the flag of the UK is used ECONOMY Economy — overview: Economic activity is limited to providing services to the military and their families located in Dhekelia. All food and manufactured goods must be imported. Industries: none Currency (code): Cypriot pound (CYP) Exchange rates: Cypriot pounds per US dollar— 0.46019 (2006), 0.4641 (2005), 0.4686 (2004), 0.5174 (2003), 0.6107 (2002) COMMUNICATIONS Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM 1 (located in Akrotiri), shortwave NA (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides Radio 1 and Radio 2 service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia) (2006) Television broadcast stations: 0 (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides multi-channel satellite service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia) (2006) MILITARY Military— note: includes Dhekelia Garrison and Ayios Nikolaos Station connected by a roadway DJIBOUTI INTRODUCTION Background: The French Territory of the Afars and the Issas became Djibouti in 1977. Hassan Gouled APTIDON installed an authoritarian one-party state and proceeded to serve as president until 1999. Unrest among the Afars minority during the 1990s led to a civil war that ended in 2001 following the conclusion of a peace accord between Afar rebels and the Issa-dominated government. In 178 DJIBOUTI 1999, Djibouti’s first multi-party presi¬ dential elections resulted in the election of Ismail Omar GUELLEH; he was re¬ elected to a second and final term in 2005. Djibouti occupies a strategic geo¬ graphic location at the mouth of the Red Sea and serves as an important transship¬ ment location for goods entering and leaving the east African highlands. The present leadership favors close ties to France, which maintains a significant military presence in the country, but is also developing stronger ties with the US. Djibouti hosts the only US military base in sub-Saharan Africa and is a front¬ line state in the global war on terrorism. GEOGRAPHY Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, between Eritrea and Somalia Geographic coordinates: 1 1 30 N, 43 00 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 23,000 sq km land: 22,980 sq km water: 20 sq km Area— comparative: slightly smaller than Massachusetts Land boundaries: total: 516 km border countries: Eritrea 109 km, Ethiopia 349 km, Somalia 58 km Coastline: 314 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 1 2 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: desert; torrid, dry Terrain: coastal plain and plateau sepa¬ rated by central mountains Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lac Assal -155 m highest point: Moussa Ali 2,028 m Natural resources: geothermal areas, gold, clay, granite, limestone, marble, salt, diatomite, gypsum, pumice, petroleum Land use: arable land: 0.04% permanent crops: 0% other: 99.96% (2005) Irrigated land: 10 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances from the Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods Environment — current issues: inade¬ quate supplies of potable water; limited arable land; desertification; endangered species Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: strategic location near world’s busiest shipping lanes and close to Arabian oilfields; terminus of rail traffic into Ethiopia; mostly waste¬ land; Lac Assal (Lake Assal) is the lowest point in Africa PEOPLE Population: 496,374 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 43.4% (male 107,957/female 107,233) 15-64 years: 53.2% (male 137,111/ female 126,952) 65 years and over: 3.4% (male 8,626/ female 8,495) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 18.2 years male: 18.6 years female: 17.7 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.984% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 39.07 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 19.23 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.007 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.015 male(s)/female total population: 1.045 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 100.77 deaths/1,000 live births male: 108.35 deaths/1,000 live births female: 92.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 43.25 years male: 41 -88 years female: 44-65 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 5.23 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 2.9% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 9,100 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 690 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever vectorbome disease: malaria note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2007) Nationality: noun: Djiboutian(s) adjective: Djiboutian Ethnic groups: Somali 60%, Afar 35%, other 5% (includes French, Arab, Ethiopian, and Italian) Religions: Muslim 94%, Christian 6% Languages: French (official), Arabic (official), Somali, Afar Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 67.9% male: 78% female: 58.4% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Djibouti conventional short form: Djibouti local long form: Republique de Djibouti/ Jumhuriyat Jibuti local short form: Djibouti/Jibuti former: French Territory of the Afars and Issas, French Somaliland Government type: republic Capital: name: Djibouti geographic coordinates: 1 1 30 N, 43 15E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 6 districts (cercles, singular — cercle); Ali Sabieh, Arta, Dikhil, Djibouti, Obock, Tadjourah Independence: 27 June 1977 (from France) National holiday: Independence Day, 27 June (1977) Constitution: multiparty constitution approved by referendum 4 September 1992 Legal system: based on French civil law system, traditional practices, and Islamic law Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Ismail Omar GUELLEH (since 8 May 1999) 179 head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed Dileita DILEITA (since 4 March 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 8 April 2005 (next to be held by April 2011); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Ismail Omar GUELLEH reelected president; percent of vote — Ismail Omar GUELLEH 100% Legislative branch: unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (65 seats; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms) elections: last held 10 January 2003 (next to be held in January 2008) election results: percent of vote— RPP 62.2%, FRUD 36.9%; seats— RPP 65; note — RPP (the ruling party) dominated the election Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme Political parties and leaders: Demo¬ cratic National Party or PND [ADEN Robleh Awaleh]; Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Abdillahi HAMAR- ITEH]; Djibouti Development Party or PDD [Mohamed Daoud CHEHEM]; Front pour la Restauration de l’Unite Democratique or FRUD [Ali Mohamed DAOUD]; People’s Progress Assembly or RPP [Ismail Omar GUELLEH] (gov¬ erning party); Peoples Social Democratic Party or PPSD [Moumin Bahdon FARAH]; Republican Alliance for Democracy or ARD [Ahmed Dini AHMED]; Union for Democracy and Justice or UDJ Political pressure groups and leaders: Union for Presidential Majority UMP (coalition includes RPP, FRUD, PPSD and PND); Union for Democratic Changeover or UAD (opposition coali¬ tion includes ARD, MRDD, UDJ, and PDD) [Ahmed Dini AHMED] International organization participa¬ tion: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, ITUC, LAS, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Roble OLHAYE Oudine chancery: Suite 515, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 331-0270 FAX: [1] (202) 331-0302 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Diplomatic representation trom the US: chief of mission: Ambassador W. Stuart SYMINGTON embassy: Plateau du Serpent, Boulevard Marechal Joffre, Djibouti mailing address: B. P. 185, Djibouti telephone: [253] 35 39 95 FAX: [253] 35 39 40 Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of light blue (top) and light green with a white isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bearing a red five-pointed star in the center ECONOMY Economy— overview: The economy is based on service activities connected with the country’s strategic location and status as a free trade zone in northeast Africa. Two-thirds of the inhabitants live in the capital city; the remainder are mostly nomadic herders. Scanty rainfall limits crop production to fruits and veg¬ etables, and most food must be imported. Djibouti provides services as both a transit port for the region and an interna¬ tional transshipment and refueling center. Djibouti has few natural resources and little industry. The nation is, there¬ fore, heavily dependent on foreign assis¬ tance to help support its balance of payments and to finance development projects. An unemployment rate of 50% continues to be a major problem. While inflation is not a concern, due to the fixed tie of the Djiboutian franc to the US dollar, the artificially high value of the Djiboutian franc adversely affects Djibouti’s balance of payments. Per capita consumption dropped an estimated 35% over the last seven years because of reces¬ sion, civil war, and a high population growth rate (including immigrants and refugees). Faced with a multitude of eco¬ nomic difficulties, the government has fallen in arrears on long-term external debt and has been struggling to meet the stipulations of foreign aid donors. GDP (purchasing power parity): $619 million (2002 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $702 mil¬ lion (2005 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 3.2% (2005 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $1,000 (2005 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 17.9% industry: 22.5% services: 59.6% (2003 est.) Labor force: 282,000 (2000) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% Unemployment rate: 50% (2004 est.) Population below poverty line: 50% (2001 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (2005 est.) Budget: revenues: $135 million expenditures: $182 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.) Agriculture— products: fruits, vegeta¬ bles; goats, sheep, camels, animal hides Industries: construction, agricultural processing Industrial production growth rate: 3% (1996 est.) Electricity — production: 200 million kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 186 million kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil — production: 0 bbl/day (2004) Oil— consumption: 11,900 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day OH— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Exports: $250 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) Exports— commodities: reexports, hides and skins, coffee (in transit) Exports— partners: Somalia 66.4%, Ethiopia 21.5%, Yemen 3.4% (2005) Imports: $987 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) Imports— commodities: foods, bever¬ ages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products Imports— partners: Saudi Arabia 21.9%, India 18.7%, China 10.2%, Ethiopia 4.8%, France 4-7%, US 4-4%, Japan 4.2% (2005) Debt— external: $394 million (2004 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $64 1 million (2004) Currency (code): Djiboutian franc (DJF) Currency code: DJF Exchange rates: Djiboutian francs per US dollar— 174.75 (2006), 177.72 (2005), 177.72 (2004), 177.72 (2003), 177.72 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year 180 DOMINICA COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 11,100 (2004) Telephones — mobile cellular: 34,500 (2004) Telephone system: general assessment: telephone facilities in the city of Djibouti are adequate, as are the microwave radio relay connections to outlying areas of the country domestic: microwave radio relay network international: country code — 253; subma¬ rine cable to Jiddah, Suez, Sicily, Marseille, Colombo, and Singapore; satellite earth stations — 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; Medarabtel regional microwave radio relay telephone network Radio broadcast stations: AM l, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001) Radios: 52,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 1 (2001) Televisions: 28,000 (1997) Internet country code: dj Internet hosts: 1,540 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): l (2000) Internet users: 9,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 13 (-2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1 ,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 3 (2006) Railways: total: 100 km (Djibouti segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway) narrow gauge: 100 km 1.000-m gauge note: railway under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia (2005) Roadways: total: 2,890 km paved: 364 km unpaved: 2,526 km (1999) Merchant marine: total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 1,369 GRT/3,030 DWT by type: cargo 1 (2006) Ports and terminals: Djibouti MILITARY Military branches: Djibouti National Army (includes Navy and Air Force) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 95,328 females age 18-49: 87,795 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 1 8 — 49: 46,020 females age 18-49: 42,181 (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of GDP: 3.8% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: Djibouti maintains economic ties and border accords with “Somaliland” leadership while maintaining some political ties to various factions in Somalia; thousands of Somali refugees await repatriation in UNHCR camps in Djibouti Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: refugees (country of origin): 9,828 (Somalia) (2006) Trafficking in persons: current situation: Djibouti is a source, transit, and destina¬ tion country for women and children trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation and possibly forced labor; small numbers are trafficked from Ethiopia and Somalia for sexual exploitation; economic migrants from these countries also fall victim to traf¬ ficking upon reaching Djibouti City or the Ethiopia-Djibouti trucking corridor; women and children from neighboring countries reportedly transit Djibouti to Arab countries and Somalia for ultimate use in forced labor or sexual exploitation tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Djibouti does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of traf¬ ficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so based partly on the gov¬ ernment’s commitments to undertake future action DOMINICA INTRODUCTION Background: Dominica was the last of the Caribbean islands to be colonized by Europeans due chiefly to the fierce resist¬ ance of the native Caribs. France ceded possession to Great Britain in 1763, which made the island a colony in 1805. In 1980, two years after independence, Dominica’s fortunes improved when a corrupt and tyrannical administration was replaced by that of Mary Eugenia CHARLES, the first female prime min¬ ister in the Caribbean, who remained in office for 15 years. Some 3,000 Carib Indians still living on Dominica are the only pre-Columbian population remaining in the eastern Caribbean. GEOGRAPHY Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago Geographic coordinates: 15 25 N, 61 20 W Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total: 754 sq km land: 754 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 148 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 1 2 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical; moderated by north¬ east trade winds; heavy rainfall Terrain: rugged mountains of volcanic origin Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Morne Diablatins 1,447 m Natural resources: timber, hydropower, arable land Land use: arable land: 6.67% permanent crops: 21.33% other: 72% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: flash floods are a con¬ stant threat; destructive hurricanes can be expected during the late summer months Environment — current issues: NA 181 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: known as “The Nature Island of the Caribbean” due to its spectacular, lush, and varied flora and fauna, which are protected by an exten¬ sive natural park system; the most moun¬ tainous of the Lesser Antilles, its volcanic peaks are cones of lava craters and include Boiling Lake, the second-largest, thermally active lake in the world PEOPLE Population: 72,386 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 25.6% (male 9,481/female 9,048) 15-64 years: 64.2% (male 23,822/female 22,656) 65 years and over: 10.2% (male 3,165/ female 4,214) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 29.1 years male: 28.7 years female: 29.6 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.184% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 15.75 births/1, 000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 8.44 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -5.47 migrants )/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.048 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.051 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.751 male(s)/female total population: 1.015 male(s)/female (2007 est.) infant mortality rate: total: 14.61 deaths/1,000 live births male: 19.68 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.1 years male: 72.17 years female: 78.18 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.12 children bom/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Dominican(s) adjective: Dominican Ethnic groups: black 86.8%, mixed 8.9%, Carib Amerindian 2.9%, white 0.8%, other 0.7% (2001 census) Religions: Roman Catholic 61.4%, Seventh Day Adventist 6%, Pentecostal 5.6%, Baptist 4.1%, Methodist 3.7%, Church of God 1.2%, Jehovah’s Witnesses 1.2%, other Christian 7.7%, Rastafarian 1.3%, other or unspecified 1.6%, none 6.1% (2001 census) Languages: English (official), French patois Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 94% male: 94% female: 94% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Commonwealth of Dominica conventional short form: Dominica Government type: parliamentary democracy Capital: name: Roseau geographic coordinates: 15 18N,61 24 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 10 parishes; Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Luke, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick, Saint Paul, Saint Peter Independence: 3 November 1978 (from UK) National holiday: Independence Day, 3 November (1978) Constitution: 3 November 1978 Legal system: based on English common law Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Nicholas J. O. LIVERPOOL (since October 2003) head of government: Prime Minister Roosevelt SKERRIT (since 8 January 2004) cabinet. Cabinet appointed by the presi¬ dent on the advice of the prime minister elections: president elected by the House of Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 1 October 2003 (next to be held in October 2008); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Nicholas LIVERPOOL elected president; percent of legislative vote — NA% Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (30 seats; 9 members appointed, 21 elected by popular vote; to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 5 May 2005 (next to be held by 5 August 2010); note— tradi¬ tion dictates that the election will be held within five years of the last election, but technically it is five years from the first seating of parliament (12 May 2005) plus a 90-day grace period election results: percent of vote by party — DLP 52.1%, UWP 43.6%, DFP 3.2%, other 1.1%; seats by party — DLP 12, UWP 8, independent 1 Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the Court of Appeal and the High Court (located in Saint Lucia; one of the six judges must reside in Dominica and preside over the Court of Summary Jurisdiction) Political parties and leaders: Dominica Freedom Party or DFP [Charles SAVARIN]; Dominica Labor Party or DLP [Roosevelt SKERRIT]; Dominica United Workers Party or UWP [Earl WILLIAMS] Political pressure groups and leaders: Dominica Liberation Movement or DLM (a small leftist party) International organization participa¬ tion: ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: vacant chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6781 FAX: [1] (202) 364-6791 consulate(s) general: New York Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Dominica; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Dominica Flag description: green, with a centered cross of three equal bands — the vertical part is yellow (hoist side), black, and white and the horizontal part is yellow (top), black, and white; superimposed in the center of the cross is a red disk bearing a sisserou parrot encircled by 10 green, five-pointed stars edged in yellow; the 10 stars represent the 10 administra¬ tive divisions (parishes) ECONOMY Economy— overview: The Dominican economy depends on agriculture, prima¬ rily bananas, and remains highly vulner¬ able to climatic conditions and international economic developments. Tourism has increased as the government seeks to promote Dominica as an “eco- tourism destination. Development of the tourism industry remains difficult, 182 DOMINICA however, because of the rugged coastline, lack of beaches, and the absence of an international airport. The government began a comprehensive restructuring of the economy in 2003 — including elimi¬ nation of price controls, privatization of the state banana company, and tax increases — to address Dominica’s eco¬ nomic crisis and to meet IMF targets. In order to diversify the island’s production base, the government is attempting to develop an offshore financial sector and is planning to construct an oil refinery on the eastern part of the island. GDP (purchasing power parity): $384 million (2003 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $279 mil¬ lion (2005) GDP— real growth rate: 3.1% (2005 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $3,800 (2005 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 17.7% industry: 32.8% services: 49.5% (2004 est.) Labor force: 25,000 (1999 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 40% industry: 32% services: 28% Unemployment rate: 23% (2000 est.) Population below poverty line: 30% (2002 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): -0.1% (2005 est.) Budget: revenues: $73.9 million expenditures: $84-4 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2001) Agriculture— products: bananas, citrus, mangoes, root crops, coconuts, cocoa; forest and fishery potential not exploited Industries: soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement blocks, shoes industrial production growth rate: -10% (1997 est.) Electricity— production: 83.88 million kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 47.1% hydro: 52.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 78.01 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity — imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil — production: 0 bbl/day (2004) Oil — consumption: 900 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas — production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Exports: $74 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) Exports — Commodities: bananas, soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit, oranges Exports— partners: UK 26.8%, Jamaica 10%, South Korea 8.9%, Antigua and Barbuda 8.7%, Guyana 7.4%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.8%, US 4% (2005) Imports: $234 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) Imports — Commodities: manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food, chemicals Imports— partners: US 25.5%, China 20.5%, Trinidad and Tobago 12.4%, South Korea 7.1%, Japan 4.7%, UK 4.4% (2005) Debt — external: $213 million (2004) Economic aid— recipient: $29.2 million (2004 est.) Currency (code): East Caribbean dollar (XCD) Currency code: XCD Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars per US dollar— 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002) Fiscal year: 1 July— 30 June COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 21,000 (2004) Telephones— mobile cellular: 41,800 (2004) Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: fully automatic network international: country code — 1-767; microwave radio relay and SHF radiotelephone links to Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHF radiotele¬ phone links to Saint Lucia Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 0 (2003) Radios: 46,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 1 (2004) Televisions: 6,000 (1997) Internet country code: dm Internet hosts: 263 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 16 (2000) Internet users: 20,500 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 2 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006) Roadways: total: 780 km paved: 393 km unpaved: 387 km (1999) Merchant marine: total: 48 ships (1000 GRT or over) 634,668 GRT/1,100,558 DWT by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 24, chemical tanker 4, container 2, petroleum tanker 6, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 1, vehicle carrier 1 foreign-owned: 45 (Estonia 11, Germany 1, Greece 5, Latvia 1, Norway 1, NZ 4, Russia 2, Saudi Arabia 3, Singapore 9, Syria 1, Turkey 3, UAE 2, Ukraine 2) (2006) Ports and terminals: Portsmouth, Roseau MILITARY Military branches: no regular military forces; Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (includes coast guard) (2006) Manpower available for military Service: males age 18-49: 18,227 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18^49: 15,136 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 602 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: NA (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: Dominica is the only Caribbean state to challenge Venezuela’s sovereignty claim over Aves Island and joins the other island nations in challenging whether the feature sus¬ tains human habitation, a criterion under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which permits Venezuela to extend its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and continental shelf claims over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea Illicit drugs: transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe; minor cannabis producer; anti-money¬ laundering enforcement is weak, making the country particularly vulnerable to money laundering 183 DOMINICAN REPUBLIC INTRODUCTION Background: Explored and claimed by Christopher COLUMBUS on his first voyage in 1492, the island of Hispaniola became a springboard for Spanish con- quest of the Caribbean and the American mainland. In 1697, Spain recognized French dominion over the western third of the island, which in 1804 became Haiti. The remainder of the island, by then known as Santo Domingo, sought to gain its own independence in 1821, but was conquered and ruled by the Haitians for 22 years; it finally attained independence as the Dominican Republic in 1844- In 1861, the Dominicans voluntarily returned to the Spanish Empire, but two years later they launched a war that restored inde¬ pendence in 1865. A legacy of unsettled, mostly non-representative rule followed, capped by the dictatorship of Rafael Leonidas TRUJILLO from 1930-61. Juan BOSCH was elected president in 1962, but was deposed in a military coup in 1963. In 1965, the United States led an intervention in the midst of a civil war sparked by an uprising to restore BOSCH. In 1966, Joaquin BALAGUER defeated BOSCH in an election to become presi¬ dent. BALAGUER maintained a tight grip on power for most of the next 30 years when international reaction to flawed elections forced him to curtail his term in 1996. Since then, regular competitive elections have been held in which opposi¬ tion candidates have won the presidency. Former President (1996-2000) Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna won election to a second term in 2004 following a constitu¬ tional amendment allowing presidents to serve more than one term. GEOGRAPHY Location: Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti Geographic coordinates: 19 00 N, 70 40 W Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total: 48,730 sq km land: 48,380 sq km water: 350 sq km Area — comparative: slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries: Haiti 360 km Coastline: 1,288 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 6 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin Climate: tropical maritime; little sea¬ sonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in rainfall Terrain: rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lago Enriquillo -46 m highest point: Pico Duarte 3,175 m Natural resources: nickel, bauxite, gold, silver Land use: arable land: 22.49% permanent crops: 10.26% other: 67.25% (2005) Irrigated land: 2,750 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding; periodic droughts Environment — current issues: water shortages; soil eroding into the sea dam¬ ages coral reefs; deforestation Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea Geography — note: shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti PEOPLE Population: 9,365,818 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 32.1% (male 1,532,813/ female 1,477,033) 15-64 years: 62.2% (male 2,971,620/ female 2,851,207) 65 years and over: 5.7% (male 247,738/ female 285,407) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 24.5 years male: 24.3 years female: 24.6 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.5% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 22.91 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 5.32 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -2.59 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.038 male(s)/femaie 15-64 years: 1.042 male (s)/fem ale 65 years and over: 0.868 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 27.94 deaths/1,000 live births male: 30.05 deaths/1,000 live births female: 25.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.07 years male: 71.34 years female: 74.87 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.81 children bom/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 1.7% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 88,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 7,900 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Dominican(s) adjective: Dominican Ethnic groups: mixed 73%, white 16%, black 11% Religions: Roman Catholic 95%, other 5% Languages: Spanish Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 87% male: 86.8% female: 87.2% (2002 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Dominican Republic conventional short form: The Dominican local long form: Republica Dominicana local short form: La Dominicana Government type: democratic republic Capital: name: Santo Domingo geographic coordinates: 18 28 N, 69 54 W 184 DOMINICAN REPUBLIC time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 31 provinces (provincias, singular — provincia) and 1 dis¬ trict* (distrito); Azua, Baoruco, Barahona, Dajabon, Distrito Nacional*, Duarte, El Seibo, Elias Pina, Espaillat, Hato Mayor, Independencia, La Altagracia, La Romana, La Vega, Maria Trinidad Sanchez, Monsenor Nouel, Monte Cristi, Monte Plata, Pedemales, Peravia, Puerto Plata, Salcedo, Samana, San Cristobal, San Jose de Ocoa, San Juan, San Pedro de Macoris, Sanchez Ramirez, Santiago, Santiago Rodriguez, Santo Domingo, Valverde Independence: 27 February 1844 (from Haiti) National holiday: Independence Day, 27 February (1844) Constitution: 28 November 1966; amended 25 July 2002 Legal system: based on French civil codes; Criminal Procedures Code modi¬ fied in 2004 to include important ele¬ ments of an accusatory system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married persons regardless of age; note — members of the armed forces and national police cannot vote Executive branch: chief of state: President Leonel FER¬ NANDEZ Reyna (since 16 August 2004); Vice President Rafael ALBUR- QUERQUE de Castro (since 16 August 2004); note — the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Leonel FER¬ NANDEZ Reyna (since 16 August 2004); Vice President Rafael ALBURQUER- QUE de Castro (since 16 August 2004) cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second consecutive term); election last held 16 May 2004 (next to be held in May 2008) ' election results: Leonel FERNANDEZ elected president; percent of vote — Leonel FERNANDEZ 57.1%, Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez 33.7%, Eduardo ESTRELLA 8.7% Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate or Senado (32 seats; mem¬ bers are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Camara de Diputados (178 seats; members are elected by pop¬ ular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate — last held 16 May 2006 (next to be held in May 2008); House of Representatives — last held 16 May 2006 (next to be held in May 2008) election results: Senate — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — PLD 22, PRD 6, PRSC 4; House of Represent¬ atives — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — PLD 96, PRD 60, PRSC 22 Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are appointed by the National Judicial Council comprised of the president, the leaders of both chambers of congress, the president of the Supreme Court, and an additional non-governing party congressional rep¬ resentative) Political parties and leaders: Domin¬ ican Liberation Party or PLD [Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna]; Dominican Rev¬ olutionary Party or PRD [Ramon ALBURQUERQUE]; National Progres¬ sive Front [Vincent CASTILLO, Pelegrin CASTILLO]; Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Enrique ANTUN] Political pressure groups and leaders: Citizen Participation Group (Partici- pacion Ciudadania); Collective of Popular Organizations or COP; Founda¬ tion for Institution-Building and Justice (FINJUS) International organization participa¬ tion: ACP, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (suspended), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador FlavioJOario ESPINAL Jacobo chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-6280 FAX: [1] (202) 265-8057 consulate(s) general: Anchorage, Boston, Chicago, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico) Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Hans H. HERTELL embassy: corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo Navarro, Santo Domingo mailing address: Unit 5500, APO AA 34041 -5500 telephone: [1] (809) 221-2171 FAX: [1] (809) 686-7437 Flag description: a centered white cross that extends to the edges divides the flag into four rectangles — the top ones are blue (hoist side) and red, and the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue; a small coat of arms featuring a shield supported by an olive branch (left) and a palm branch (right) is at the center of the cross; above the shield a blue ribbon displays the motto, DIOS, PATRIA, LIBERTAD (God, Father- land, Liberty), and below the shield, REPUBLICA DOMINICAN A appears on a red ribbon ECONOMY Economy— overview: The Dominican Republic is a Caribbean representative democracy that enjoyed strong GDP growth until 2003. Although the country has long been viewed primarily as an exporter of sugar, coffee, and tobacco, in recent years the service sector has over¬ taken agriculture as the economy’s largest employer due to growth in tourism and free trade zones. Growth turned negative in 2003 with reduced tourism, a major bank fraud, and limited growth in the US economy (the source of about 80% of export revenues), but recovered in 2004-06. With the help of strict fiscal targets agreed in the 2004 renegotiation of an IMF standby loan, President FERNANDEZ has stabilized the country’s financial situation. Although the economy continues to grow at a respectable rate, high unem¬ ployment and inflation remain impor¬ tant challenges. The country suffers from marked income inequality; the poorest half of the population receives less than one-fifth of GNP, while the richest 10% enjoys nearly 40% of national income. The Dominican Republic’s development prospects improved with the ratification of the Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) in September 2005. GDP (purchasing power parity): $77.09 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $20.55 billion (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 10.7% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $8,400 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 11.2% industry: 30.6% services: 58.2% (2005 est.) Labor force: 3.896 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 17% industry: 24.3% services: 58.7% (1998 est.) Unemployment rate: 16% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 25% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.1% highest 10%: 37.9% (1998) 185 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Distribution of family income — Gini index: 47.4 (1998) Inflation rafe (consumer prices): 8.2% (2006 est.) Investmenf (gross fixed): 15.5% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $5,852 billion expenditures: $5,947 billion; including capital expenditures of $1.1 billion (2006 est.) Public debt: 45.6% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, rice, beans, potatoes, com, bananas; cattle, pigs, dairy products, beef, eggs Industries: tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold mining, textiles, cement, tobacco Industrial production growth rate: 2% (2001 est.) Electricity— production: 15.02 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 92% hydro: 7.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0.4% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 13.96 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 12 bbl/day (2004) Oil— consumption: 127,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: 129,900 bbl/day (2003) Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 130 million cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 130 million cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: 41.124 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $6,495 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: ferronickel, sugar, gold, silver, coffee, cocoa, tobacco, meats, consumer goods Exports— partners: US 78.9%, Nether¬ lands 2.4%, Mexico 1.9% (2005) Imports: $11.39 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals Imports — partners: US 50%, Colombia 6.2%, Mexico 5.8% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $2,106 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $8,634 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $571.6 mil¬ lion (2004) Currency (code): Dominican peso (DOP) Currency code: DOP Exchange rates: Dominican pesos per US dollar— 33.406 (2006), 30.409 (2005), 42.12 (2004), 30.831 (2003), 18.61 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 894,500 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 3.623 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: relatively efficient system based on island-wide microwave radio relay network international: country code — 1-809; 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth station — 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 120, FM 56, shortwave 4 (1998) Radios: 1.44 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 25 (2003) Televisions: 770,000 (1997) Internet country code: do Internet hosts: 91,895 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 24 (2000) Internet users: 938,300 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 33 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 14 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 19 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 4 9 14 to 1 ,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 10 (2006) Railways: total: 517 km standard gauge: 375 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 142 km 0.762-m gauge note: additional 1,226 km operated by sugar companies in 1.076 m, 0.889 m, and 0.762-m gauges (2005) Roadways: total: 12,600 km paved: 6,224 km unpaved: 6,376 km (1999) Merchant marine: total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 1,587 GRT/1,165 DWT by type: cargo 1 (2006) Ports and terminals: Boca Chica, Puerto Plata, Rio Haina, Santo Domingo MILITARY Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 2,133,142 females age 1 8 — 49 : 2,032,840 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-4 9: 1,671,493 females age 18-49: 1,536,257 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 91,699 females age 18-49: 87,550 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 0.8% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: Haitian migrants cross the porous border into the Dominican Republic to find work; illegal migrants from the Dominican Republic cross the Mona Passage each year to Puerto Rico to find better work Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; has become a transship¬ ment point for ecstasy from the Netherlands and Belgium destined for US and Canada; substantial money laun¬ dering activity; Colombian narcotics traffickers favor the Dominican Republic for illicit financial transactions; signifi¬ cant amphetamine consumption 186 EAST TIMOR INTRODUCTION Background: The Portuguese began to trade with the island of Timor in the early 16th century and colonized it in mid-century. Skirmishing with the Dutch in the region eventually resulted in an 1859 treaty in which Portugal ceded the western portion of the island. Imperial Japan occupied East Timor from 1942 to 1945, but Portugal resumed colo¬ nial authority after the Japanese defeat in World War II. East Timor declared itself independent from Portugal on 28 November 1975 and was invaded and occupied by Indonesian forces nine days later. It was incorporated into Indonesia in July 1976 as the province of East Timor. An unsuccessful campaign of pacification followed over the next two decades, during which an estimated 100,000 to 250,000 individuals lost their lives. On 30 August 1999, in a UN- supervised popular referendum, an over¬ whelming majority of the people of East Timor voted for independence from Indonesia. Between the referendum and the arrival of a multinational peace¬ keeping force in late September 1999, anti-independence Timorese militias — organized and supported by the Indonesian military — commenced a large-scale, scorched-earth campaign of retribution. The militias killed approxi¬ mately 1,400 Timorese and forcibly pushed 300,000 people into West Timor as refugees. The majority of the country’s infrastructure, including homes, irriga¬ tion systems, water supply systems, and schools, and nearly 100% of the country’s electrical grid were destroyed. On 20 September 1999 the Australian- led peacekeeping troops of the International Force for East Timor (INTERFET) deployed to the country and brought the violence to an end. On 20 May 2002, East Timor was interna¬ tionally recognized as an independent state. In March of 2006, a military strike led to violence and a near breakdown of law and order. Over 2,000 Australian, New Zealand, and Portuguese police and peacekeepers deployed to East Timor in late May. Although many of the peace¬ keepers were replaced by UN police offi¬ cers, 850 Australian soldiers remained as of 1 January' 2007. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southeastern Asia, northwest of Australia in the Lesser Sunda Islands at the eastern end of the Indonesian archipelago; note — East Timor includes the eastern half of the island of Timor, the Oecussi (Ambeno) region on the northwest portion of the island of Timor, and the islands of Pulau Atauro and Pulau Jaco Geographic coordinates: 8 50 S, 125 55 E Map references: Southeast Asia Area: total: 15,007 sq km land: NA sq km water: NA sq km Area— comparative: slightly larger than Connecticut Land boundaries: total: 228 km border countries: Indonesia 228 km Coastline: 706 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical; hot, humid; distinct rainy and dry seasons Terrain: mountainous Elevation extremes: lowest point: Timor Sea, Savu Sea, and Banda Sea 0 m highest point: Foho Tatamailau 2,963 m Natural resources: gold, petroleum, nat¬ ural gas, manganese, marble Land use: arable land: 8.2% permanent crops: 4.57% other: 87.23% (2005) irrigated land: 1,065 sq km (est.) Natural hazards: floods and landslides are common; earthquakes, tsunamis, tropical cyclones Environment — current issues: wide¬ spread use of slash and burn agriculture has led to deforestation and soil erosion Environment— international agreements: party to: Climate Change, Desertification Geography — note: Timor comes from the Malay word for “East”; the island of Timor is part of the Malay Archipelago and is the largest and easternmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands PEOPLE Population: 1,084,971 note: other estimates range as low as 800,000 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 35.7% (male 196,825/female 190,454) 15-64 years: 61.1% (male 337,816/ female 325,094) 65 years and over: 3.2% (male 16,823/ female 17,959) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 21.1 years male: 21.2 years female: 21.1 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.059% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 26.77 births/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 6.19 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.033 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.039 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.937 male(s)/female total population: 1.034 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 44-46 deaths/1,000 live births male: 50.47 deaths/1,000 live births female: 38.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 66.6 years male: 64.28 years female: 69.04 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 3 .45 children bom/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Timorese adjective: Timorese Ethnic groups: Austronesian (Malayo-Poly- nesian), Papuan, small Chinese minority Religions: Roman Catholic 98%, Muslim 1%, Protestant 1% (2005) Languages: Tetum (official), Portuguese (official), Indonesian, English note: there are about 16 indigenous lan¬ guages; Tetum, Galole, Mambae, and Kemak are spoken by significant num¬ bers of people Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write 187 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK i total population: 58.6% male: NA% female: NA% (2002) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste conventional short form: East Timor local long form: Republika Demokratika Timor Lorosa’e [Tetum]; Republica Democratica de Timor-Leste [Portuguese] local short form: Timor Lorosa’e [Tetum]; Timor-Leste [Portuguese] former: Portuguese Timor Government type: republic Capital: name: Dili geographic coordinates: 8 35 S, 125 36 E time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 13 adminis¬ trative districts; Aileu, Ainaro, Baucau, Bobonaro (Maliana), Cova-Lima (Suai), Dili, Ermera, Lautem (Los Palos), Liquica, Manatuto, Manufahi (Same), Oecussi (Ambeno), Viqueque Independence: 28 November 1975 (independence proclaimed from Portugal); note — 20 May 2002 is the official date of international recognition of East Timor’s independence from Indonesia National holiday: Independence Day, 28 November (1975) Constitution: 22 March 2002 (based on the Portuguese model) Legal system: UN-drafted legal system based on Indonesian law remains in place but are to be replaced by civil and penal codes based on Portuguese law; these have passed but have not been promulgated Suffrage: 1 7 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Jose RAMOS- HORTA (since 20 May 2007); note — the president plays a Largely symbolic role but is able to veto legislation, dissolve parlia¬ ment, and call national elections head of government: Interim Prime Minister Estanislau da SILVA (since 19 May 2007); Deputy Prime Minister Rui Maria do ARAUJO (since 10 July 2006) cabinet: Council of Ministers elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 9 April 2007 with run-off on 8 May 2007 (next be be held in May 2012); following elections, president appoints leader of majority party or majority coalition as prime minister election results: Jose RAMOS-HORTA elected president; percent of vote — Jose RAMOS-HORTA 69.2%, Francisco GUTTERES 30.8% Legislative branch: unicameral National Parliament (number of seats can vary from 52 to 65; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms), note — for its first term of office, the National Parliament is comprised of 88 members on an exceptional basis elections: (next to be held on 30 June 2007); direct elections for national par¬ liament were never held; elected dele¬ gates to the national convention adopted a constitution and named themselves legislators instead of having elections; hence the exceptional numbers for this term of the national parliament election results: percent of vote by party — FRETILIN 57.4%, PD 8.7%, PSD 8.2%, ASDT 7.8%, UDT 2.4%, PNT 2.2%, KOTA 2.1%, PPT 2.0%, PDC 2.0%, PST 1.8%, independents/other 5.4%; seats by party — FRETILIN 55, PD 7, PSD 6, ASDT 6, PDC 2, UDT 2, KOTA 2, PNT 2, PPT 2, UDC/PDC 1, PST 1, PL 1, independent 1 Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice — constitution calls for one judge to be appointed by National Parliament and rest appointed by Superior Council for Judiciary; note — until Supreme Court is established, Court of Appeals is highest court Political parties and leaders: Asso- ciacao Social-Democrata Timorense or ASDT [Francisco Xavier do AMARAL]; Christian Democratic Party of Timor or PDC [Antonio XIMENES]; Christian Democratic Union of Timor or UDC [Vicente da Silva GUTERRES]; Democratic Party or PD [Fernando de ARAUJO]; National Congress of Reconstruction of Timor or CNRT [Xanana GUSMAO]; People’s Party of Timor or PPT [Jacob XAVIER]; Revolutionary Front of Independent East Timor or FRETILIN [Francisco Guterres Lu OLO]; Social Democrat Party of East Timor or PSD [Mario CARRASCALAO]; Socialist Party of Timor or PST [Pedro da COSTA]; Sons of the Mountain Warriors or KOTA [Clementino dos Reis AMARAL] (also known as Association of Timorese Heroes); Timor Democratic Union or UDT [Joao CARRASCALAO]; Timor Labor Party or PTT [Paulo Freitas DA SILVA]; Timorese Nationalist Party or PNT [Abilio ARAUJO] International organization participa¬ tion: ACP, ARF, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, 1MO, Interpol, IOC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PIF (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d’ Affaires Constancio PINTO chancery: 4201 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: 202 966-3202 FAX: 202 966-3205 consulate(s) general: New York Diplomatic representation trom the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d’ Affaires William Gary GRAY embassy: Avenida de Portugal, Praia dos Conqueiros, Dili mailing address: US Department of State, 8250 Dili Place, Washington, DC 20521-8250 telephone: (670) 332-4684 FAX: (670) 331-3206 Flag description: red, with a black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) superimposed on a slightly longer yellow arrowhead that extends to the center of the flag; there is a white star in the center of the black triangle ECONOMY Economy — overview: In late 1999, about 70% of the economic infrastruc¬ ture of East Timor was laid waste by Indonesian troops and anti- independ¬ ence militias, and 300,000 people fled westward. Over the next three years, however, a massive international pro¬ gram, manned by 5,000 peacekeepers (8,000 at peak) and 1,300 police officers, led to substantial reconstruction in both urban and rural areas. By the end of 2005, all refugees either returned or resettled in Indonesia. The country faces great challenges in continuing the rebuilding of infrastructure, strength¬ ening the infant civil administration, and generating jobs for young people entering the work force. The develop¬ ment of oil and gas resources in nearby waters has begun to supplement govern¬ ment revenues ahead of schedule and above expectations — the result of high petroleum prices— but the technology¬ intensive industry does little to create jobs for the unemployed, because there are no production facilities in Timor and the gas is piped to Australia. The parlia¬ ment in June 2005 unanimously approved the creation of a Petroleum Fund to serve as a repository for all petro¬ leum revenues and preserve the value of East Timor’s petroleum wealth for future generations. The mid- 2006 outbreak of violence and civil unrest disrupted both private and public sector economic activity. Real non-oil GDP growth in 2006 is estimated to have been negative. The underlying economic policy chal¬ lenge the country faces remains how best 188 ECUADOR to use oil-and-gas wealth to lift the non' oil economy onto a higher growth path and reduce poverty. GDP (purchasing power parity): $370 million (2004 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $349 mil¬ lion (2005) GDP— real growth rate: 1.8% (2005 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $800 (2005 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 8.5% industry: 23.1% services: 68.4% (2004) Labor force: NA Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% Unemployment rate: 50% estimated; note — unemployment in urban areas reached 20%; data do not include under¬ employed (2001 est.) Population below poverty line: 42% (2003 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Distribution of family income— Gini index: 38 (2002 est.) inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.4% (2005) Budget: revenues: $107.7 million expenditures: $73 million; including cap¬ ital expenditures of $NA (2004 est.) Agriculture— products: coffee, rice, com, cassava, sweet potatoes, soybeans, cabbage, mangoes, bananas, vanilla Industries: printing, soap manufac¬ turing, handicrafts, woven cloth industrial production growth rate: 8.5% Electricity— production: NA kWh Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: NA kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity — imports: 0 kWh (2004) Exports: $10 million; note — excludes oil (2005 est.) Exports — Commodities: coffee, sandal¬ wood, marble; note — potential for oil and vanilla exports Exports — partners: Indonesia 100% (2005) Imports: $202 million (2004 est.) Imports— commodities: food, gasoline, kerosene, machinery Economic aid — recipient: $153 million (2004 est.) Currency (code): US dollar (USD) Currency code: USD Exchange rates: the US dollar is used Fiscal year: l July— 30 June COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: NA Telephone system: NA Radio broadcast stations: at least 1 (East Timor has a state-run media over¬ sight authority that overseas at least 1 radio station — frequency type NA) Radios: NA Television broadcast stations: 1 (East Timor has a state-run media oversight authority that oversees at least 1 televi¬ sion station) Televisions: NA Internet country code: tl; note— ICANN approved the change from .tp in January 2005 Internet hosts: 68 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA Internet users: 1,000 (2004) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 8 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2006) Heliports: 9 (2006) Roadways: total: 5,000 km paved: 2,500 km unpaved: 2,500 km (2005) Ports and terminals: Dili MILITARY Military branches: East Timor Defense Force (Forcas de Defesa de Timor-Leste, FDTL): Army, Navy (Armada) (2005) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 235,198 females age 18-4 9: 223,069 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 179,422 females age 18^9: 184,533 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18—49: 12,740 females age 18-49: 12,438 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: NA TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: East Timor Indonesia Boundary Committee has resolved all but a small portion of the land boundary, but discussions on mar¬ itime boundaries are stalemated over sovereignty of the uninhabited coral island of Pulau Batek/Fatu Sinai in the north and alignment with Australian claims in the south; many refugees who left East Timor in 2003 still reside in Indonesia and refuse repatriation; Australia and East Timor agreed in 2005 to defer the disputed portion of the boundary for 50 years and to split hydro¬ carbon revenues evenly outside the Joint Petroleum Development Area covered by the 2002 Timor Sea Treaty Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: IDPs: 150,000 (2006) Illicit drugs: NA ECUADOR INTRODUCTION Background: What is now Ecuador formed part of the northern Inca Empire until the Spanish conquest in 1533. Quito became a seat of Spanish colonial government in 1563 and part of the Viceroyalty of New Granada in 1717. The territories of the Viceroyalty — New Granada (Colombia), Venezuela, and Quito — gained their independence between 1819 and 1822 and formed a federation known as Gran Colombia. When Quito withdrew in 1830, the tra¬ ditional name was changed in favor of the “Republic of the Equator.” Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost territories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border war with Peru that flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999. Although Ecuador marked 25 years of civilian gov¬ ernance in 2004, the period has been marred by political instability. Protests in Quito have contributed to the mid-term ouster of Ecuador’s last three democrati¬ cally elected Presidents. GEOGRAPHY Location: Western South America, bor¬ dering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator, between Colombia and Peru Geographic coordinates: 2 00 S, 77 30 W 189 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Map references: South America Area: total: 283,560 sq km land: 276,840 sq km water: 6,720 sq km note: includes Galapagos Islands Area — comparative: slightly smaller than Nevada Land boundaries: total: 2,010 km border countries: Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km Coastline: 2,237 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 200 nm continental shelf: 100 nm from 2,500 meter isobath Climate: tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations; trop¬ ical in Amazonian jungle lowlands Terrain: coastal plain (costa), inter- Andean central highlands (sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente) Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Chimborazo 6,267 m Natural resources: petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower Land use: arable land: 5.71% permanent crops : 4.81% other: 89.48% (2005) Irrigated land: 8,650 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; floods; peri¬ odic droughts Environment— current issues: defor¬ estation; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution; pollution from oil pro¬ duction wastes in ecologically sensitive areas of the Amazon Basin and Galapagos Islands Environment — international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change- Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world PEOPLE Population: 13,755,680 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 32.6% (male 2,282,319/ female 2,196,685) 15-64 years: 62.3% (male 4,271,848/ female 4,301,149) 65 years and over: 5.1% (male 330,302/ female 373,377) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 23.9 years male: 23.4 years female: 24-3 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.554% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 21.91 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 4.21 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -2.16 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.039 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.993 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.885 male(s)/female total population: 1.002 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 22.1 deaths/1,000 live births male: 26.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 17.47 deaths/ 1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.62 years male: 73.74 years female: 79.63 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.63 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.3% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 21,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 1,700 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Ecuadorian(s) adjective: Ecuadorian Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 65%, Amerindian 25%, Spanish and others 7%, black 3% Religions: Roman Catholic 95%, other 5% Languages: Spanish (official), Amerin¬ dian languages (especially Quechua) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91% male: 92.3% female: 89.7% (2001 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Ecuador conventional short form: Ecuador local long form: Republica del Ecuador heal short form: Ecuador Government type: republic Capital: name: Quito geographic coordinates: 0 13 S, 78 30 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 22 provinces (provinces, singular — provincia); Azuay, Bolivar, Canar, Carchi, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, El Oro, Esmeraldas, Gala¬ pagos, Guayas, Imbabura, Loja, Los Rios, Manabi, Morona-Santiago, Napo, Orellana, Pastaza, Pichincha, Sucum- bios, Tungurahua, Zamora-Chinchipe Independence: 24 May 1822 (from Spain) National holiday: Independence Day (independence of Quito), 10 August (1809) Constitution: 10 August 1998 Legal system: based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory 1CJ juris¬ diction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal, com¬ pulsory for literate persons ages 18-65, optional for other eligible voters Executive branch: chief of state: President Rafael CORREA Delgado (since 15 January 2007); Vice President Lenin MORENO Garces (since 15 January 2007); note — the pres¬ ident is both the chief of state and head of government head of government : President Rafael CORREA Delgado (since 15 January 2007); Vice President Lenin MORENO Garces (since 15 January 2007) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: the president and vice president are elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a four-year term (may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 15 October 2006 with a runoff election on 26 November 2006 (next to be held in October 2010) election results: Rafael CORREA Delgado elected president; percent of vote — Pvafael CORREA Delgado 56.7%; Alvaro NOBOA 43.3% Legislative branch: unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (100 seats; members are elected through a party-list proportional representation system to serve four-year terms) 190 ECUADOR elections: last held 15 October 2006 (next to be held in October 2010) election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — PRIAN 28; PSP 24; PSC 13; ID 7; PRE 6; MUPP-NP 6; RED 5; UDC 5; other 6; note — defections by members of National Congress are com- monplace, resulting in frequent changes in the numbers of seats held by the var¬ ious parties Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (according to the Constitution, new justices are elected by the full Supreme Court; in December 2004, however, Congress successfully replaced the entire court via a simple- majority resolution) Political parties and leaders: Alianza PAIS Movement [Rafael Vicente CORREA Delgado]; Christian Demo¬ cratic Union or UDC [Dr. Juan Manuel FUERTES]; Concentration of Popular Forces or CFP; Democratic Left or ID [Guillermo LANDAZURI]; Ethical and Democratic Network or RED [Leon ROLDOS]; National Action Institu¬ tional Renewal Party or PRIAN [Alvaro NOBOA]; Pachakutik Plurinational Unity Movement — New Country or MUPP-NP [Gilberto TALAHUA]; Patriotic Society Party or PSP [Lucio GUTIERREZ Borbua]; Popular Demo¬ cratic Movement or MPD [Gustavo TERAN Acosta]; Roldosist Party or PRE [Abdala BUCARAM Ortiz, director]; Social Christian Party or PSC [Leon FEBRES CORDERO]; Socialist Party — Broad Front or PS-FA [Victor GRAN DA] Political pressure groups and leaders: Confederation of Indigenous Nation¬ alities of Ecuador or CONAIE [Luis MACAS, president]; Coordinator of Social Movements or CMS [F. Napoleon SANTOS]; Federation of Indigenous Evangelists of Ecuador or FEINE [Marco MURILLO, president]; National Feder¬ ation of Indigenous Afro-Ecuatorianos and Peasants or FENOCIN [Pedro DE LA CRUZ, president] International organization participa¬ tion: CAN, CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Luis Benigno GALLEGOS Chiriboga chancery: 2535 15 th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone : [1] (202) 234-72 00 FAX: [1] (202) 667-3482 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Jersey City (New Jersey), Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, Washington, DC Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Linda L. JEWELL embassy: Avenida 12 de Octubre y Avenida Patria, Quito mailing address: APO AA 34039 telephone: [593] (2) 256-2890 FAX: [593] (2) 250-2052 consulate(s) general: Guayaquil Flag description: three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double width), blue, and red with the coat of arms superimposed at the center of the flag; similar to the flag of Colombia, which is shorter and does not bear a coat of arms ECONOMY Economy— overview: Ecuador has sub¬ stantial petroleum resources, which have accounted for 40% of the country’s export earnings and one-third of central government budget revenues in recent years. Consequently, fluctuations in world market prices can have a substan¬ tial domestic impact. In the late 1990s, Ecuador suffered its worst economic crisis, with natural disasters and sharp declines in world petroleum prices driving Ecuador’s economy into free fall in 1999. Real GDP contracted by more than 6%, with poverty worsening signifi¬ cantly. The banking system also col¬ lapsed, and Ecuador defaulted on its external debt later that year. The cur¬ rency depreciated by some 70% in 1999, and, on the brink of hyperinflation, the MAHAUD government announced it would dollarize the economy. A coup, however, ousted MAHAUD from office in January 2000, and after a short-lived junta failed to garner military support, Vice President Gustavo NOBOA took over the presidency. In March 2000, Congress approved a series of structural reforms that also provided the framework for the adoption of the US dollar as legal tender. Dollarization stabilized the economy, and growth returned to its pre¬ crisis levels in the years that followed. Under the administration of Lucio GUTIERREZ— January 2003 to April 2005 — Ecuador benefited from higher world petroleum prices. However, the government under Alfredo PALACIO reversed economic reforms that reduced Ecuador’s vulnerability to petroleum price swings and financial crises, allowing the central government greater access to oil windfalls and disbursing sur¬ plus retirement funds. GDP (purchasing power parity): $61.52 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $32.73 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 4.1% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $4,500 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 6.3% industry: 33.5% services: 60.2% (2006 est.) Labor force: 4.57 million (urban) (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 8% industry: 24% services: 68% (2001) Unemployment rate: 10.6% official rate; but underemployment of 47% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 38.5% (FY0506) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 32% note: data for urban households only (October 2003) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 42 note: data are for urban households (2003) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.4% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 22.6% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $11.5 billion expenditures: planned $10.46 billion; including capital expenditures of $1.6 billion (2006 est.) Public debt: 36% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca), plantains, sugarcane; cattle, sheep, pigs, beef, pork, dairy products; balsa wood; fish, shrimp Industries: petroleum, food processing, textiles, wood products, chemicals Industrial production growth rate: 5% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 12.2 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 81% hydro: 19% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 12.95 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 35 million kWh (2004) 191 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Electricity — imports: 1.642 billion kWh (2004) Oil — production: 493,200 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— consumption: 148,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: 387,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Oil — proved reserves: 5.115 billion bbl (2006 est.) Natural gas — production: 170 million cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 170 million cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — imports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — proved reserves: 9.769 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $727 million (2006 est.) Exports: $12.56 billion (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: petroleum, bananas, cut flowers, shrimp Exports— partners: US 50.6%, Peru 7.9%, Germany 4-3%, Colombia 4.3% (2005) Imports: $10.81 billion (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: vehicles, medi- cinal products, telecommunications equipment, electricity Imports— partners: US 22.1%, Colombia 14-8%, Venezuela 7.7%, Brazil 7.2%, China 5.2% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $2,514 billion (2006 est.) Debt— external: $18.1 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $216 million (2002) Currency (code): US dollar (USD) Currency code: USD Exchange rates: the US dollar is used; the sucre was eliminated in 2000 Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 1.701 million (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 6.246 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: generally elementary but being expanded domestic: facilities generally inadequate and unreliable international: country code 593, satel¬ lite earth station — 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (1997) Radio broadcast stations: AM 392, FM 35, shortwave 29 (2001) Radios: 5 million (2001) Television broadcast stations: 7 (plus 14 repeaters) (2000) Televisions: 2.5 million (2001) Internet country code: ec Internet hosts: 19,027 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 31 (2001) Internet users: 616,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 359 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 98 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 29 under 914 m: 43 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 261 914 to 1 ,523 m: 33 under 914 m: 228 (2006) Heliports: 1 (2006) Pipelines: extra heavy crude oil 578 km; gas 71 km; oil 1,386 km; refined products 1,185 km (2006) Railways: total: 966 km narrow gauge: 966 km 1.067-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 43,197 km paved: 6,467 km unpaved: 36,730 km (2004) Waterways: 1,500 km (most inacces¬ sible) (2005) Merchant marine: total: 31 ships (1000 GRT or over) 184,819 GRT/300,339 DWT by type: chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 1, passenger 7, petroleum tanker 21, spe¬ cialized tanker 1 foreign-owned: 2 (Norway 1, Paraguay 1) registered in other countries: 1 (Georgia 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Esmeraldas, Guaya¬ quil, La Libertad, Manta, Puerto Bolivar MILITARY Military branches: Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry, Naval Aviation, Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Ecuatoriana, FAE) (2007) Military service age and obligation: 20 years of age for conscript military service; 12 -month service obligation (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 20-49: 2,792,770 females age 20-49: 2,849,519 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 20-49: 2,338,428 females age 20—49: 2,380,327 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 133,922 females age 20—49: 129,758 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 2.8% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES ' _ _ Disputes — -international: organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia penetrate across Ecuador’s shared border, which thousands of Colombians also cross to escape the violence in their home country Refugees and infernally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 9,851 (Colombia); note — UNF4CR estimates as many as 250,000 Columbians are seeking asylum in Ecuador, many of whom do not register as refugees for fear of deportation (2006) Illicit drugs: significant transit country for cocaine originating in Colombia and Peru, with over half of the US-bound cocaine passing through Ecuadorian Pacific waters; importer of precursor chemicals used in production of illicit narcotics; attractive location for cash- placement by drug traffickers laundering money because of dollarization and weak anti-money-laundering regime; increased activity on the northern frontier by traf¬ ficking groups and Colombian insurgents EGYPT INTRODUCTION Background: The regularity and richness of the annual Nile River flood, coupled with semi-isolation provided by deserts to the east and west, allowed for the development of one of the world’s great civilizations. A unified kingdom arose circa 3200 B.C., and a series of dynasties ruled in Egypt for the next three mil¬ lennia. The last native dynasty fell to the Persians in 341 B.C., who in turn were replaced by the Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines. It was the Arabs who intro¬ duced Islam and the Arabic language in the 7 th century and who ruled for the next six centuries. A local military caste, the Mamluks took control about 1250 and continued to govern after the con¬ quest of Egypt by the Ottoman Turks in 1517. Following the completion of the Suez Canal in 1869, Egypt became an important world transportation hub, but also fell heavily into debt. Ostensibly to protect its investments, Britain seized control of Egypt’s government in 1882, but nominal allegiance to the Ottoman 192 EGYPT Empire continued until 1914. Partially independent from the UK in 1922, Egypt acquired full sovereignty following World War II. The completion of the Aswan High Dam in 1971 and the resultant Lake Nasser have altered the time-honored place of the Nile River in the agriculture and ecology of Egypt. A rapidly growing population (the largest in the Arab world), limited arable land, and dependence on the Nile all continue to overtax resources and stress society. The government has struggled to ready the economy for the new millennium through economic reform and massive investment in communications and physical infrastructure. GEOGRAPHY Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Libya and the Gaza Strip, and the Red Sea north of Sudan, and includes the Asian Sinai Peninsula Geographic coordinates: 27 00 N, 30 00 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 1,001,450 sq km land: 995,450 sq km water: 6,000 sq km Area— Comparative: slightly more than three times the size of New Mexico Land boundaries: total: 2,665 km border countries: Gaza Strip 11 km, Israel 266 km, Libya 1,115 km, Sudan 1,273 km Coastline: 2,450 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation Climate: desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters Terrain: vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta Elevation extremes: lowest point: Qattara Depression -133 m highest point: Mount Catherine 2,629 m Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, zinc Land use: arable land: 2.92% permanent crops: 0.5% other: 96.58% (2005) Irrigated land: 34,220 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: periodic droughts; fre¬ quent earthquakes, flash floods, land¬ slides; hot, driving windstorm called khamsin occurs in spring; dust storms, sandstorms Environment— current issues: agricul¬ tural land being lost to urbanization and windblown sands; increasing soil salina¬ tion below Aswan High Dam; desertifi¬ cation; oil pollution threatening coral reefs, beaches, and marine habitats; other water pollution from agricultural pesticides, raw sewage, and industrial effluents; very limited natural fresh water resources away from the Nile, which is the only perennial water source; rapid growth in population overstraining the Nile and natural resources Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: controls Sinai Peninsula, only land bridge between Africa and remainder of Eastern Hemisphere; controls Suez Canal, a sea link between Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea; size, and juxtaposi¬ tion to Israel, establish its major role in Middle Eastern geopolitics; dependence on upstream neighbors; dominance of Nile basin issues; prone to influxes of refugees PEOPLE Population: 80,335,036 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 32.2% (male 13,234,428/ female 12,631,681) 15-64 years: 63.2% (male 25,688,703/ female 25,082,200) 65 years and over: 4.6% (male 1,576,376/ female 2,121,648) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 24.2 years male: 23.9 years female: 24-6 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.721% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 22.53 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 5.11 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -0.21 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.048 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.024 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.743 male(s)/female total population: 1.017 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 29.5 deaths/1,000 live births male: 31.22 deaths/1,000 live births female: 27.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.57 years male: 69.04 years female: 74.22 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.77 children bom/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 12,000 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 700 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Egyptian(s) adjective: Egyptian Ethnic groups: Egyptian 98%, Berber, Nubian, Bedouin, and Beja 1%, Greek, Armenian, other European (primarily Italian and French) 1% Religions: Muslim (mostly Sunni) 90%, Coptic 9%, other Christian 1% Languages: Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by edu¬ cated classes Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 71.4% male: 83% female: 59.4% (2005 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Arab Republic of Egypt conventional short form: Egypt local long form: Jumhuriyat Misr al- Arabiyah local short form: Misr former: United Arab Republic (with Syria) Government type: republic Capital: name: Cairo geographic coordinates: 30 03 N, 31 15E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) 193 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK daylight saving time: + lhr, begins last Friday in April; ends last Thursday in September Administrative divisions: 26 gover- norates (muhafazat, singular — muha¬ fazah); Ad Daqahliyah, A1 Bahr al Ahmar, Al Buhayrah, Al Fayyum, Al Gharbiyah, Al Iskandariyah, Al Isma’iliyah, Al Jizah, Al Minufiyah, Al Minya, Al Qahirah, Al Qalyubiyah, Al Wadi al Jadid, As Suways, Ash Sharqiyah, Aswan, Asyut, Bani Suwayf, Bur Sa’id, Dumyat, Janub Sina’, Kafr ash Shaykh, Matruh, Qina, Shamal Sina’, Suhaj Independence: 28 February 1922 (from UK) National holiday: Revolution Day, 23 July (1952) Constitution: 11 September 1971; amended 22 May 1980 and 25 May 2005 Legal system: based on English common law, Islamic law, and Napoleonic codes; judicial review by Supreme Court and Council of State (oversees validity of administrative deci¬ sions); accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdic¬ tion, with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory Executive branch: chief of state: President Mohammed Flosni MUBARAK (since 14 October 1981) head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed NAZIF (since 9 July 2004) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the presi¬ dent elections: president elected by popular vote for six-year term (no term limits); note — a national referendum in May 2005 approved a constitutional amend¬ ment that changed the presidential elec¬ tion to a multicandidate popular vote; previously the president was nominated by the People’s Assembly and the nomi¬ nation was validated by a national, pop¬ ular referendum; last referendum held 26 September 1999; first election under terms of constitutional amendment held 7 September 2005; next election sched¬ uled for 2011 election results: Hosni MUBARAK reelected president; percent of vote — Hosni MUBARAK 88.6%, Ayman NOUR 7.6%, Noman GOMAA 2.9% Legislative branch: bicameral system consists of the People’s Assembly or Majlis al-Sha’b (454 seats; 444 elected by popular vote, 10 appointed by the presi¬ dent; members serve five-year terms) and the Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura that functions only in a consultative role (264 seats; 176 elected by popular vote, 88 appointed by the president; members serve six-year terms; mid-term elections for half of the elected members) elections: People’s Assembly three- phase voting — last held 7 and 20 November, 1 December 2005;(next to be held November-December 2010); Advisory Council— last held May-June 2004 (next to be held May-June 2007) election results: People’s Assembly per¬ cent of vote by party NA; seats by party— NDP 311, NWP 6, Tagammu 2, Tomorrow Party 1, independents 112 (12 seats to be determined by rerun elec¬ tions, 10 seats appointed by President); Advisory Council — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — NA Judicial branch: Supreme Constitu¬ tional Court Political parties and leaders: National Democratic Party or NDP (governing party) [Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK]; National Progressive Unionist Grouping or Tagammu [Rifaat EL-SAID]; New Wafd Party or NWP [Mahmoud ABAZA]; Tomorrow Party [Naji AL- GHATRIFI] note: formation of political parties must be approved by the government Political pressure groups and leaders: despite a constitutional ban against reli¬ gious-based parties, the technically illegal Muslim Brotherhood constitutes Hosni MUBARAK’s potentially most significant political opposition; MUBARAK tolerated limited political activity by the Brotherhood for his first two terms, but moved more aggressively since then to block its influence; civic society groups are sanctioned, but con¬ strained in practical terms; trade unions and professional associations are offi¬ cially sanctioned International organization participa¬ tion: ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, BSEC (observer), CAEU, COMESA, EBRD, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, ONUB, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMo! WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Nabil FAHMY chancery: 3521 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 895-5400 FAX: [1](202) 244-4319 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, San Francisco Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Francis J. RICCIARDONE, Jr. embassy: 8 Kamal El Din Salah St., Garden City, Cairo mailing address: Unit 64900, Box 15, APO AE 09839-4900 telephone: [20] (2) 797-3300 FAX: [20] (2) 797-3200 Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; the national emblem (a gold Eagle of Saladin facing the hoist side with a shield super¬ imposed on its chest above a scroll bearing the name of the country in Arabic) centered in the white band; design is based on the Arab Liberation flag and similar to the flag of Syria, which has two green stars, Iraq, which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white band, and Yemen, which has a plain white band ECONOMY Economy — overview: Occupying the northeast comer of the African conti¬ nent, Egypt is bisected by the highly fer¬ tile Nile valley, where most economic activity takes place. In the last 30 years, the government has reformed the highly centralized economy it inherited from President NASSER. In 2005, Prime Minister Ahmed NAZIF reduced per¬ sonal and corporate tax rates, reduced energy subsidies, and privatized several enterprises. The stock market boomed, and GDP grew about 5% per year in 2005-06. Despite these achievements, the government has failed to raise living standards for the average Egyptian, and has had to continue providing subsidies for basic necessities. The subsidies have contributed to a growing budget deficit — more than 10% of GDP each year — and represent a significant drain on the economy. Foreign direct invest¬ ment remains low. To achieve higher GDP growth the NAZIF government will need to continue its aggressive pur¬ suit of reform, especially in the energy sector. Egypt’s export sectors — particu¬ larly natural gas — have bright prospects. GDP (purchasing power parity): $334.4 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $85.37 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 6.8% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $4,200 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 14.7% 194 EGYPT industry: 35.5% services: 49.8% (2006 est.) Labor force: 21.8 million (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 32% industry: 17% services: 51% (2001 est.) Unemployment rate: 10.3% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 20% (2005 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4-4% highest 10%: 25% (1995) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 34.4 (2001) inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.5% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 19.2% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $21.32 billion expenditures: $31.83 billion; including capital expenditures of $2.7 billion (2006 est.) Public debt: 102.9% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: cotton, rice, com, wheat, beans, fruits, vegetables; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats Industries: textiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, hydrocarbons, construction, cement, metals, light manufactures Industrial production growth rate: 5.1% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 91.72 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 81% hydro: 19% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 84 49 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: l billion kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 200 million kWh (2004) Oil— production: 700,000 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil — consumption: 590,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: 134,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Oil — proved reserves: 2.6 billion bbl (2006 est.) Natural gas — production: 32.56 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 31.46 bil¬ lion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — exports: 1.1 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — Imports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 1.657 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $2,697 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $24-22 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — Commodities: crude oil and petroleum products, cotton, textiles, metal products, chemicals Exports — partners: US 13%, Italy 9.3%, Spain 7.7%, Syria 5.5%, France 4.9%, Germany 4.8%, Saudi Arabia 4.7% (2005) Imports: $35.86 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, wood products, fuels Imports — partners: US 10.6%, Germany 7%, China 6.5%, France 6.3%, Italy 5.8%, Saudi Arabia 4.8% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $26.3 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $29.59 billion (30 June 2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: ODA, $1.12 billion (2002) Currency (code): Egyptian pound (EGP) Currency code: EGP Exchange rates: Egyptian pounds per US dollar— 5.725 (2006), 5.78 (2005), 6.1962 (2004), 5.8509 (2003), 4-4997 (2002) Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 10.396 million (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 14045 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: large system; under¬ went extensive upgrading during 1990s and is reasonably modern; Internet access and cellular service are available domestic: principal centers at Alexandria, Cairo, A1 Mansurah, Ismailia, Suez, and Tanta are connected by coaxial cable and microwave radio relay international: country code — 20; 5 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations — 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat; tropospheric scatter to Sudan; microwave radio relay to Israel; a partic¬ ipant in Medarabtel (1998) Radio broadcast stations: AM 42 (plus 15 repeaters), FM 14, shortwave 3 (1999) Radios: 20.5 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 98 (September 1995) Televisions: 7.7 million (1997) Internet country code: eg Internet hosts: 2,254 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 50 (2000) Internet users: 5 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 88 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 72 over 3,047 m: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 38 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 under 914 m: 5 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 16 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1.524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 rn: 5 under 9 14 m: 7 (2006) Heliports: 3 (2006) Pipelines: condensate 464 km; conden¬ sate/gas 94 km; gas 6,021 km; liquid petroleum gas 897 km; oil 5,120 km; oil/gas/water 36 km; refined products 897 km (2006) Railways: total: 5,063 km standard gauge: 5,063 km 1.435-m gauge (62 km electrified) (2005) Roadways: total: 92,370 km paved: 74,820 km unpaved: 17,550 km (2004) Waterways: 3,500 km note: includes Nile River, Lake Nasser, Alexandria-Cairo Waterway, and numerous smaller canals in delta; Suez Canal (193.5 km including approaches) navigable by oceangoing vessels drawing up to 17.68 m (2005) Merchant marine: total: 76 ships (1000 GRT or over) 987.524 GRT/1,467,139 DWT by type: bulk carrier 14, cargo 33, con¬ tainer 2, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 13, roll on/roll off 9 foreign'owned: 9 (Denmark 1, Greece 6, Lebanon 2) registered in other countries: 49 (Bolivia 2, Cambodia 8, Georgia 8, Honduras 4, North Korea 2, Panama 16, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3, Sao Tome and Principe 1, Saudi Arabia 2, Sierra Leone 1 , Thailand 1 , unknown 1 ) (2006) Ports and terminals: Alexandria, Dami- etta, El Dekheila, Port Said, Suez, Zeit MILITARY Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Command Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for conscript military service; 3-year service obligation (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 18,347,560 females age 18-49: 17,683,904 (2005 est.) 195 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 15,540,234 females age 18-49: 14,939,378 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18—49: 802,920 females age 18-49: 764,176 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 3.4% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: while Sudan retains claim to the Hala’ib Triangle north of the 1 899 Treaty boundary along the 22nd Parallel, both states withdrew their military presence in the 1990s and Egypt has invested in and effectively administers the area; Egypt vigilantly monitors the Sinai and borders with Israel and the Gaza Strip to deter ter¬ rorist, smuggling, and other illegal activ¬ ities; Egypt does not extend domestic asylum to some 70,000 persons who identify themselves as Palestinians but who largely lack UNRWA assistance and, until recently, UNHCR recognition as refugees Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 60,000 80,000 (Iraq), 70,255 (Palestinian Territories), 13,446 (Sudan) (2006) Trafficking in persons: current situation: Egypt is a transit country for women trafficked from Eastern Europe to Israel for the purpose of sexual exploitation; these women gen¬ erally arrive as tourists and are subse¬ quently trafficked through the Sinai Desert by Bedouin tribes; men and women from sub-Saharan Africa and Asia are believed to be trafficked through the Sinai Desert to Israel and Europe for labor exploitation; some Egyptian children from rural areas are trafficked within the country to work as domestic servants or laborers in the agri¬ culture industry tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List— Egypt is placed on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to show evidence of increasing efforts to address trafficking over the past year, particularly in the area of law enforcement Illicit drugs: transit point for cannabis, heroin, and opium moving to Europe, Israel, and North Africa; transit stop for Nigerian drug couriers; concern as money laundering site due to lax enforcement of financial regulations EL SALVADOR • • ... - • q. INTRODUCTION Background: El Salvador achieved inde¬ pendence from Spain in 1821 and from the Central American Federation in 1839. A 12-year civil war, which cost about 75,000 lives, was brought to a close in 1992 when the government and leftist rebels signed a treaty that provided for military and political reforms. GEOGRAPHY Location: Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and Honduras Geographic coordinates: 13 50 N, 88 55 W Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total: 21,040 sq km land: 20,720 sq km water: 320 sq km Area— comparative: slightly smaller than Massachusetts Land boundaries: total: 545 km border countries: Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km Coastline: 307 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands Terrain: mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Cerro El Pital 2,730 m Notural resources: hydropower, geot¬ hermal power, petroleum, arable land Land use: arable land: 31.37% permanent crops: 11.88% other: 56.75% (2005) Irrigated land: 450 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible to hurricanes Environment— current issues: defor¬ estation; soil erosion; water pollution; contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol! Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea Geography — note: smallest Central American country and only one without a coastline on Caribbean Sea PEOPLE Population: 6,948,073 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 36.1% (male 1,281,889/ female 1,228,478) 15-64 years: 58.7% (male 1,942,674/ female 2,134,154) 65 years and over: 5.2% (male 158,276/ female 202,602) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 22 years male: 20.9 years female: 23.2 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.699% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 26.13 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 5.6 deaths/l ,000 population (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -3.54 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.043 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.781 maie(s)/female total population: 0.949 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total. 22.88 deaths/1,000 live births male: 25.76 deaths/1,000 live births female: 19.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.78 years 196 EL SALVADOR male: 68.18 years female: 75.57 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 3.08 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.7% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 29,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 2,200 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Salvadoran(s) adjective: Salvadoran Ethnic groups: mestizo 90%, white 9%, Amerindian 1% Religions: Roman Catholic 83%, other 17% note: there is extensive activity by Protestant groups throughout the country; by the end of 1992, there were an estimated 1 million Protestant evan¬ gelicals in El Salvador Languages: Spanish, Nahua (among some Amerindians) Literacy: definition: age 10 and over can read and write total population: 80.2% male: 82.8% female: 77.7% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of El Salvador conventional short form: El Salvador local long form: Republica de El Salvador local short form: El Salvador Government type: republic Capital: name: San Salvador geographic coordinates: 13 42 N, 89 12 W time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 14 depart¬ ments (departamentos, singular — depar- tamento); Ahuachapan, Cabanas, Chalatenango, Cuscatlan, La Libertad, La Paz, La Union, Morazan, San Miguel, San Salvador, San Vicente, Santa Ana, Sonsonate, Usulutan Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain) National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821 ) Constitution: 20 December 1983 Legal system: based on civil and Roman law with traces of common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez (since 1 June 2004); Vice President Ana Vilma Albanez DE ESCOBAR (since 1 June 2004); note — the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez (since 1 June 2004); Vice President Ana Vilma Albanez DE ESCOBAR (since 1 June 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 21 March 2004 (next to be held in March 2009) election results: Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez elected president; percent of vote — Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez 57.7%, Schafik HANDAL 35.6%, Hector SILVA 3.9%, other 2.8% Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (84 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve three-year terms) elections: last held 12 March 2006 (next to be held in March 2009) election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — ARENA 34, FMLN 32, PCN 10, PDC 6, CD 2 Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are selected by the Legislative Assembly) Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Rodolfo PARKER]; Democratic Convergence or CD [Ruben ZAMORA] (formerly United Democratic Center or CDU); Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front or FMLN [Medardo GONZALEZ]; National Conciliation Party or PCN [Ciro CRUZ ZEPEDA]; National Republican Alliance or ARENA [Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez]; Popular Social Christian Party or PPSC [Rene AGUILUZ]; Revolutionary Democratic Front or FDR [Julio Cesar HER¬ NANDEZ Carcamo] Political pressure groups and leaders: labor organizations — Electrical Industry Union of El Salvador or SIES; Federation of the Construction Industry, Similar Transport and other activities, or FESINCONTRANS; National Confed¬ eration of Salvadoran Workers or CNTS; National Union of Salvadoran Workers or UNTS; Port Industry Union of El Salvador or SIPES; Salvadoran Union of Ex-Petrolleros and Peasant Workers or USEPOC; Salvadoran Workers Central or CTS; Workers Union of Electrical Corporation or STCEL; business organi¬ zations — National Association of Small Enterprise or ANEP; Salvadoran Assembly Industry Association or ASIC; Salvadoran Industrial Association or ASI International organization participa¬ tion: BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (corre¬ spondent), ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Rene Antonio LEON Rodriguez chancery: 2308 California Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-9671 FAX: [1] (202) 234-3834 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Dallas, Elizabeth (New Jersey), Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York (2), Nogales (Arizona), Santa Ana (California), San Francisco, Washing¬ ton, DC consulate(s) : Boston Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Charles L. GLAZER embassy: Final Boulevard Santa Elena Sur, Antiguo Cuscatlan, La Libertad, San Salvador mailing address: Unit 3116, APO AA 34023 telephone: [503] 2278-4444 FAX: [503] 2278-5522 Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL; similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which has a dif¬ ferent coat of arms centered in the white band — it features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE NICA¬ RAGUA on top and AMERICA CEN¬ TRAL on the bottom; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band ECONOMY Economy — overview: The smallest country in Central America, El Salvador has the third largest economy, but growth has been minimal in recent years. Hoping to stimulate the sluggish economy, the government is striving to 197 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK open new export markets, encourage for¬ eign investment, and modernize the tax and healthcare systems. Implementation in 2006 of the Central America- Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement, which El Salvador was the first to ratify, has strengthened an already positive export trend. The trade deficit has been offset by annual remittances from Salvadorans living abroad — equiva¬ lent to more than 16% of GDP — and external aid. With the adoption of the US dollar as its currency in 2001, El Salvador has lost control over monetary policy and must concentrate on main¬ taining a disciplined fiscal policy. The current government has pursued eco¬ nomic diversification, with some success in promoting textile production, interna¬ tional port services, and tourism. It is committed to opening the economy to trade and investment, and has embarked on a wave of privatizations extending to telecom, electricity distribution, bank¬ ing, and pension funds. GDP (purchasing power parity): $33.68 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $15.16 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 4 2% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $4,900 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 9.7% industry: 29.6% services: 60.7% (2006 est.) Labor force: 2.856 million (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 17.1% industry: 17.1% services: 65.8% (2003 est.) Unemployment rate: 6% official rate; but the economy has much underem¬ ployment (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 35.2% (2005 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.67% highest 10%: 38.76% (2002) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 52.5 (2001) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.9% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 16.2% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $2.82 billion expenditures: $2.94 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (FY07 est.) Public debt: 42.6% of GDP (2006) Agriculture— products: coffee, sugar, corn, rice, beans, oilseed, cotton, sorghum; beef, dairy products; shrimp Industries: food processing, beverages, petroleum, chemicals, fertilizer, textiles, furniture, light metals Industrial production growth rate: 2% (2006 est.) Electricity — production: 5.293 billion kWh (2006) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 44% hydro: 30.9% nuclear: 0% other: 25.1% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 5.204 billion kWh (2006) Electricity — exports: 95.5 million kWh (2006) Electricity — imports: 11.2 million kWh (2006) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 43,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $1,059 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $3,686 ’billion (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: offshore assembly exports, coffee, sugar, shrimp, textiles, chemicals, electricity Exports— partners: US 61%, Guatemala 12.1%, Honduras 7.4%, Nicaragua 4.2% (2005) Imports: $7,326 billion (2006 est.) Imports Commodities: raw materials, consumer goods, capital goods, fuels, foodstuffs, petroleum, electricity Imports— partners: US 43.4%, Guatemala 8.2%, Mexico 7.8% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $1,951 billion (2006 est.) Debt— external: $8,841 billion (30 June 2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $127.5 mil¬ lion of which, $55 million from US (2005) Currency (code): US dollar (USD) Currency code: USD Exchange rates: the US dollar became El Salvador’s currency in 2001 Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use- 971,500 (2005) Telephones — mobile cellular: 2.412 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system international: country code — 503; satel¬ lite earth station — 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System Radio broadcast stations: AM 52, FM 144, shortwave 0 (2005) Radios: 2.75 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 5 (1997) Televisions: 600,000 (1990) Internet country code: sv Internet hosts: 4,682 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 4 (2000) Internet users: 637,100 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 75 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 71 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1 ,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 56 (2006) Heliports: 1 (2006) Railways: total: 562 km narrow gauge: 562 km 0.914-m gauge note: railways not in operation since 2005 because of disuse and lack of main¬ tenance due to high costs (2007) Roadways: total: 10,886 km paved: 2,827 km unpaved: 8,059 km (2000) Waterways: Rio Lempa partially navi¬ gable (2004) Ports and terminals: Acajutla, Puerto Cutuco MILITARY Military branches: Salvadoran Army (ES), Salvadoran Navy (FNES), Salvadoran Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Salvadorena, FAS) (2006) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service, with 12-month service obliga¬ tion; 16 years of age for volunteers (2002) Manpower available for military service: males age 18^9: 1,391,278 females age f 8-49: 1,542,323 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 960,315 females age 18-49: 1,310,466 (2005 est.) 198 EQUATORIAL GUINEA Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 70,286 females age 18-49: 69,526 (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of GDP: 5% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on the delimitation of “bolsones” (disputed areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras boundary, in 1992, with final agreement by the parties in 2006 after an Organization of American States (OAS) survey and a further ICJ ruling in 2003; the 1992 ICJ ruling advised a tripartite resolution to a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca advocating Honduran access to the Pacific; El Salvador con- tinues to claim tiny Conejo Island, not identified in the ICJ decision, off Honduras in the Gulf of Fonseca illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine; small amounts of marijuana pro¬ duced for local consumption; significant use of cocaine EQUATORIAL GUINEA INTRODUCTION Background: Equatorial Guinea gained independence in 1968 after 190 years of Spanish rule. This tiny country, com¬ posed of a mainland portion plus five inhabited islands, is one of the smallest on the African continent. President Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBA- SOGO has ruled the country since 1979 when he seized power in a coup. Although nominally a constitutional democracy since 1991, the 1996 and 2002 presidential elections — as well as the 1999 and 2004 legislative elec¬ tions — were widely seen as flawed. The president exerts almost total control over the political system and has discouraged political opposition. Equatorial Guinea has experienced rapid economic growth due to the discovery of large offshore oil reserves, and in the last decade has become Sub-Saharan Africa’s third largest oil exporter. Despite the country’s economic windfall from oil production resulting in a massive increase in govern¬ ment revenue in recent years, there have been few improvements in the popula¬ tion’s living standards. GEOGRAPHY Location: Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Cameroon and Gabon Geographic coordinates: 2 00 N, 10 00 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 28,051 sq km land: 28,051 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland Land boundaries: total: 539 km border countries: Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km Coastline: 296 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 1 2 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical; always hot, humid Terrain: coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pico Basile 3,008 m Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, timber, gold, bauxite, diamonds, tan¬ talum, sand and gravel, clay Land use: arable land: 4-63% permanent crops: 3.57% other: 91.8% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: violent windstorms, flash floods Environment — current issues: tap water is not potable; deforestation Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: insular and conti¬ nental regions widely separated PEOPLE Population: 551,201 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 41-5% (male 114,816/female 113,688) 15-64 years: 54-8% (male 145,740/ female 156,097) 65 years and over: 3.8% (male 8,957/ female 11,903) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 18.8 years male: 18.3 years female: 19.4 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.015% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 35.16 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 15.01 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.934 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.752 male(s)/female total population: 0.957 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 87.15 deaths/1,000 live births male: 93.17 deaths/ 1,000 live births female: 80.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 49.51 years male: 48.11 years female: 50.95 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 4 48 children bom/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 3.4% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 5,900 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS — deaths: 370 (2001 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diar¬ rhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorbome disease: malaria (2007) Nationality: noun: Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s) adjective: Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean Ethnic groups: Fang 85.7%, Bubi 6.5%, Mdowe 3.6%, Annobon 1.6%, Bujeba 1.1%, other 1.4% (1994 census) Religions: nominally Christian and pre¬ dominantly Roman Catholic, pagan practices 199 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Languages: Spanish 67.6% (official), other 32.4% (includes French (official), Fang, Bubi) (1994 census) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 85.7% male: 93.3% female: 78.4% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Equatorial Guinea conventional short form: Equatorial Guinea local long form: Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial/Republique de Guinee equatoriale local short form: Guinea Ecuatorial/ Guinee equatoriale former: Spanish Guinea Government type: republic Capital: name: Malabo geographic coordinates: 3 45 N, 8 47 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 7 provinces (provincias, singular — provincia); An- nobon, Bioko Norte, Bioko Sur, Centro Sur, Kie-Ntem, Litoral, Wele-Nzas independence: 12 October 1968 (from Spain) National holiday: Independence Day, 12 October (1968) Constitution: approved by national refer¬ endum 17 November 1991; amended January 1995 Legal system: partly based on Spanish civil law and tribal custom Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBA- SOGO (since 3 August 1979 when he seized power in a military coup) head of government: Prime Minister Ricardo Mangue Obama NFUBEA (since 14 August 2006); First Deputy Prime Minister Mercelino Oyono NTU- TUMU (since 15 June 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (no term limits); election last held 15 December 2002 (next to be held in December 2009); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president election results: Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO reelected presi¬ dent; percent of vote — Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO 97.1%, Celestino Bonifacio BACALE 2.2%; elections marred by widespread fraud Legislative branch: unicameral House of People’s Representatives or Camara de Representantes del Pueblo (100 seats; members directly elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 25 April 2004 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote by party NA; seats by party — PDGE 98, CPDS 2 note: Parliament has little power since the constitution vests all executive authority in the president Judicial branch: Supreme Tribunal Political parties and leaders: Con¬ vergence Party for Social Democracy or CPDS [Placido MIKO Abogo]; Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea or PDGE (ruling party) [Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO]; Party for Progress of Equatorial Guinea or PPGE [Severo MOTO]; Popular Action of Equatorial Guinea or APGE [Miguel Esono EM AN]; Popular Union or UP Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTO (observer) Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Purificacion ANGUE ONDO chancery: 2020 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 518-5700 FAX: [1] (202) 518-5252 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Donald C. JOHNSON embassy: adjacent to the golf course at the base of Mont Febe; note — relocated embassy is opened for limited functions; inquiries should continue to be directed to the US Embassy in Yaounde, Cameroon mailing address: B.P 817, Yaounde, Cameroon; US Embassy Yaounde, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2520 telephone: [237] 220 15 00 FAX: [237] 220 16 20 Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side and the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms has six yellow six-pointed stars (representing the mainland and five offshore islands) above a gray shield bearing a silk-cotton tree and below which is a scroll with the motto UNIDAD, PAZ, JUSTICIA (Unity, Peace, Justice) ECONOMY Economy — overview: The discovery and exploitation of large oil reserves have contributed to dramatic economic growth in recent years. Forestry7, farming, and fishing are also major components of GDP. Subsistence farming predominates. Although pre- independence Equatorial Guinea counted on cocoa production for hard currency earnings, the neglect of the rural economy under successive regimes has diminished potential for agriculture-led growth, (the government has stated its intention to reinvest some oil revenue into agriculture). A number of aid programs sponsored by the World Bank and the IMF have been cut off since 1993, because of corruption and mismanagement. No longer eligible for concessional financing because of large oil revenues, the government has been trying to agree on a “shadow” fiscal man¬ agement program with the World Bank and IMF. Government officials and their family members own most businesses. Undeveloped natural resources include titanium, iron ore, manganese, uranium, and alluvial gold. Growth remained strong in 2006, led by oil. Equatorial Guinea now has the fourth highest per capita income in the world, after Luxembourg, Bermuda, and Jersey. GDP (purchasing power parity): $25.69 billion (2005 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $7,644 billion (2005 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 18.6% (2005 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $50,200 (2005 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 2.8% industry: 92.6% services: 4.5% (2006 est.) Labor force: NA Unemployment rate: 30% (1998 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.2% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 34. 1% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $2,752 billion expenditures: $1,424 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 4.7% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: coffee, cocoa, rice, yams, cassava (tapioca), bananas, palm oil nuts; livestock; timber 200 ERITREA Industries: petroleum, fishing, saw- milling, natural gas Industrial production growth rate: 30% (2002 est.) Electricity— production: 26 million kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 94-3% hydro: 5.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 24 18 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: OkWh (2004) Oil— production: 420,000 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— consumption: 1,220 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Oil— proved reserves: 563.5 million bbl (1 January 2002) Natural gas— production: 100 million cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 100 million cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 36.81 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $175 million (2006 est.) Exports: $8,961 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: petroleum, methanol, timber, cocoa Exports— partners: US 24.6%, China 21.8%, Spain 10.8%, Canada 7.3%, Taiwan 7.2%, Portugal 5.5%, Nether¬ lands 5.2%, Brazil 4.6%, France 4% (2005) Imports: $2,543 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: petroleum sector equipment, other equipment Imports— partners: US 24.5%, Italy 20.6%, France 12.1%, Spain 10.8%, Cote d’Ivoire 8.6%, UK 6.9% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $3,235 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $289 million (2006 est.) Economic aid — recipient: $NA Currency (code): Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note — responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States Currency code: XAF Exchange rates: Communaute Finan¬ ciere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar— 522.4 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 10,000 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 96,900 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: poor system with ade¬ quate government services domestic: NA international: country code — 240; inter¬ national communications from Bata and Malabo to African and European coun¬ tries; satellite earth station — 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 5 (2001) Radios: 180,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 1 (2001) Televisions: 4,000 (1997) Internet country code: gq Internet hosts: 19 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2002) Internet users: 5,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 4 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Pipelines: condensate 46 km; conden¬ sate/gas 5 km; gas 47 km; oil 31 km (2006) Roadways: total: 2,880 km (1999) Merchant marine: total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 1,745 GRT/3,434 DWT by type: cargo 1 (2006) Ports and terminals: Malabo MILITARY Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force (2005) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age (est.) (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 104,563 females age 18-49: 109,923 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 56,462 females age 18-49: 59,260 (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of GDP: 0.1% (2006 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: in 2002, ICJ ruled on an equidistance settlement of Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-N igeria maritime boundary in the Gulf of Guinea, but a dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an island at the mouth of the Ntem River and imprecisely defined maritime coordinates in the ICJ decision delay final delimitation; UN urges Equatorial Guinea and Gabon to resolve the sover¬ eignty dispute over Gabon-occupied Mbane and lesser islands and to create a maritime boundary in the hydrocarbon- rich Corisco Bay Trafficking in persons: current situation: Equatorial Guinea is a transit and desti¬ nation country for women and children trafficked for forced labor, involuntary domestic servitude, and commercial sexual exploitation from surrounding countries — primarily Benin, Nigeria, Mali, and Cameroon; victims work in the agricultural and commercial sectors of Malabo and Bata, where demand is high due to a booming oil sector; chil¬ dren work as farmhands, street vendors, or household servants; girls and women are also trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Equatorial Guinea is placed on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide adequate evidence of concrete measures to address trafficking during 2005 ERITREA INTRODUCTION Background: Eritrea was awarded to Ethiopia in 1952 as part of a federation. Ethiopia’s annexation of Eritrea as a province 10 years later sparked a 30-year struggle for independence that ended in 1991 with Eritrean rebels defeating gov¬ ernmental forces; independence was overwhelmingly approved in a 1993 ref¬ erendum. A two-and-a-half-year border war with Ethiopia that erupted in 1998 ended under UN auspices in December 2000. Eritrea currently hosts a UN peacekeeping operation that is moni¬ toring a 25 km-wide Temporary Security Zone on the border with Ethiopia. An international commission, organized to resolve the border dispute, posted its findings in 2002. However, both parties have been unable to reach agreement on implementing the decision. In November 2006, the international com¬ mission informed Eritrea and Ethiopia 201 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK they had one year to demarcate the border or the border demarcation would be based on coordinates. GEOGRAPHY Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and Sudan Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 39 00 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 121,320 sq km land: 121,320 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: slightly larger than Pennsylvania Land boundaries: total: 1,626 km border countries: Djibouti 109 km, Ethiopia 912 km, Sudan 605 km Coastline: 2,234 km (mainland on Red Sea 1,151 km, islands in Red Sea 1,083 km) Maritime Claims: territorial sea: 12 nm Climate: hot, dry desert strip along Red Sea coast; cooler and wetter in the cen¬ tral highlands (up to 61 cm of rainfall annually, heaviest June to September); semiarid in western hills and lowlands Terrain: dominated by extension of Ethiopian north-south trending high¬ lands, descending on the east to a coastal desert plain, on the northwest to hilly terrain and on the southwest to flat-to- rolling plains Elevation extremes: lowest point: near Kulul within the Denakil depression -75 m highest point: Soira 3,018 m Natural resources: gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, possibly oil and natural gas, fish Land use: arable land: 4-78% permanent crops: 0.03% other: 95.19% (2005) Irrigated land: 210 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: frequent droughts; locust swarms Environment-current issues: defor¬ estation; desertification; soil erosion; overgrazing; loss of infrastructure from civil warfare Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography— note: strategic geopolitical position along world’s busiest shipping lanes; Eritrea retained the entire coast¬ line of Ethiopia along the Red Sea upon de jure independence from Ethiopia on 24 May 1993 PEOPLE Population: 4,906,585 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 43.5% (male 1,073,404/ female 1,060,674) 15-64 years: 52.9% (male 1,286,613/ female 1,310,294) 65 years and over: 3.6% (male 85,052/ female 90,548) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 17.9 years male: 17.7 years female: 18.2 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.461% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 33.97 births/1, 000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 9.36 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.012 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.982 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.939 male(s)/female total population: 0.993 male(s)/female (2007 est.) infant mortality rate: total: 45.24 deaths/1,000 live births male: 51.05 deaths/ 1,000 live births female: 39.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 59.55 years male: 57.88 years female: 61.28 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 4.96 children born/woman (2007 est.) HiV/AIDS — aduit prevalence rate: 2.7% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS — people living with HIV/AIDS: 60,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 6,300 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diar¬ rhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorbome disease: malaria is a high risk in some locations (2007) Nationality: noun: Eritrean(s) adjective: Eritrean Ethnic groups: Tigrinya 50%, Tigre and Kunama 40%, Afar 4%, Saho (Red Sea coast dwellers) 3%, other 3% Religions: Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant Languages: Afar, Arabic, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya, other Cushitic languages Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 58.6% male: 69.9% female: 47.6% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: State of Eritrea conventional short form: Eritrea local long form: Hagere Ertra heal short form: Ertra former: Eritrea Autonomous Region in Ethiopia Government type: transitional government note: following a successful referendum on independence for the Autonomous Region of Eritrea on 23-25 April 1993, a National Assembly, composed entirely of the People’s Front for Democracy and Justice or PFDJ, was established as a tran¬ sitional legislature; a Constitutional Commission was also established to draft a constitution; ISAIAS Afworki was elected president by the transitional leg¬ islature; the constitution, ratified in May 1997, did not enter into effect, pending parliamentary and presidential elections; parliamentary elections were scheduled in December 2001, but were postponed indefinitely; currently the sole legal party is the People’s Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ) Capital: name: Asmara (Asmera) geographic coordinates: 15 20 N, 38 53 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 6 regions (zobatat, singular — zoba); Anseba, Debub (Southern), Debubawi K’eyih Bahri (Southern Red Sea), Gash Barka, Ma’akel (Central), Semenawi Keyih Bahri (Northern Red Sea) Independence: 24 May 1993 (from Ethiopia) National holiday: Independence Day, 24 May (1993) Constitution: a transitional constitution, decreed on 19 May 1993, was replaced by a new constitution adopted on 23 May 1997, but not yet implemented 202 ERITREA Legal system: primary basis is the Ethiopian legal code of 1957, with revi¬ sions; new civil, commercial, and penal codes have not yet been promulgated; government also issues unilateral procla¬ mations setting laws and policies; also relies on customary and post-independ¬ ence-enacted laws and, for civil cases involving Muslims, Islamic law Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993); note — the president is both the chief of state and head of gov¬ ernment and is head of the State Council and National Assembly head of government: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993) cabinet: State Council is the collective executive authority; members appointed by the president elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); the most recent and only election held 8 June 1993 (next election date uncertain as the National Assembly did not hold a presi¬ dential election in December 2001 as anticipated) election results: ISAIAS Afworki elected president; percent of National Assembly vote — ISAIAS Afworki 95%, other 5% Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (150 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: in May 1997, following the adoption of the new constitution, 75 members of the PFDJ Central Committee (the old Central Committee of the EPLF), 60 members of the 527- member Constituent Assembly, which had been established in 1997 to discuss and ratify the new constitution, and 15 representatives of Eritreans living abroad were formed into a Transitional National Assembly to serve as the country’s leg¬ islative body until countrywide elections to a National Assembly were held; although only 75 of 150 members of the Transitional National Assembly were elected, the constitution stipulates that once past the transition stage, all mem¬ bers of the National Assembly will be elected by secret ballot of all eligible voters; National Assembly elections scheduled for December 2001 were post¬ poned indefinitely Judicial branch: High Court— regional, subregional, and village courts; also have military and special courts Political parties and leaders: People’s Front for Democracy and Justice or PFDJ [ISAIAS Afworki] (the only party recog¬ nized by the government); note — a National Assembly committee drafted a law on political parties in January 2001, but the full National Assembly has not yet debated or voted on it Political pressure groups and leaders: Eritrean Islamic Jihad or EIJ (also including Eritrean Islamic Jihad Movement or EIJM (also known as the Abu Sihel Movement)); Eritrean Islamic Salvation or EIS (also known as the Arafa Movement); Eritrean Liberation Front or ELF [ABDULLAH Mu- hammed]; Eritrean National Alliance or ENA (a coalition including EIJ, EIS, ELF, and a number of ELF factions) [HERUY Tedla Biru]; Eritrean Public Forum or EPF [ARADOM Iyob]; Eritrean Democratic Party (EDP) [HAGOS, Mesfin] International organization participa¬ tion: ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signa¬ tory), IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (observer), IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador GHIRMAI Ghebremariam chancery: 1708 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 319-1991 FAX: [1] (202) 319-1304 consulate(s) general: Oakland (California) Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Scott H. DELISI embassy: 179 Alaa Street, Asmara mailing address: P. O. Box 211, Asmara telephone: [291] (1) 120004 FAX: [291] (1) 127584 Flag description: red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) dividing the flag into two right triangles; the upper triangle is green, the lower one is blue; a gold wreath encircling a gold olive branch is centered on the hoist side of the red triangle ECONOMY Economy — overview: Since independ¬ ence from Ethiopia in 1993, Eritrea has faced the economic problems of a small, desperately poor country, accentuated by the recent implementation of restrictive economic policies. Eritrea has a com¬ mand economy under the control of the sole political party, the People’s Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ). Like the economies of many African nations, the economy is largely based on subsistence agriculture, with 80% of the population involved in farming and herding. The Ethiopian-Eritrea war in 1998-2000 severely hurt Eritrea’s economy. GDP growth fell to zero in 1999 and to -12.1% in 2000. The May 2000 Ethiopian offen¬ sive into northern Eritrea caused some $600 million in property damage and loss, including losses of $225 million in livestock and 55,000 homes. The attack prevented planting of crops in Eritrea’s most productive region, causing food production to drop by 62%. Even during the war, Eritrea developed its transporta¬ tion infrastructure, asphalting new roads, improving its ports, and repairing war- damaged roads and bridges. Since the war ended, the government has main¬ tained a firm grip on the economy, expanding the use of the military and party-owned businesses to complete Eritrea’s development agenda. In January 2005, the government essentially banned all imports. The government strictly con¬ trols the use of foreign currency, limiting access and availability. Few private enter¬ prises remain in Eritrea. Eritrea’s economy is heavily dependent on taxes paid by members of the diaspora. Erratic rainfall and the delayed demobilization of agriculturalists from the military con¬ tinue to interfere with agricultural pro¬ duction, and Eritrea’s recent harvests have not been able to meet the food needs of the country. Eritrea’s economic future depends upon its ability to master social problems such as illiteracy, unem¬ ployment, and low skills, and more importantly, on the government’s willing¬ ness to support a true market economy. GDP (purchasing power parity): $4 471 billion (2005 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $1,244 billion (2005 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 2% (2005 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $1,000 (2005 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 9.9% industry: 25.4% services: 64.6% (2006 est.) Labor force: NA Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 80% industry and services: 20% Unemployment rate: NA% Population below poverty line: 50% (2004 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 14% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 24.5% of GDP (2006 est.) 203 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Budget: revenues: $257.6 million expenditures: $424 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: sorghum, lentils, vegetables, com, cotton, tobacco, sisal; livestock, goats; fish Industries: food processing, beverages, clothing and textiles, light manufac¬ turing, salt, cement Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity — production: 276.1 million kWh (2004) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 256.7 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil — production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — consumption: 5,300 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas — production: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $440.5 mil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $17.65 million f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: livestock, sorghum, textiles, food, small manufac¬ tures (2000) Exports— partners: Italy 31.4%, US 11.9%, Belarus 5.9%, France 5.1%, Germany 4.6%, Turkey 4-4%, UK 4% (2005) Imports: $701.8 million f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: machinery, petroleum products, food, manufactured goods Imports — partners: Italy 15.1%, France 11.8%, US 9.5%, Germany 8.6%, Taiwan 7.3%, India 7%, Ireland 6.1%, Turkey 4-4%, Jordan 4.2% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $30.6 million (2006 est.) Debt — external: $311 million (2000 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $77 million (1999) Currency (code): nakfa (ERN) Currency code: ERN Exchange rates: nakfa (ERN) per US dollar— 15.4 (2006), 14-5 (2005), 13.788 (2004), 13.878 (2003), 13.958 (2002) note: the official exchange rate is 15 nakfa to the dollar Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 37,700 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 58,000 (2006) Telephone system: general assessment: inadequate domestic: inadequate; most telephones are in Asmara; government is seeking international tenders to improve the system (2002) international: country code — 291; note — international connections exist Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM NA, shortwave 2 (2000) Radios: 345,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 2 (2006) Televisions: 1,000 (1997) Internet country code; er Internet hosts: 1,088 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 5 (2001) Internet users: 70,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 17 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 13 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2006) Railways: total: 306 km narrow gauge: 306 km 0.950-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 4,010 km paved: 874 km unpaved: 3,136 km (1999) Merchant marine: total: 6 ships (1000 GRT or over) 19,506 GRT/23,649 DWT by type: cargo 3, liquefied gas 1, petro¬ leum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1 (2006) Ports and terminals: Assab, Massawa MILITARY \ Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service; conscript service obliga¬ tion — 16 months (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 893,361 females age 18—49: 891,662 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18—49: 555,553 females age 18-49: 562,426 (2005) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18—49: 50,156 females age 18—49: 49,746 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 6.3% (2006 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by 2002 Ethiopia-Eritrea Boundary Commission’s (EEBC) delimitation decision but, nei¬ ther party responded to the revised line detailed in the November 2006 EEBC Demarcation Statement; UN Peace¬ keeping Mission to Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), which has monitored the 25- km-wide Temporary Security Zone in Eritrea since 2000, is extended for six months in 2007 despite Eritrean restric¬ tions on its operations and reduced force of 17,000; Sudan accuses Eritrea of sup¬ porting eastern Sudanese rebel groups Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: IDPs: 40,000-45,000 (border war with Ethiopia from 1998-2000; most IDPs are near the central border region) (2006) ESTONIA Background: After centuries of Danish, Swedish, German, and Russian rule, Estonia attained independence in 1918. Forcibly incorporated into the USSR in 1940 — an action never recognized by the US — it regained its freedom in 1991, with the col¬ lapse of the Soviet Union. Since the last Russian troops left in 1994, Estonia has been free to promote economic and political ties with Western Europe. It joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004. GEOGRAPHY Location: Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland, between Latvia and Russia Geographic coordinates: 59 00 N, 26 00 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 45,226 sq km land: 43,21 1 sq km water: 2,015 sq km note: includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea 204 ESTONIA Area— comparative: slightly smaller than New Hampshire and Vermont combined Land boundaries: total: 633 km border countries: Latvia 339 km, Russia 294 km Coastline: 3,794 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: limits fixed in coordination with neighboring states Climate: maritime, wet, moderate win¬ ters, cool summers Terrain: marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south Elevation extremes: lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Suur Munamagi 318 m Natural resources: oil shale, peat, phos¬ phorite, clay, limestone, sand, dolomite, arable land, sea mud Land use: arable land: 12.05% permanent crops: 0.35% other: 87.6% (2005) Irrigated land: 40 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: sometimes flooding occurs in the spring Environment— current issues: air pol¬ luted with sulfur dioxide from oil-shale burning power plants in northeast; how¬ ever, the amount of pollutants emitted to the air have fallen steadily, the emissions of 2000 were 80% less than in 1980; the amount of unpurified wastewater dis¬ charged to water bodies in 2000 was one twentieth the level of 1980; in connec¬ tion with the start-up of new water purification plants, the pollution load of wastewater decreased; Estonia has more than 1,400 natural and manmade lakes, the smaller of which in agricultural areas need to be monitored; coastal seawater is polluted in certain locations Environment— international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution- Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution- Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution- Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ship Pollution, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements GGOgraphy— note: the mainland terrain is flat, boggy, and partly wooded; offshore lie more than 1,500 islands PEOPLE Population: 1,315,912 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 15% (male 101,430/female 95,658) 15-64 years: 67.5% (male 423,664/ female 464,813) 65 years and over: 17.5% (male 76,344/ female 154,003) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 39.4 years male: 36 years female: 42.9 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: -0.635% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 10.17 births/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 13.3 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -3.22 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.911 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.496 male(s)/female total population: 0.842 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 7.59 deaths/1,000 live births male: 8.77 deaths/ 1,000 live births female: 6.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.3 years male: 66.87 years female: 78.07 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1 .41 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 1.1% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 7,800 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Estonian(s) adjective: Estonian Ethnic groups: Estonian 67.9%, Russian 25.6%, Ukrainian 2.1%, Belarusian 1.3%, Finn 0.9%, other 2.2% (2000 census) Religions: Evangelical Lutheran 13.6%, Orthodox 12.8%, other Christian (including Methodist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal) 1.4%, unaffiliated 34.1%, other and unspecified 32%, none 6.1% (2000 census) Languages: Estonian (official) 67.3%, Russian 29.7%, other 2.3%, unknown 0.7% (2000 census) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.8% male: 99.8% female: 99.8% (2000 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional bngform: Republic of Estonia conventional short form: Estonia local long form: Eesti Vabariik local short form: Eesti former: Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic Government type: parliamentary republic Capital: name: Tallinn geographic coordinates: 59 25 N, 24 45 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 15 counties (maakonnad, singular — maakond): Harjumaa (Tallinn), Hiiumaa (Kardla), Ida-Virumaa (Johvi), Jarvamaa (Paide), Jogevamaa (Jogeva), Laanemaa (Haap- salu), Laane-Virumaa (Rakvere), Parnu- maa (Pamu), Polvamaa (Polva), Raplamaa (Rapla), Saaremaa (Kuressaare), Tartu- maa (Tartu), Valgamaa (Valga), Viljandimaa (Viljandi), Vorumaa (Voru) note: counties have the administrative center name following in parentheses Independence: 20 August 1991 (from Soviet Union) National holiday: Independence Day, 24 February (1918); note — 24 February 1918 was the date Estonia declared its independence from Soviet Russia; 20 August 1991 was the date it declared its independence from the Soviet Union Constitution: adopted 28 June 1992 Legal system: based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal for all Estonian citizens Executive branch: chief of state: President Toomas Hendrik ILVES (since 9 October 2006) head of government: Prime Minister Andrus ANSIP (since 12 April 2005) 205 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, approved by Parliament elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); if a candidate does not secure two- thirds of the votes after three rounds of balloting in the Parliament, then an electoral assembly (made up of Parliament plus members of local gov¬ ernments) elects the president, choosing between the two candidates with the largest percentage of votes; election last held 23 September 2006 (next to be held in the fall of 201 1 ); prime minister nom¬ inated by the president and approved by Parliament election results: Toomas Hendrik ILVES elected president on 23 September 2006 by a 345-member electoral assembly; ILVES received 174 votes to incumbent Arnold RUUTEL’s 162; remaining 9 bal¬ lots left blank or invalid Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Riigikogu (101 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 4 March 2007 (next to be held in March 2011) election results : percent of vote by party — Estonian Reform Party 27.8%, Center Party of Estonia 26.1%, Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica 17.9%, Social Democratic Party 10.6%, Estonian Greens 7.1%, Estonian People’s Union 7.1%, other 5%; seats by party — Reform Party 31, Center Party 29, Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica 19, Social Democrats 10, Estonian Greens 6, People’s Union 6 Judicial branch: National Court (chairman appointed by Parliament for life) Political parties and leaders: Center Party of Estonia (Keskerakond) [Edgar SAVISAAR]; Estonian Greens; Estonian People’s Union (Rahvaliit) [Villu REILJAN]; Estonian Reform Party (Reformierakond) [Andrus ANSIP]; Estonian United Russian People’s Party or EUVRP [Yevgeniy TOMBERG]; Social Democratic Party (formerly Peoples Party Moodukad or Moderates) [Ivari PADAR]; Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica (Isamaa je Res Publica Liit) [Tonis LUKAS and Taavi VESKIMAGI] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PC A, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Juri LUIK chancery: 2131 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 588-0101 FAX: [1] (202) 588-0108 consulate(s) general: New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d’ Affaires Jeffrey GOLDSTEIN embassy: Kentmanni 20, 15099 Tallinn mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [372] 668-8100 FAX: [372] 668-8134 Flag description: pre-1940 flag restored by Supreme Soviet in May 1990 — three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white ECONOMY Economy— overview: Estonia has a modern market-based economy with strong ties to the West. It is a WTO and EU member and pegs its currency to the euro. The economy benefits from strong electronics and telecommunications sec¬ tors and is greatly influenced by develop¬ ments in Finland, Sweden, and Germany, three major trading partners. The current account deficit remains high; however, the state budget is essen¬ tially in balance, and public debt is low. GDP (purchasing power parity): $26.85 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $13.89 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 11.4% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $20,300 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 3.4% industry: 28% services: 68.6% (2006 est.) Labor force: 673,000 (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 11% industry: 20% services: 69% (1999 est.) Unemployment rate: 4.5% (2006) Population below poverty line: 5% (2003) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.9% highest 10%: 28.5% (2000) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 33 (2003) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.4% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 32 4% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $5,994 billion expenditures: $5,718 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 3.6% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: potatoes, veg¬ etables; livestock and dairy products; fish Industries: engineering, electronics, wood and wood products, textile; infor¬ mation technology, telecommunications Industrial production growth rate: 8% (2006 est.) Electricity — production: 9.29 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 99.8% hydro: 0.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0.2% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 6.846 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 2.141 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 347 million kWh (2004) Oil— production: 6,819 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 60,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: 0 bbl/day (2001) Oil— imports: 54,000 bbl/day (2004) Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 1.44 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas — imports: 1.44 billion cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $1,919 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $9.68 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — Commodities: machinery and equipment 33%, wood and paper 15%, textiles 14%, food products 8%, furniture 7%, metals, chemical products (2001) Exports— partners: Finland 26.3%, Sweden 13.2%, Latvia 8.8%, Russia 6.5%, Germany 6.2%, Lithuania 4.6% (2005) Imports: $12.03 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: machinery and equipment 33.5%, chemical products 11.6%, textiles 10.3%, foodstuffs 9.4%, transportation equipment 8.9% (2001) Imports— partners: Finland 19.7%, Germany 13.9%, Russia 9.2%, Sweden 8.9%, Lithuania 6%, Latvia 4.7% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $2,344 billion (2006 est.) Debt— external: $13.94 billion (30 June 2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $108 million (2000) Currency (code): Estonian kroon (EEK) 206 ETHIOPIA Currency code: EEK Exchange rates: krooni per US dollar— 12.473 (2006), 12.584 (2005), 12.596 (2004), 13.856 (2003), 16.612 (2002) note: the krooni is pegged to the euro FiSCOl year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 442,000 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 1.445 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: foreign investment in the form of joint business ventures greatly improved telephone service; sub¬ stantial fiber-optic cable systems carry telephone, TV, and radio traffic in the digital mode; Internet services are avail¬ able throughout most of the country domestic: a wide range of high quality voice, data, and Internet services is avail¬ able throughout the country international: country code — 372; fiber¬ optic cables to Finland, Sweden, Latvia, and Russia provide worldwide packet- switched service; 2 international switches are located in Tallinn (2001) Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 98, shortwave 0 (2001) Radios: 1.01 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 3 (2001) Televisions: 605,000 (1997) Internet country code: ee internet hosts: 52,241 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 38 (2001) Internet users: 690,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 24 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 12 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 12 over 3,047 m: 1 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 5 (2006) Heliports: 1 (2006) Pipelines: gas 859 km (2006) Railways: total: 958 km broad gauge: 958 km 1.520 m/1.524-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 56,856 km paved: 13,384 km (includes 99 km of expressways) unpaved: 43,472 km (2004) Waterways: 500 km (2005) Merchant marine: total: 35 ships (1000 GRT or over) 388,723 GRT/98,393 DWT by type: cargo 7, passenger/cargo 26, petroleum tanker 2 foreign- owned: 4 (Denmark 2, Norway 2) registered in other countries: 72 (Antigua and Barbuda 12, Bahamas 1, Belize 3, Cyprus 6, Dominica 11, Isle of Man 2, Liberia 1, Malta 4, Norway 1, Panama 3, Russia 1 , Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 25, Slovakia 1, Vanuatu 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Kopli, Kuivastu, Muuga, Tallinn, Virtsu MILITARY Military branches: Estonian Defense Forces: Land Force, Navy, Air Force, Volunteer Defense League (Kaitseliit, KL) (2006) Military service age and obligation: compulsory military service for men between 19 and 28; conscription lasts 11 months for junior NCOs and reserve pla¬ toon leaders; reserve officers and desig¬ nated specialists have a different conscript service obligation; Estonia has committed to retaining conscription for men up to 2010 and, unlike Latvia and Lithuania, has no plan to transition to a contract armed forces; 1 7 years of age for volunteers; reserve commitment up to the age of 60 (2006) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 291,696 females age 18-49: 304,961 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 200,382 (in 2004, 51% of the young men called up for service were determined to be unfit; main obsta¬ cles to conscription were psychiatric and behavioral) females age 18-49: 250,351 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 15-49: 11,146 females age 18-49: 10,605 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 2% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: Russia recalled its signature to the 1996 technical border agreement with Estonia in 2005, rather than concede to Estonia’s appending pre¬ pared a unilateral declaration referencing Soviet occupation and territorial losses; Russia demands better accommodation of Russian-speaking population in Estonia; Estonian citizen groups continue to press for realignment of the boundary based on the 1920 Tartu Peace Treaty that would bring the now divided ethnic Setu people and parts of the Narva region within Estonia; as a member state that forms part of the EU’s external border, Estonia must implement the strict Schengen border rules with Russia Illicit drugs: growing producer of syn¬ thetic drugs; increasingly important trans¬ shipment zone for cannabis, cocaine, opiates, and synthetic drugs since joining the European Union and the Schengen Accord; potential money laundering related to organized crime and drug traf¬ ficking is a concern, as is possible use of the gambling sector to launder funds; major use of opiates and ecstasy ETHIOPIA INTRODUCTION Background: Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian monarchy maintained its freedom from colonial rule with the exception of the 1936-41 Italian occupation during World War II. In 1974, a military junta, the Derg, deposed Emperor Haile SELASSIE (who had ruled since 1930) and established a socialist state. Torn by bloody coups, uprisings, wide-scale drought, and massive refugee problems, the regime was finally toppled in 1991 by a coalition of rebel forces, the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). A constitution was adopted in 1994, and Ethiopia’s first multiparty elec¬ tions were held in 1995. A border war with Eritrea late in the 1990’s ended with a peace treaty in December 2000. Final demarcation of the boundary is currently on hold due to Ethiopian objections to an international commission’s finding requiring it to surrender territory consid¬ ered sensitive to Ethiopia. GEOGRAPHY Location: Eastern Africa, west of Somalia 207 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Geographic coordinates: 8 00 N, 38 00 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 1,127,127 sq km land: 1,119,683 sq km water: 7,444 sq km Area — comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Texas Land boundaries: total: 5,328 km border countries: Djibouti 349 km, Eritrea 912 km, Kenya 861 km, Somalia 1,600 km, Sudan 1,606 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime claims: none (landlocked) Climate: tropical monsoon with wide topographicdnduced variation Terrain: high plateau with central moun¬ tain range divided by Great Rift Valley Elevation extremes: lowest point: Denakil Depression -125 m highest point: Ras Dejen 4,620 m Natural resources: small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash, natural gas, hydropower Land use: arable land: 10.01% permanent crops: 0.65% Other: 89.34% (2005) Irrigated land: 2,900 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to earth¬ quakes, volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts Environment— current issues: defor¬ estation; overgrazing; soil erosion; deser¬ tification; water shortages in some areas from water-intensive farming and poor management Environment — international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea Geography— note: landlocked — entire coastline along the Red Sea was lost with the de jure independence of Eritrea on 24 May 1993; the Blue Nile, the chief headstream of the Nile by water volume, rises in T’ana Hayk (Lake Tana) in northwest Ethiopia; three major crops are believed to have originated in Ethiopia: coffee, grain sorghum, and castor bean PEOPLE Population: 76,511,887 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mor¬ tality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the dis¬ tribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0—14 years: 43.4% (male 16,657,155/ female 16,553,812) 15—64 years: 53.8% (male 20,558,026/ female 20,639,076) 65 years and over: 2.7% (male 953,832/ female 1,149,986) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 18 years male: 17.8 years female: 18.1 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.272% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 37.39 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 14.67 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population note: repatriation of Ethiopian refugees residing in Sudan is expected to continue for several years; some Sudanese, Somali, and Eritrean refugees, who fled to Ethiopia from the fighting or famine in their own countries, continue to return to their homes (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.006 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.996 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.829 male(s)/female total population: 0.995 male(s)/female (2007 est.) infant mortality rate: total: 91.92 deaths/1,000 live births male: 101.57 deaths/1,000 live births female: 81.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 49.23 years male: 48.06 years female : 50.44 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 5.1 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 4 4% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 1.5 million (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 120,000 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever vectorbome diseases: malaria and cuta¬ neous leishmaniasis are high risks in some locations respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis animal contact disease: rabies water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007) Nationality: noun: Ethiopian(s) adjective: Ethiopian Ethnic groups: Oromo 32.1%, Amara 30.1%, Tigraway 6.2%, Somalie 5.9%, Guragie 4.3%, Sidama 3.5%, Welaita 2.4%, other 15.4% (1994 census) Religions: Christian 60.8% (Orthodox 50.6%, Protestant 10.2%), Muslim 32.8%, traditional 4-6%, other 1.8% (1994 census) Languages: Amarigna32.7%, Oromigna 31.6%, Tigrigna 6.1%, Somaligna 6%, Guaragigna 3.5%, Sidamigna 3.5%, Hadiyigna 1.7%, other 14-8%, English (major foreign language taught in schools) (1994 census) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 42.7% male: 50.3% female: 35.1% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT _ ^ ~ Country name: conventional long form: Federal Demo¬ cratic Republic of Ethiopia conventional short form: Ethiopia local long form: Ityop’iya Federalawi Demokrasiyawi Ripeblik local short form: Ityop’iya former: Abyssinia, Italian East Africa abbreviation: FDRE Government type: federal republic Capital: name: Addis Ababa geographic coordinates: 9 02 N,3842E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 9 ethnically- based states (kililoch, singular — kilil) and 2 self-governing administrations* (astedaderoch, singular — astedader); Adis Abeba* (Addis Ababa), Afar, Amara (Amhara), Binshangul Gumuz, Dire Dawa*, Gambela Hizboch (Gambela Peoples), Hareri Hizb (Harari People), Oromiya (Oromia), Sumale (Somali), Tigray, Ye Debub Biheroch Bihereseboch na Hizboch (Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples) Independence: oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest in the world — at least 2,000 years National holiday: National Day (defeat of MENGISTU regime), 28 May (1991) COitSfifUfion: ratified 8 December 1994, effective 22 August 1995 Legal system: currently transitional mix of national and regional courts Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President GIRMA 208 ETHIOPIA Woldegiorgis (since 8 October 2001) head of government: Prime Minister MELES Zenawi (since August 1995) cabinet: Council of Ministers as provided for in the December 1994 constitution; ministers are selected by the prime min¬ ister and approved by the House of People’s Representatives elections: president elected by the House of People’s Representatives for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); elec¬ tion last held 15 May 2005 (next to be held in October 2010); prime minister designated by the party in power fol¬ lowing legislative elections election results: GIRMA Woldegiorgis elected president; percent of vote by the House of People’s Representatives — 100% Legislative branch: bicameral Parlia¬ ment consists of the House of Federation (or upper chamber) (108 seats; members are chosen by state assemblies to serve five-year terms) and the House of People’s Representatives (or lower chamber) (547 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote from single-member districts to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 15 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010) election results: percent of vote — NA; seats by party — EPRDF 327, CUD 109, UEDF 52, SPDP 23, OFDM 11, BGPDUF 8, ANDP 8, independent 1, others 6, undeclared 2 note: irregularities at some polling sta¬ tions necessitated the rescheduling of voting in certain constituencies Judicial branch: Federal Supreme Court (the president and vice president of the Federal Supreme Court are recom¬ mended by the prime minister and appointed by the House of People’s Representatives; for other federal judges, the prime minister submits to the House of People’s Representatives for appoint¬ ment candidates selected by the Federal Judicial Administrative Council) Political parties and leaders: Afar National Democratic Party or ANDP; Benishangul Gumuz People’s Democratic Unity Front or BGPDUF [Mulualem BESSE]; Coalition for Unity and Democratic Party or CUDP [TEMES- GEN Zewdie] (contains elements of the former CUD); Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front or EPRDF [MELES Zenawi] (an alliance of Amhara National Democratic Movement or ANDM, Oromo People’s Democratic Organization or OPDO, the South Ethiopian People’s Democratic Front or SEPDF, and Tigrayan Peoples’ Liberation Front or TPLF); Gurage Nationalities’ Democratic Movement or GNDM; Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement or OFDM [BULCHA Demeksa]; Somali People’s Democratic Party or SPDP; United Ethiopian Democratic Forces or UEDF [BEYENE Petros]; dozens of small parties Political pressure groups and leaders: Ethiopian People’s Patriotic Front or EPPF; Ogaden National Liberation Front or ONLF; Oromo Liberation Front or OLF [DAOUD Ibsa] international organization participa¬ tion: ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Samuel ASSEFA chancery: 3506 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 364H200 FAX: [1] (202) 587-0195 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles consulate(s) : New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Donald Y. YAMAMOTO embassy: Entoto Street, Addis Ababa mailing address: P. O. Box 1014, Addis Ababa telephone: [251] (1) 517-4000 FAX: [251] (1) 517-4888 Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and red with a yellow pentagram and single yellow rays emanating from the angles between the points on a light blue disk centered on the three bands; Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa, and the three main colors of her flag were so often adopted by other African countries upon independence that they became known as the pan- African colors ECONOMY Economy — overview: Ethiopia’s poverty-stricken economy is based on agriculture, accounting for almost half of GDP, 60% of exports, and 80% of total employment. The agricultural sector suf¬ fers from frequent drought and poor cul¬ tivation practices. Coffee is critical to the Ethiopian economy with exports of some $350 million in 2006, but histori¬ cally low prices have seen many farmers switching to qat to supplement income. The war with Eritrea in 1998-2000 and recurrent drought have buffeted the economy, in particular coffee produc¬ tion. In November 2001, Ethiopia quali¬ fied for debt relief from the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initia¬ tive, and in December 2005 the IMF voted to forgive Ethiopia’s debt to the body. Under Ethiopia’s land tenure system, the government owns all land and provides long-term leases to the ten¬ ants; the system continues to hamper growth in the industrial sector as entre¬ preneurs are unable to use land as collat¬ eral for loans. Drought struck again late in 2002, leading to a 3.3% decline in GDP in 2003. Normal weather patterns helped agricultural and GDP growth recover in 2004-06. GDP (purchasing power parity): $74 88 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $13.32 billion ( est.) GDP— real growth rate: 10.6% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $1,000 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 46.7% industry: 12.9% services: 40.4% (2006 est.) Labor force: 27.27 million (1999) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 80% industry: 8% services: 12% (1985) Unemployment rate: NA% Population below poverty line: 38.7% (FY05/06 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3% highest 10%: 33.7% (1995) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 30 (2000) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 13% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 20% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $2,679 billion expenditures: $3,388 billion; including capital expenditures of $788 million (2006 est.) Public debt: 80.3% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: cereals, pulses, coffee, oilseed, cotton, sugarcane, pota¬ toes, qat, cut flowers; hides, cattle, sheep, goats; fish Industries: food processing, beverages, textiles, leather, chemicals, metals pro¬ cessing, cement Industrial production growth rate: 7.4% (2001 est.) Electricity — production: 2.294 billion kWh (2004) 209 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 1.3% hydro: 97.6% nuclear: 0% other: 1.2% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 2.133 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity — imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — consumption: 29,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Oil— proved reserves: 214,000 bbl (1 January 2002) Natural gas — production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 24.92 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: 43.384 bil¬ lion (FY05/06 est.) Exports: $1,085 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: coffee, qat, gold, leather products, live animals, oilseeds Exports— partners: Germany 15.5%, China 10.5%, Japan 8.5%, Saudi Arabia 6.9%, Djibouti 6.8%, Switzerland 6.4%, Italy 5.9%, US 5.5%, Netherlands 4-2% (2005) Imports: $4,105 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: food and live animals, petroleum and petroleum prod¬ ucts, chemicals, machinery, motor vehi¬ cles, cereals, textiles Imports— partners: Saudi Arabia 14.7%, China 12.6%, US 12.4%, India 6.7%, Italy 4.6% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $1,108 billion (2006 est.) Debt— external: $6,038 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $1.6 billion (FY05/06) Currency (code): birr (ETB) Currency code: ETB Exchange rates: birr per US dollar — 8.69 (2006), 8.68 (2005), 8.6356 (2004), 8.5997 (2003), 8.5678 (2002) note: since 24 October 2001 exchange rates are determined on a daily basis via interbank transactions regulated by the Central Bank Fiscal year: 8 July-7 July COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 610,300 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 410,600 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: adequate for govern¬ ment use domestic: open-wire; microwave radio relay; radio communication in the HF, VHF, and UHF frequencies; 2 domestic satellites provide the national trunk service international: country code — 251; open- wire to Sudan and Djibouti; microwave radio relay to Kenya and Djibouti; satel¬ lite earth stations — 3 Intelsat ( 1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 8, FM 0, shortwave 1 (2001) Radios: 15.2 million (2002) Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus 24 repeaters) (2001) Televisions: 682,000 (2002) Internet country code: et Internet hosts: 88 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2002) Internet users: 113,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION ^ Airports: 84 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 14 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 70 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 28 under 914 m: 23 (2006) Railways; total: 681 km (Ethiopian segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railroad) narrow gauge: 681 km 1.000-m gauge note: railway under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia (2005) Roadways: total: 36,469 km paved: 6,980 km unpaved: 29,489 km (2004) Merchant marine: total: 8 ships ( 1000 GRT or over) 79 441 GRT/97,669 DWT by type: cargo 6, roll on/roll off 2 (2006) Ports and terminals: Ethiopia is land¬ locked and uses the port of Djibouti MILITARY Military branches: Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF): Ground Forces, Ethiopian Air Force note: Ethiopia is landlocked and has no navy; following the secession of Eritrea, Ethiopian naval facilities remained in Eritrean possession Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 14,568,277 females age 18-49: 14,482,885 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 8,072,755 females age 18-49: 7,902,660 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 803,777 females age 18-49: 801,789 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 3% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by the 2002 Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission’s (EEBC) delimitation decision, but nei¬ ther party responded to the revised line detailed in the November 2006 EEBC Demarcation Statement; UN Peacekeeping Mission to Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), which has monitored the 25-km-wide Temporary Security Zone in Eritrea since 2000, is extended for six months in 2007 despite Eritrean restrictions on its operations and reduced force of 17,000; the undemarcated former British administrative line has little meaning as a political separation to rival clans within Ethiopia’s Ogaden and southern Somalia’s Oromo region; Ethiopian forces invaded southern Somalia and routed Islamist Courts from Mogadishu in January 2007; “Somaliland” secessionists provide port facilities in Berbera and trade ties to landlocked Ethiopia; civil unrest in eastern Sudan has hampered efforts to demarcate the porous boundary with Ethiopia Refugees and Infernally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 73,927 (Sudan), 15,901 (Somalia), 10,700 (Eritrea) IDPs: 100,000— 280,000 (border war with Eritrea from 1998—2000 and ethnic clashes in Gambela; most IDPs are in Tigray and Gambela Provinces) (2006) Illicit drugs: transit hub for heroin orig¬ inating in Southwest and Southeast Asia and destined for Europe, as well as cocaine destined for markets in southern Africa; cultivates qat (khat) for local use and regional export, principally to Djibouti and Somalia (legal in all three countries); the lack of a well-developed financial system limits the country’s utility as a money laundering center 210 FALKLAND ISLANDS (ISLAS MALVINAS) INTRODUCTION Background: Although first sighted by an English navigator in 1592, the first landing (English) did not occur until almost a century later in 1690, and the first settlement (French) was not estab¬ lished until 1764- The colony was turned over to Spain two years later and the islands have since been the subject of a territorial dispute, first between Britain and Spain, then between Britain and Argentina. The UK asserted its claim to the islands by establishing a naval gar¬ rison there in 1833. Argentina invaded the islands on 2 April 1982. The British responded with an expeditionary force that landed seven weeks later and after fierce fighting forced an Argentine sur¬ render on 14 June 1982. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of southern Argentina Geographic coordinates: 51 45 S, 59 00 W Map references: South America Area: total: 12,173 sq km land: 12,173 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the two main islands of East and West Falkland and about 200 small islands Area — comparative: slightly smaller than Connecticut Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 1,288 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm Climate: cold marine; strong westerly winds, cloudy, humid; rain occurs on more than half of days in year; average annual rainfall is 24 inches in Stanley; occasional snow all year, except in January and February, but does not accumulate Terrain: rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Usbome 705 m Natural resources: fish, squid, wildlife, calcified seaweed, sphagnum moss Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (99% permanent pastures, 1% other) (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: strong winds persist throughout the year Environment — current issues: over¬ fishing by unlicensed vessels is a problem; reindeer were introduced to the islands in 2001 for commercial reasons; this is the only commercial reindeer herd in the world unaffected by the 1986 Chomobyl disaster Geography — note: deeply indented coast provides good natural harbors; short growing season PEOPLE Population: 3,105 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA Population growth rate: 2.44% (2007 est.) Birth rate: NA Death rate: NA Net migration rate: NA Infant mortality rate: total: NA male: NA female: NA Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA male: NA female: NA Total fertility rate: NA HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Falkland Islander(s) adjective: Falkland Island Ethnic groups: British Religions: primarily Anglican, Roman Catholic, United Free Church, Evangelist Church, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Lutheran, Seventh-Day Adventist Languages: English Literacy: NA . GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina Government type: NA Capital: name: Stanley geographic coordinates: 51 42 S, 57 41 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins first Sunday in September; ends third Sunday in April Administrative divisions: none (over¬ seas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) National holiday: Liberation Day, 14 June (1982) Constitution: 3 October 1985; amended 1997 and 1998 Legal system: English common law Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Governor Alan HUCKLE (since 25 August 2006); Chief Executive Chris SIMPKINS (since March 2003) cabinet: Executive Council; three members elected by the Legislative Council, two ex officio members (chief executive and the financial secretary), and the governor elections: none; the monarchy is heredi¬ tary; governor appointed by the monarch Legislative branch: unicameral Legis¬ lative Council (10 seats; 2 members are ex officio and 8 are elected by popular vote; to serve four- year terms); presided over by the governor elections: last held 17 November 2005 (next to be held in November 2009) election results: percent of vote — NA; seats — independents 8 Judicial branch: Supreme Court (chief justice is a nonresident); Magistrates Court (senior magistrate presides over civil and criminal divisions); Court of Summary Jurisdiction Political parties and leaders: none; all independents Political pressure groups and leaders: none International organization participa¬ tion: ICFTU, UPU Diplomatic representation In the US: none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) 211 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) Flag description: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Falkland Island coat of arms cen¬ tered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms contains a white ram (sheep raising was once the major economic activity) above the sailing ship Desire (whose crew discovered the islands) with a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto DESIRE THE RIGHT ECONOMY Economy — overview: The economy was formerly based on agriculture, mainly sheep farming, but today fishing con¬ tributes the bulk of economic activity. In 1987 the government began selling fishing licenses to foreign trawlers oper¬ ating within the Falkland Islands’ exclu¬ sive fishing zone. These license fees total more than $40 million per year, which help support the island’s health, educa¬ tion, and welfare system. Squid accounts for 75% of the fish taken. Dairy farming supports domestic consumption; crops furnish winter fodder. Exports feature shipments of high-grade wool to the UK and the sale of postage stamps and coins. The islands are now self-financing except for defense. The British Geological Survey announced a 200-mile oil explo¬ ration zone around the islands in 1993, and early seismic surveys suggest substan¬ tial reserves capable of producing 500,000 barrels per day; to date, no exploitable site has been identified. An agreement between Argentina and the UK in 1995 seeks to defuse licensing and sovereignty conflicts that would dampen foreign interest in exploiting potential oil reserves. Tourism, especially eco-tourism, is increasing rapidly, with about 30,000 visitors in 2001. Another large source of income is interest paid on money the government has in the bank. The British military presence also provides a sizeable economic boost. GDP (purchasing power parity): $75 million (2002 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): NA GDP— real growth rate: NA% GDP— per capita (PPP): $25,000 (2002 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 95% industry: NA% services: NA% Labor force: 1,724 (est.) (1996) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 95% (mostly sheepherding and fishing) industry and services: 5% Unemployment rate: full employment; labor shortage (2001) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.6% (1998) Budget: revenues: $66.2 million expenditures: $67.9 million; including capital expenditures of $23.2 million (FY98/99 est.) Agriculture — products: fodder and veg¬ etable crops; sheep, dairy products; fish, squid Industries: fish and wool processing; tourism Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity — production: 16 million kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 14.88 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 230 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Exports: $125 million (2004 est.) Exports— commodities: wool, hides, meat, fish, squid Exports— partners: Spain 81.9%, US 6%, UK 4.5% (2005) Imports: $90 million (2004 est.) Imports— commodities: fuel, food and drink, building materials, clothing Imports— partners: UK 72.5%, US 15.1%, Netherlands 8.5% (2005) Debt — external: $NA Economic aid— recipient: $0 (1997 est.) Currency (code): Falkland pound (FKP) Currency code: FKP Exchange rates: Falkland pounds per US dollar— 0.5434 (2006), 0.5504 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002) note, the Falkland pound is at par with the British pound Fiscal year: l April— 31 March COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use' 2 400 (2002) ' ’ Telephones — mobile cellular: 0 (2001) Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: government-operated radio¬ telephone and private VHF/CB radio¬ telephone networks provide effective service to almost all points on both islands international: country code — 500; satel¬ lite earth station — 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) with links through London to other countries Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 7, shortwave 0 (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides Radio 1 and Radio 2 service) (2006) Radios: 1,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 2 (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides multi-channel satellite service to members of UK Forces as well as islanders); cable television is available in Stanley (2006) Televisions: 1,000 (1997) Internet country code; fk Internet hosts: 103 (2006) internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000) Internet users: 1,900 (2002) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 5 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2006) Roadways: total: 440 km paved: 50 km unpaved: 390 km (2003) Ports and terminals: Stanley MILITARY Military branches: no regular military forces Military expenditures— percent of GDP: NA Military — note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of the UK TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: Argentina, which claims the islands in its constitu¬ tion and briefly occupied them by force in 1982, agreed in 1995 to no longer seek settlement by force; UK continues to reject Argentine requests for sovereignty talks 212 FAROE ISLANDS INTRODUCTION Background: The population of the Faroe Islands is largely descended from Viking settlers who arrived in the 9th century. The islands have been con¬ nected politically to Denmark since the 14th century. A high degree of self gov¬ ernment was attained in 1948. GEOGRAPHY Location: Northern Europe, island group between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Iceland to Norway Geographic coordinates: 62 00 N, 7 00 w Map references: Europe Area: total: 1,399 sq km land: 1,399 sq km water: 0 sq km (some lakes and streams) Area — comparative: eight times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 1,117 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line Climate: mild winters, cool summers; usually overcast; foggy, windy Terrain: rugged, rocky, some low peaks; cliffs along most of coast Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Slaettaratindur 882 m Natural resources: fish, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas Land use: arable land: 2.14% permanent crops: 0% other: 97.86% (2005) Irrigated land: 0 sq km Natural hazards: NA Environment— current issues: NA Environment— international agreements: party to: Marine Dumping-associate member to the London Convention and Ship Pollution Geography — note: archipelago of 17 inhabited islands and one uninhabited island, and a few uninhabited islets; strategically located along important sea lanes in northeastern Atlantic; precipi¬ tous terrain limits habitation to small coastal lowlands PEOPLE Population: 47,511 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 20.6% (male 4,882/female 4,904)" 15-64 years: 65.3% (male 16,353/female 14,668) 65 years and over: 14.1% (male 3,041/ female 3,663) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 35 years male: 34-8 years female: 35.3 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.543% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 14.12 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 8.69 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1 male(s)/female under 15 years : 0.996 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.115 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 1.045 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 6.01 deaths/1,000 live births male: 7.25 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 79.49 years male: 76.06 years female: 82.93 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.15 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Faroese (singular and plural) adjective: Faroese Ethnic groups: Scandinavian Religions: Evangelical Lutheran Languages: Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% note: probably 100%, the same as Den¬ mark proper GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Faroe Islands local long form: none local short form: Foroyar Dependency status: part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1948 Government type: NA Capital: name: Torshavn geographic coordinates: 6201 N,6 46W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: + lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 34 municipalities Independence: none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) National holiday: Olaifest (Olavasoka), 29 July Constitution: 5 June 1953 (Danish con¬ stitution) Legal system: Danish Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January 1972), repre¬ sented by High Commissioner Birgit KLEIS, chief administrative officer (since 1 November 2001) head of government: Prime Minister Joannes EIDESGAARD (since 3 February 2004) cabinet: Landsstyri appointed by the prime minister elections: the monarch is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually 213 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK elected prime minister by the Faroese Parliament; election last held 20 January 2004 (next to be held no later than January 2008) election results: Joannes EIDESGAARD elected prime minister; percent of parlia¬ mentary vote — NA Legislative branch: unicameral Faroese Parliament or Logting (32 seats; mem¬ bers are elected by popular vote on a pro¬ portional basis from the seven constituencies to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 20 January 2004 (next to be held no later than January 2008) election results: percent of vote by party — Union Party 23.7%, Social Democratic Party 21.8%, Republican Party 21.7%, People’s Party 20.6?^, Center Party 5.2%, Independence Party 4-6%, other 2.4%; seats by party — Republican Party 8, Union Party 7, Social Democratic Party 7, People’s Party 7, Center Party 2, Independence Party 1 note: election of two seats to the Danish Parliament was last held on 8 February 2005 (next to be held in February 2009); results— percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — Republican Party 1, People’s Party 1 Judicial branch: none Political parties and leaders: Center Party Qenis A. RAN A]; Independence Party [Kari P. HOJGAARD]; People’s Party [Anfinn KALLSBERG]; Repub¬ lican Party [Hogni HOYDAL]; Social Democratic Party [Joannes EIDES¬ GAARD]; Union Party [Kaj Leo JOHANNESEN] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: Arctic Council, IMO (associate), NC, NIB, UPU Diplomatic representation in the US: none (self-governing overseas adminis¬ trative division of Denmark) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (self-governing overseas adminis¬ trative division of Denmark) Flag description: white with a red cross outlined in blue extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted toward the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) ECONOMY Economy— overview: The Faroese economy is dependent on fishing, which makes the economy vulnerable to price swings. Since 2003 the Faroese economy has picked up as a result of higher prices for fish and for housing. Unemployment is minimal and government finances are relatively sound. Oil finds close to the Islands give hope for economically recoverable deposits, which could even¬ tually lay the basis for a more diversified economy and lessen dependence on Danish economic assistance. Aided by a substantial annual subsidy (about 15% of GDP) from Denmark, the Faroese have a standard of living not far below the Danes and other Scandinavians. GDP (purchasing power parity): $1 bil¬ lion (2001 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $1.7 bil¬ lion (2005 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 2.4% (2005 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $31,000 (2001 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 27% industry: 11% services: 62% (1999) Labor force: 24,250 (October 2000) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 33% industry: 33% services: 34% Unemployment rate: 2.1% (2006) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.8% (2005) Budget: revenues: $588 million expenditures: $623 million; including capital expenditures of $34 million (2005) Agriculture products: milk, potatoes, vegetables; sheep; salmon, other fish Industries: fishing, fish processing, small ship repair and refurbishment, handi¬ crafts Industrial production growth rate: 8% (1999 est.) Electricity— production: 292.6 million kWh (2004) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 62.4% hydro: 37.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 272.1 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: o kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: o kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 4,550 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: o cu m (2004 est.) Nature1 gas— consumption: o cu m (2004 est.) Exports: $598 million f.o.b. (2005 est.) Exports — commodities: fish and fish products 94%, stamps, ships (1999) Exports— partners: Denmark 38%, UK 29.4%, Nigeria 8.9%, Norway 6.1%, Netherlands 4.3% (2005) Imports: $639 million c.i.f. (2004 est.) Imports— Commodities: consumer goods 36%, raw materials and semi-manufac¬ tures 32%, machinery and transport equipment 29%, fuels, fish, salt (1999) Imports— partners: Denmark 47.4%, Norway 18.7%, Germany 8.4%, Spain 7.8%, Iceland 4.9%, Sweden 4% (2005) Debt — external: $64 million (1999) Economic aid— recipient: $105 million, note — annual subsidy from Denmark (2005) Currency (code): Danish krone (DKK) Currency code: DKK Exchange rates: Danish kroner per US dollar— 5.9468 (2006), 5.9969 (2005), 5.9911 (2004), 6.5877 (2003), 7.8947 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 23,800 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 42,500 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: good international communications; good domestic facilities domestic: digitalization was completed in 1998; both NMT (analog) and GSM (digital) mobile telephone systems are installed international: country code — 298; satel¬ lite earth stations — 1 Orion; 1 fiber-optic submarine cable to the Shetland Islands, linking the Faroe Islands with Denmark and Iceland; fiber-optic submarine cable connection to Canada-Europe cable Radio broadcast stations: AM l, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998) Radios: 26,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 3 (plus 43 repeaters) (September 1995) Televisions: 15,000 (1997) Internet country code: .fo Internet hosts: 6,915 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000) Internet users: 33,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 1 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006) Roadways: total: 458 km note: no roads between towns (2003) Merchant marine: total: 18 ships (1000 GRT or over) 19,265 GRT/9,171 DWT 214 FIJI by type: cargo 10, container 2, pas- senger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 2 foreign-owned: 8 (Iceland 4, Norway 4) (2006) Ports and terminals: Torshavn MILITARY Military branches: no regular military forces Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 10,695 (2005 est.) INTRODUCTION Background: Fiji became independent in 1970, after nearly a century as a British colony. Democratic rule was interrupted by two military coups in 1987, caused by concern over a government perceived as dominated by the Indian community (descendants of contract laborers brought to the islands by the British in the 19th century). The coups and a 1990 constitution that cemented native Melanesian control of Fiji, led to heavy Indian emigration; the population loss resulted in economic difficulties, but ensured that Melanesians became the majority. A new constitution enacted in 1997 was more equitable. Free and peaceful elections in 1999 resulted in a government led by an Indo-Fijian, but a civilian-led coup in May 2000 ushered in a prolonged period of political tur¬ moil. Parliamentary elections held in August 2001 provided Fiji with a demo¬ cratically elected government led by Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE. Re¬ elected in May 2006, QARASE was ousted in a December 2006 military coup led by Commodore Voreqe BAIN- 1MARAMA, who initially appointed himself acting president. In January 2007, BAINIMARAMA was appointed interim prime minister. Manpower fit for military service: males age 1 8—49 : 8,852 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 366 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: NA Military — note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of Denmark FIJI GEOGRAPHY Location: Oceania, island group in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Fiawaii to New Zealand Geographic coordinates: 18 00 s, 175 00 E Map references: Oceania Area: total: 18,270 sq km land: 18,270 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 1,129 km Maritime Claims: measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation; rectilinear shelf claim added Climate: tropical marine; only slight sea¬ sonal temperature variation Terrain: mostly mountains of volcanic origin Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Tomanivi 1,324 m Natural resources: timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oil potential, hydro- power Land use: arable land: 10.95% permanent crops: 4.65% other: 84-4% (2005) Irrigated land: 30 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: cyclonic storms can occur from November to January Environment— current issues: defor¬ estation; soil erosion Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conserva¬ tion, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— i nternational : because antic¬ ipated offshore hydrocarbon resources have not been realized, earlier Faroese proposals for full independence have been deferred; Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark’s claim that the Faroe Islands’ continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography— note: includes 332 islands; approximately 110 are inhabited PEOPLE Population: 918,675 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 30.9% (male 144,665/female 138,816) 15-64 years: 64.7% (male 297,709/ female 296,897) 65 years and over: 4-4% (male 18,397/ female 22,191) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 24-9 years male: 24-4 years female: 25.4 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.394% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 22.37 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 5.66 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -2 .78 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.042 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.003 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.829 male(s)/female total population: 1.006 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 11.99 deaths/1,000 live births male: 13.3 deaths/ 1,000 live births female: 10.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.12 years male: 67.6 years female: 72.76 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.7 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 600 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS — deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.) 215 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Nationality: noun: Fijian(s) adjective: Fijian Ethnic groups: Fijian 54.8% (predomi- nantly Melanesian with a Polynesian admixture), Indian 37.4%, other 7.9% (European, other Pacific Islanders, Chinese) (2005 estimate) RoligionS: Christian 53% (Methodist 34-5%, Roman Catholic 7.2%, Assembly of God 3.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 2.6%, other 4.9%), Hindu 34% (Sanatan 25%, Arya Samaj 1.2%, other 7.8%), Muslim 7% (Sunni 4.2%. other 2.8%), other or unspecified 5.6%, none 0.3% (1996 census) Languages: English (official), Fijian (official), Hindustani Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.7% male: 95.5% female: 91.9% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of the Fiji Islands conventional short form: Fiji local long form: Republic of the Fiji Islands/Matanitu ko Viti local short form: Fiji/Viti Government type: republic Capital: name: Suva (on Viti Levu) geographic coordinates: 18 08 S, 178 25 E time difference: UTC+ 12 ( 17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 4 divisions and 1 dependency*; Central, Eastern, Northern, Rotuma*, Western Independence: 10 October 1970 (from UK) National holiday: Independence Day, second Monday of October (1970) Constitution: enacted on 25 July 1997 to encourage multiculturalism and make multiparty government mandatory; effective 28 July 1998 Legal system: based on British system Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Ratu Josefa ILOILOVATU Uluivuda (since 18 July 2000); note — ILOILOVATU was reaf¬ firmed as president by the Great Council of Chiefs in a statement issued on 22 December, and reappointed by the coup leader Commodore Voreqe BAINI- MARAMA in January 2007 head of government: Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE (since 10 September 2000); note — although QARASE is still the legal prime minister, he has been confined to his home island; the presi¬ dent appointed Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA interim prime min¬ ister under the military regime cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the members of Parliament and is responsible to Parliament; note — coup leader Commo¬ dore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA has appointed an interim cabinet elections: president elected by the Great Council of Chiefs for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); prime min¬ ister appointed by the president; election last held 8 March 2006 election results: Ratu Josefa ILOILO- VATU Uluivuda elected president by the Great Council of Chiefs; percent of vote — NA Legislative branch: bicameral Parlia¬ ment consists of the Senate (32 seats; 14 appointed by the president on the advice of the Great Council of Chiefs, 9 appointed by the president on the advice of the Prime Minister, 8 on the advice of the Opposition Leader, and 1 appointed on the advice of the council of Rotuma) and the House of Representatives (71 seats; 23 reserved for ethnic Fijians, 19 reserved for ethnic Indians, 3 reserved for other ethnic groups, 1 reserved for the council of Rotuma constituency encompassing the whole of Fiji, and 25 open seats; members serve five-year terms) elections: House of Representatives — last held 6-13 May 2006 (next to be held in 2011) election results: House of Represent¬ atives— percent of vote by party— SDL 44.6%, FLP 39.2%, UPP 0.8%, inde¬ pendents 4.9%, other 10.5%; seats by party— SDL 36, FLP 31, UPP 2, inde¬ pendents 2 Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); Court of Appeal; High Court; Magistrates’ Courts Political parties and leaders: Dodonu Ni Taukei Party or DNT [Fereti S. DEWA]; Fiji Democratic Party or FDP [Filipe BOLE] (a merger of the Christian Democrat Alliance or VLV [Poesci Waqalevu BUNE], Fijian Association Party or FAP, Fijian Political Party or SVT (primarily Fijian) [Sitiveni RABUKA], and New Labor Unity Party or NLUP [Ofa SWANN]); Fiji Labor Party or FLP [Mahendra CHAUDHRY]; General Voters Party or GVP (became part of United General Party); Girmit Heritage Party or GHP; J^ice and Freedom Party or AIM; Lio ‘On Famor Rotuma Party or LFR; National Federation Party or NFP (primarily Indian) [Pramond RAE]; Nationalist Vanua Takolavo Party or NVTLP [Saula TELAWA]; Party of National Unity or PANU [Ponipate LESAVUA]; Party of the Truth or POTT; United Fiji Party/Sogosogo Duavata ni Lewenivanua or SDL [Laisenia QARASE]; United Peoples Party or UPP [Millis Mick BED- DOES] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA Internationa! organization participa¬ tion: ACP, AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G- 77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OPCW, PC A, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UN WTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jesoni VITUSAGAVULU chancery: 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 240, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 337-8320 FAX; [1] (202) 337-1996 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Larry Miles DINGER embassy: 31 Loftus Street, Suva mailing address: P. O. Box 218, Suva telephone: [679] 331-4466 FAX: [679] 330-0081 Flag description: light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quad¬ rant and the Fijian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield depicts a yellow lion above a white field quartered by the cross of Saint George featuring stalks of sugarcane, a palm tree, bananas, and a white dove ECONOMY Economy— overview: Fiji, endowed with forest, mineral, and fish resources, is one of the most developed of the Pacific island economies, though still with a large subsistence sector. Sugar exports, remittances from Fijians working abroad, and a growing tourist industry — with 300,000 to 400,000 tourists annually — are the major sources of foreign exchange. Fiji’s sugar has special access to European Union markets, but will be harmed by the EU’s decision to cut sugar subsidies. Sugar processing makes up one-third of industrial activity but is not efficient. Fijis tourism industry was dam¬ aged by the 2006 coup and is facing an uncertain recovery time. Long-term problems include low investment, uncer¬ tain land ownership rights, and the gov¬ ernment s inability to manage its budget. 216 FINLAND Overseas remittances from Fijians working in Kuwait and Iraq have increased significantly. GDP (purchasing power parity): $5,594 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $2,045 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 3.1% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $6,200 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 8.9% industry: 13.5% services: 77.6% (2004 est.) Labor force: 137,000 (1999) Labor force — by occupation; agriculture: 70% industry and services: 30% (2001 est.) Unemployment rate: 7.6% (1999) Population below poverty line: 25.5% (FY90/91) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (2005) Budget: revenues: $720.5 million expenditures: $728.3 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005) Agriculture — products: sugarcane, coco¬ nuts, cassava (tapioca), rice, sweet potatoes, bananas; cattle, pigs, horses, goats; fish Industries: tourism, sugar, clothing, copra, gold, silver, lumber, small cottage industries industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity— production: 817 million kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 18.5% hydro: 81.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 759.8 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil — production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 10,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: NA bbl/day Oii— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $465.8 mil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $719.6 million f.o.b. (2005) Exports — commodities: sugar, gar¬ ments, gold, timber, fish, molasses, coconut oil Exports— partners: US 19.7%, Australia 17%, UK 12.3%, Japan 5.4%, Samoa 4.1% (2005) Imports: $1,462 billion c.i.f. (2005) Imports— Commodities: manufactured goods, machinery and transport equip¬ ment, petroleum products, food, chemicals Imports— partners: Singapore 27.5%, Australia 23.7%, NZ 19%, Thailand 4.5% (2005) Debt — external: $127 million (2004 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $63.9 million (2004) Currency (code): Fijian dollar (FJD) Currency code: FJD Exchange rates: Fijian dollars per US dollar— 1.7313 (2006), 1.691 (2005), 1.7331 (2004), 1.8958 (2003), 2.1869 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 102,000 (2003) Telephones— mobile cellular: 142,200 (2004) Telephone system: general assessment: modem local, interis¬ land, and international (wire/radio inte¬ grated) public and special-purpose telephone, telegraph, and teleprinter facili¬ ties; regional radio communications center domestic: NA international: country code — 679; access to important cable links between US and Canada as well as between NZ and Australia; satellite earth stations — 2 INMARSAT (Pacific Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 13, FM 40, shortwave 0 (1998) Radios: 541,476 (1999) Television broadcast stations: NA Televisions: 88,110 (1999) Internet country code: fj Internet hosts: 8,987 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000) Internet users: 61,000 (2004) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 28 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 25 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 18 (2006) Railways: total: 597 km narrow gauge: 597 km 0.600-m gauge note: belongs to the government-owned Fiji Sugar Corporation; used to haul sug¬ arcane during harvest season (May to December) (2005) Roadways: total: 3,440 km paved: 1,692 km unpaved: 1,748 km (1999) Waterways: 203 km note: 122 km navigable by motorized craft and 200-metric-ton barges (2004) Merchant marine: total: 7 ships (1000 GRT or over) 15,867 GRT/8,432 DWT by type: passenger 3, passenger/cargo 2, roll on/roll off 2 foreign- owned: 1 (Australia 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Lambasa, Lautoka, Suva MILITARY Military branches: Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF): Land Forces, Naval Forces (2006) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49; 215,104 females age 18-49: 212,739 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18—49: 163,960 females age 18-49: 178,714 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 9,266 females age 18-49: 8,916 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 2.2% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: none FINLAND ' • - / " ■ VT INTRODUCTION Background: Finland was a province and then a grand duchy under Sweden from the 12th to the 19th centuries, and an autonomous grand duchy of Russia after 1809. It won its complete independence in 1917. During World War II, it was able to successfully defend its freedom and resist invasions by the Soviet Union — albeit with some loss of terri¬ tory. In the subsequent half century, the 217 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Finns made a remarkable transformation from a farm/forest economy to a diversi¬ fied modern industrial economy; per capita income is now on par with Western Europe. A member of the European Union since 1995, Finland was the only Nordic state to join the euro system at its initiation in January 1999. GEOGRAPHY Location: Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia Geographic coordinates: 64 00 N, 26 00 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 338,145 sq km land: 304,473 sq km water: 33,672 sq km Area comparative: slightly smaller than Montana Land boundaries: total: 2,681 km border countries: Norway 111 km, Sweden 614 km, Russia 1,340 km Coastline: 1,250 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm (in the Gulf of Finland — 3 nm) contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm; extends to continental shelf boundary with Sweden continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation Climate: cold temperate; potentially subarctic but comparatively mild because of moderating influence of the North Atlantic Current, Baltic Sea, and more than 60,000 lakes Terrain: mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes and low hills Elevation extremes: lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Flaltiatunturi 1,328 m Natural resources: timber, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, nickel, gold, silver, limestone Land use: arable land: 6.54% permanent crops: 0.02% other: 93.44% (2005) Irrigated land: 640 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: NA Environment— current issues: air pollu¬ tion from manufacturing and power plants contributing to acid rain; water pollution from industrial wastes, agricul¬ tural chemicals; habitat loss threatens wildlife populations Environment— international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution- Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persist¬ ent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution- Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Proto¬ col, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national capital on European continent; popula¬ tion concentrated on small southwestern coastal plain PEOPLE Population: 5,238,460 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 16.9% (male 449,548/female 433,253) 15-64 years: 66.7% (male 1,768,996/ female 1,727,143) 65 years and over: 16.4% (male 344,798/ female 514,722) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 41.6 years male: 40 years female: 43.1 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.127% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 10.42 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 9.93 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0.78 migrants )/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.038 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.024 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 0.958 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 3.52 deaths/ 1,000 live births male: 3.84 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.2 deaths/ 1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.66 years male: 75.15 years female: 82.31 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.73 children bom/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 1,500 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS — deaths: less than 100 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Finn(s) adjective: Finnish Ethnic groups: Finn 93.4%, Swede 5.7%, Russian 0.4%, Estonian 0.2%, Roma (Gypsy) 0.2%, Sami 0.1% Religions: Lutheran Church of Finland 84-2%, Orthodox Church 1.1%, other Christian 1.1%, other 0.1%, none 13.5% (2003) Languages: Finnish 92% (official), Swedish 5.6% (official), other 2.4% (small Sami- and Russian-speaking minorities) (2003) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (2000 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Finland conventional short form: Finland local long form: Suomen tasavalta/ Republiken Finland local short form: Suomi/Finland Government type: republic Capital: name: Helsinki geographic coordinates: 60 10 N, 24 58 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) 218 FINLAND daylight saving time: +lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions! 6 provinces (laanit, singular — laani); Aland, Etela- Suomen Laani, Ita-Suomen Laani, Lansi-Suomen Laani, Lappi, Oulun Laani Independence: 6 December 1917 (from Russia) National holiday: Independence Day, 6 December (1917) Constitution: 1 March 2000 Legal system: civil law system based on Swedish law; the president may request the Supreme Court to review laws; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Tarja HALONEN (since 1 March 2000) head of government: Prime Minister Matti VANHANEN (since 24 June 2003); Deputy Prime Minister Eero HEINA- LUOMA (since 24 September 2005) cabinet: Council of State or Valtio- neuvosto appointed by the president, responsible to parliament elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 15 January 2006 (next to be held in January 2012); the president appoints the prime minister and deputy prime minister from the majority party or the majority coali¬ tion after parliamentary elections and the parliament must approve the appointment; Prime Minister VAN¬ HANEN reelected 17 April 2007 election results: percent of vote — Tarja HALONEN (SDP) 46.3%, Sauli NIIN- ISTO (Kok) 24.1%, Matti Vanhanen (Kesk) 18.6%, Heidi HAUTALA (VIHR) 3.5%; a runoff election between HALONEN and NIINISTO was held 29 January 2006— HALONEN 51.8%, NIINISTO 48.2%; Matti VANHANEN relected prime minister; election results 121-71 note: government coalition — Kesk, SDP, and SFP Legislative branch: unicameral Parlia¬ ment or Eduskunta (200 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a propor¬ tional basis to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 18 March 2007 (next to be held M? ch 2011) election results: percent of vote by party — Kesk 23.1%, Kok 22.3%, SDP 21.4%, VAS 8.8%, VIHR 8.5%, KD 4.9%, SFP 4.5%, True Finns 4-1%, other 3.4%; seats by party — Kesk 51, Kok 50, SDP 45, VAS 17, VIHR 15, SFP 9, KD 7, True Finns 5, other I Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus (judges appointed by the president) Political parties and leaders: Center Party or Kesk [Matti VANHANEN]; Christian Democrats or KD [Paivi RASANEN]; Green Party or VIHR [Tarja CRONBERG]; Left Alliance or VAS [Martti KORHONEN] (composed of People’s Democratic League and Democratic Alternative); National Coalition (conservative) Party or Kok [Jyrki KATAINEN]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Eero HEINALUOMA]; Swedish People’s Party or SFP [Stefan WALLIN]; True Finns International organization participa¬ tion: AfDB, Arctic Council, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G-9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Pekka LINTU chancery: 3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 298-5800 FAX: [1] (202) 298-6030 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Marilyn WARE embassy: Itainen Puistotie 14B, 00140 Helsinki mailing address: APO AE 09723 telephone: [358] (9) 616250 FAX: [358] (9) 6162 5800 Flag description: white with a blue cross extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) ECONOMY Economy — overview: Finland has a highly industrialized, largely free-market economy with per capita output roughly that of the UK, France, Germany, and Italy. Its key economic sector is manufac¬ turing — principally the wood, metals, engineering, telecommunications, and electronics industries. Trade is impor¬ tant; exports equal two-fifths of GDP. Finland excels in high-tech exports, e.g., mobile phones. Except for timber and several minerals, Finland depends on imports of raw materials, energy, and some components for manufactured goods. Because of the climate, agricul¬ tural development is limited to main¬ taining self-sufficiency in basic products. Forestry, an important export earner, provides a secondary occupation for the rural population. High unemployment remains a persistent problem. GDP (purchasing power parity): $176.4 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $199 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 5.5% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $33,700 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 2.7% industry: 30.3% services: 67% (2006 est.) Labor force: 2.62 million (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture and forestry 4-4%, industry 17.5%, con¬ struction 6%, commerce 22%, finance, insurance, and business services 12%, transport and communications 8%, public services 30.2% Unemployment rate: 7% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.2% highest 10%: 21.6% (1991) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 26.9 (2000) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.7% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 18.9% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $105.6 billion expenditures: $101 billion; including cap¬ ital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 37.7% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: barley, wheat, sugar beets, potatoes; dairy cattle; fish Industries: metals and metal products, electronics, machinery and scientific instruments, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing Industrial production growth rate: 3% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 81.6 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 39% hydro: 18.7% nuclear: 30.4% other: 11.8% (2001) 219 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Electricity— consumption: 80.79 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 6.8 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — imports: 11.7 billion kWh (2004) Oil— production: 9,105 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 220,400 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: 101,000 bbl/day (2001) Oil — imports: 318,300 bbl/day (2001) Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 4.86 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — exports: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas — imports: 4.866 billion cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $8,749 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $84.72 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals; timber, paper, pulp (1999) Exports— partners: Russia 11.2%, Sweden 10.7%, Germany 10.5%, UK 6.6%, US 6.2%, Netherlands 4.8% (2005) Imports: $71.69 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: foodstuffs, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, transport equipment, iron and steel, machinery, textile yam and fabrics, grains Imports— partners: Germany 16.2%, Sweden 14- 1%, Russia 13.9%, Netherlands 6.2%, Denmark 4-6%, UK 4.3%, China 4.2% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $6,561 billion (August 2006 est.) Debt — external: $251.9 billion (30 June 2006) Economic aid— donor: ODA, $850,536,746.4905 (2005) Currency (code): euro (EUR) note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by finan¬ cial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries Currency code: EUR Exchange rates: euros per US dollar 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 2.12 million (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 5.231 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: modem system with excellent service domestic: digital fiber-optic fixed-line network and an extensive cellular net¬ work provide domestic needs international: country code — 358; 1 sub¬ marine cable (Finland Estonia Con¬ nection); satellite earth stations — access to Intelsat transmission service via a Swedish satellite earth station, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note — Finland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 186, shortwave 1 (1998) Radios: 7.7 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 120 (plus 431 repeaters) (1999) Televisions: 3.2 million (1997) Internet country code: fi; note— the ICANN has assigned the ccTLD of .ax to the Aland Islands internet hosts: 1.634 million (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (2002) Internet users: 3.286 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 148 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 76 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 27 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 14 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 72 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 67 (2006) Pipelines: gas 694 km (2006) Railways: total: 5,741 km broad gauge: 5,741 km 1.524-m gauge (2,619 km electrified) (2005) Roadways: total: 78,189 km paved: 50,633 km (includes 653 km of expressways) unpaved: 27,556 km (2006) Waterways: 7,842 km note: includes Saimaa Canal system of 3,577 km; southern part leased from Russia (2005) Merchant marine: total: 87 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,250,600 GRT/952,072 DWT by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 22, chemical tanker 6, container 1, passenger 5, pas¬ senger/cargo 20, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 25 foreign'owned: 3 (Norway 1, Russia 1, UK 1) registered in other countries: 48 (Bahamas 8, Germany 2, Gibraltar 3, Luxembourg 4, Marshall Islands 2, Netherlands 13, Norway 4, Sweden 11, UK 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Hamina, Hanko, Helsinki, Kotka, Naantali, Fori, Porvoo, Raahe, Rauma, Turku MILITARY Military branches: Finnish Defense Forces: Army, Navy (includes coastal defense forces), Air Force (2003) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service (October 2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 1,121,275 females age 18-49: 1,076,684 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 913,617 females age 18-49: 875,689 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 32,040 females age 18-49: 30,519 (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of GDP: 2% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: various groups in Finland advocate restoration of Karelia and other areas ceded to the Soviet Union, but the Finnish Government asserts no territorial demands FRANCE INTRODUCTION Background: Although ultimately a victor in World Wars I and II, France suf¬ fered extensive losses in its empire, wealth, manpower, and rank as a domi¬ nant nation-state. Nevertheless, France today is one of the most modem coun¬ tries in the world and is a leader among European nations. Since 1958, it has constructed a presidential democracy resistant to the instabilities experienced ■ A in earlier parliamentary democracies. In recent years, its reconciliation and coop¬ eration with Germany have proved cen¬ tral to the economic integration of Europe, including the introduction of a common exchange currency, the euro, in 220 FRANCE January 1999. At present, France is at the forefront of efforts to develop the EU’s military capabilities to supplement progress toward an EU foreign policy. GEOGRAPHY Location: metropolitan France: Western Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay and English Channel, between Belgium and Spain, southeast of the UK; bordering the Medi¬ terranean Sea, between Italy and Spain French Guiana: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname Guadeloupe: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Puerto Rico Martinique: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago Reunion: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar Geographic coordinates: metropolitan France: 46 00 N, 2 00 E French Guiana: 4 00 N, 53 00 W Guadeloupe: 16 15 N, 61 35 W Martinique: 14 40 N, 61 00 W Reunion: 21 06 S, 55 36 E Map references: metropolitan France: Europe French Guiana: South America Guadeloupe: Central America and the Caribbean Martinique: Central America and the Caribbean Reunion: World Area: total: 643,427 sq km; 547,030 sq km (metropolitan France) land: 640,053 sq km; 545,630 sq km (metropolitan France) water: 3,374 sq km; 1,400 sq km (metro¬ politan France) note: the first numbers include the over¬ seas regions of French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Reunion Area — comparative: slightly less than the size of Texas Land boundaries: metropolitan France — total: 2,889 km border countries: Andorra 56.6 km, Belgium 620 km, Germany 451 km, Italy 488 km, Luxembourg 73 km, Monaco 4-4 km, Spain 623 km, Switzerland 573 km Guadeloupe — total: 10.2 km border countries: Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 10.2 km French Guiana — total: 1,183 km border countries : Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km Coastline: total: 4,668 km metropolitan France: 3,427 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (does not apply to the Mediterranean) continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation Climate: metropolitan France: generally cool win¬ ters and mild summers, but mild winters and hot summers along the Mediter¬ ranean; occasional strong, cold, dry, north-to-northwesterly wind known as mistral French Guiana: tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation Guadeloupe and Martinique: subtropical tempered by trade winds; moderately high humidity; rainy season (June to October); vulnerable to devastating cyclones (hurricanes) every eight years on average Reunion: tropical, but temperature mod¬ erates with elevation; cool and dry (May to November), hot and rainy (November to April) Terrain: metropolitan France: mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west; remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east French Guiana: low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains Guadeloupe: Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior mountains; Grande- Terre is low limestone formation; most of the seven other islands are volcanic in origin Martinique: mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano Reunion: mostly rugged and moun¬ tainous; fertile lowlands along coast Elevation extremes: lowest point: Rhone River delta -2 m highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m Natural resources: metropolitan France: coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, uranium, antimony, arsenic, potash, feldspar, fluorspar, gypsum, timber, fish French Guiana: gold deposits, petroleum, kaolin, niobium, tantalum, clay Land use: arable land: 33.46% permanent crops: 2.03% other: 64-51% note: French Guiana — arable land 0.13%, permanent crops 0.04%, other 99.83% (90% forest, 10% other); Guadeloupe — arable land 11.70%, per¬ manent crops 2.92%, other 85.38%; Martinique — arable land 9.09%, perma¬ nent crops 10.0%, other 80.91%; Reunion — arable land 13.94%, perma¬ nent crops 1.59%, other 84-47% (2005) Irrigated land: total: 26,190 sq km; metropolitan France: 26,000 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: metropolitan France: flooding; ava¬ lanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires in south near the Mediterranean overseas departments: hurricanes (cyclones), flooding, volcanic activity (Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion) Environment — current issues: some forest damage from acid rain; air pollu¬ tion from industrial and vehicle emis¬ sions; water pollution from urban wastes, agricultural runoff Environment— international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution- Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution- Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: largest West Euro¬ pean nation PEOPLE Population: total: 63,713,926 note: 60,876,136 in metropolitan France (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 18.6% (male 6,063,181/ female 5,776,272) 15-64 years: 65.2% (male 20,798,889/ female 20,763,283) 65 years and over: 16.2% (male 4,274,290/ female 6,038,011) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 39 years 221 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK male: 37.5 years female: 40.4 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.588% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 12.91 births/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 8.55 deaths/ 1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 1.52 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.002 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.708 male(s)/female total population: 0.956 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 3.41 deaths/1,000 live births male: 3.76 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 80.59 years male: 77.35 years female: 84 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.98 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.4% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 120,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS — deaths: less than 1,000 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman (women) adjective: French Ethnic groups: Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African, Indochinese, Basque minorities overseas departments: black, white, mulat¬ to, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian Religions: Roman Catholic 83%-88%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 5%— 10%, unaffiliated 4% overseas departments: Roman Catholic, Protestant, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, pagan Languages: French 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and languages (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish) overseas departments: French, Creole patois Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: French Republic conventional short form: France local long form: Republique francaise local short form: France Government type: republic Capital: name: Paris geographic coordinates: 48 52 N, 2 20 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: + lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 26 regions (regions, singular — region); Alsace, Aquitaine, Auvergne, Basse-Normandie (Lower Normandy), Bourgogne, Bre¬ tagne (Brittany), Centre, Champagne- Ardenne, Corse (Corsica), Franche- Comte, Guadeloupe, Guyane (French Guiana), Haute-Normandie (Upper Normandy), Ile-de-France, Languedoc - Roussillon, Limousin, Lorraine, Martin¬ ique, Reunion, Midi-Pyrenees, Nord- Pas-de-Calais, Pays de la Loire, Picardie, Poitou-Charentes, Provence- Alpes-Cote d’Azur, Rhone-Alpes note: France is divided into 22 metropol¬ itan regions (including the “territorial collectivity” of Corse or Corsica) and 4 overseas regions and is subdivided into 96 metropolitan departments and 4 over¬ seas departments Dependent areas: Bassas da India, Clipperton Island, Europa Island, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, New Caledonia, Tromelin Island, Wallis and Futuna note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica; New Caledonia has been considered a “sui generis” collectivity of France since 1999, a unique status falling between that of an independent country and a French overseas department Independence: 486 (unified by CLOVIS) National holiday: Fete de la Federation, 14 July (1790); note — although often incorrectly referred to as Bastille Day, the celebration actually commemorates the holiday held on the first anniversary of the storming of the Bastille (on 14 July 1789) and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy, other names for the holiday are Fete Nationale (National Holiday) and quatorze juillet ( 14th of July) Constitution: adopted by referendum 28 September 1958, effective 4 October 1958 note, amended concerning election of president in 1962; amended to comply with provisions of 1992 EC Maastricht Treaty, 1996 Amsterdam Treaty, 2000 Treaty of Nice; amended to tighten immigration laws in 1993; amended in 2000 to change the seven-year presiden¬ tial term to a five-year term; amended in 2005 to make the EU constitutional treaty compatible with the Constitution of France and to ensure that the decision to ratify EU accession treaties would be made by referendum Legal system: civil law system with indigenous concepts; review of adminis¬ trative but not legislative acts Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007) head of government: Prime Minister Francois FILLON (since 17 May 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president at the suggestion of the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (changed from seven-year term in October 2000); elec¬ tion last held 22 April and 6 May 2007 (next to be held spring 2012); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly majority and appointed by the president election results: Nicolas SARKOZY wins the election; First Round: percent of vote— Nicolas SARKOZY 31.18%, Segolene ROYAL 25.87%, Francois BAYROU 18.57%, Jean-Marie LE PEN 10.44%, others 13.94%; Second Round: SARKOZY 53.1% and ROYAL 46.9% Legislative branch: bicameral Parlia¬ ment or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat (331 seats, 305 for metropolitan France, 9 for overseas departments, 5 for dependencies, and 12 for French nationals abroad; members are indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve nine-year terms; one third elected every three years); note — between 2006 and 2010, 15 new seats will be added to the Senate for a total of 346 seats — 326 for metropolitan France and overseas departments, 2 for New Caledonia, 2 for Mayotte, 1 for Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, 3 for overseas territories, and 12 for French nationals abroad; starting in 2008, members will be indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve six-year terms, with one-half elected every three years; and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (577 seats, 555 for metropolitan France, 15 for overseas departments, 7 for dependen¬ cies; members are elected by popular cote under a single-member majority system to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate— last held 26 September 2004 (next to be held in September 2008); National Assembly- last held 8— 16 June 2002 (next to be held on 10 and 17 June 2007) 222 FRANCE election results. Senate — percent of vote by party— NA; seats by party— UMP 156, PS 97, UDF 33, PCF 23, RDSE 15, other 7; National Assembly — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — UMP 355, PS 140, UDF 29, PCF 21, Left Radical Party 7, Greens 3, other 22 Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation (judges are appointed by the president from nomina¬ tions of the High Council of the Judiciary); Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel (three members appointed by the president, three appointed by the president of the National Assembly, and three appointed by the president of the Senate); Council of State or Conseil d’Etat Political parties and leaders: Citizen and Republican Movement or MRC [Jean Pierre CHEVENEMENT]; Democratic and European Social Rally or RDSE [Jacques PELLETIER] (mainly Radical Republican and Socialist Parties, and PRG); French Communist Party or PCF [Marie-George BUFFET]; Greens [Yann WEHRLING]; Left Radical Party or PRG [Jean-Michel BAYLET] (previ¬ ously Radical Socialist Party or PRS and the Left Radical Movement or MRG); Movement for France or MPF [Philippe DE VILLIERS]; National Front or FN [Jean-Marie LE PEN]; Rally for France or RPF [Charles PASQUA]; Socialist Party or PS [Francois HOLLANDE]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Francois BAYROU]; Union for a Popular Move¬ ment or UMP [Nicolas SARKOZY] Political pressure groups and leaders: historically-Communist labor union (Confederation Generale du Travail) or CGT, approximately 700,000 members (claimed); left-leaning labor union (Confederation Francaise Democratique du Travail) or CFDT, approximately 889,000 members (claimed); independent labor union (Confederation Generale du Travail — Force Ouvriere) or FO, 300,000 members (est.); independent white-collar union (Confederation Generale des Cadres) or CGC, 196,000 members (claimed); employers’ union (Mouvement des Entreprises de France) or MEDEF, 750,000 companies as members (claimed) French Guiana: NA Guadeloupe: Christian Movement for the Liberation of Guadeloupe or KLPG; General Federation of Guadeloupe Workers or CGT-G; General Union of Guadeloupe Workers or UGTG; Move¬ ment of Independent Guadeloupe or MPGI; The Socialist Renewal Movement Martinique: Caribbean Revolutionary Alliance or ARC; Central Union for Martinique Workers or CSTM [Marc PULVAR]; Frantz Fanon Circle; League of Workers and Peasants; Proletarian Action Group or GAP Reunion: NA International organization participa¬ tion: ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, Arctic Council (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FZ, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IFTU, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MIN- URSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SECI (observer), SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jean-David LEVITTE chancery: 4101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 944-6000 FAX: [1] (202) 944-6166 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Craig R. STAPLETON embassy: 2 Avenue Gabriel, 75382 Paris Cedex 08 mailing address: PSC 116, APO AE 09777 telephone: [33] (1) 43-12-22-22 FAX: [33] (1) 42 66 97 83 consulate(s) general: Marseille, Strasbourg Flag description: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), white, and red; known as the “Le drapeau tricolore” (French Tricolor), the origin of the flag dates to 1790 and the French Revolution; the design and/or colors are similar to a number of other flags, including those of Belgium, Chad, Ireland, Cote d’Ivoire, Luxembourg, and Netherlands; the official flag for all French dependent areas ECONOMY Economy — overview: France is in the midst of transition from a well-to-do modern economy that has featured extensive government ownership and intervention to one that relies more on market mechanisms. The government has partially or fully privatized many large companies, banks, and insurers, and has ceded stakes in such leading firms as Air France, France Telecom, Renault, and Thales. It maintains a strong pres¬ ence in some sectors, particularly power, public transport, and defense industries. The telecommunications sector is gradu¬ ally being opened to competition. France’s leaders remain committed to a capitalism in which they maintain social equity by means of laws, tax policies, and social spending that reduce income dis¬ parity and the impact of free markets on public health and welfare. The govern¬ ment in 2006 focused on introducing measures that attempt to boost employ¬ ment through increased labor market flexibility; however, the population has remained opposed to labor reforms, ham¬ pering the government’s ability to revi¬ talize the economy. The tax burden remains one of the highest in Europe (nearly 50% of GDP in 2005). The lin¬ gering economic slowdown and inflex¬ ible budget items probably pushed the budget deficit above the eurozone’s 3%- of-GDP limit in 2006; unemployment hovers near 9%. With at least 75 million foreign tourists per year, France is the most visited country in the world and maintains the third largest income in the world from tourism. GDP (purchasing power parity): $1,891 trillion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $2,149 trillion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 2.1% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $31,100 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 2.2% industry: 20.6% services: 77.2% (2006 est.) Labor force: 27.88 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 4.1% industry: 24-4% services: 71.5% (1999) Unemployment rate: 8.7% (December 2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 6.2% (2004) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3% highest 10%: 24.8% (2004) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 26.7 (2002) inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5% (2006 est.) investment (gross fixed): 20% of GDP (2006 est.) 223 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Budget: revenues: $1.15 trillion expenditures: $1,211 trillion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 64.7% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: wheat, cereals, sugar beets, potatoes, wine grapes; beef, dairy products; fish Industries: machinery, chemicals, auto- mobiles, metallurgy, aircraft, electronics; textiles, food processing; tourism Industrial production growth rate: 0.2% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 549.4 billion kWh (2005) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 8.2% hydro: 14% nuclear: 77.1% other: 0.7% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 482.4 billion kWh (2005) Electricity — exports: 68.3 billion kWh (2005) Electricity— imports: 8 billion kWh (2005) Oil — production: 73,500 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil — Consumption: 1.97 million bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— exports: 474,200 bbl/day (2005) Oil — imports: 1.89 million bbl/day (2005) Oil— proved reserves: 159 million bbl (1 January 2006) Natural gas— production: 1.4 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 45.41 bib lion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 770 million cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 44.78 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 341 bil¬ lion cu m (1 January 2006 est.) Current account balance: $38 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $490 biilion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: machinery and transportation equipment, aircraft, plas¬ tics, chemicals, pharmaceutical products, iron and steel, beverages Exports— partners: Germany 14.7%, Spain 9.7%, Italy 8.7%, UK 8.3%, Belgium 7.1%, US 7.1% (2005) Imports: $529.1 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: machinery and equipment, vehicles, crude oil, aircraft, plastics, chemicals Imports— partners: Germany 18.9%, Belgium 10.7%, Italy 8.3%, Spain 7%, Netherlands 6.6%, UK 5.9%, US 5.1% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $98.54 billion (2006 est.) Debt— external: $3,461 trillion (30 June 2006) Economic aid — donor: ODA, $10.1 bil¬ lion (2006) Currency (code): euro (EUR) note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by finan¬ cial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries Currency code: EUR Exchange rates: euros per US dollar — 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 38.433 million; 35.7 million (metropolitan France) (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 49.37 million; 48.058 million (metropolitan France) (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: highly developed domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay; extensive introduction of fiber-optic cable; domestic satellite system international: country code — 33; satellite earth stations — 2 Intelsat (with total of 5 antennas — 2 for Indian Ocean and 3 for Atlantic Ocean), NA Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region); HF radiotelephone communications with more than 20 countries overseas departments: country codes: French Guiana — 594; Guadeloupe — 590; Martinique — 596; Reunion — 262 Radio broadcast stations: AM 41, FM about 3,500 (this figure is an approxima¬ tion and includes many repeaters), short¬ wave 2 (1998) Radios: 55.3 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 584 (plus 9,676 repeaters) (1995) Televisions: 34.8 million (1997) Internet country code: metropolitan France— .fr; French Guiana— .gf; Guadeloupe — .gp; Martinique — ,mq; Reunion — .re Internet hosts: 3.149 million; 3.148 mil¬ lion (metropolitan France) (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 62 (2000) Internet users: 29.945 million; 29.521 million (metropolitan France) (2006) - transportation Airports: total: 501 metropolitan France: 477 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 292 (metropolitan France) 15 (overseas departments) over 3,047 m: 13 (metropolitan France) 3 (overseas departments) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 28 (metropolitan France) 1 (overseas departments) 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 96 (metropolitan France) 9 14 to 1,523 m: 81 (metropolitan France) 5 (overseas departments) under 914 m: 74 (metropolitan France) 6 (overseas departments) (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 185 (metropolitan France) 9 (over¬ seas departments) 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (metropolitan France) 914 to 1 ,523 m: 73 (metropolitan France) 2 (overseas departments) under 914 m: 108 (metropolitan France) 7 (overseas departments) (2006) Heliports: 3 (2006) Pipelines: gas 14,588 km; oil 3,024 km; refined products 4,889 km (2006) Railways: total: 29,085 km standard gauge: 28,918 km 1.435-m gauge (14,481 km electrified) narrow gauge: 167 km 1.000-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 956,303 km (includes 5,083 km of roads in the overseas departments) paved: 951,220 km (metropolitan France; including 10,490 km of expressways) (2004) Waterways: metropolitan France: 8,500 km (1,686 km accessible to craft of 3,000 metric tons) French Guiana: 3,760 km (460 km navi¬ gable by small oceangoing vessels and coastal and river steamers, 3,300 km by native craft) (2000) Merchant marine: total: 61 ships (1000 GRT or over) 875,777 GRT/1 ,3 18,605 DWT by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 3, con¬ tainer 5, liquefied gas 6, passenger 3, pas- senger/cargo 32, petroleum tanker 10, roll on/roll off 1 foreign' owned: 13 (Denmark 1, Hong Kong 1, Italy 2, Monaco 1, Norway 1, NZ 1, Singapore 2, Sweden 2, Switzer¬ land 2) registered in other countries: 154 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Australia 3, Bahamas 37, Bermuda 1, Cameroon 1, French Polynesia 1, French Southern and Antarctic Lands 36, Gibraltar 1, Indonesia 1, Isle of Man 2, Italy 1, South Korea 12, Liberia 3, Luxembourg 14, Malta 6, Mexico 1, Morocco 1, Panama i5, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 8, UK 4, Wallis and Futuna 5) note: Reunion owns one ship registered in the Bahamas (2006) Ports and terminals: Basse-Terre (Guadeloupe), Bordeaux, Calais, Degrad de Cannes (French Guiana), Dunkerque, 224 FRENCH POLYNESIA Fort-de-France (Martinique), La Pallice, La Trinite (Martinique), Le Havre, Le Port (Reunion), Marin (Martinique), Marseille, Nantes, Paris, Pointe-a-Pitre (Guadeloupe), Rouen, Strasbourg MILITARY Military branches: Army (includes marines, Foreign Legion, light aviation), Navy (includes naval air), Air Force (in¬ cludes air defense), National Gendarmerie Military service age and obligation: 17 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription ended in the 1990s; women serve in non-combat military posts (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 17-49: 13,676,509 females age 17-4 9: 13,504,539 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 17-49: 11,262,661 females age 17-49: 11,079,472 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 17—49: 389,204 females age 17—49: 372,719 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 2.6% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: Madagascar claims the French territories of Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island; Comoros claims Mayotte; Mauritius claims Tromelin Island; territorial dispute between Suriname and the French over¬ seas department of French Guiana; France asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Adelie Land); France and Vanuatu claim Matthew and Hunter Islands, east of New Caledonia Illicit drugs: metropolitan France: trans¬ shipment point for South American cocaine, Southwest Asian heroin, and European synthetics French Guiana: small amount of mari¬ juana grown for local consumption; minor transshipment point to Europe Martinique: transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for the US and Europe FRENCH POLYNESIA INTRODUCTION Background: The French annexed var¬ ious Polynesian island groups during the 19th century. In September 1995, France stirred up widespread protests by resuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa atoll after a three-year moratorium. The tests were suspended in January 1996. In recent years, French Polynesia’s autonomy has been considerably expanded. GEOGRAPHY Location: Oceania, archipelagoes in the South Pacific Ocean about one-half of the way from South America to Australia Geographic coordinates: 15 00 S, 140 00 w Map references: Oceania Area: total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls) land: 3,660 sq km water: 507 sq km Area — comparative: slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 2,525 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical, but moderate Terrain: mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m Natural resources: timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower Land use: arable land: 0.75% permanent crops: 5.5% other: 93.75% (2005) Irrigated land: 10 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: occasional cyclonic storms in January Environment— current issues: NA Geography — note: includes five archi¬ pelagoes (4 volcanic, 1 coral); Makatea in French Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean — the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Nauru PEOPLE Population: 278,963 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 25.4% (male 36,223/female 34,677) 15-64 years: 68.2% (male 98,784/female 91,585) 65 years and over: 6.3% (male 8,933/ female 8,761) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 28.3 years male: 28.6 years female: 28 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.461% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 16.41 births/l,000population (2007 est.) Death rate: 4.61 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 2.81 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.045 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.079 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female total population: 1.066 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 7.84 deaths/1,000 live births male: 9.01 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.31 years male: 73.88 years female: 78.86 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.98 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: French Polynesians ) adjective: French Polynesian Ethnic groups: Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4% Religions: Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6% Languages: French 61.1% (official), Polynesian 31.4% (official), Asian lan¬ guages 1.2%, other 0.3%, unspecified 6% (2002 census) Literacy: definition: age 14 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1977 est.) 225 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Overseas Lands of French Polynesia conventional short form: French Polynesia local long form: Pays d’outre-mer de la Polynesie Francaise local short form: Polynesie Francaise former: French Colony of Oceania Dependency status: overseas lands of France; overseas territory of France from 1946-2004 Government type: NA Capital: name: Papeete geographic coordinates: 17 32 S, 149 34 W time difference: UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: none (oven seas lands of France); there are no first- order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are five archipelagic divisions named Archipel des Marquises, Archipel des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, lies du Vent, lies Sous-le-Vent note: Clipperton Island is administered by France from French Polynesia Independence: none (overseas lands of France) National holiday: Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) Constitution: 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) Legal system: based on French system Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007), repre¬ sented by High Commissioner of the Republic Anne BOQUET (since September 2005) head of government: President of French Polynesia Gaston TONG SANG (since 14 December 2006); President of the Territorial Assembly Antony GEROS (since 9 May 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members of the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve as ministers elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the ter¬ ritorial government and the president of the Territorial Assembly are elected by the members of the assembly for five-year terms (no term limits) Legislative branch: unicameral Territor¬ ial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (57 seats; members are elected by pop¬ ular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 23 May 2004 (next to be held in May 2009) election results: percent of vote by party NA; seats by party — People’s Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 28, Union for Democracy 27, New Star 1, This Country is Yours 1; after by-elections of 13 February 2005 seating was as follows: People’s Rally for the Republic 27, Union for Democracy 27, and Alliance for a New Democracy 3 note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998 (next to be held in September 2007); results — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — NA; two seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held in 2007); results — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — UMP/RPR 1, UMP 1 Judicial branch: Court of Appeal or Cour d’Appel; Court of the First Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of Administrative Law or Tribunal Administratif Political parties and leaders: Alliance for a New Democracy or ADN [Nicole BOUTEAU and Philip SCHYLE] (includes the parties The New Star and This Country is Yours); Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia (Tavini Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]; New Fatherland Party (Ai’a Api) [Emile VERNAUDON]; People’s Rally for the Republic of Polynesia or RPR (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE]; Union for Democracy or UPD [Oscar TEMARU] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: FZ, ITUC, PIF (observer), SPC, UPU, WMO Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas lands of France) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas lands of France) Flag description: two narrow red hori¬ zontal bands encase a wide white band; centered on the white band is a disk with a blue and white wave pattern on the lower half and a gold and white ray pat¬ tern on the upper half; a stylized red, blue, and white ship rides on the wave pattern; the French flag is used for offi¬ cial occasions Government — note: under certain acts of France, French Polynesia has acquired autonomy in all areas except those relating to police and justice, monetary policy, tertiary education, immigration, and defense and foreign affairs; the duties of its president are fashioned after those of the French prime minister Economy — overview: Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a subsistence agricultural economy to one in which a high propor¬ tion of the work force is either employed by the military or supports the tourist industry. With the halt of French nuclear testing in 1996, the military contribution to the economy fell sharply. Tourism accounts for about one-fourth of GDP and is a primary source of hard currency earnings. Other sources of income are pearl farming and deep-sea commercial fishing. The small manufacturing sector primarily processes agricultural products. The territory benefits substantially from development agreements with France aimed principally at creating new busi¬ nesses and strengthening social services. GDP (purchasing power parity): $4 58 billion (2003 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $3.8 bil¬ lion (2002) GDP — reai growth rate: 5.1% (2002) GDP— per capita (PPP): $17,500 (2003 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 3.1% industry: 19% services: 76.9% (2005) Labor force: 65,930 (December 2005) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 13% industry: 19% services: 68% (2002) Unemployment rate: 11.7% (2005) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.1% (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $865 million expenditures: $644.1 million; including capital expenditures of $185 million (1999) Agriculture— products: fish; coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits, coffee; poultry, beef, dairy products Industries: tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts, phosphates Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity— production: 607 million kWh (2005) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 60.7% hydro: 39.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 533 million kWh (2005) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) 226 french southern and antarctic lands Oil-production: o bbl/day (2004 «, ) Oil— consumption: 6,ooo bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas — production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Exports: $211 million f.o.b. (2005 est.) Exports commodities: cultured pearls, coconut products, mother-of-pearl \ vanilla, shark meat Exports— partners: France 46.3%, Japan 20.8%, Niger 12.8%, US 12.5% (2005) Imports: $1,706 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.) Imports— commodities: fuels, food¬ stuffs, machinery and equipment Imports— partners: France 52.7%, Singapore 14.9%, NZ 6.8%, US 6.6% (2005) Debt — external: $NA Economic aid— recipient: $580 million (2004) Currency (code): Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF) Currency code: XPF Exchange rates: Compt oirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar — 95.03 (2006), 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003), 126.71 (2002) note: pegged at the rate of 1 19.25 XPF to the euro Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines In use: 53,400 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 87,000 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: country code — 689; satel¬ lite earth station — 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998) Radios: 128,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 7 (plus 17 repeaters) (1997) Televisions: 40,000 (1997) Internet country code: pf Internet hosts: 14,047 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000) Internet users: 55,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 51 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 39 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 25 under 914 m: 7 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 7 (2006) Heliports: 1 (2006) Roadways: total: 2,590 km paved: 1,735 km unpaved: 855 km (1999) Merchant marine: total: 13 ships (1000 GRT or over) 23,684 GRT/1 7,291 DWT by type: cargo 4, passenger 2, passenger/ cargo 5, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1 fcrreign'Owned: 1 (France 1) registered in other countries: 2 (Wallis and Futuna 2) (2006) Ports and terminals: Papeete MILITARY Military branches: no regular military forces; Gendarmerie and National Police Force Manpower available for military service: males age 18—49: 69,679 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18—49: 55,305 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 2,747 (2005 est.) Military — note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of France TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: none FRENCH SOUTHERN AND ANTARCTIC LANDS INTRODUCTION Background: In February 2007 the lies Eparses became an integral part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands. The Southern Lands are now divided into five administrative districts, two of which are archipelagos, lies Crozet and lies Kerguelen; the third is a district composed of two volcanic islands, He Saint-Paul and He Amsterdam; the fourth, lies Eparses, consists of scattered tropical islands around Madagascar. They contain no permanent inhabitants and are visited only by researchers studying the native fauna, scientists at the various scientific stations, fishermen, and military personnel. The fifth district is the Antarctic portion, which consists of “Adelie Land,” a thin slice of the Antarctic continent discovered and claimed by the French in 1840. lie Amsterdam: The island was discovered in 1522 by Juan Sebastian DEL CANO; and was named Nieuw Amsterdam by a Dutchman. It was claimed by France in 1843. Cattle farming was attempted in 1871, but was short-lived. A French meteorological station was established on the island in 1949 and is still in use. lie Saint Paul: Probably discovered in the 1600 s by Harwich CLAEZ, a Dutchman, it has been claimed by France since 1893. It was the center of the fishing industry from 1843 to 1914- In 1928 a spiny lob¬ ster cannery was established. When the company went bankrupt, seven workers were abandoned and all but two died. lies Crozet: A large archipelago formed from the Crozet Plateau, lies Crozet is divided into two main groups: L’Occidental (the West) includes He aux Cochons, Hots des Agotres, lie des Pingouins and the reefs Brisants de l’Heroine, and L’Oriental (the east) includes lie d’Est and lie de la Possession (the largest island of the Crozets). Marc-Joseph Marion DE FRESNE discovered it in 1772 and claimed it for France. Seals were hunted there, and it was also used as a whaling station. In the beginning, it was a dependency of Madagascar, before becoming a part of the TAAF. lies Kerguelen: This island group is made up of one large island (Grand Terre) and about 300 smaller islands and was dis¬ covered by Yves-Joseph DE KER- GUELEN-TREMAREC in February 1772. There is a permanent group of 50 to 100 scientists at the main base at Port-aux-Francais. A delie Land: The fifth administrative district is on the Antarctic continent. The US Government does not recognize it as a French dependency. 227 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Bassos da India: A French possession since 1897, this atoll is a volcanic seamount surrounded by reefs and awash at high tide. Europa Island: A French possession since 1897, this atoll is a volcanic seamount surrounded by reefs and awash at high tide. Glorioso Islands: A French possession since 1892, the Glorioso Islands are com¬ posed of two lushly vegetated coral islands (lie Glorieuse and lie du Lys) and three rock islets. A military garrison operates a weather and radio station on He Glorieuse. Juan de Nova Island: Named after a famous 15th century Spanish navigator and explorer, the island has been a French possession since 1897. It has been exploited for its guano and phosphate. Presently a small military garrison over¬ sees a meteorological station. Tromelin Island: First explored by the French in 1776, the island came under the jurisdiction of Reunion in 1814. At present, it serves as a sea turtle sanctuary and is the site of an important meteoro¬ logical station. GEOGRAPHY Location: southeast and east of Africa, islands in the southern Indian Ocean, some near Madagascar and others about equidistant between Africa, Antarctica, and Australia; note — French Southern and Antarctic Lands include He Amsterdam, He Saint-Paul, lies Crozet, lies Kerguelen, and lies Eparses in the southern Indian Ocean, along with the French-claimed sector of Antarctica, “Adelie Land”; the US does not recog¬ nize the French claim to “Adelie Land” Geographic coordinates: lie Amsterdam (lie Amsterdam et lie Saint- Paul): 37 50 S, 77 32 E He Saint-Paul (lie Amsterdam et He Saint- Paul): 38 72 S, 77 53 E lies Crozet: 46 25 S, 51 00 E lies Kerguelen: 49 15 S, 69 35 E Bassos da India (lies Eparses): 21 30 S, 39 50 E Europa Island (lies Eparses): 22 20 S, 40 22 E Glorioso Islands (lies Eparses): 1 1 30 S, 47 20 E Juan de Nova Island (lies Eparses): 17 03 S, 42 45 E Tromelin Island (lies Eparses): 15 52 S, 54 25 E Map references: Antarctic Region, Africa Area: He Amsterdam (He Amsterdam et He Saint- Paul): total — 55 sq km; land — 55 sq km; water — 0 sq km He Saint-Paul (He Amsterdam et He Saint- Paul): total — 7 sq km; land — 7 sq km; water — 0 sq km lies Crozet: total — 352 sq km; land 352 sq km; water — 0 sq km lies Kerguelen: total — 7,215 sq km; land — 7,215 sq km; water — 0 sq km Bassos da India (lies Eparses ): total 80 sq km; land — 0.2 sq km; water — 79.8 sq km (lagoon) Europa Island (lies Eparses): total — 28 sq km; land — 28 sq km; water — 0 sq km Gloriosos Islands (lies Eparses): total — 5 sq km; land — 5 sq km; water — 0 sq km Juan de Nova Island (lies Eparses): total — 4.4 sq km; land — 4-4 sq km; water — 0 sq km Tromelin Island (lies Eparses): total — 1 sq km; land — 1 sq km; water— 0 sq km note: excludes “Adelie Land” claim of about 500,000 sq km in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US Area — comparative: He Amsterdam (He Amsterdam et He Saint- Paul): less than one-half the size of Washington, DC He Saint-Paul (He Amsterdam et He Saint- Paul): more than 10 times the size of the Mall in Washington, DC lies Crozet: about twice the size of Washington, DC lies Kerguelen: a little larger than Delaware Bassos da India (lies Eparses): land area about one-third the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Europa Island (lies Eparses): about one- sixth the size of Washington, DC Glorioso Islands (lies Eparses): about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Juan de Nova Island (lies Eparses): about seven times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Tromelin Island (lies Eparses): about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: He Amsterdam (He Amsterdam et He Saint- Paul) : 28 km He Saint-Paul (He Amsterdam et He Saint- Paul) : lies Kerguelen: 2,800 km Bassos da India (lies Eparses): 35.2 km Europa Island (lies Eparses): 22.2 km Glorioso Islands (lies Eparses): 35.2 km Juan de Nova Island (lies Eparses): 24.1 km Tromelin Island (lies Eparses): 3.7 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 1 2 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm from lies Kerguelen and lies Eparses (does not include the rest of French Southern and Antarctic Lands); Juan de Nova Island and Tromelin Island claim a continental shelf of 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation Climate: He Amsterdam et He Saint-Paul: oceanic with persistent westerly winds and high humidity lies Crozet: windy, cold, wet, and cloudy lies Kerguelen: oceanic, cold, overcast, windy lies Eparses: tropical Terrain: lie Amsterdam (He Amsterdam et He Saint- Paul): a volcanic island with steep coastal cliffs; the center floor of the vol¬ cano is a large plateau He Saint-Paul (He Amsterdam et He Saint- Paul): triangular in shape, the island is the top of a volcano, rocky with steep cliffs on the easter side; has active thermal springs lies Crozet: a large archipelago formed from the Crozet Plateau is divided into two groups of islands lies Kerguelen: the interior of the large island of Grand Terre is composed of rugged terrain of high mountains, hills, valleys, and plains with a number of peninsulas stretching off its coasts Bassas da India (lies Eparses): atoll, awash at high tide; shallow (15 m) lagoon Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island: low, flat, and sandy Tromelin Island (lies Eparses): low, flat, sandy; likely volcanic seamount Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont de la Dives on He Amsterdam (He Amsterdam et He Saint- Paul) 867 m; unnamed location on He Saint-Paul (He Amsterdam et He Saint- Paul) 272 m; Pic Marion-Dufresne in lies Crozet 1,090 m; Mont Ross in lies Kerguelen 1,850 m; unnamed location on Bassas de India (lies Eparses) 2.4 m; unnamed location on Europa Island (lies Eparses) 24 m; unnamed location on Glorioso Islands (lies Eparses) 12 m; unnamed location on Juan de Nova Island (lies Eparses) 10 m; unnamed location on Tromelin Island (lies Eparses) 7 m Natural resources: fish, crayfish note: Glorioso Islands and Tromelin Island (lies Eparses) have guano, phos¬ phates, and coconuts Land USe: He Amsterdam (He Amster¬ dam et lie Saint-Paul) — 100% trees, grasses, ferns, and moss; He Saint-Paul (He Amsterdam et He Saint-Paul) — 100% grass, ferns, and moss; lies Crozet — 100% tossock grass, heath, and fern; lies Kerguelen — 100% tossock grass and Kerguelen cabbage; Bassas da India 228 french southern and antarctic lands (lies Eparses)— 100% rock, coral reef, and sand; Europa Island (lies Eparses)— 100% mangrove swamp and dry wood¬ lands; Glorioso Islands (lies Eparses)— 100% lush vegetation and coconut palms; Juan de Nova Island (lies Eparses)— 90% forest, 10% other; Tromelin Island (lies Eparses)— 100% grasses and scattered brush (2005) Irrigated land: 0 Sq km Natural hazards: lie Amsterdam and lie Saint-Paul are inactive volcanoes; intro¬ duction of foreign species on lies Crozet has caused severe damage to the original ecosystem; overfishing of Patagonia Toothfish; lies Eparses subject to periodic cyclones; Bassas da India is a maritime hazard since it is under water for a period of three hours prior to and following the high tide and surrounded by reefs Environment— current issues: NA Geography— note: islands component is widely scattered across remote locations in the southern Indian Ocean Bassas da India (lies Eparses): the atoll is a circular reef that sits atop a long- extinct, submerged volcano Europa Island and Juan de Nova Island (lies Eparses): wildlife sanctuary for seabirds and sea turtles Glorioso Island (lies Eparses): the islands and rocks are surrounded by an extensive reef system Tromelin Island (lies Eparses): climatolog- ically important location for forecasting cyclones in the western Indian Ocean; wildlife sanctuary (seabirds, tortoises) PEOPLE Population: no indigenous inhabitants He Amsterdam (He Amsterdam et He Saint - Paul): has no permanent residents but has a meteorological station He Saint-Paul (He Amsterdam et He Saint- Paul): is uninhabited but is frequently visited by fishermen and has a scientific research cabin for short stays lies Crozet: are uninhabited except for 18 to 30 people staffing the Alfred Faure research station on lie del la Possession lies Kerguelen: 50 to 100 scientists are located at the main base at Port-aux- Francais on Grand Terre of lies Kerguelen Bassas da India (lies Eparses) : uninhabitable Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island (lies Eparses): a small French military garrison and a few meteorologists on each possession; visited by scientists Tromelin Island (lies Eparses): uninhab¬ ited, except for visits by scientists GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands conventional short form: French Southern and Antarctic Lands local long form: Territoire des Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises local short form: Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises abbreviation: TAAF Dependency status: overseas territory of France since 1955; administered from Paris by Administrateur Superieur Michel CFiAMPON (since 20 Decem¬ ber 2004), assisted by Secretary General Jean- Yves HERMOSO (since NA) Administrative divisions: none (over¬ seas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are five administrative districts named lies Crozet, lies Eparses, lies Kerguelen, lie Saint-Paul et He Amsterdam; the fifth district is the “Adelie Land” claim in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US Legal system: the laws of France, where applicable, apply Executive branch: chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007), repre¬ sented by Senior Administrator Dom¬ inique LACROIX (since 21 March 2007) International organization participa¬ tion: UPU Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of France) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of France) Flag description: the flag of France is used ECONOMY Economy — overview: Economic activity is limited to servicing meteorological, geophysical research stations, military bases and French and other fishing fleets. The fish catches landed on lies Kerguelen by foreign ships are exported to France and Reunion. COMMUNICATIONS Internet country code: tf Internet hosts: 38 (2006) Communications— note: one or more metorological stations on each posses¬ sion; note — meteorological station on Tromelin Island (lies Eparses) is impor¬ tant for forecasting cyclones TRANSPORTATION Airports: 4 (one each on Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, and Tromelin Island in the lies Eparses district) (2006) Merchant marine: total: 77 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,432,833 GRT/5,345,291 DWT by type: bulk carrier 2, chemical tanker 27, container 18, liquefied gas 5, petro¬ leum tanker 15, roll on/roll off 6, vehicle carrier 4 foreign-oumed: 76 (Belgium 6, Denmark 2, France 36, Germany 2, Flong Kong 2, Japan 4, Norway 12, Saudi Arabia 1, Sweden 9, Switzerland 1, UK 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: none; offshore anchorage only Transportation — note: aids to naviga¬ tion — lighthouses: Europa Island 18m; Juan de Nova Island (W side) 37m; Tromelin Island (NW point) 1 lm in the lies Eparses district MILITARY Military — note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of France TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: French claim to “Adelie Land” in Antarctica is not recognized by the US Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands , Juan de Nova Island (lies Eparses) : claimed by Madagascar Tromelin Island (lies Eparses): claimed by Mauritius 229 GABON INTRODUCTION 'O _ contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical; always hot, humid Terrain: narrow coastal plain; hilly inte¬ rior; savanna in east and south Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Iboundji 1,575 m Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, diamond, niobium, manganese, ura¬ nium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower Land use: arable land: 1.21% permanent crops: 0.64% other: 98.15% (2005) Irrigated land: 70 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: NA Environment — current issues: defor¬ Background: Only two autocratic presi¬ dents have ruled Gabon since independ¬ ence from France in 1960. The current president of Gabon, El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba — one of the longest- serving heads of state in the world — has dominated the country’s political scene for almost four decades. President BONGO introduced a nominal multi¬ party system and a new constitution in the early 1990s. However, allegations of electoral fraud during local elections in 2002-03 and the presidential elections in 2005 have exposed the weaknesses of formal political structures in Gabon. Gabon’s political opposition remains weak, divided, and financially dependent on the current regime. Despite political conditions, a small population, abundant natural resources, and considerable for¬ eign support have helped make Gabon one of the more prosperous and stable African countries. GEOGRAPHY Location: Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea Geographic coordinates: 1 00 S, 1 1 45 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 267,667 sq km land: 257,667 sq km water: 10,000 sq km Area— comparative: slightly smaller than Colorado Land boundaries: total: 2,551 km border countries: Cameroon 298 km, Republic of the Congo 1,903 km, Equatorial Guinea 350 km Coastline: 885 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm estation; poaching Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: a small population and oil and mineral reserves have helped Gabon become one of Africa’s wealthier countries; in general, these circum¬ stances have allowed the country to maintain and conserve its pristine rain forest and rich biodiversity PEOPLE Population: 1,454,867 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mor¬ tality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the dis¬ tribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 42.1% (male 307,444/female 305,468) 15-64 years: 53.9% (male 391,194/ female 393,103) 65 years and over: 4% (male 23,978/ female 33,680) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 18.6 years male: 18.4 years female: 18.8 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.036% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 35.96 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 12.45 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -3.15 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.006 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.995 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.712 male(s)/female total population: 0.987 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 53.65 deaths/1,000 live births male: 62.53 deaths/1,000 live births female: 44-5 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 53.99 years male: 52.85 years female: 55.17 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 471 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 8.1% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 48,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 3,000 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diar¬ rhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorbome disease: malaria (2007) Nationality: noun: Gabonese (singular and plural) adjective: Gabonese Ethnic groups: Bantu tribes, including four major tribal groupings (Fang, Bapounou, Nzebi, Obamba); other Africans and Europeans, 154,000, including 10,700 French and 11,000 per¬ sons of dual nationality Religions: Christian 55%— 75%, animist, Muslim less than 1% Languages: French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 63.2% male: 73.7% female: 53.3% (1995 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Gabonese Republic conventional short form: Gabon local long form: Republique gabonaise local short form: Gabon Government type: republic; multiparty presidential regime Capital: name: Libreville geographic coordinates: 0 23 N, 9 27 E 230 GABON nme difference: UTC+ 1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo’, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu- Ntem Independence: 17 August i960 (from France) National holiday: Founding of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG), 12 March (1968) Constitution: adopted 14 March 1991 Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba (since 2 December 1967) head of government: Prime Minister Jean Eyeghe NDONG (since 20 January 2006) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (no term limits); election last held 27 November 2005 (next to be held in 2012); prime minister appointed by the president election results: President El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba reelected; percent of vote — El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba 79.2%, Pierre MAMBOUNDOU 13.6%, Zacharie MYBOTO 6.6% Legislative branch: bicameral legislature consists of the Senate (91 seats; members elected by members of municipal coun¬ cils and departmental assemblies to serve six-year terms) and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120 seats; members are elected by direct, pop¬ ular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate — last held 26 January and 9 February 2003 (next to be held by January 2009); National Assembly last held 17 and 24 December 2006 (next to be held in December 2011) election results: Senate — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party PDG 53, RNB 20, PGP 4, ADERE 3, RDP 1, CLR 1, independents 9; National Assembly percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — PDG 82, RPG 8, UPG 8, UGDD 4, ADERE 3, CLR 2, PGP-Ndaot 2, PSD 2, independents 4, others 5 Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consisting of three chambers Judicial, Administrative, and Accounts; Constitutional Court; Courts of Appea , Court of State Security; County Courts Political parties and leaders: Circle of Liberal Reformers or CLR [General Jean Boniface ASSELE]; Congress for Democracy and Justice or CDJ [Jules Aristide Bourdes OGOULIGUENDE]; Democratic and Republican Alliance or ADERE [Divungui-di-Ndinge DIDJOB]; Gabonese Democratic Party or PDG (former sole party) [Simplice Nguedet MANZELA]; Gabonese Party for Progress or PGP [Pierre-Louis AGON DJ O-OK AWE] ; Gabonese Union for Democracy and Development or UGDD [Zacherie MYBOTO]; National Rally of Woodcutters or RNB; National Rally of Woodcutters-Rally for Gabon or RNB-RPG (Bucherons) [Fr. Paul M’BA-ABESSOLE]; People’s Unity Party or PUP [Louis Gaston MAYILA]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Pierre EMBONI]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Pierre Claver MAGANGA-MOUSSAVOU]; Union for Democracy and Social Integration or UDIS; Union of Gabonese Patriots or UPG [Pierre MAMBOUNDOU] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA international organization participa¬ tion: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jules Marius OGOUEBANDJA chancery: Suite 200, 2034 20th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 797-1000 FAX: [1] (202) 332-0668 consulate(s): New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Barrie R. WALKLEY embassy: Boulevard du Bord de Mer, Libreville mailing address: Centre Ville, B. P. 4000, Libreville telephone: [241] 76 20 03 through 76 20 04, after hours — 74 34 92 FAX: [241] 74 55 07 Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue ECONOMY Economy — overview: Gabon enjoys a per capita income four times that of most of sub-Saharan African nations. This has supported a sharp decline in extreme poverty; yet, because of high income inequality, a large proportion of the pop¬ ulation remains poor. Gabon depended on timber and manganese until oil was discovered offshore in the early 1970s. The oil sector now accounts for 50% of GDP. Gabon continues to face fluctu¬ ating prices for its oil, timber, and man¬ ganese exports. Despite the abundance of natural wealth, poor fiscal management hobbles the economy. Devaluation of its currency by 50% in January 1994 sparked a one-time inflationary surge, to 35%; the rate dropped to 6% in 1996. The IMF provided a one-year standby arrangement in 1994-95, a three-year Enhanced Financing Facility (EFF) at near commer¬ cial rates beginning in late 1995, and stand-by credit of $119 million in October 2000. Those agreements man¬ dated progress in privatization and fiscal discipline. France provided additional financial support in January 1997 after Gabon met IMF targets for mid- 1996. In 1997, an IMF mission to Gabon criticized the government for overspending on off- budget items, overborrowing from the central bank, and slipping on its schedule for privatization and administrative reform. The rebound of oil prices in 1999-2000 helped growth, but drops in production hampered Gabon from fully realizing potential gains. In December 2000, Gabon signed a new agreement with the Paris Club to reschedule its offi¬ cial debt. A follow-up bilateral repayment agreement with the US was signed in December 2001. Gabon signed a 14- month Stand-By Arrangement with the IMF in May 2004, and received Paris Club debt rescheduling later that year. Short-term progress depends on an upbeat world economy and fiscal and other adjustments in line with IMF policies. GDP (purchasing power parity): $10.17 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $6,931 billion (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 1% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $7,100 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 5.9% industry: 59.7% services: 34-4% (2006 est.) Labor force: 581,000 (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 60% industry: 15% services: 25% Unemployment rate: 21% (1997 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% 231 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.2% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 22.4% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $3.1 billion expenditures: $2,181 billion; including capital expenditures of $325 million (2006 est.) Public debt: 28.6% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical softwood); fish Industries: petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, gold; chemicals, ship repair, food and beverages, textiles, lumbering and plywood, cement Industrial production growth rate: 1.6% (2002 est.) Electricity— production: 1.543 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 34.5% hydro: 65.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 1.435 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 268,900 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— consumption: 13,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Oil— proved reserves: 1.827 billion bbl (2006 est.) Natural gas— production: 100 million cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 100 million cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 33.98 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $1,807 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $6,677 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: crude oil 77%, timber, manganese, uranium (2001) Exports— partners: US 52.6%, France 6.3%, China 6.2% (2005) Imports: $1,607 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) INTRODUCTION Background: The Gambia gained its independence from the UK in 1965. Geographically surrounded by Senegal, it formed a short-lived federation of Senegambia between 1982 and 1989. In Imports — commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, con¬ struction materials Imports— partners: France 40.4%, US 6.4%, Cameroon 4-2% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $835 million (2006 est.) Debt — external: $3,971 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid — recipient: $331 million (1995) Currency (code): Communaute Finan- ciere Africaine franc (XAF); note — responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States Currency code: XAF Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar — 522.89 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 39,100 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 649,800 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: adequate service by African standards and improving with the help of the growing mobile cell system domestic: adequate system of cable, microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, radiotelephone communication stations, and a domestic satellite system with 1 2 earth stations international: country code — 241; satel¬ lite earth stations — 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia Radio broadcasf stations: AM 6, FM 7 (plus 11 repeaters), shortwave 4 (2001) Radios: 208,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 4 (plus 4 repeaters) (2001) Televisions: 63,000 (1997) Internet country code: ga Internet hosts: 322 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2001) Internet users: 67,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 56 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 1 1 1991 the two nations signed a friendship and cooperation treaty, but tensions have flared up intermittently since then. Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH led a military coup in 1994 that overthrew the presi¬ dent and banned political activity. A new constitution and presidential elec¬ over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1 ,524 to 2,437 m; 8 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 45 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 23 (2006) Pipelines: gas 272 km; oil 1,354 km (2006) Railways: total: 814 km standard gauge: 814 km 1.435-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 9,170 km paved: 937 km unpaved: 8,233 km (2004) Waterways: 1,600 km (310 km on Ogooue River) (2005) Merchant marine: registered in other countries: 2 (Cambodia 1, Panama 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Gamba, Libreville, Lucinda, Owendo, Port-Gentil MILITARY Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police Military service age and obligation: 20 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2007) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 278,826 females age 18-49: 279,865 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 159,198 females age 18-49: 156,122 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18^49: 15,325 females age i 8 — 49; 15,367 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 3.4% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: UN urges Equatorial Guinea and Gabon to resolve the sovereignty dispute over Gabon- occupied Mbane Island and lesser islands and to establish a maritime boundary7 in hydrocarbon-rich Corisco Bay Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: refugees (country of origin ): 7,298 (Republic of Congo) (2006) tions in 1996, followed by parliamentary balloting in 1997, completed a nominal return to civilian rule. JAMMEFI has been elected president in all subsequent elections, including most recently in late 2006. GAMBIA, THE 232 GAMBIA, THE GEOGRAPHY Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and Senegal Geographic coordinates: 13 28 N, 16 34 W Map references: Africa Area: total: 1 1,300 sq km land: 10,000 sq km water: 1 ,300 sq km Area— comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Delaware Land boundaries: total: 740 km border countries: Senegal 740 km Coastline: 80 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 18 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm continental shelf: extent not specified Climate: tropical; hot, rainy season (June to November); cooler, dry season (November to May) Terrain: flood plain of the Gambia River flanked by some low hills Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 53 m Natural resources: fish, titanium (rutile and ilmenite), tin, zircon, silica sand, clay, petroleum Land use: arable land: 27.88% permanent crops: 0.44% other: 71.68% (2005) Irrigated land: 20 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: drought (rainfall has dropped by 30% in the last 30 years) Environment— current issues: defor- estation; desertification; water-borne dis¬ eases prevalent Environment — international agree¬ ments: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography— note: almost an enclave of Senegal; smallest country on the conti¬ nent of Africa PEOPLE Population: 1,688,359 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 44-1% (male 3 73,831 /female 370,397) 15-64 years: 53.2% (male 445,365/ female 452,31 1) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 23,582/ female 22,873) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 17.8 years male: 17.6 years female: 17.9 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.781% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 38.86 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 11.99 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0.94 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.009 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.985 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.031 male(s)/female total population: 0.997 male(s)/female (2007 est.) infant mortality rate: total: 70.14 deaths/1,000 live births male: 76.55 deaths/1,000 live births female: 63.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 54-54 years male: 52.68 years female: 56.46 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 5.21 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 1.2% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 6,800 (2003 est.) WV/AIDS— deaths: 600 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, yellow fever are high risks in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2007) Nationality: noun: Gambian(s) adjective: Gambian Ethnic groups: African 99% (Mandinka 42%, Fula 18%, Wolof 16%, Jola 10%, Serahuli 9%, other 4%), non-African 1% Religions: Muslim 90%, Christian 9%, indigenous beliefs 1% Languages: English (official), Man- dinka, Wolof, Fula, other indigenous vernaculars Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 40.1% male: 47.8% female: 32.8% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of The Gambia conventional short form: The Gambia Government type: republic Capital: name: Banjul geographic coordinates: 12 28 N, 16 39 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 5 divisions and 1 city*; Banjul*, Central River, Lower River, North Bank, Upper River, Western Independence: 18 February 1965 (from UK) National holiday: Independence Day, 18 February (1965) Constitution: approved by national refer¬ endum 8 August 1996; effective 16 January 1997 Legal system: based on a composite of English common law, Islamic law, and customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 18 October 1996); note — from 1994 to 1996 he was chairman of the Junta; Vice President Isatou NJIE-SAIDY (since 20 March 233 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK 1997); note — the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Yahya A. ]. J. JAMMEH (since 18 October 1996); Vice President Isatou NJIE-SAIDY (since 20 March 1997) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held 22 September 2006 (next to be held in 2011) election results: Yahya A. ]. J. JAMMEH reelected president; percent of vote — Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH 67.3%, Ous- ainou DARBOE 26.6%, Halifa SALLAH 6.0% Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (53 seats; 48 members elected by popular vote, 5 appointed by the pres¬ ident; to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 25 January 2007 (next to be held in 2012) election results : percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — APRC 47, UDP 4, NADD 1, independent 1 Judicial branch: Supreme Court Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction or APRC (the ruling party) [Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH]; Gambia People’s Democratic Party or GPDP [Henry GOMEZ]; National Alliance for Democracy and Develop¬ ment or NADD [Halifa SALLAH]; National Convention Party or NCP [Sheriff DIBBA]; National Reconcili¬ ation Party or NRP [Hamat N. K. BAH]; People’s Democratic Organization for Independence and Socialism or PDOIS [Sidia JATTA]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Ousainou DARBOE] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dodou Bammy JAGNE chancery: Suite 905, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 785-1379 FAX: [1] (202) 785-1430 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph D. STAFFORD, III embassy: Kairaba Avenue, Fajara, Banjul mailing address: P. M. B. No. 19, Banjul telephone: [220] 439-2856, 437-6169, 437-6170 FAX: [220] 439-2475 Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue with white edges, and green ECONOMY Economy — overview: The Gambia has no confirmed mineral or natural resource deposits and has a limited agricultural base. About 75% of the population depends on crops and livestock for its livelihood. Small-scale manufacturing activity features the processing of peanuts, fish, and hides. Reexport trade normally constitutes a major segment of economic activity, but a 1999 govern¬ ment-imposed preshipment inspection plan, and instability of the Gambian dalasi (currency) have drawn some of the reexport trade away from The Gambia. The Gambia’s natural beauty and prox¬ imity to Europe has made it one of the larger markets for tourism in West Africa. The government’s 1998 seizure of the private peanut firm Alimenta elimi¬ nated the largest purchaser of Gambian groundnuts. Despite an announced pro¬ gram to begin privatizing key parastatals, no plans have been made public that would indicate that the government intends to follow through on its prom¬ ises. Unemployment and underemploy¬ ment rates remain extremely high; short-run economic progress depends on sustained bilateral and multilateral aid, on responsible government economic management, on continued technical assistance from the IMF and bilateral donors, and on expected growth in the construction sector. GDP (purchasing power parity): $3,284 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $462.5 million (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 5.3% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $2,000 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 30.5% industry: 13.9% services: 55.6% (2006 est.) Labor force: 400,000 (1996) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 75% industry: 19% services: 6% Unemployment rate: NA% Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 14% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 20.3% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $112.7 million expenditures: $155.1 million; including capital expenditures of $4-1 million (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: rice, millet, sor¬ ghum, peanuts, com, sesame, cassava (tapioca), palm kernels; cattle, sheep, goats Industries: processing peanuts, fish, and hides; tourism, beverages, agricultural machinery assembly, woodworking, met¬ alworking, clothing industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity — production: 145 million kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 134 9 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — consumption: 2,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $54.61 mil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $130.5 million f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: peanut prod¬ ucts, fish, cotton lint, palm kernels, re¬ exports Exports— partners: India 41.1%, UK 18.5%, Indonesia 8.4%, Senegal 4.7%, Belgium 4.3% (2005) Imports: $212.2 million f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: foodstuffs, manufactures, fuel, machinery and trans¬ port equipment Imports— partners: China 21.5%, Senegal 11.4%, Cote d’Ivoire 8.5%, Brazil 5.6%, US 5.3%, UK 5.2%, Netherlands 4-1% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $88.11 million (2006 est.) Debt— external: $628.8 million (2003 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $59.8 million (2003) Currency (code): dalasi (GMD) Currency code: GMD Exchange rates: dalasi per US dollar— 28.3 (2006), 30.38 (2005), 30.03 (2004), 234 GAZA STRIP 27.306 (2004), 19.918 (2003), 15 687 (2002), 15.687 (2001) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 44 000 (2005) Telephones — mobile cellular: 247 500 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: adequate; a packet switched data network is available domestic: adequate network of micro¬ wave radio relay and open-wire international: country code — 220; micro- wave radio relay links to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station — 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (1997) Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001) Radios: 196,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 1 (gov¬ ernment-owned) (1997) Televisions: 5,000 (2000) Internet country code: gm Internet hosts: 14 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2001) Internet users: 49,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: l (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2006) Roadways: total: 3,742 km paved: 723 km unpaved: 3,019 km (2004) Waterways: 390 km (on River Gambia; small ocean-going vessels can reach 190 km) (2004) Merchant marine: total: 5 ships (1000 GRT or over) 32,064 GRT/9,751 DWT by type: passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 1 (2006) Ports and terminals: Banjul MILITARY Military branches: Gambian National Army (GNA), Gambian Navy (GN), Gambian National Guard (includes Presidential Guard) (2007) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 18—49: 311,025 females age 18-49: 316,214 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18—4 9: 183,057 females age 18-49: 194,551 (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of GDP: 0.5% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— International: attempts to stem refugees, cross-border raids, arms smuggling, and other illegal activities by separatists from southern Senegal’s Casamance region, as well as from con¬ flicts in other west African states Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: refugees (country of origin): 5,955 (Sierra Leone) (2006) GAZA STRIP introduction Background: The Israel-PLO Decla¬ ration of Principles on Interim Self- Government Arrangements (the DOP), signed in Washington in September 1993, provided for a transitional period of Palestinian interim self-government in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. A transfer of authority to the Palestinian Authority (PA) for the Gaza Strip and Jericho took place pursuant to the Israel- PLO 4 May 1994 Cairo Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area and, in additional areas of the West Bank, pursuant to the Israel-PLO 28 September 1995 Interim Agreement, the Israel-PLO 15 January 1997 Protocol Concerning Redeployment in Hebron, the Israel- PLO 23 October 1998 Wye River Memorandum, and the 4 September 1999 Sharm el-Sheikh Agreement. Direct negotiations to determine the per¬ manent status of Gaza and the West Bank began in September 1999 after a three-year hiatus, but were derailed by a second intifadah that broke out a year later. In April 2003, the Quartet (US, EU, UN, and Russia) presented a roadmap to a final settlement of the con¬ flict by 2005 based on reciprocal steps by the two parties leading to two states, Israel and a democratic Palestine. The proposed date for a permanent status agreement has been postponed indefi¬ nitely due to violence and accusations that both sides have not followed through on their commitments. Following Palestinian leader Yasir ARAFAT’s death in late 2004, Mahmud ABBAS was elected PA president in January 2005. A month later, Israel and the PA agreed to the Sharm el-Sheikh Commitments in an effort to move the peace process forward. In September 2005, Israel withdrew all its settlers and soldiers and dismantled its military facil¬ ities in the Gaza Strip and four northern West Bank settlements. Nonetheless, Israel controls maritime, airspace, and most access to the Gaza Strip. A November 2005 PA-Israeli agreement authorized the reopening of the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt under joint PA and Egyptian control. In January 2006, the Islamic Resistance Movement, HAMAS, won control of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC). The international com¬ munity has refused to accept the HAMAS-led government because it does not recognize Israel, will not renounce violence, and refuses to honor previous peace agreements between Israel and the PA. Since March 2006, President Abbas has had little success negotiating with HAMAS to present a political platform acceptable to the international community so as to lift the economic siege on Palestinians. The PLC was unable to convene in late 2006 as a result of Israel’s detention of many HAMAS PLC members and Israeli- imposed travel restrictions on other PLC members. GEOGRAPHY Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Israel Geographic coordinates: 31 25 N, 34 20 E Map references: Middle East Area: total: 360 sq km land: 360 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Washington, I9C 235 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Land boundaries: total: 62 km border countries: Egypt 11 km, Israel 51 km Coastline: 40 km Maritime Claims: Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli- Palestinian Interim Agreement — perma¬ nent status to be determined through further negotiation Climate: temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers Terrain: flat to rolling, sand- and dune- covered coastal plain Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Abu ‘Awdah (Joz Abu ‘Auda) 105 m Natural resources: arable land, natural gas Land use: arable land: 29% permanent crops: 21% other: 50% (2002) Irrigated land: 150 sq km; note — includes West Bank (2003) Natural hazards: droughts Environment — current issues: desertifi¬ cation; salination of fresh water; sewage treatment; water-borne disease; soil degradation; depletion and contamina¬ tion of underground water resources Geography — note: strategic strip of land along Mideast-North African trade routes has experienced an incredibly tur¬ bulent history; the town of Gaza itself has been besieged countless times in its history PEOPLE Population: 1,482,405 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 47.6% (male 361,115/female 344,236) 15-64 years: 49.9% (male 377,927/ female 361,824) 65 years and over: 2.5% (male 15,454/ female 21,849) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 16 years male: 15.9 years female: 16.2 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 3.66% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 38.9 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 3.74 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 1.43 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.049 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.045 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.707 male(s)/female total population: 1.037 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 21.88 deaths/1,000 live births male: 22.91 deaths/1,000 live births female: 20.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.16 years male: 70.84 years female: 73.54 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 5 .64 children bom/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: NA adjective: NA Ethnic groups: Palestinian Arab and other 99.4%, Jewish 0.6% Religions: Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 98.7%, Christian 0.7%, Jewish 0.6% Languages: Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by many Palestinians), English (widely understood) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.4% male: 96.7% female: 88% (2004 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Gaza Strip local long form: none local short form: Qita Ghazzah ECONOMY Economy — overview: High population density, limited land access, and strict internal and external security controls have kept economic conditions in the Gaza Strip — the smaller of the two areas under the Palestinian Authority (PA)- even more degraded than in the West Bank. The beginning of the second intifadah in September 2000 sparked an economic downturn, largely the result of Israeli closure policies; these policies, which were imposed to address security concerns in Israel, disrupted labor and trade access to and from the Gaza Strip. In 2001, and even more severely in 2003, Israeli military measures in PA areas resulted in the destruction of capital, the disruption of administrative structures, and widespread business closures. The Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in September 2005 offered some medium- term opportunities for economic growth, which have not yet been realized due to Israeli military activities in the Gaza Strip in 2006, continued crossings clo¬ sures, and the international community’s financial embargo of the PA after HAMAS took office in March 2006. GDP (purchasing power parity): $5,327 billion (includes West Bank) (2005 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $3.45 bil¬ lion (includes West Bank) (2003 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 4.9% (includes West Bank) (2005 est.) GDP — per capita (PPP): $1,500 (includes West Bank) (2003 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 8% industry: 18.2% services: 73.9% (includes West Bank) (2005 est.) Labor force: 259,000 (2005) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 12% industry: 18% services: 70% (2005) Unemployment rate: 20.3% (includes West Bank) (2005) Population below poverty line: 63.1% (2005 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.9% (includes West Bank) (2005) Budget: revenues: $1.23 billion expenditures: $1.64 billion; including capital expenditures of $44 million; (includes West Bank) (2005) Agriculture— products: olives, citrus, vegetables; beef, dairy products Industries: generally small family busi¬ nesses that produce textiles, soap, olive- wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the Israelis had established some small-scale modern industries in an industrial center, but operations ceased prior to Israel’s evacuation of Gaza Strip settlements Industrial production growth rate: 2.4% (includes West Bank) (2005) Electricity— production: 140,000 kWh (2005) Electricity— consumption: 230,000 kWh (2005) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2005) Electricity— imports: 90,000 kWh; note — from Israeli Electric Company (2005) Exports: $301 million f.o.b.; (includes West Bank) (2005) Exports— commodities: citrus, flowers, textiles Exports— partners: Israel, Egypt, West Bank 236 GEORGIA Imports: $2.44 billion West Bank) (2005) e.i.f.; (includes Imports commodities: food, consumer goods, construction materials imports partners: Israel, Egypt, West Bank (2004) Debt— external: $NA Economic aid— recipient: $1.14 billion; (includes West Bank) (2004 est.) Currency (code): new Israeli shekel (ILS) Currency code: ILS Exchange rates: new Israeli shekels per US dollar — 4.4565 (2006), 4.4877 (2005), 4.482 (2004), 4.5541 (2003), 4.7378 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 349,000 (includes West Bank) (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 1.095 million (includes West Bank) (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL are responsible for fixed line services in the Gaza Strip; the Palestinian JAWAL com¬ pany provides cellular services international: country code — 970 (2004) Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 8, shortwave 0 (2005) Radios: NA; note — most Palestinian households have radios (1999) Television broadcast stations: 1 (2005) Televisions: NA; note — most Pales¬ tinian households have televisions (1997) Internet country code: .ps; note — same as West Bank Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (1999) Internet users: 243,000 (includes West Bank) (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 2 note: includes Gaza International Airport closed since its runway was destroyed by the Israeli Defense Forces in December 2001 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Heliports: 1 (2006) Roadways: note: see entry for West Bank Ports and terminals: Gaza MILITARY Military branches: in accordance with the peace agreement, the Palestinian Authority is not permitted conventional military forces; there are, however, public security forces (2007) Manpower available for military service: males age 18^9: 260,855 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18—49: 221,530 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 15,196 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: NA TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli- Palestinian Interim Agreement — perma¬ nent status to be determined through further negotiation; Israel removed set¬ tlers and military personnel from the Gaza Strip in August 2005 Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: refugees (country of origin): 993,818 (Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA)) (2006) GEORGIA INTRODUCTION Background: The region of present-day Georgia contained the ancient kingdoms of Colchis and Kartli-Iberia. The area came under Roman influence in the first centuries A.D. and Christianity became the state religion in the 330s. Domination by Persians, Arabs, and Turks was followed by a Georgian golden age (11 th— 13th centuries) that was cut short by the Mongol invasion of 1236. Subsequently, the Ottoman and Persian empires competed for influence in t e region. Georgia was absorbed into the Russian Empire in the 19th century. Independent for three years (191 8— 1921) following the Russian revolution, it was forcibly incorporated into the USSR until the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991- An attempt by the incumbent Georgian government to manipulate national legislative elections in November 2003 touched off widespread protests that led to the resignation of Eduard SHEVARDNADZE, president since 1995. New elections in early 2004 swept Mikheil SAAKASHVILI into power along with his National Movement party. Progress on market reforms and democratization has been made in the years since independence, but this progress has been complicated by two civil conflicts in the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. These two territories remain outside the control of the central government and are ruled by de facto, unrecognized gov¬ ernments, supported by Russia. Russian- led peacekeeping operations continue in both regions. The Georgian Govern¬ ment put forward a new peace initiative for the peaceful resolution of the status of South Ossetia in 2005. GEOGRAPHY Locafion: Southwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between Turkey and Russia Geographic coordinates: 42 00 N, 43 30 E Map references: Asia Area: total: 69,700 sq km land: 69,700 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: slightly smaller than South Carolina 237 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Land boundaries: total: 1,461 km border countries: Armenia 164 km, Azerbaijan 322 km, Russia 723 km, Turkey 252 km Coastline: 310 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: warm and pleasant; Mediter¬ ranean-like on Black Sea coast Terrain: largely mountainous with Great Caucasus Mountains in the north and Lesser Caucasus Mountains in the south; Kolkhet’is Dablobi (Kolkhida Lowland) opens to the Black Sea in the west; Mtkvari River Basin in the east; good soils in river valley flood plains, foothills of Kolkhida Lowland Elevation extremes: lowest point: Black Sea 0 m highest point: Mt’a Shkhara 5,201 m Natural resources: forests, hydropower, manganese deposits, iron ore, copper, minor coal and oil deposits; coastal cli¬ mate and soils allow for important tea and citrus growth Land use: arable land: 11.51% permanent crops: 3.79% other: 84-7% (2005) Irrigated land: 4,690 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: earthquakes Environment— current issues: air pollu¬ tion, particularly in Rust’avi; heavy pollu¬ tion of Mtkvari River and the Black Sea; inadequate supplies of potable water; soil pollution from toxic chemicals Environment— international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change- Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, En¬ dangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: strategically located east of the Black Sea; Georgia controls much of the Caucasus Mountains and the routes through them PEOPLE Population: 4,646,003 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 16.7% (male 413,506/female 364,407) 15-64 years: 66.6% (male 1,489,081/ female 1,605,021) 65 years and over: 16.7% (male 311,098/ female 462,890) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 38 years male: 35.5 years female: 40.4 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: -0.329% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 10.54 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 9.37 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -4 45 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.14 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.135 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.928 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.672 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 17.36 deaths/1,000 live births male: 19.42 deaths/1,000 live births female: 15.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.3 years male: 73 years female: 80.07 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.42 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 3,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Georgian(s) adjective: Georgian Ethnic groups: Georgian 83.8%, Azeri 6.5%, Armenian 5.7%, Russian 1.5%, other 2.5% (2002 census) Religions: Orthodox Christian 83.9%, Muslim 9.9%, Armenian-Gregorian 3.9%, Catholic 0.8%, other 0.8%, none 0.7% (2002 census) Languages: Georgian 71% (official), Russian 9%, Armenian 7%, Azeri 6%, other 7% note: Abkhaz is the official language in Abkhazia Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (2004 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Georgia local long form: none local short form: Sak’art’velo former: Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic Government type: republic Capital: name: T’bilisi geographic coordinates: 41 43 N, 44 49 E time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 9 regions (mkharebi, singular — mkhare), 9 cities (k’alak’ebi, singular — k’alak’i), and 2 autonomous republics (avtomnoy respubliki, singular — avtom respublika) regions: Guria, Imereti, Kakheti, Kvemo Kartli, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Racha- Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, Samegrelo and Zemo Svaneti, Samtskhe- Javakheti, Shida Kartli cities: Chiat’ura, Gori, K’ut’aisi, P’ot’i, Rust’avi, Tbilisi, Tqibuli, Tsqaltubo, Zugdidi autonomous republics: Abkhazia or Ap’khazet’is Avtonomiuri Respublika (Sokhumi), Ajaria or Acharis Avtonomiuri Respublika (Bat’umi) note: the administrative centers of the two autonomous republics are shown in parentheses Independence: 9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union) National holiday: Independence Day, 26 May (1918); note — 26 May 1918 was the date of independence from Soviet Russia, 9 April 1991 was the date of independence from the Soviet Union Constitution: adopted 24 August 1995 Legal system: based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Mikheil SAAKASHVILI (since 25 January 2004); note — the president is both the chief of state and head of government for the power ministries: state security (includes interior) and defense head of government: President Mikheil SAAKASHVILI (since 25 January 2004) ; Prime Minister Zurab NOGHAIDELI (since 17 February 2005) ; note — the president is the chief of state and head of government for the power ministries: state security (includes interior) and defense; the prime minister is head of the remaining ministries of government cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 4 January 2004 (next to be held in late 2008) election results: Mikheil SAAKASHVILI elected president; percent of vote — Mikheil SAAKASHVILI 96.3%, Temur SHASHI ASHVILI 1.9% Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme Council (commonly referred to as Parliament) or Umaghiesi Sabcho (235 seats; 150 members elected by propor¬ tional representation, 75 from single-seat 238 GEORGIA constitumcies, and 10 represent dis¬ placed persons from Abkhazia; to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 28 March 2004 (next to be held in spring 2008) election results: percent of vote by party— National Movement-Democratic Front 67.6%, Rightist Opposition 7.6%, other parties 24.8%; seats by party — National Movement-Democratic Front 135, Rightist Opposition 15 Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges elected by the Supreme Council on the president’s or chairman of the Supreme Courts recommendation); Constitutional Court; first and second instance courts Political parties and leaders: Burjanadze-Democrats [Nino BUR- JANADZE]; Georgian People’s Front [Nodar NATADZE]; Georgian United Communist Party or UCPG [Panteleimon GIORGADZE]; Georgia’s Way Party [Salome ZOURABICHV1LI]; Greens [Giorgi GACHECHILADZE]; Industry Will Save Georgia (Industrialists) or IWSG [Georgi TOPADZE]; Labor Party [Shalva NATE- LASHVILI]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Bachuki KARDAVA]; National Movement Democratic Front [Mikheil SAAKASHVILI] (bloc composed of National Movement and Burjanadze- Democrats); National Movement [Mikheil SAAKASHVILI]; New Rights [David GAMKRELIDZE]; Republican Party [David USUPASHVILI]; Rightist Opposition [David GAMKRELIDZE] (bloc composed of Industrialists and New Right Party); Socialist Party or SPG [Irakli MINDELI]; Traditionalists [Akaki ASATIANI]; Union of National Forces- Conservatives [Koba DAVITASHVILI and Zviad DZIDZIGURI] Political pressure groups and leaders: Georgian independent deputies from Abkhaz government in exile; separatists in the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia International organization participa¬ tion: ACCT (observer), BSEC, CE, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UN WTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Vasil SIKHARULIDZE chancery: 1101 15th Street NW, uite 602, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 387-2390 FAX: [1] (202) 393-4537 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John F. TEFFT embassy: 11 George Balanchine Street, Tbilisi 0131 mailing address: 7060 T’bilisi Place, Washington, DC 20521-7060 telephone: [995] (32) 27-70-00 FAX: [995] (32) 53-23-10 Flag description: white rectangle, in its central portion a red cross connecting all four sides of the flag; in each of the four comers is a small red bolnur-katskhuri cross; the five-cross flag appears to date back to the 14th century ECONOMY Economy — overview: Georgia’s main economic activities include the cultiva¬ tion of agricultural products such as grapes, citrus fruits, and hazelnuts; mining of manganese and copper; and output of a small industrial sector pro¬ ducing alcoholic and nonalcoholic bev¬ erages, metals, machinery, and chemicals. The country imports the bulk of its energy needs, including natural gas and oil products. It has sizeable but underdeveloped hydropower capacity. Despite the severe damage the economy has suffered due to civil strife, Georgia, with the help of the IMF and World Bank, has made substantial economic gains since 2000, achieving positive GDP growth and curtailing inflation. Georgia had suffered from a chronic failure to collect tax revenues; however, the new government is making progress and has reformed the tax code, improved tax administration, increased tax enforcement, and cracked down on cor¬ ruption. Due to concerted reform efforts, collection rates have improved consider¬ ably to roughly 60%, both in T’bilisi and throughout the regions. In addition, the reinvigorated privatization process has met with success, supplementing govern¬ ment expenditures on infrastructure, defense, and poverty reduction. Despite customs and financial (tax) enforcement improvements, smuggling remains a drain on the economy. Georgia also suf¬ fers from energy shortages due to aging and badly maintained infrastructure, as well as poor management. Continued reform in the management of state- owned power entities is essential to suc¬ cessful privatization and onward sustainability in this sector. The country is pinning its hopes for long-term growth on its role as a transit state for pipelines and trade. The construction on the Baku-T’bilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and the Baku-T’bilisi-Erzerum gas pipeline have brought much-needed investment and job opportunities. Nevertheless, high energy prices have compounded the pressure on the country’s inefficient energy sector. Restructuring the sector and finding energy supply alternatives to Russia remain major challenges. GDP (purchasing power parity): $17.88 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $5,234 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 8% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $3,800 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 17.7% industry: 27.5% services: 54-8% (2006 est.) Labor force: 2.04 million (2004 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 40% industry: 20% services: 40% (1999 est.) Unemployment rate: 12.6% (2004 est.) Population below poverty line: 54% (2001 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 27.9% (1996) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 38 (2003) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 30% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $1,726 billion expenditures: $1,879 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: citrus, grapes, tea, hazelnuts, vegetables; livestock industries: steel, aircraft, machine tools, electrical appliances, mining (man¬ ganese and copper), chemicals, wood products, wine Industrial production growth rate: 3% (2000) Electricity— production: 6.804 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 19.7% hydro: 80.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 8.528 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 200 million kWh (2004) Electricity — imports: 2.4 billion kWh (2004) Oil — production: 1,981 bbl/day (2004) Oil — consumption: 13,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) 239 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: 20 million cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 1.5 billion cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas— exports: NA cu m Natural gas— imports: 1.5 billion cu m (2005 est.) Current account balance: $735 million (2006 est.) Exports: $1,761 billion (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: scrap metal, machinery, chemicals; fuel reexports; citrus fruits, tea, wine Exports— partners: Russia 18.1%, Turkey 14-3%, Azerbaijan 9.8%, Turk¬ menistan 8.9%, Bulgaria 5%, Armenia 4.7%, Ukraine 4-4%, Canada 4.2% (2005) Imports: $3.32 billion (2006 est.) Imports — Commodities: fuels, machinery and parts, transport equipment, grain and other foods, pharmaceuticals Imports— partners: Russia 15.4%, Turkey 11.4%, Azerbaijan 9.4%, Ukraine 8.8%, Germany 8.3%, US 6% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $492 million (2006 est.) Debt — external: $2.04 billion (2004) Economic aid— recipient: ODA, $150 million (2000 est.) Currency (code): lari (GEL) Currency code: GEL Exchange rates: lari per US dollar— 1.78 (2006), 1.8127 (2005), 1.9167 (2004), 2.1457 (2003), 2.1957 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 683,200 (2004) Telephones— mobile cellular: 1.459 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: local — T’bilisi, K’ut’aisi, and Batumi have cellular telephone net¬ works; urban telephone density is about 20 per 100 people; rural telephone den¬ sity is about 4 per 100 people; intercity facilities include a fiber-optic line between T’bilisi and K’ut’aisi; nation¬ wide pager service is available international: country code — 995; Georgia and Russia are working on a fiber-optic line between P’ot’i and Sochi (Russia); present international service is available by microwave, landline, and satellite through the Moscow switch; international electronic mail and telex service are available Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 12, shortwave 4 (1998) Radios: 3.02 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 12 (plus repeaters) (1998) Televisions: 2.57 million (1997) Internet country code: ge Internet hosts: 10,752 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 6 (2000) Internet users: 175,600 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 23 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 19 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Heliports: 3 (2006) Pipelines: gas 1,349 km; oil 1,010 km (2006) Railways: total: 1,612 km broad gauge: 1,575 km 1.520-m gauge (1,575 electrified) narrow gauge: 37 km 0.912-m gauge (37 electrified) (2005) Roadways: total: 20,247 km paved: 7,973 km unpaved: 12,274 km (2004) Merchant marine: total: 222 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,059,386 GRT/1,538,746 DWT by type: bulk carrier 27, cargo 176, con¬ tainer 4, liquefied gas 1, passenger 1, pas¬ senger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 2, specialized tanker 1 foreign-owned: 188 (Albania 1, Azer¬ baijan 2, Belgium 1, China 2, Cyprus 1, Ecuador 1, Egypt 8, Germany 1, Greece 8, Indonesia 1, South Korea 1, Lebanon 7, Monaco 13, Romania 11, Russia 28, Slovakia 1, Slovenia 1, Syria 43, Turkey 30, UAE 1, UK 4, Ukraine 22) (2006) Ports and terminals: Bat umi, P’ot’i Transportation — note: transportation network is in poor condition resulting from ethnic conflict, criminal activities, and fuel shortages; network lacks main¬ tenance and repair Military branches: Ground Forces (includes National Guard), Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces (2006) Military service age and obligation: 18 to 34 years of age for compulsory and vol¬ untary active duty military service; con¬ script service obligation — 18 months (2005) Manpower available for military service: males age J 8 — 49 : 1,038,736 females age 18-49: 1,105,910 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 1 8 — 49 : 827,281 females age 1 8 — 49 : 903,791 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 38,857 females age 18-49: 38,238 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 0.59% (2005 est.) Military — note: a CIS peacekeeping force of Russian troops is deployed in the Abkhazia region of Georgia together with a UN military observer group; a Russian peacekeeping battalion is deployed in South Ossetia TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES . _ - . Disputes — international: Russia and Georgia agree on delimiting 80% of their common border, leaving certain small, strategic segments and the maritime boundary unresolved; OSCE observers monitor volatile areas such as the Pankisi Gorge in the Akhmeti region and the Argun Gorge in Abkhazia; UN Observer Mission in Georgia has maintained a peacekeeping force in Georgia since 1993; Meshkheti Turks scattered throughout the former Soviet Union seek to return to Georgia; boundary with Armenia remains undemarcated; ethnic Armenian groups in Javakheti region of Georgia seek greater autonomy from the Georgian government; Azerbaijan and Georgia continue to discuss the align¬ ment of their boundary at certain crossing areas Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: IDPs: 220,000-240,000 (displaced from Abkhazia and South Ossetia) (2006) Illicit drugs: limited cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for domestic consumption; used as trans¬ shipment point for opiates via Central Asia to Western Europe and Russia 240 GERMANY INTRODUCTION Background: As Europe’s largest econ¬ omy and second most populous nation, Germany is a key member of the conti¬ nent’s economic, political, and defense organizations. European power struggles immersed Germany in two devastating World Wars in the first half of the 20th century and left the country occupied by the victorious Allied powers of the US, UK, France, and the Soviet Union in 1945. With the advent of the Cold War, two German states were formed in 1949: the western Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and the eastern German Democratic Republic (GDR). The democratic FRG embedded itself in key Western economic and security organizations, the EC, which became the EU, and NATO, while the Communist GDR was on the front line of the Soviet- led Warsaw Pact. The decline of the USSR and the end of the Cold War allowed for German unification in 1990. Since then, Germany has expended con¬ siderable funds to bring Eastern produc¬ tivity and wages up to Western standards. In January 1999, Germany and 10 other EU countries introduced a common European exchange currency, the euro. GEOGRAPHY Location: Central Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, between the Netherlands and Poland, south of Denmark Geographic coordinates: 51 00 N, 9 00 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 357,021 sq km land: 349,223 sq km water: 7,798 sq km Area — comparative: slightly smaller than Montana Land boundaries: total: 3,621 km border countries: Austria 784 km, Belgium 167 km, Czech Republic 646 km, Denmark 68 km, France 451 km, Luxembourg 138 km, Netherlands 577 km, Poland 456 km, Switzerland 334 km Coastline: 2,389 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation Climate: temperate and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers; occa¬ sional warm mountain (foehn) wind Terrain: lowlands in north, uplands in center, Bavarian Alps in south Elevation extremes: lowest point: Neuendorf bei Wilster -3.54 m highest point: Zugspitze 2,963 m Natural resources: coal, lignite, natural gas, iron ore, copper, nickel, uranium, potash, salt, construction materials, timber, arable land Land use: arable land: 33.13% permanent crops: 0.6% other: 66.27% (2005) Irrigated land: 4,850 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: flooding Environment — current issues: emis¬ sions from coal-burning utilities and industries contribute to air pollution; acid rain, resulting from sulfur dioxide emissions, is damaging forests; pollution in the Baltic Sea from raw sewage and industrial effluents from rivers in eastern Germany; hazardous waste disposal; gov¬ ernment established a mechanism for ending the use of nuclear power over the next 15 years; government working to meet EU commitment to identify nature preservation areas in line with the EU’s Flora, Fauna, and Habitat directive Environment— international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution- Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution- Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: strategic location on North European Plain and along the entrance to the Baltic Sea PEOPLE Population: 82,400,996 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 13.9% (male 5,894,724/ female 5,590,373) 15-64 years: 66.3% (male 27,811,357/ female 26,790,222) 65 years and over: 19.8% (male 6,771,972/ female 9,542,348) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 43 years male: 41.8 years female: 44-3 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: -0.033% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 8.2 births/1 ,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 10.71 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 2.18 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.054 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.038 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.966 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 4-08 deaths/1 ,000 live births male: 4.51 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.62 deaths/ 1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.95 years male: 75.96 years female: 82.11 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.4 children bom/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 43,000 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS — deaths: less than 1,000 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: German(s) adjective: German Ethnic groups: German 91.5%, Turkish 2.4%, other 6.1% (made up largely of Greek, Italian, Polish, Russian, Serbo- Croatian, Spanish) Religions: Protestant 34%, Roman Catholic 34%, Muslim 3.7%, unaffiliated or other 28.3% Languages: German 241 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.) People — note: second most populous country in Europe after Russia GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Federal Republic of Germany conventional short form: Germany local long form: Bundesrepublik Deutsch' land heal short form: Deutschland former: German Empire, German Republic, German Reich Government type: federal republic Capital: name: Berlin geographic coordinates: 5231 N, 13 24 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: + 1 hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 16 states (Laender, singular — Land); Baden- Wuerttemberg, Bayern (Bavaria), Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hes¬ sen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (Meck¬ lenburg-Western Pomerania), Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony), Nordrhein-Westfalen (North Rhine- Westphalia), Rheinland- Pfalz (Rhineland-Palatinate), Saarland, Sachsen (Saxony), Sachsen-Anhalt (Saxony-Anhalt), Schleswig-Holstein, Thueringen (Thuringia); note — Bayern, Sachsen, and Thueringen refer to them¬ selves as free states (Freistaaten, sin¬ gular — Freistaat) Independence: 18 January 1871 (German Empire unification); divided into four zones of occupation (UK, US, USSR, and later, France) in 1945 fol¬ lowing World War II; Federal Republic of Germany (FRG or West Germany) proclaimed 23 May 1949 and included the former UK, US, and French zones; German Democratic Republic (GDR or East Germany) proclaimed 7 October 1949 and included the former USSR zone; unification of West Germany and East Germany took place 3 October 1990; all four powers formally relin¬ quished rights 15 March 1991 National holiday: Unity Day, 3 October (1990) Constitution: 23 May 1949, known as Basic Law; became constitution of the united Germany 3 October 1990 Legal system: civil law system with indigenous concepts; judicial review of legislative acts in the Federal Con¬ stitutional Court; has not accepted com¬ pulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Horst KOEHLER (since 1 July 2004) head of government: Chancellor Angela MERKEL (since 22 November 2005) cabinet: Cabinet or Bundesminister (Federal Ministers) appointed by the president on the recommendation of the chancellor elections: president elected for a five-year term (eligible for a second term) by a Federal Convention, including all mem¬ bers of the Federal Assembly and an equal number of delegates elected by the state parliaments; election last held 23 May 2004 (next to be held 23 May 2009); chancellor elected by an absolute majority of the Federal Assembly for a four-year term; Bundestag election last held 22 November 2005 (next to be held in November 2009) election results: Horst KOEHLER elected president; received 604 votes of the Federal Convention against 589 for Gesine SCHWAN; Angela MERKEL elected chancellor; vote by Federal Assembly 397 to 202 with 12 abstentions Legislative branch: bicameral Parlia¬ ment or Parlament consists of the Federal Assembly or Bundestag (614 seats; elected by popular vote under a system combining direct and propor¬ tional representation; a party must win 5% of the national vote or three direct mandates to gain proportional represen¬ tation and caucus recognition; to serve four-year terms) and the Federal Council or Bundesrat (69 votes; state govern¬ ments are directly represented by votes; each has three to six votes depending on population and are required to vote as a block) elections: Federal Assembly — last held on 18 September 2005 (next to be held in September 2009); note — there are no elections for the Bundesrat; composition is determined by the composition of the state-level governments; the composi¬ tion of the Bundesrat has the potential to change any time one of the 16 states holds an election election results: Federal Assembly — per¬ cent of vote by party — CDU/CSU 35.2%, SPD 34-3%, FDP 9.8%, Left 8.7%, Greens 8.1%, other 3.9%; seats by party — CDU/CSU 225, SPD 222, FDP 61, Left 53, Greens 51, and independents 2 Judicial branch: Federal Constitutional Court or Bundesverfassungsgericht (half the judges are elected by the Bundestag and half by the Bundesrat) Political parties and leaders: Alliance ‘90/Greens [Claudia ROTH and Reinhard BUETIKOFER]; Christian Democratic Union or CDU [Angela MERKEL]; Christian Social Union or CSU [Edmund STOIBER]; Free Democratic Party or FDP [Guido WEST- ERWELLEJ; Left Party.PDS (Link- spartei.PDS) [Lothar BISKY]; note — a merger with the Electoral Alternative- Work and Social Justice or WASG [Klaus ERNST] is planned for summer 2007; Social Democratic Party or SPD [Kurt BECK] Political pressure groups and leaders: business associations and employers’ organizations; religious, trade unions, immigrant, expellee, and veterans groups International organization participa¬ tion: AfDB, Arctic Council (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CDB, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UN WTO, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Klaus SCHARIOTH chancery: 4645 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 298-4000 FAX: [1] (202) 298-4249 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William R. TIMKEN, Jr. embassy: Neustaedtische Kirchstrasse 4- 5, 10117 Berlin; note — a new embassy will be built near the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin; ground was broken in October 2004 and completion is scheduled for 2008 mailing address: PSC 120, Box 1000, APO AE 09265 telephone: [49] (030) 8305-0 FAX: [49] (030) 8305-1215 consulate(s) general: Duesseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg, Leipzig, Munich Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and gold 242 GERMANY economy Economy-overview: Germany’s affluent and technologically powerful economy— the fifth largest in the world in PPP terms showed considerable improvement in 2006 with 2.2% growth. After a long period of stagnation with an average growth rate of 0.7% between 2001-05 and chronically high unem¬ ployment, stronger growth has led to a considerable fall in unemployment to about 7% at the end of 2006. Among the most important reasons for Germany’s high unemployment during the past decade were macroeconomic stagnation, the declining level of investment in plant and equipment, company restruc¬ turing, flat domestic consumption, struc¬ tural rigidities in the labor market, lack of competition in the service sector, and high interest rates. The modernization and integration of the eastern German economy continues to be a costly long¬ term process, with annual transfers from west to east amounting to roughly $80 billion. The former government of Chancellor Gerhard SCHROEDER launched a comprehensive set of reforms of labor market and welfare-related insti¬ tutions. The current government of Chancellor Angela MERKEL has initi¬ ated other reform measures, such as a gradual increase in the mandatory retire¬ ment age from 65 to 67 and measures to increase female participation in the labor market. Germany’s aging population, combined with high chronic unemploy¬ ment, has pushed social security outlays to a level exceeding contributions, but higher government revenues from the cyclical upturn in 2006 reduced Germany’s budget deficit to within the EU’s 3% debt limit. Corporate restruc¬ turing and growing capital markets are setting the foundations that could help Germany meet the long-term challenges of European economic integration and globalization. GDP (purchasing power parity): $2.63 trillion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $2,872 trillion (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 2.7% (2006 est.) GDP — per capita (PPP): $31,900 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 0.9% industry: 29.1% services : 70% ( 2006 est.) Labor force: 43.66 million (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 2.8% industry: 33.4% services: 63.8% (1999) Unemployment rate: 7.1% note: this is the International Labor Organization’s estimated rate for interna¬ tional comparisons; Germany’s Federal Employment Office estimated a season¬ ally adjusted rate of 10.8% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 11% (2001 est.) Household Income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.6% highest 10%: 25.1% (1997) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 28.3 (2000) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.7% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 17.3% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $1,277 trillion expenditures: $1,344 trillion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 66.8% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: potatoes, wheat, barley, sugar beets, fruit, cabbages; cattle, pigs, poultry Industries: among the world’s largest and most technologically advanced pro¬ ducers of iron, steel, coal, cement, chem¬ icals, machinery, vehicles, machine tools, electronics, food and beverages, shipbuilding, textiles Industrial production growth rate: 4 4% (2006 est.) Electricity-production: 566.9 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 61.8% hydro: 4.2% nuclear: 29.9% other: 4.1% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 524 6 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 50.8 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — imports: 48.2 billion kWh (2004) Oil — production: 167,400 bbl/day (2004) Oil — consumption: 2.65 million bbl/day (2004) Oil — exports: 12,990 bbl/day (2003) Oil— imports: 2.135 million bbl/day (2003) Oil — proved reserves: 395.8 million bbl (1 January 2004) Natural gas — production: 19.9 billion cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 102 billion cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas — exports: 8.81 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — imports: 90.11 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — proved reserves: 279.1 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $134.8 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $1,133 trillion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: machinery, vehicles, chemicals, metals and manu¬ factures, foodstuffs, textiles Exports— partners: France 10.2%, US 8.8%, UK 7.9%, Italy 6.9%, Netherlands 6.1%, Belgium 5.6%, Austria 5.4%, Spain 5.1% (2005) Imports: $916.4 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: machinery, vehicles, chemicals, foodstuffs, textiles, metals Imports— partners: France 8.7%, Netherlands 8.5%, US 6.6%, China 6.4%, UK 6.3%, Italy 5.7%, Belgium 5%, Austria 4% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $48.76 billion (August 2006 est.) Debt — external: $3,904 trillion (30 June 2006) Economic aid — donor: ODA, $5.6 bil¬ lion (1998) Currency (code): euro (EUR) note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by finan¬ cial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries Currency code: EUR Exchange rates: euros per US dollar — 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 55.046 million (2005) Telephones — mobile cellular: 79.2 mil¬ lion (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: Germany has one of the world’s most technologically advanced telecommunications systems; as a result of intensive capital expendi¬ tures since reunification, the formerly backward system of the eastern part of the country, dating back to World War II, has been modernized and integrated with that of the western part domestic: Germany is served by an exten¬ sive system of automatic telephone exchanges connected by modem net¬ works of fiber-optic cable, coaxial cable, microwave radio relay, and a domestic satellite system; cellular telephone service is widely available, expanding rapidly, and includes roaming service to many foreign countries internatumal: country code — 49; Germany’s international service is excellent world- 243 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK wide, consisting of extensive land and undersea cable facilities as well as earth stations in the Inmarsat, Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik satellite sys¬ tems (2001) Radio broadcast stations: AM 51, FM 787, shortwave 4 (1998) Radios: 77.8 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 373 (plus 8,042 repeaters) (1995) Televisions: 51.4 million (1998) Internet country code: de Internet hosts: 11.859 million (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 200 (2001) Internet users: 50.616 million (2006) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 554 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 332 over 3,047 m: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 54 1,524 to 2,437 m; 58 9 14 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 135 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 222 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 33 under 914 m: 185 (2006) Heliports: 32 (2006) Pipelines: condensate 37 km; gas 25,035 km; oil 3,546 km; refined products 3,827 km (2006) Railways: total: 47,201 km standard gauge: 46,948 km 1.435-m gauge ( 19,674 km electrified) narrow gauge: 229 km 1.000-m gauge (16 km electrified); 24 km 0.750-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 231,581 km paved: 231,581 km (includes 12,200 km of expressways) (2005) Waterways: 7,467 km note: Rhine River carries most goods; Main-Danube Canal links North Sea and Black Sea (2005) Merchant marine: total: 394 ships (1000 GRT or over) 11,017,754 GRT/13,091,194 DWT by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 60, chemical tanker 13, container 273, liquefied gas 3, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 25, petro¬ leum tanker 10, roll on/roll off 3 foreign' owned: 4 (Finland 2, Italy 1, Switzerland 1) registered in other countries: 2,491 (Antigua and Barbuda 858, Australia 3, Bahamas 22, Belize 3, Bermuda 21, Brazil 7, Bulgaria 1, Burma 5, Canada 3, Cayman Islands 13, Cyprus 214, Denmark 13, Dominica 1, French Southern and Antarctic Lands 2, Georgia 1, Gibraltar 108, Guyana 1, Hong Kong 6, Indonesia 1, Ireland 2, Isle of Man 56, Jamaica 3, Liberia 587, Luxembourg 10, Malaysia 2, Malta 64, Marshall Islands 194, Morocco 2, Netherlands 56, Netherlands Antilles 60, NZ 1, Panama 35, Portugal 17, Russia 2, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 8, Samoa 1, Singapore 9, Spain 12, Sri Lanka 5, Sweden 3, Turkey 1, UK 76, US 2) (2006) Ports and terminals: Bremen, Bremer haven, Brunsbuttel, Duisburg, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Karlsruhe, Mainz, Rostock, Wilhemshaven MILITARY Military branches: Federal Armed Forces (Bundeswehr): Army (Heer), Navy (Deutsche Marine, includes naval air arm), Air Force (Luftwaffe), Joint Service Support Command (Streit- kraeftebasis), Central Medical Service (Zentraler Sanitaetsdienst) (2006) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age (conscripts serve a 9-month tour of compulsory military service) (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 1 8 — 49: 18,917,537 females age 18-49: 17,913,113 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 15,258,931 females age 18-49: 14,443,412 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 497,048 females age 18-49: 470,537 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1.5% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: none Illicit drugs: source of precursor chemi¬ cals for South American cocaine proces¬ sors; transshipment point for and consumer of Southwest Asian heroin, Latin American cocaine, and European- produced synthetic drugs; major finan¬ cial center INTRODUCTION Background: Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold Coast and the Togoland trust territory, Ghana in 1957 became the first sub-Saharan country in colonial Africa to gain its inde¬ pendence. A long series of coups resulted in the suspension of Ghana’s third consti¬ tution in 1981 and a ban on political par¬ ties. A new constitution, restoring multiparty politics, was approved in 1992. Lt. Jerry RAWLINGS, head of state since 1981, won presidential elections in 1992 and 1996, but was constitutionally pre¬ vented from running for a third term in 2000. John KUFUOR, who defeated former Vice President John ATTA-MILLS in a free and fair election, succeeded him. geography Location: Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d’Ivoire and Togo Geographic coordinates: 8 00 N, 2 00 W Map references: Africa Area: total: 239,460 sq km land: 230,940 sq km water: 8,520 sq km Area— comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon Land boundaries: total: 2,094 km border countries: Burkina Faso 549 km, Cote d’Ivoire 668 km, Togo 877 km Coastline: 539 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm Climate: tropical; warm and compara¬ tively dry along southeast coast; hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north Terrain: mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area 244 GHANA Elevation extremes: bwest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Afadjato 880 m Natural resources: gold, timber, mdus- trial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber, hydropower, petroleum, silver, salt, limestone Land use: arable land: 17.54% permanent crops: 9.22% other: 73.24% (2005) Irrigated land: 310 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: dry, dusty, north eastern harmattan winds occur from January to March; droughts Environment— current issues: recurrent drought in north severely affects agricub tural activities; deforestation; oven grazing; soil erosion; poaching and habitat destruction threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation Geography— note: Lake Volta is the world’s largest artificial lake PEOPLE Population: 22,931,299 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mor¬ tality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the dis¬ tribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0—14 years: 38.2% (male 4,4 38,308/ female 4,329,293) 15—64 years: 58.2% (male 6,661,512/ female 6,687,738) 65 years and over: 3.6% (male 380,495/ female 433,953) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 20.2 years male: 19.9 years female: 20.4 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.972% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 29.85 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 9.55 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -0.58 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.025 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.996 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.877 male(s)/female total population: 1.003 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 53.56 deaths/1,000 live births male: 58 deaths/1,000 live births female: 48.99 deaths/ 1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 59.12 years male: 58.31 years female: 59.95 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 3.89 children bom/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 3.1% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS — people living with HIV/ AIDS: 350,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 30,000 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorbome diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2007) Nationality: noun: Ghanaian(s) adjective: Ghanaian Ethnic groups: Akan 45.3%, Mole- Dagbon 15.2%, Ewe 11.7%, Ga-Dangme 7.3%, Guan 4%, Gurma 3.6%, Grusi 2.6%, Mande-Busanga 1%, other tribes 1.4%, other 7.8% (2000 census) Religions: Christian 68.8% (Pentecostal/ Charismatic 24.1%, Protestant 18.6%, Catholic 15.1%, other 11%), Muslim 15.9%, traditional 8.5%, other 0.7%, none 6.1% (2000 census) Languages: Asante 14.8%, Ewe 12.7%, Pante 9.9%, Boron (Brong) 4.6%, Dagomba 4-3%, Dangme 4-3%, Dagarte (Dagaba) 3.7%, Akyem 3.4%, Ga 3.4%, Akuapem 2.9%, other 36.1% (includes English (official)) (2000 census) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 57.9% male: 66.4% female: 49.8% (2000 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Ghana conventional short form. Ghana former: Gold Coast Government type: constitutional democracy Capital: name: Accra geographic coordinates: 5 33 N, 0 13 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 10 regions; Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western Independence: 6 March 1957 (from UK) National holiday: Independence Day, 6 March (1957) Constitution: approved 28 April 1992 Legal system: based on English common law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President John Agyekum KUFUOR. (since 7 January 2001); Vice President Alhaji Aliu. MAH AM A (since 7 January 2001); note — the president is both the chief of state and head of gov¬ ernment head of government: President John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January 2001); Vice President Alhaji Aliu MAHAMA (since 7 January 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers; president nominates members subject to approval by Parliament elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 7 December 2004 (next to be held in December 2008) election results: John Agyekum KUFUOR reelected president in election; percent of vote— John KUFUOR 53.4%, John ATTA-MILLS 43.7% Legislative branch: unicameral Parlia¬ ment (230 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 7 December 2004 (next to be held December in 2008) election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — NPP 128, NDC 94, PNC 4, CPP 3, independent 1 Judicial branch: Supreme Court Political parties and leaders: Con¬ vention People’s Party or CPP [Dr. Edmund DELLE]; Democratic Freedom Party or DFP [Alhaji Abudu Rahman ISSAKAH]; Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere or EGLE [Danny OFORI- ATTA]; Great Consolidated Popular Party or GCPP [Dan LART3]; National Democratic Congress or NDC [Dr. Kwabena ADJEI]; New Patriotic Party or NPP [Peter MAC-MANU]; People’s 245 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK National Convention or PNC [Alhaji Amed RHAMADAN]; Reform Party [Kyeretwie OPUKU]; United Renais¬ sance Party or URP [Charles Wayo] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIF, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Kwame BAWUAH-EDUSEI chancery: 1156 15th St. NW #905, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 785-1379 FAX: [1] (202) 785-1430 consulate (s) general: New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela E. BRIDGEWATER embassy: Ring Road East, Osu, Accra mailing address: P. O. Box 194, Accra telephone: [233] (21) 775-347, 775-348 FAX; [233] (21) 776-008 Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with a large black five-pointed star cen¬ tered in the yellow band; uses the pop¬ ular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of Bolivia, which has a coat of arms centered in the yellow band ECONOMY Economy— overview: Well endowed with natural resources, Ghana has roughly twice the per capita output of the poorest countries in West Africa. Even so, Ghana remains heavily dependent on international financial and technical assistance. Gold, timber, and cocoa production are major sources of foreign exchange. The domestic economy continues to revolve around subsistence agriculture, which accounts for 37% of GDP and employs 60% of the work force, mainly small landholders. Ghana opted for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) program in 2002, but was included in a G-8 debt relief program decided upon at the Gleneagles Summit in July 2005. Priorities under its current $38 million Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) include tighter monetary and fiscal policies, accelerated privatization, and improvement of social services. Receipts from the gold sector helped sus¬ tain GDP growth in 2006 along with record high prices for Ghana s largest cocoa crop to date. Ghana received a Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) grant in 2006, which aims to assist in transforming Ghana’s agricul¬ tural export sector. GDP (purchasing power parity): $60 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $10.21 billion (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 6% (2006 est.) GDP — per capita (PPP): $2,700 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 37.3% industry: 25.3% services: 37.5% (2006 est.) Labor force: 10.87 million (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 60% industry: 15% services: 25% (1999 est.) Unemployment rate: 20% (1997 est.) Population below poverty line: 31.4% (1992 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.2% highest 10%: 30.1% (1999) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 30(1999) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10.9% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 29% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $3,616 billion expenditures: $3,947 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 38.6% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: cocoa, rice, coffee, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, corn, shea nuts, bananas; timber Industries: mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting, food processing, cement, small commercial ship building Industrial production growth rate: 3.8% (2000 est.) Electricity— production: 6.489 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 5% hydro: 95% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 7.095 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 900 million kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 1.96 billion kWh (2004) Oil— production: 7,477 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — consumption: 44,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: NA bbl/day Oil — imports: NA bbl/day Oil— proved reserves: 8.255 million bbl (1 January 2002) Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 23.79 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $219 million (2006 est.) Exports: $3,286 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: gold, cocoa, timber, tuna, bauxite, aluminum, man¬ ganese ore, diamonds Exports — partners: Netherlands 12.5%, UK 8.3%, US 6.7%, Belgium 5.8%, France 5.6%, Germany 4-4% (2005) Imports: $5,666 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: capital equip¬ ment, petroleum, foodstuffs Imports— partners: Nigeria 15.2%, China 12.5%, US 6.3%, UK 5.2%, South Africa 4-5%, Brazil 4.1%, Netherlands 4% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $2,098 billion (2006 est.) Debt— external: $3,546 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid — recipient: $6.9 billion (1999) Currency (code): cedi (GHC) Currency code: GHC Exchange rates: cedis per US dollar — 9,174.8 (2006), 9,072.5 (2005), 9,004.6 (2004), 8,677.4 (2003), 7,932.7 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 321,500 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 2.842 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: poor to fair system; Internet accessible; many rural commu¬ nities not yet connected; expansion of services is underway domestic: primarily microwave radio relay; wireless local loop has been installed international: country code — 233; satel¬ lite earth stations — 4 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay link to Panaftel system connects Ghana to its neighbors; fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 49, shortwave 3 (2001) 246 GIBRALTAR Radios: 12.5 million (2001) Television broadcast stations: 10 (2001) Televisions: 1.9 million (2001) Internet country code: gh internet hosts: 380 (2006) internet Service Providers (ISPsV i? (2000) '' internet users: 401300 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 12 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 7 over 3,047 m: 1 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 4 9 14 to 1 ,523 m: 2 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 5 914 to 1 ,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2006) Pipelines: oil 13 km; refined products 316 km (2006) Railways: total: 953 km narrow gauge: 953 km 1.067-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 42,623 km paved: 3,267 km unpaved: 39,356 km (2004) Waterways: 1,293 km note: 168 km for launches and lighters on Volta, Ankobra, and Tano rivers; 1,125 km of arterial and feeder waterways on Lake Volta (2005) Merchant marine: total: 4 ships (1000 GRT or over) 6,308 GRT/9,418 DWT by type: cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 2 foreign'Owned: 1 (Brazil 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Takoradi, Tema MILITARY Military branches: Ghanaian Army, Ghanaian Navy, Ghanaian Air Force (2007) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and volunteer military service (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 4,808,451 females age 18-49: 4,762,459 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18—49: 3,011,081 females age 18-49: 2,991,551 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 251,056 females age 18-49: 247,777 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 0.8% (2006 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: Ghana strug¬ gles to accommodate returning nationals who worked in the cocoa plantations and escaped fighting in Cote d’Ivoire Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: refugees (country of origin): 38,684 (Liberia), 14,136 (Togo) (2006) Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; major transit hub for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and, to a lesser extent, South American cocaine destined for Europe and the US; widespread crime and money laundering problem, but the lack of a well developed financial infra¬ structure limits the country’s utility as a money laundering center; significant domestic cocaine and cannabis use GIBRALTAR INTRODUCTION Background: Strategically important, Gibraltar was reluctantly ceded to Great Britain by Spain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht; the British garrison was formally declared a colony in 1830. In a referendum held in 1967, Gibraltarians voted overwhelmingly to remain a British dependency. Although the current 1969 Constitution for Gibraltar states that the British Government will never allow t e people of Gibraltar to pass under t e sovereignty of another state against their freely and democratica y expressed wishes, a series of talks were held by the UK and Spain between 1997 and 2002 on establishing tempo¬ rary joint sovereignty over Gibraltar. In response to these talks, the Gibral¬ tarian Government set up a referendum in late 2002 in which a majority of the citizens voted overwhelmingly against any sharing of sovereignty with Spain. Since the referendum, tripartite talks have been held with Spain, the UK, and Gibraltar, and in September 2006 a three-way agreement was signed. Spain agreed to allow airlines other than British to serve Gibraltar, to speed up customs procedures, and to add more telephone lines into Gibraltar. Britain agreed to pay pen¬ sions to Spaniards who had been employed in Gibraltar before the border closed in 1969. Spain will be allowed to open a cultural institute from which the Spanish flag will fly. Location: Southwestern Europe, bor¬ dering the Strait of Gibraltar, which links the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southern coast of Spain Geographic coordinates: 36 8 N, 5 21 W Map references: Europe Area: total: 6.5 sq km land: 6.5 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: a little less than one half the size of Rhode Island Land boundaries: total: 1.2 km border countries: Spain 1.2 km Coastline: 12 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm Climate: Mediterranean with mild win¬ ters and warm summers Terrain: a narrow coastal lowland bor¬ ders the Rock of Gibraltar Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Rock of Gibraltar 426 m Natural resources: none Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: NA Environment — current issues: limited natural freshwater resources: large con¬ crete or natural rock water catchments collect rainwater (no longer used for drinking water) and adequate desalina¬ tion plant Geography — note: strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea 247 PEOPLE Population: 27,967 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 17.2% (male 2,460/female 2,343) 15-64 years: 66.3% (male 9,470/female 9,070) 65 years and over: 16.5% (male 2,090/ female 2,534) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 40.1 years male: 39.6 years female: 40.4 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.129% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 10.69 births/1, 000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 9.4 deaths/1 ,000 population (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.044 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.825 male(s)/female total population: 1.005 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 4.98 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.54 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 79.93 years male: 77.05 years female: 82.96 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1 .65 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Gibraltarian(s) adjective: Gibraltar Ethnic groups: Spanish, Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese, German, North Africans Religions: Roman Catholic 78.1%, Church of England 7%, other Christian 3.2%, Muslim 4%, Jewish 2.1%, Hindu 1.8%, other or unspecified 0.9%, none 2.9% (2001 census) Languages: English (used in schools and for official purposes), Spanish, Italian, Portuguese Literacy: definition: NA total population: above 80% male: NA female: NA GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK conventional short form: Gibraltar Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK Government type: NA Capital: name: Gibraltar geographic coordinates: 39 11N,5 22W time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: + lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: none (oven seas territory of the UK) Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK) National holiday: National Day, 10 September (1967); note — day of the national referendum to decide whether to remain with the UK or go with Spain Constitution: 30 May 1969 Legal system: English law Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; and British citizens who have been residents six months or more Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Sir Robert FULTON (since 27 October 2006) head of government: Chief Minister Peter CARUANA (since 17 May 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed from among the 15 elected members of the House of Assembly by the governor in consultation with the chief minister elections: none; the monarch is heredi¬ tary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed chief minister by the governor Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (18 seats; 15 members elected by popular vote, 1 appointed for the Speaker, and 2 ex officio members; to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 27 November 2003 (next to be held not later than February 2008) election results: percent of vote by party — GSD 58%, GSLP 41%; seats by party — GSD 8, GSLP 7 Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Appeal Political parties and leaders: Gibraltar Liberal Party [Joseph GARCIA]; Gibraltar Social Democrats or GSD [Peter CARUANA]; Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or GSLP [Joseph John BOSSANO] Political pressure groups and leaders: Chamber of Commerce; Gibraltar Representatives Organization; Women’s Association International organization participa¬ tion: Interpol (subbureau), UPU Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the UK) Flag description: two horizontal bands of white (top, double width) and red with a three-towered red castle in the center of the white band; hanging from the castle gate is a gold key centered in the red band ECONOMY Economy— overview: Self-sufficient Gibraltar benefits from an extensive shipping trade, offshore banking, and its position as an international conference center. The British military presence has been sharply reduced and now con¬ tributes about 7% to the local economy, compared with 60% in 1984. The finan¬ cial sector, tourism (almost 5 million vis¬ itors in 1998), shipping services fees, and duties on consumer goods also generate revenue. The financial sector, the ship¬ ping sector, and tourism each contribute 25%-30% of GDP. Telecommunications accounts for another 10%. In recent years, Gibraltar has seen major structural change from a public to a private sector economy, but changes in government spending still have a major impact on the level of employment. GDP (purchasing power parity): $769 million (2000 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): NA GDP— real growth rate: NA% GDP— per capita (PPP): $27,900 (2000 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% Labor force: 12,690 (including non- Gibraltar laborers) (2001) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: negligible industry: 40% services: 60% Unemployment rate: 2% (2001 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5% (1998) Budget: revenues: $307 million expenditures: $284 million; including cap¬ ital expenditures of $NA (FY00/01 est.) Agriculture— products: none Industries: tourism, banking and finance, ship repairing, tobacco 248 GREECE Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity— production: 131.2 million kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 122 million kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) OH— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 24,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Exports: $271 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) Exports— commodities: (principally reexports) petroleum 51%, manufactured goods 41%, other 8% Exports— partners: UK 30.8%, Spain 22.7%, Germany 13.7%, Turkmenistan 10.4%, Switzerland 8.3%, Italy 6.7% (2005) Imports: $2,967 billion c.i.f. (2004 est.) imports— commodities: fuels, manufac¬ tured goods, and foodstuffs Imports— partners: Spain 23.4%, Russia 12.3%, Italy 12%, UK 9%, France 8.9%, Netherlands 6.8%, US 4.7% (2005) Debt — external: $NA Economic aid— recipient: $NA Currency (code): Gibraltar pound (GIP) Currency code: GIP Exchange rates: Gibraltar pounds per US dollar — 0.5434 (2006), 0.5504 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002) note: the Gibraltar pound is at par with the British pound Fiscal year: 1 July— 30 June COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 24,512 (2002) Telephones— mobile cellular: 9,797 (2002) Telephone system: general assessment: adequate, automatic domestic system and adequate interna¬ tional facilities domestic: automatic exchange facilities international: country code — 350; radio¬ telephone; microwave radio relay; satel¬ lite earth station — 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM l, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998) Radios: 37,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus 3 repeaters) (1997) Televisions: 10,000(1997) Internet country code: gi Internet hosts: 641 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000) Internet users: 6,200 (2002) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 1 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) Roadways: total: 29 km paved: 29 km (2002) Merchant marine: total: 180 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,129,379 GRT/1,437,754 DWT by type: barge carrier 3, bulk carrier 1, cargo 105, chemical tanker 26, container 26, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 11, roll on/roll off 6, specialized tanker 1 foreigri'oumed: 165 (Belgium 2, Cyprus 1, Denmark 1, Finland 3, France 1, Germany 108, Greece 7, Iceland 1, Ireland 1, Italy 6, Latvia 2, Netherlands 5, Norway 18, Sweden 5, UK 4) (2006) Ports and terminals: Gibraltar MILITARY Military branches: Royal Gibraltar Regiment Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 5,959 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 4,893 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 187 (2005 est.) Military— note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of the UK; the Royal Gibraltar Regiment replaced the last British reg¬ ular infantry forces in 1992 TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: in 2002, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelm¬ ingly by referendum to reject any “shared sovereignty” arrangement; the govern¬ ment of Gibraltar insists on equal partic¬ ipation in talks between the UK and Spain; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant Gibraltar even greater autonomy GREECE INTRODUCTION Background: Greece achieved independ¬ ence from the Ottoman Empire in 1829. During the second half of the 19th cen¬ tury and the first half of the 20th cen¬ tury, it gradually added neighboring islands and territories, most with Greek-speaking populations. In World War II, Greece was first invaded by Italy (1940) and subsequently occupied by Germany (1941-44); fighting endured in a protracted civil war between supporters of the king and Communist rebels. Following the latter’s defeat in 1949, Greece joined NATO in 1952. A military dictator¬ ship, which in 1967 suspended many political liberties and forced the king to flee the country, lasted seven years. The 1974 democratic elections and a refer¬ endum created a parliamentary republic and abolished the monarchy. In 1981 Greece joined the EC (now the EU); it became the 12th member of the euro zone in 2001. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey Geographic coordinates: 39 00 N, 22 00 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 131,940 sq km land: 130,800 sq km water: 1,140 sq km Area— comparative: slightly smaller than Alabama Land boundaries: total: 1,228 km border countries: Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km, Macedonia 246 km Coastline: 13,676 km 249 Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation Climate: temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers Terrain: mostly mountains with ranges extending into the sea as peninsulas or chains of islands Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Olympus 2,917 m Natural resources: lignite, petroleum, iron ore, bauxite, lead, zinc, nickel, mag¬ nesite, marble, salt, hydropower potential Land use: arable land: 20.45% permanent crops: 8.59% other: 70.96% (2005) Irrigated land: 14,530 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: severe earthquakes Environment — current issues: air pollu¬ tion; water pollution Environment-international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution- Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Proto¬ col, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution- Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds Geography — note: strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern approach to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, possessing an archi¬ pelago of about 2,000 islands PEOPLE Population: 10,706,290 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 14.3% (male 789,637/female 742,535) 15-64 years: 66.7% (male 3,565,237/ female 3,570,630) 65 years and over: 19% (male 895,384/ female 1,142,867) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 41.2 years male: 40 years female: 42.3 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.163% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 9.62 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 10.33 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 2.34 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.063 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.998 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.783 male(s)/female total population: 0.962 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 5.34 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.87 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 79.38 years male: 76.85 years female: 82.06 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.35 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 9,100 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: less than 100 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Greek(s) adjective: Greek Ethnic groups: population: Greek 93%, other (foreign citizens) 7% (2001 census) note: percents represent citizenship, since Greece does not collect data on ethnicity Religions: Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7% Languages: Greek 99% (official), other 1% (includes English and French) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96% male: 97.8% female: 94-2% (2001 census) People — note: women, men, and chil¬ dren are trafficked to and within Greece for the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labor GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Hellenic Republic conventional short form: Greece local long form: Elliniki Dhimokratia local short form: Ellas or Ellada former: Kingdom of Greece Government type: parliamentary republic Capital: name: Athens geographic coordinates: 37 59 N, 23 44 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 51 prefectures (nomoi, singular — nomos) and 1 autonomous region*; Achaia, Agion Oros* (Mt. Athos), Aitolia kai Akarnania, Argolis, Arkadia, Arta, Attiki, Chalkidiki, Chanion, Chios, Dodekanisos, Drama, Evros, Evrytania, Evvoia, Fiorina, Fokidos, Fthiotis, Grevena, Ileia, Imathia, Ioannina, Irakleion, Karditsa, Kastoria, Kavala, Kefallinia, Kerkyra, Kilkis, Korinthia, Kozani, Kyklades, Lakonia, Larisa, Lasithi, Lefkas, Lesvos, Magnisia, Messinia, Pella, Pieria, Preveza, Rethynnis, Rodopi, Samos, Serrai, Thesprotia, Thessaloniki, Trikala, Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakynthos Independence: 1829 (from the Ottoman Empire) National holiday: Independence Day, 25 March (1821) Constitution: 11 June 1975; amended March 1986 and April 2001 Legal system: based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into civil, crim¬ inal, and administrative courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory Executive branch: chief of state: President Karolos PAPOU- LIAS (since 12 March 2005) head of government: Prime Minister Konstandinos (Kostas) KARAMANL1S (since 7 March 2004) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the presi¬ dent on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by parliament for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 8 February 2005 (next to be held by February 2010); according to the Greek Constitution, presidents may only serve two terms; pres¬ ident appoints leader of the party securing plurality of vote in election to become prime minister and form a government election results: Karolos PAPOULIAS elected president; number of parliamen¬ tary votes, 279 out of 300 Legislative branch: unicameral Parlia¬ ment or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: elections last held 7 March 2004 (next to be held by March 2008) election results: percent of vote by party — ND 45.4%, PASOK 40.6%, KKE 5.9%, Synaspismos 3.3%, other 4-8%; seats by party— ND 165, PASOK 117, KKE 12, Synaspismos 6; note — seats by party as of December 2006 — ND 164, PASOK 113, KKE 12, Synaspismos 6, independents 5, other 6 Judicial branch: Supreme Judicial Court; Special Supreme Tribunal; all 250 GREECE judges appointed for life by the president after consultation with a judicial council Political parties and leaders: Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) [Alekos ALAVANOS]; Communist Party of Greece or KKE [Aleka PAPARIGA]; New Democracy or ND (conservative) [Konstandinos KARA- MANLIS]; Panhellenic Socialist Movement or PASOK [Yiorgos PAPAN- DREOU]; Popular Orthodox Rally or LAOS [Yeoryios KARATZAFERIS] Political pressure groups and leaders: General Confederation of Greek Workers or GSEE [loannis PANAGO- POULOS]; Federation of Greek Industries or SEV [Odysseas KYRIAKO- POULOS]; Civil Servants Confederation or ADEDY [Spyros PAPASPYROS] International organization participa¬ tion: Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, G-6, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN, UN Security Council (tem¬ porary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIS, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Alexandras P. MALLIAS chancery: 2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-1300 FAX: [1] (202) 939-1324 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Tampa consulate(s): Atlanta, Houston, New Orleans Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Charles P. RIES embassy: 91 Vasilisis Sophias Avenue, 10160 Athens mailing address: PSC 108, APO AE 09842-0108 telephone: [30] (210) 721-2951 FAX: [30] (210) 645-6282 consulate(s) general: Thessaloniki Flag description: nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white; there is a blue square in the upper hoist- side corner bearing a white cross; the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established religion of the country ECONOMY Economy — overview: Greece has a cap¬ italist economy with the public sector accounting for about 40% of GDP and with per capita GDP at least 75% of the leading euro-zone economies. Tourism provides 15% of GDP. Immigrants make up nearly one-fifth of the work force, mainly in agricultural and unskilled jobs. Greece is a major beneficiary of EU aid, equal to about 3.3% of annual GDP. The Greek economy grew by nearly 4.0% per year between 2003 and 2006, due partly to infrastructural spending related to the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, and in part to an increased availability of credit, which has sustained record levels of con¬ sumer spending. Greece violated the EU’s Growth and Stability Pact budget deficit criteria of no more than 3% of GDP from 2001 to 2005, but finally appears on track to meet that criteria in 2006. Public debt, inflation, and unem¬ ployment are above the euro-zone average, but are falling. The Greek Government continues to grapple with cutting government spending, reducing the size of the public sector, and reforming the labor and pension systems, in the face of often vocal opposition from the country’s powerful labor unions and the general public. GDP (purchasing power parity): $256.3 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $223.8 billion (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 4 2% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $24,000 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 5.1% industry: 20.6% services: 74-4% (2006 est.) Labor force: 4.88 million (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 12% industry: 20% services: 68% (2004 est.) Unemployment rate: 9.2% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3% highest 10%: 28.3% (1998 est.) Distribution of family income — Gini Index: 35.1 (2003) inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.3% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 25.9% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $99.16 billion expenditures: $106.7 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 104.6% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine, tobacco, potatoes; beef, dairy products Industries: tourism, food and tobacco processing, textiles, chemicals, metal products; mining, petroleum Industrial production growth rate: 2% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 55.51 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 94.5% hydro: 3.8% nuclear: 0% other: 1.7% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 53.5 billion kWh (2005 est.) Electricity— exports: 1.5 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 3.4 billion kWh (2004) Oil— production: 5,401 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — consumption: 435,700 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— exports: 84,720 bbl/day (2001) Oil — imports: 468,300 bbl/day (2001) Oil — proved reserves: 4.5 million bbl (l January 2002) Natural gas — production: 23 million cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 2.34 billion cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas— exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — imports: 2.641 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — proved reserves: 991.1 million cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $21.37 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $24.42 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: food and bever¬ ages, manufactured goods, petroleum products, chemicals, textiles Exports — partners: Germany 12.4%, Italy 10.4%, UK 6.7%, Bulgaria 5.9%, US 5.3%, Cyprus 5.2%, Turkey 5.1%, France 4-2% (2005) Imports: $59.12 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — Commodities: machinery, transport equipment, fuels, chemicals Imports — partners: Germany 12.7%, Italy 12.4%, Russia 7.8%, France 5.7%, Netherlands 5.5%, Saudi Arabia 4.1% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $2.5 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $301.9 billion (30 June 2006 est.) Economic aid — recipient: $8 billion annually from EU (2000-06); Greece will receive about $3.8 billion per year between 2007-13 under the EU’s Community Support Funds IV Currency (code): euro (EUR) 251 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by finan¬ cial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries Currency code: EUR Exchange rates: euros per US dollar — 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 6.303 million (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 10.043 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: adequate, modern networks reach all areas; good mobile telephone and international service domestic: microwave radio relay trunk system; extensive open-wire connec¬ tions; submarine cable to offshore islands international: country code — 30; tropos¬ pheric scatter; 8 submarine cables; satel¬ lite earth stations — 2 Intelsat ( 1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region) Radio broadcast stations: AM 26, FM 88, shortwave 4 (1998) Radios: 5.02 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 36 (plus 1,341 repeaters); also 2 stations in the US Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (1995) Televisions: 2.54 million (1997) Internet country code: gr Internet hosts: 587,717 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 27 (2000) Internet users: 3.8 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 82 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 66 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 16 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 9 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 16 914 to 1 ,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 13 (2006) Heliports: 8 (2006) Pipelines: gas 1,166 km; oil 94 km (2006) Railways: total: 2,571 km standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge (764 km electrified) narrow gauge: 961 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge dual gauge: 23 km combined 1.435 m and 1.000-m gauges (three rail system) (2005) Roadways: total: 114,931 km paved: 105,507 km (includes 880 km of expressways) unpaved: 9,424 km (2004) Waterways: 6 km note: Corinth Canal (6 km) crosses the Isthmus of Corinth; shortens sea voyage by 325 km (2006) Merchant marine: total: 817 ships (1000 GRT or over) 31,895,832 GRT/54, 34 1,584 DWT by type: bulk carrier 270, cargo 61, chem¬ ical tanker 47, container 47, liquefied gas 5, passenger 11, passenger/cargo 114, petroleum tanker 244, roll on/roll off 17, specialized tanker 1 foreign-ovuned: 24 (Belgium 12, Cyprus 1, Hong Kong 1, UK 9, US 1) registered in other countries: 2,363 (Bahamas 232, Barbados 11, Belgium 4, Belize 2, Bermuda 2, Cambodia 8, Cayman Islands 21, Comoros 10, Cyprus 337, Denmark 5, Dominica 5, Egypt 6, Georgia 8, Gibraltar 7, Honduras 3, Hong Kong 27, Isle of Man 45, Italy 6, Jamaica 6, North Korea 1, Lebanon 3, Liberia 267, Malta 495, Marshall Islands 199, Norway 1, Panama 524, Philippines 5, Portugal 4, Russia 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 82, Sao Tome and Principe 1, Singapore 9, Slovakia 4, UAE 2, UK 7, Uruguay 1, US 1, Venezuela 3, unknown 7) (2006) Ports and terminals: Agioitheodoroi, Aspropyrgos, Irakleion, Pachi, Piraeus, Thessaloniki MILITARY Military branches: Hellenic Army (Ellinikos Stratos, ES), Hellenic Navy (Ellinikos Polemiko Navtiko, EPN), Hellenic Air Force (Elliniki Polimiki Aeroporia, EPA) (2007) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; during wartime the law allows for recruitment beginning January of the year of inductee’s 18th birthday, thus including 1 7 year olds; 1 7 years of age for volunteers; conscript service obliga¬ tion — 12 months for the Army, Air Force; 15 months for Navy; women are eligible for military service (2005) Manpower available for military service: males age 1 8 — 49 : 2,459,988 females age i 8 — 49 : 2,442,818 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 2,018,557 females age 18-49: 2,000,650 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 58,399 females age 18-49: 55,571 (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of GDP: 4-3% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: Greece and Turkey continue discussions to resolve their complex maritime, air, territorial, and boundary disputes in the Aegean Sea; Cyprus question with Turkey; Greece rejects the use of the name Macedonia or Republic of Macedonia; the mass migra¬ tion of unemployed Albanians still remains a problem for developed coun¬ tries, chiefly Greece and Italy Illicit drugs: a gateway to Europe for traf¬ fickers smuggling cannabis and heroin from the Middle East and Southwest Asia to the West and precursor chemicals to the East; some South American cocaine transits or is consumed in Greece; money laundering related to drug trafficking and organized crime GREENLAND V- Background: Greenland, the world’s largest island, is about 81% ice-capped. Vikings reached the island in the 10th century from Iceland; Danish coloniza¬ tion began in the 18th century, and Greenland was made an integral part of Denmark in 1953. It joined the European Community (now the EU) with Denmark in 1973, but withdrew in 1985 over a dispute centered on strin¬ gent fishing quotas. Greenland was granted self-government in 1979 by the Danish parliament; the law went into effect the following year. Denmark con¬ tinues to exercise control of Greenland’s foreign affairs in consultation with Greenland’s Home Rule Government. GEOGRAPHY Location: Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada 252 GREENLAND Geographic coordinates: 72 00 N, 40 00 W Map references: Arctic Region Area: total: 2,166,086 sq km land: 2,166,086 sq km (410,449 sq km ice-free, 1,755,637 sq km ice-covered) (2000 est.) Area — comparative: slightly more than three times the size of Texas Land boundaries: 0 km Goastline: 44,087 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line Climate: arctic to subarctic; cool sum¬ mers, cold winters Terrain: flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow, mountainous, barren, rocky coast Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Gunnbjorn 3,700 m Natural resources: coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, molybdenum, diamonds, gold, plat¬ inum, niobium, tantalite, uranium, fish, seals, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas Land use: arable kind: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island Environment — current issues: protec¬ tion of the arctic environment; preserva¬ tion of the Inuit traditional way of life, including whaling and seal hunting Geography — note: dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe; sparse population confined to small settlements along coast, but close to one-quarter of the population lives in the capital, Nuuk; world’s second largest ice cap PEOPLE Population: 56,344 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 24% (male 6,926/female 6,597) 15-64 years: 69.1% (male 20,90 1/female 18,012) 65 years and over: 6.9% (male 1,873/ female 2,035) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 34.1 years male: 35.4 years female: 32.3 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: -0.03% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 16.01 births/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 7.93 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -8.38 migrants )/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.16 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female total population: 1.115 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 14-98 deaths/1,000 live births male: 16.32 deaths/1,000 live births female: 13.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.23 years male: 66.65 years female: 73.9 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.4 children bom/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 100 (1999) HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Greenlander(s) adjective: Greenland ic Ethnic groups: Greenlander 88% (Inuit and Greenland-born whites), Danish and others 12% (2000) Religions: Evangelical Lutheran Languages: Greenlandic (East Inuit), Danish, English Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female : 100% (2001 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Greenland local long form: none local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat Dependency status: part of the King¬ dom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1979 Government type: parliamentary democ¬ racy within a constitutional monarchy Capital: name: Nuuk (Godthab) geographic coordinates: 64 11 N, 51 44 W time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October note: Greenland is divided into four time zones Administrative divisions: 3 districts (landsdele); Avannaa (Nordgronland), Tunu (Ostgronland), Kitaa (Vestgronland) note: there are 18 municipalities in Greenland Independence: none (extensive self-rule as part of the Kingdom of Denmark; for¬ eign affairs is the responsibility of Denmark, but Greenland actively partic¬ ipates in international agreements relating to Greenland) National holiday: June 21 (longest day) Constitution: 5 June 1953 (Danish con¬ stitution) Legal system: the laws of Denmark, where applicable, apply Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January 1972), repre¬ sented by High Commissioner Soren MOLLER (since April 2005) head of government: Prime Minister Hans ENOKSEN (since 14 December 2002) cabinet: Home Rule Government is elected by the parliament (Landstinget) on the basis of the strength of parties elections: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by the monarch; prime minister is elected by parliament (usually the leader of the majority party); election results: Hans ENOKSEN reelected prime minister 253 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK note: government coalition — Siumut and Inuit Ataqatigiit Legislative branch: unicameral Parlia¬ ment or Landstinget (31 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: last held on 15 November 2005 (next to be held by December 2009) election results: percent of vote by party — Siumut 30.7%, Demokratiit 22.8%, IA 22.6%, Atassut Party 19.1%; Katusse- qatigiit 4-1%, other 0.7%; seats by party — Siumut 10, Demokratiit 7, IA 7, Atassut 6, Katusseqatigiit 1 note: two representatives were elected to the Danish Parliament or Folketing on 8 February 2005 (next to be held in February 2009); percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — Siumut 1, Inuit Ataqatigiit 1 Judicial branch: High Court or Landsret (appeals can be made to the Ostre Landsret or Eastern Division of the High Court or Supreme Court in Copenhagen) Political parties and leaders: Atassut Party (Solidarity) [Finn KARLSEN] (a conservative party favoring continuing close relations with Denmark); Demokratiit [Per BERTHELSEN]; Inuit Ataqatigiit or IA (Eskimo Brotherhood) [Josef MOTZFELDT] (a leftist party favoring complete independence from Denmark rather than home rule); Kattusseqatigiit (Candidate List) (an independent right-of-center party with no official platform); Siumut (Forward Party) [Hans ENOKSEN] (a social dem¬ ocratic party advocating more distinct Greenlandic identity and greater autonomy from Denmark) Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: Arctic Council, NC, NIB, UPU Diplomatic representation in the US: none (self-governing overseas adminis¬ trative division of Denmark) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (self-governing overseas adminis¬ trative division of Denmark) Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a large disk slightly to the hoist side of center — the top half of the disk is red, the bottom half is white ECONOMY Economy— overview: The economy remains critically dependent on exports of fish and substantial support from the Danish Government, which supplies about half of government revenues. The public sector, including publicly-owned enterprises and the municipalities, plays the dominant role in the economy. Several interesting hydrocarbon and mineral exploration activities are ongoing. Press reports in early 2007 indi¬ cated that two international aluminum companies were considering building smelters in Greenland to take advantage of local hydropower potential. Tourism is the only sector offering any near-term potential, and even this is limited due to a short season and high costs. Air Greenland announced plans to begin summer-season direct flights to the U.S. east coast in May 2007 potentially opening a major new tourism market. GDP (purchasing power parity): $1.1 billion (2001 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $1.7 bil¬ lion (2005) GDP— real growth rate: 2% (2005 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $20,000 (2001 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% Labor force: 32,120 (2004) Unemployment rate: 9.3% (2005 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1% (2005 est.) Budget: revenues: $1.36 billion expenditures: $1.27 billion; including capital expenditures of $83 million (2005) Agriculture— products: forage crops, garden and greenhouse vegetables; sheep, reindeer; fish Industries: fish processing (mainly shrimp and Greenland halibut); gold, niobium, tantalite, uranium, iron and diamond mining; handicrafts, hides and skins, small shipyards Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity— production: 295 million kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% note: Greenland is shifting its electricity production from fossil fuel to hydropower production (2001) Electricity— consumption: 274 4 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 3,860 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: NA bbl/day Oil — imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Exports: $404 million f.o.b. (2005 est.) Exports — commodities: fish and fish products 94% (prawns 63%) Exports— partners: Denmark 61.7%, Japan 12.2%, China 5.2%, Spain 4-6% (2005) Imports: $599 million c.i.f. (2005 est.) Imports — commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, petroleum products Imports— partners: Denmark 67.1%, Sweden 19.2%, Ireland 3.5% (2005) Debt— external: $25 million (1999) Economic aid — recipient: $512 million; note — subsidy from Denmark (2005) Currency (code): Danish krone (DKK) Currency code: DKK Exchange rates: Danish kroner per US dollar— 5.9468 (2006), 5.9969 (2005), 5.9911 (2004), 6.5877 (2003), 7.8947 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 25,300 (2002) Telephones— mobile cellular: 32,200 (2004) Telephone system: general assessment: adequate domestic and international service provided by satellite, cables and microwave radio relay; totally digitalized in 1995 domestic: microwave radio relay and satellite international: country code — 299; satel¬ lite earth stations — 12 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 2 Americom GE-2 (all Atlantic Ocean) (2000) Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998) Radios: 30,000 (1998 est.) Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus some local low-power stations, and 3 Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS) stations (1997) Televisions: 30,000 (1998 est.) Internet country code: gl Internet hosts: 8,851 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000) Internet users: 38,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 14 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 9 254 GRENADA 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1 ,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 5 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 5 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 1 9 14 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2006) Roadways: total: NA note: while there are short roads in towns, there are no roads between towns; inter- town transport takes place either by sea or air (2005) INTRODUCTION Background: Carib Indians inhabited Grenada when COLUMBUS discovered the island in 1498, but it remained uncol¬ onized for more than a century. The French settled Grenada in the 17th cen¬ tury, established sugar estates, and imported large numbers of African slaves. Britain took the island in 1762 and vigor¬ ously expanded sugar production. In the 19th century, cacao eventually surpassed sugar as the main export crop; in the 20th century, nutmeg became the leading export. In 1967, Britain gave Grenada autonomy over its internal affairs. Full independence was attained in 1974 making Grenada one of the smallest inde¬ pendent countries in the Western Hemisphere. Grenada was seized by a Marxist military council on 19 October 1983. Six days later the island was invaded by US forces and those of six other Caribbean nations, which quickly captured the ringleaders and their hundreds of Cuban advisers. Free elections were reinsti¬ tuted the following year and have con¬ tinued since that time. Hurricane Ivan struck Grenada in September of 2004 causing severe damage. Merchant marine: total: 3 ships (1000 GRT or over) 5,540 GRT/2,540 DWT by type: cargo 1, passenger 2 registered in other countries: 2 (Cyprus 1, Denmark 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Sisimiut MILITARY Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 14,653 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 10,199 (2005 est.) GRENADA GEOGRAPHY Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago Geographic coordinates: 12 07 N, 61 40 W Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total: 344 sq km land: 344 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: twice the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 121 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 1 2 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical; tempered by northeast trade winds Terrain: volcanic in origin with central mountains Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Saint Catherine 840 m Natural resources: timber, tropical fruit, deepwater harbors Land use: arable land: 5.88% permanen t crops: 29.41% other: 64-71% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: lies on edge of hurri¬ cane belt; hurricane season lasts from June to November Environment — current issues: NA Environment — international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 440 (2005 est.) Military note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of Denmark TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: managed dis¬ pute between Canada and Denmark over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Canada’s Ellesmere Island and Greenland Geography— note: the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada PEOPLE Population: 89,971 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 32.8% (male 14,876/female 14,641) 15-64 years: 64.1% (male 30,522/female 27,137) 65 years and over: 3.1% (male 1,353/ female 1,442) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 22.1 years male: 22.6 years female: 21.6 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.336% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 21.87 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 6.61 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -11.9 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.016 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.125 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.938 male(s)/female total population: 1.082 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 13.92 deaths/1,000 live births male: 13.57 deaths/1,000 live births female: 14.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 65.21 years male: 63.38 years female: 67.05 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.3 children bom/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS — people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA 255 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK HIV/AIDS — deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Grenadian(s) adjective: Grenadian Ethnic groups: black 82%, mixed black and European 13%, European and East Indian 5%, and trace of Arawak/Carib Amerindian Religions: Roman Catholic 53%, Anglican 13.8%, other Protestant 33.2% Languages: English (official), French patois Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96% male: NA% female: NA% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Grenada Government type: parliamentary democracy Capital: name: Saint George’s geographic coordinates: 12 03 N, 61 45 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 6 parishes and 1 dependency*; Carriacou and Petite Martinique*, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick Independence: 7 February 1974 (from UK) National holiday: Independence Day, 7 February (1974) Constitution: 19 December 1973 Legal system: based on English com¬ mon law Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Daniel WILLIAMS (since 9 August 1996) head of government: Prime Minister Keith MITCHELL (since 22 June 1995) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the gov¬ ernor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the monarch is heredi¬ tary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the gov¬ ernor general Legislative branch: bicameral Parlia¬ ment consists of the Senate (13 seats, 10 appointed by the government and 3 by the leader of the opposition) and the House of Representatives (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held on 27 November 2003 (next to be held by November 2008) election results: House of Repre¬ sentatives — percent of vote by party NNP 46.6%, NDC 44.1%, other 9.3%; seats by party — NNP 8, NDC 7 Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of a court of Appeal and a High Court of Justice (a High Court judge is assigned to and resides in Grenada) Political parties and leaders: Grenada United Labor Party or GULP [Gloria Payne BANFIELD]; National Demo¬ cratic Congress or NDC [Tillman THOMAS]; New National Party or NNP [Keith MITCHELL] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G- 77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Denis G. ANTOINE chancery: 1701 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 265-2561 FAX: [1] (202) 265-2468 consulate(s) general: New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Grenada embassy: Lance-aux-Epines Stretch, Saint George’s mailing address: P. O. Box 54, Saint George’s telephone: [1] (473) 444-1173 through 1176 FAX: [1] (473) 444-4820 Flag description: a rectangle divided diagonally into yellow triangles (top and bottom) and green triangles (hoist side and outer side), with a red border around the flag; there are seven yellow, five- pointed stars with three centered in the top red border, three centered in the bottom red border, and one on a red disk superimposed at the center of the flag; there is also a symbolic nutmeg pod on the hoist-side triangle (Grenada is the world’s second-largest producer of nutmeg, after Indonesia); the seven stars represent the seven administrative divisions Economy — overview: Grenada relies on tourism as its main source of foreign exchange, especially since the construc¬ tion of an international airport in 1985. Strong performances in construction and manufacturing, together with the devel¬ opment of an offshore financial industry, have also contributed to growth in national output. GDP (purchasing power parity): $440 million (2002 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $454 mil¬ lion (2005) GDP— real growth rate: 0.9% (2005 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $3,900 (2005 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 5.4% industry: 18% services: 76.6% (2003) Labor force: 42,300 (1996) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 24% industry: 14% services: 62% (1999 est.) Unemployment rate: 12.5% (2000) Population below poverty line: 32% (2000) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (2005 est.) Budget: revenues: $85.8 million expenditures: $102.1 million; including capital expenditures of $28 million (1997) Agriculture— products: bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, mace, citrus, avocados, root crops, sugarcane, corn, vegetables Industries: food and beverages, textiles, light assembly operations, tourism, con¬ struction Industrial production growth rate: 0.7% (1997 est.) Electricity— production: 171.3 million kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 159.3 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 1,800 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) 256 GUAM Exports: $40 million (2004 est.) Exports commodities: bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, fruit and vegetables, clothing, mace Exports— partners: Saint Lucia 12.3%, US 11.4%, Antigua and Barbuda 8.3%, Germany 8%, Netherlands 7.9%, Saint Kitts & Nevis 7.5%, Dominica 7.5%, UK 6.8%, France 4.2% (2005) Imports: $276 million (2004 est.) Imports — commodities: food, manufac¬ tured goods, machinery, chemicals, fuel Imports— partners: Trinidad and Tobago 27.6%, US 26.8%, UK 5.9% (2005) Debt— external: $347 million (2004) Economic aid— recipient: $15 .4 million (2004) Currency (code): East Caribbean dollar (XCD) Currency code: XCD Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars per US dollar— 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 32,700 (2004) Telephones— mobile cellular: 43,300 (2004) Telephone system: general assessment: automatic, islandwide telephone system domestic: interisland VHF and UFIF radiotelephone links international: country code — 1-473; new SHF radiotelephone links to Trinidad and Tobago and Saint Vincent; VHF and UHF radio links to Trinidad Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998) Radios: 57,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 2 (1997) Televisions: 33,000 (1997) Internet country code: gd Internet hosts: 17 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 14 (2000) Internet users: 19,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 3 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 9 14 m: 1 (2006) Roadways: total: 1,127 km paved: 687 km unpaved: 440 km (1999) Ports and terminals: Saint George’s MILITARY Military branches: no regular military forces; Royal Grenada Police Force (includes Coast Guard) (2007) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 24,031 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 17,483 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 1,274 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: NA TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: none Illicit drugs: small-scale cannabis culti¬ vation; lesser transshipment point for marijuana and cocaine to US GUAM INTRODUCTION Background: Guam was ceded to the US by Spain in 1898. Captured by the Japanese in 1941, it was retaken by the US three years later. The military instal¬ lation on the island is one of the most strategically important US bases in the Pacific. GEOGRAPHY Location: Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines Geographic coordinates: 13 28 N, 144 47 E Map references: Oceania Area: total: 541.3 sq km land: 541.3 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: three times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 125.5 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical marine; generally warm and humid, moderated by north¬ east trade winds; dry season (January to June), rainy season (July to December); little seasonal temperature variation Terrain: volcanic origin, surrounded by coral reefs; relatively flat coralline lime¬ stone plateau (source of most fresh water), with steep coastal cliffs and narrow coastal plains in north, low hills in center, mountains in south Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Lamlam 406 m Natural resources: fishing (largely unde¬ veloped), tourism (especially from Japan) Land use: arable land: 3.64% permanent crops : 18.18% other: 78.18% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but poten¬ tially very destructive typhoons (June — December) Environment — current issues: extirpa¬ tion of native bird population by the rapid proliferation of the brown tree snake, an exotic, invasive species Geography — note: largest and southern¬ most island in the Mariana Islands archi¬ pelago; strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean PEOPLE Population: 173,456 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 28.6% (male 25,686/female 23,938) 15-64 years: 64.5% (male 57,023/female 54,872) 65 years and over: 6.9% (male 5,592/ female 6,345) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 28.8 years male: 28.5 years female: 29 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.4% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 18.56 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 257 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Death rate: 4-56 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.073 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.039 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.881 male(s)/female total population: 1.037 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 6.68 deaths/1,000 live births male: 7.35 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.76 years male: 75.69 years female: 82.01 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.57 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS — deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Guamanian(s) (US citizens) adjective: Guamanian Ethnic groups: Chamorro 37.1%, Filipino 26.3%, other Pacific islander 11.3%, white 6.9%, other Asian 6.3%, other ethnic origin or race 2.3%, mixed 9.8% (2000 census) Religions: Roman Catholic 85%, other 15% (1999 est.) Languages: English 38.3%, Chamorro 22.2%, Philippine languages 22.2%, other Pacific island languages 6.8%, Asian languages 7%, other languages 3.5% (2000 census) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1990 est.) government' Country name: conventional long form: Territory of Guam conventional short form: Guam heal long form: Guahan local short form: Guahan Dependency status: organized, unincor¬ porated territory of the US with policy relations between Guam and the US under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior Government type: NA Capital: name: Hagatna (Agana) geographic coordinates: 13 28 N, 144 45 E time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: none (terri¬ tory of the US) Independence: none (territory of the US) National holiday: Discovery Day, first Monday in March (1521) Constitution: Organic Act of Guam, 1 August 1950 Legal system: modeled on US; US fed¬ eral laws apply Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; US citizens, but do not vote in US presiden¬ tial elections Executive branch: chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001) head of government: Governor Felix P. CAMACHO (since 6 January 2003); Lieutenant Governor Dr. Michael W. CRUZ (since 1 January 2007) cabinet: heads of executive departments; appointed by the governor with the con¬ sent of the Guam legislature elections: under the US Constitution, res¬ idents of unincorporated territories, such as Guam, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year term (can serve two consecutive terms, then must wait a full term before running again); election last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2010) election results: Felix P. CAMACHO reelected governor; Dr. Michael W. CRUZ elected lieutenant governor; per¬ cent of vote — NA Legislative branch: unicameral Legis¬ lature (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms) elections: last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2008) election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — Republican Party 8, Democratic Party 7 note: Guam elects one nonvoting dele¬ gate to the US House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2008); results — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — Democratic Party 1 Judicial branch: Federal District Court (judge is appointed by the president); Territorial Superior Court (judges appointed for eight-year terms by the governor) Political parties and leaders: Demo¬ cratic Party [leader Michael PHILLIPS]; Republican Party [Philip J. FLORES] (controls the legislature) Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: IOC, SPC, UPU Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of the US) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of the US) Flag description: territorial flag is dark blue with a narrow red border on all four sides; centered is a red-bordered, pointed, vertical ellipse containing a beach scene, outrigger canoe with sail, and a palm tree with the word GUAM superimposed in bold red letters; US flag is the national flag ECONOMY . • ' > Economy— overview: The economy depends largely on US military spending and tourism. Total US grants, wage pay¬ ments, and procurement outlays amounted to $1.3 billion in 2004. Over the past 30 years, the tourist industry has grown to become the largest income source following national defense. The Guam economy continues to experience expansion in both its tourism and mili¬ tary sectors. GDP (purchasing power parity): $2.5 billion (2005 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $2,773 billion (2001) GDP— real growth rate: NA% GDP— per capita (PPP): $15,000 (2005 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% Labor force: 62,050 (2002 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 26% industry: 10% services: 64% (2004 est.) Unemployment rate: 11.4% (2002 est.) Population below poverty line: 23% (2001 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (2005 est.) Budget: revenues: $319.6 million expenditures: $427.8 million (2002 est.) Agriculture products: fruits, copra, vegetables; eggs, pork, poultry, beef Industries: US military, tourism, con¬ struction, transshipment services, con¬ crete products, printing and publishing, food processing, textiles Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity-production: 1.764 billion kWh (2004) 258 GUATEMALA Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% ocher: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 1.641 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/'day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 16,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Exports: $45 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) Exports — commodities: mostly trans¬ shipments of refined petroleum products; construction materials, fish, food and beverage products Exports— partners: Japan 67.2%, Singapore 11.6%, UK 4.8% (2005) Imports: $701 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) Imports — Commodities: petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods imports— partners: Singapore 50%, South Korea 21.4%, Japan 14%, Hong Kong 4.6% (2005) Debt — external: $NA Economic aid— recipient: Guam receives large transfer payments from the US Federal Treasury ($143 million in 1997) into which Guamanians pay no income or excise taxes; under the provi¬ sions of a special law of Congress, the Guam Treasury, rather than the US Treasury, receives federal income taxes paid by military and civilian Federal employees stationed in Guam (2001 est.) Currency (code): US dollar (USD) Currency code: USD Exchange rates: the US dollar is used FiSCOi year: 1 October — 30 September COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 84,134 (2001) Telephones — mobile cellular: 98,000 (2004) Telephone system: general assessment: modem system, inte¬ grated with US facilities for direct dialing, including free use of 800 numbers domestic: modern digital system, in¬ cluding cellular mobile service and local access to the Internet international: country code — 1-671; satel¬ lite earth stations — 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); submarine cables to US and Japan (Guam is a trans-Pacific communications hub for MCI, Sprint, AT&T, IT&E, and GTE, linking the US and Asia) Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 2 (2005) Radios: 221,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 3 (2006) Televisions: 106,000 (1997) Internet country code: ,gu Internet hosts: 76 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 20 (2000) Internet users: 79,000 (2004) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 5 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Roadways: total: 977 km (2004) Ports and terminals: Apra Harbor ^MILITARY Military — note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of the US TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: none GUATEMALA ^©t Hat Puerto Cob*^ ,Hu*buetena«90 ^GUATEMALA *Villa Nueva — « *E«culnta J5 INTRODUCTION Background: The Mayan civilization flourished in Guatemala and surrounding regions during the first millennium A.D. After almost three centuries as a Spanish colony, Guatemala won its independ¬ ence in 1821. During the second half of the 20th century, it experienced a variety of military and civilian governments, as well as a 36-year guerrilla war. In 1996, the government signed a peace agree¬ ment formally ending the conflict, which had left more than 100,000 people dead and had created, by some estimates, some 1 million refugees. GEOGRAPHY Location: Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Mexico, and bordering the Gulf of Honduras (Caribbean Sea) between Honduras and Belize Geographic coordinates: 15 30 N, 90 15 W Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total: 108,890 sq km land: 108,430 sq km water: 460 sq km Area — comparative: slightly smaller than Tennessee Land boundaries: total: 1,687 km border countries: Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256 km, Mexico 962 km Coastline: 400 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation Climate: tropical; hot, humid in low¬ lands; cooler in highlands Terrain: mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone plateau Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Volcan Tajumulco 4,21 1 m Natural resources: petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower Land use: arable land: 13.22% permanent crops : 5.6% other: 81.18% (2005) Irrigated land: 1,300 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and other trop¬ ical storms Environment — current Issues: defor¬ estation in the Peten rainforest; soil e ro¬ sion; water pollution Environment — International agreements party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change- 259 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, En¬ dangered Species, Environmental Modi¬ fication, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography— note: no natural harbors on west coast PEOPLE Population: 12,728,111 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 40.8% (male 2,641,179/ female 2,556,397) 15-64 years: 55.5% (male 3,426,376/ female 3,642,157) 65 years and over: 3.6% (male 213,801/ female 248,201) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 18.9 years male: 18.3 years female: 19.5 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.152% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 29.09 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 5.27 deaths/ 1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -2.31 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.033 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.941 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.861 male(s)/female total population: 0.974 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 29.77 deaths/1,000 live births male: 32.26 deaths/ 1,000 live births female: 27.16 deaths/ 1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 69.69 years male: 67.94 years female: 71.52 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 3.7 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 1.1% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 78,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 5,800 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Guatemalan(s) adjective: Guatemalan Ethnic groups: Mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish — in local Spanish called Ladino) and European 59.4%, K’iche 9.1%, Kaqchikel 8.4%, Mam 7.9%, Q’eqchi 6.3%, other Mayan 8.6%, indigenous non-Mayan 0.2%, other 0.1% (2001 census) Religions: Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs Languages: Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 officially recognized Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam, Garifuna, and Xinca) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 69.1% male: 75.4% female: 63.3% (2002 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Guatemala conventional short form.: Guatemala local long form: Republica de Guatemala local short form: Guatemala Government type: constitutional demo¬ cratic republic Capital: name: Guatemala geographic coordinates: 1438N, 90 31 W time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins last Sunday in April; ends last Friday in September; note — there is no DST planned for 2007-2009 Administrative divisions: 22 depart¬ ments (departamentos, singular — depar- tamento); Alta Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, Chimaltenango, Chiquimula, El Pro¬ greso, Escuintla, Guatemala, Huehue- tenango, Izabal, Jalapa, Jutiapa, Peten, Quetzaltenango, Quiche, Retalhuleu, Sacatepequez, San Marcos, Santa Rosa, Solola, Suchitepequez, Totonicapan, Zacapa Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain) National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821) Constitution: 31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986; note — suspended 25 May 1993 by former President Jorge SER¬ RANO; reinstated 5 June 1993 following ouster of president; amended November 1993 Legal system: civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; note — active duty members of the armed forces may not vote and are restricted to their barracks on election day Executive branch: chief of state: President Oscar Jose Rafael BERGER Perdomo (since 14 January 2004); Vice President Eduardo STEIN Barillas (since 14 January 2004); note — the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Oscar Jose Rafael BERGER Perdomo (since 14 January 2004); Vice President Eduardo STEIN Barillas (since 14 January 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term (may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 9 November 2003; runoff held 28 December 2003 (next to be held September 2007 ) election results: Oscar BERGER Perdomo elected president; percent of vote — Oscar BERGER Perdomo 54.1%, Alvarado COLOM 45.9% Legislative branch: unicameral Con¬ gress of the Republic or Congreso de la Republica (158 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 9 November 2003 (next to be held in September 2007) election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — GAN A 49, FRG 41, UNE 33, PAN 17, other 18 note: in the 2003 election, the number of congressional seats increased from 1 13 to 158 Judicial branch: Constitutional Court or Corte de Constitutcionalidad is Guatemala’s highest court (five judges are elected for concurrent five-year terms); Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (13 members serve concurrent five-year terms and elect a president of the Court each year from among their number; the president of the Supreme Court of Justice also supervises trial judges around the country, who are named to five-year terms) Political parties and leaders: Authentic Integral Development or D1A [Edgar DE LEON Sotomayor]; Center of Social Action or CASA [Eduardo SUGER]; Democracy Front or FRENTE [Alfonso CABRERA]; Democratic Union or UD [Manuel CONDE Orellana]; Encounter for Guatemala or EG [Nineth MONTENGRO]; Grand National Alliance or GANA [Alfredo VILLA]; Guatemalan Christian Democracy or DCG [Vinicio CEREZO Arevalo]; Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity or URNG [Hector NUILA]; Guatemalan Republican Front or FRG [Efrain RIOS Montt]; National Advancement Party or PAN [Ruben Dario MORALES]; National Unity for Hope or UNE [Alvaro COLOM Caballeros]; National Well-Being or BIEN [Fidel REYES]; New Nation Alliance or ANN [Pablo MON¬ SANTO]; Patriot Party or PP [Ret. Gen. Otto PEREZ Molina]; Progressive 260 GUATEMALA Libertarian Party or PLP [Acisclo VAL- LAD ARES]; Reform Movement or MR [Juan Jose CABRERA Alonso]; Unionista Party or PU [Fritz GARCIA]; Unity of National Change or UCN [Sidney SHAW]; Social Democratic Party of Guatemala or PSG [Roger VALENZUELA] Political pressure groups and leaders: Agrarian Owners Group or UNAGRO; Alliance Against Impunity or AAI; Committee for Campesino Unity or CUC; Coordinating Committee of Agricultural, Commercial, Industrial, and Financial Associations or CACIF; Mutual Support Group or GAM International organization participa¬ tion: BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS, ONUB, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Guillermo CASTILLO chancery: 2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 745-4952 FAX: [1] (202) 745-1908 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Providence, San Francisco Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James M. DERHAM embassy: 7-01 Avenida Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City mailing address: APO AA 34024 telephone: [502] 2326-4000 FAX: [502] 2326-4654 Flag description: three equal vertical bands of light blue (hoist side), white, and light blue with the coat of arms cen¬ tered in the white band; the coat of arms includes a green and red quetzal (the national bird) and a scroll bearing the inscription LIBERTAD 15 DE SEP- TIEMBRE DE 1821 (the original date of independence from Spain) all superim¬ posed on a pair of crossed rifles and a pair of crossed swords and framed by a wreath ECONOMY Economy — overview: Guatemala is the largest and most populous of the Central American countries with a GDP per capita roughly one-half that of Brazil, Argentina, and Chile. The agricultural sector accounts for about one -fourth of GDP, two-fifths of exports, and half of the labor force. Coffee, sugar, and bananas are the main products. The 1996 signing of peace accords, which ended 36 years of civil war, removed a major obstacle to foreign investment, and Guatemala since then has pursued important reforms and macroeconomic stabilization. On 1 July 2006, the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) entered in to force between the US and Guatemala. The distribution of income remains highly unequal with about 56% of the population below the poverty line. Other ongoing challenges include increasing government revenues, negotiating further assistance from inter¬ national donors, upgrading both govern¬ ment and private financial operations, curtailing drug trafficking, and nar¬ rowing the trade deficit. Remittances from a large expatriate community that moved to the United States during the war have become the primary source of foreign income, exceeding the total value of exports and tourism combined. GDP (purchasing power parity): $61.38 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $35.25 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 4.6% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $5,000 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 22.1% industry: 19.1% services: 58.7% (2006 est.) Labor force: 5.02 million (2005 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 50% industry: 15% services: 35% (1999 est.) Unemployment rate: 3.2% (2005 est.) Population below poverty line: 56.2% (2004 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 46% (1998) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 59.9 (2005) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.8% (2006) Investment (gross fixed): 15.5% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $3.84 billion expenditures: $4-431 billion; including capital expenditures of $750 million (2006 est.) Public debt: 18.6% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: sugarcane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans, cardamom; cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens Industries: sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals, petroleum, metals, rubber, tourism Industrial production growth rate: 3.6% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 7.2 billion kWh (2005) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 51.9% hydro: 35.2% nuclear: 0% other: 12.9% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 6.625 billion kWh (2005) Electricity — exports: 335 million kWh (2005) Electricity— imports: 23 million kWh (2005) Oil— production: 16,370 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil— consumption: 73,510 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil — exports: 15,560 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil — imports: 72,960 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil— proved reserves: 263 million bbl ( 1 January 2002) Natural gas — production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 3 087 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $1,533 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $3.71 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: coffee, sugar, petroleum, apparel, bananas, fruits and vegetables, cardamom Exports— partners: US 50.1%, El Salvador 12.1%, Honduras 7.3%, Mexico 4% (2005) Imports: $9,911 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, grain, fertilizers, electricity Imports — partners: US 38.1%, Mexico 7.6%, El Salvador 4-8%, South Korea 4.8%, Panama 4-4% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $4-061 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $3,908 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid — recipient: $250 million (2000 est.) Currency (code): quetzal (GTQ), US dollar (USD), others allowed Currency code: GTQ; USD Exchange rates: quetzales per US dollar— 7.6026 (2006), 7.6339 (2005), 7.9465 (2004), 7.9409 (2003), 7.8217 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year _ COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: hi u million (2004) 261 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Telephones— mobile cellular: 3.168 million (2004) Telephone system: general assessment: fairly modem network centered in the city of Guatemala domestic: NA international: country code — 502; con¬ nected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth station — 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 130, FM 487, shortwave 15 (2000) Radios: 835,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 26 (plus 27 repeaters) (1997) Televisions: 1.323 million (1997) Internet country code: gt Internet hosts: 49,026 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 5 (2000) Internet users: 756,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 450 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 2 9 14 to 1 ,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 439 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 111 under 914 m: 319 (2006) Pipelines: oil 480 km (2006) Railways: total: 886 km narrow gauge: 886 km 0.914-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 14,095 km paved: 4,863 km (includes 75 km of expressways) unpaved: 9,232 km (1999) Waterways: 990 km note: 260 km navigable year round; addi¬ tional 730 km navigable during high- water season (2004) Ports and terminals: Puerto Quetzal, Santo Tomas de Castilla MILITARY Military branches: Army, Navy (in¬ cludes Marines), Air Force Military service age and obligation: all male citizens between the ages of 18 and 50 are liable for military service; con¬ script service obligation varies from 12 to 24 months (2005) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 2,429,033 females age 18-49: 2,503,482 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 1,911,412 females age 18-49: 2,070,806 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 134,032 females age 18-49: 130,641 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 0.4% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — -international: annual minis¬ terial meetings under the OAS-initiated Agreement on the Framework for Negotiations and Confidence Building Measures continue to address Guate¬ malan land and maritime claims in Belize and the Caribbean Sea; the Line of Adjacency created under the 2002 Differendum serves in lieu of the con¬ tiguous international boundary to con¬ trol squatting in the sparsely inhabited rain forests of Belize’s border region; Mexico must deal with thousands of impoverished Guatemalans and other Central Americans who cross the porous border looking for work in Mexico and the United States Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: IDPs: undetermined (estimates vary from none to 1 million displaced from government’s scorched-earth offen¬ sive in 1980s against indigenous people) (2006) Illicit drugs: major transit country for cocaine and heroin; in 2005, cultivated 100 hectares of opium poppy after reemerging as a potential source of opium in 2004; potential production of less than 1 metric ton of pure heroin; marijuana cultivation for mostly domestic consumption; proximity to Mexico makes Guatemala a major staging area for drugs (particularly for cocaine); money laundering is a serious problem; corruption is a major problem GUERNSEY Background: Guernsey and the other Channel Islands represent the last rem¬ nants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy, which held sway in both France and England. The islands were the only British soil occupied by German troops in World War II. Guernsey is a British crown dependency, but is not part of the UK. However, the UK Government is constitutionally responsible for its defense and international representation. GEOGRAPHY Location: Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France Geographic coordinates: 49 28 N, 2 35 W Map references: Europe Area: total: 78 sq km land: 78 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other smaller islands Area— comparative: about one-half the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 50 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm Climate: temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are overcast Terrain: mostly level with low hills in southwest Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Sark 114 m Natural resources: cropland Land use: arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% other: NA% Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: NA Environment— current issues: NA Geography — note: large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port PEOPLE Population: 65,573 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 14.8% (male 4,914/female 4,784)' 262 GUERNSEY 15-64 years: 67.4% (male 21,897/female 22,298) 65 years and over: 17.8% (male 4,955/ female 6,725) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 41.7 years male: 40.7 years female: 42.6 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.239% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 8.65 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 10.07 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 3.81 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.027 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.982 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.151 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 4-59 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.12 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4-03 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 80.53 years male: 77.53 years female: 83.64 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.4 children bom/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Channel Islander(s) adjective: Channel Islander Ethnic groups: UK and Norman-French descent with small percentages from other European countries Religions: Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational, Methodist Languages: English, French, Norman- French dialect spoken in country districts Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey conventional short form: Guernsey Dependency status: British crown dependency Government type: parliamentary democracy Capital: name: Saint Peter Port geographic coordinates: 49 27N,232W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: none (British crown dependency); there are no first- order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 10 parishes including Castel, Forest, Saint Andrew, Saint Martin, Saint Peter Port, Saint Pierre du Bois, Saint Sampson, Saint Saviour, Torteval, Vale Independence: none (British crown dependency) National holiday: Liberation Day, 9 May (1945) Constitution: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice Legal system: English law and local statutes; justice is administered by the Royal Court Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Lieutenant Governor Sir Fabian MALBON (since 28 October 2005) head of government: Chief Minister Laurie MORGAN (since 1 May 2004) cabinet: Policy Council elected by the States of Deliberation elections: the monarch is hereditary; lieu¬ tenant governor appointed by the monarch; chief minister is elected by States of Deliberation election results: Laurie MORGAN elected chief minister, percent of vote of the States of Deliberation NA Legislative branch: unicameral States of Deliberation (45 seats; members are elected by popular vote for four years); note — Alderney and Sark have parliaments elections: last held 21 April 2004 (next to be held in 2008) election results: percent of vote — NA; seats — all independents Judicial branch: Royal Court Political parties and leaders: none; all independents Political pressure groups and leaders: none International organization participa¬ tion: UPU Diplomatic representation in the US: none (British crown dependency) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (British crown dependency) Flag description: white with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) extending to the edges of the flag and a yellow equal-armed cross of William the Conqueror superimposed on the Saint George cross ECONOMY Economy — overview: Financial services — banking, fund management, insurance — account for about 23% of employment and 32% of total income in this tiny, pros¬ perous Channel Island economy. Tourism, manufacturing, and horticulture, mainly tomatoes and cut flowers, have been declining. Financial services, construction, retail, and the public sector have been growing. Light tax and death duties make Guernsey a popular tax haven. The evolving economic integration of the EU nations is changing the environment under which Guernsey operates. GDP (purchasing power parity): $2,742 billion (2005) GDP (official exchange rate): $2,742 billion (2005) GDP— real growth rate: 3% (2005 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $44,600 (2005) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 10% services: 81% (2000) Labor force: 31,470 (March 2006) Unemployment rate: 0.9% (March 2006 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.4% (June 2006) Budget: revenues: $563.6 million expenditures: $530.9 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.) Agriculture — products: tomatoes, green¬ house flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit; Guernsey cattle Industries: tourism, banking Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity— production: NA kWh Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: NA hydro: NA nuclear: NA other: NA Electricity — consumption: NA kWh Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2002) Electricity — imports: 0 kWh (2002) Exports: $NA Exports — commodities: tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, egg¬ plant, other vegetables Exports — partners: UK; note — regarded as internal trade (2004) Imports: $NA Imports — commodities: coal, gasoline, oil, machinery and equipment 263 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Imports— partners: UK; note— regarded as internal trade (2004) Debt— external: $NA Economic aid — recipient: $NA Currency (code): British pound (GBP); note — there is also a Guernsey pound Currency code: GBP Exchange rates: Guernsey pounds per US dollar— 0.5418 (2006), 0.5493 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002) note: the Guernsey pound is at par with the British pound Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 55,100 (2004) Telephones — mobile cellular: 43,800 (2004) Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: 1 submarine cable Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) Radios: NA Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997) Televisions: NA Internet country code: .gg Internet hosts: 1,245 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA Internet users: 36,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 2 (one on Alderney) (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Roadways: total: NA Ports and terminals: Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson MILITARY Military — note: defense is the responsi- bility of the UK TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: none GUINEA INTRODUCTION Background: Guinea has had only two presidents since gaining its independence from France in 1958. Lansana CONTE came to power in 1984 when the military seized the government after the death of the first president, Sekou TOURE. Guinea did not hold democratic elections until 1993 when Gen. CONTE (head of the military government) was elected pres¬ ident of the civilian government. Fie was reelected in 1998 and again in 2003. Guinea has maintained its internal sta¬ bility despite spillover effects from conflict in Sierra Leone and Liberia. As those countries have rebuilt, Guinea’s own vul¬ nerability to political and economic crisis has increased. In 2006, declining eco¬ nomic conditions and popular dissatisfac¬ tion with corruption and bad governance prompted two massive strikes that sparked urban unrest in many Guinean cities. Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea- Bissau and Sierra Leone Geographic coordinates: 11 00 N, 10 00 w Map references: Africa Area: total: 245,857 sq km land: 245,857 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon Land boundaries: total: 3,399 km border countries: Cote d’Ivoire 610 km, Guinea-Bissau 386 km, Liberia 563 km, Mali 858 km, Senegal 330 km, Sierra Leone 652 km Coastline: 320 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: generally hot and humid; mon- soonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds Terrain: generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m Natural resources: bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish, salt Land use: arable land: 4.47% permanent crops: 2.64% other: 92.89% (2005) Irrigated land: 950 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty har- mattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season Environment— current issues: defor¬ estation; inadequate supplies of potable water; desertification; soil contamina¬ tion and erosion; overfishing, overpopu¬ lation in forest region; poor mining prac¬ tices have led to environmental damage Environment — international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: the Niger and its important tributary the Milo have their sources in the Guinean highlands PEOPLE "U Population: 9,947,814 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 44.3% (male 2,226,414/ female 2,183,153) 15-64 years: 52.5% (male 2,611,833/ female 2,610,773) 65 years and over: 3.2% (male 138,392/ female 177,249) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 17.7 years male: 17.5 years female: 17.9 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.62% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 41.53 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 15.33 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l ,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15—64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0. 781 male(s)/female total population: 1.001 male(s)/female (2007 est.) 264 GUINEA Infant mortality rate: total: 88.58 deaths/1,000 live births male: 93.68 deaths/1,000 live births female: 83.32 deaths/ 1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 49.65 years male: 48.5 years female: 50.84 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 5.75 children bom/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 3.2% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS — people living with HIV/ AIDS: 140,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS — deaths: 9,000 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorbome diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever (2007) Nationality: noun: Guinean(s) adjective: Guinean Ethnic groups: Peuhl 40%, Malinke 30%, Soussou 20%, smaller ethnic groups 10% Religions: Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7% Languages: French (official); note — each ethnic group has its own language Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 29.5% male: 42.6% female: 18.1% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Guinea conventional short form: Guinea local long form: Republique de Guinee local short form: Guinee former: French Guinea Government type: republic Capital: name: Conakry geographic coordinates: 931 N, 13 43 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 33 prefectures and 1 special zone (zone special)*; Beyla, Boffa, Boke, Conakry*, Coyah, Dabola, Dalaba, Dinguiraye, Dubreka, Faranah, Forecariah, Fria, Gaoual, Gueckedou, Kankan, Kerouane, Kindia, Kissidougou, Koubia, Koundara, Kouroussa, Labe, Lelouma, Lola, Macenta, Mali, Mamou, Mandiana, Nzerekore, Pita, Siguiri, Telimele, Tougue, Yomou Independence: 2 October 1958 (from France) National holiday: Independence Day, 2 October (1958) Constitution: 23 December 1990 (Loi Fundamentale) Legal system: based on French civil law system, customary law, and decree; legal codes currently being revised; accepts com- pulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Lansana CONTE (head of military government since 5 April 1984, elected president 19 December 1993) head of government: Prime Minister Lansana KOUYATE (since 26 February 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (no term limits); candidate must receive a majority of the votes cast to be elected president; election last held 21 December 2003 (next to be held in December 2010); the prime minister is appointed by the president election results: Lansana CONTE reelected president; percent of vote — Lansana CONTE 95.3%, Mamadou Bhoye BARRY 4.6% Legislative branch: unicameral People’s National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale Populaire (114 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 30 June 2002 (next to be held in 2007) election results: percent of vote by party — PUP 61.6%, UPR 26.6%, other 11.8%; seats by party — PUP 85, UPR 20, other 9 Judicial branch: Court of First Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of Appeal or Cour d’Appel; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party of Guinea-African Democratic Rally or PDG-RDA [El Hadj Ismael Mohamed Gassim GUSHEIN]; Dyama; National Union for Progress or UPN [Mamadou Bhoye BARRY]; Party for Unity and Progress or PUP (the gov¬ erning party) [Lansana CONTE]; People’s Party of Guinea or PPG [Charles Pascal TOLNO]; Rally for the Guinean People or RPG [Alpha CONDE]; Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea or UFDG [Mamadou BAH]; Union of Republican Forces or UFR [Sidya TOURE]; Union for Progress of Guinea or UPG [Jean-Marie DORE, secretary- general]; Union for Progress and Renewal or UPR [Ousmane BAH] Political pressure groups and leaders: National Confederation of Guinean Workers — Labor Union of Guinean Workers or CNTG-USTG Alliance: National Confederation of Guinean Workers [Rabiatou Sarah DIALLO] and Labor Union of Guinean Workers [Dr. Ibrahima FOFANA]; Syndicate of Guinean Teachers and Researchers or SLECG [Dr. Louis M’Bemba SOUMAH]; National Council of Civil Society Organizations of Guinea CNOSCG [Ben Sekou SYLLA] International organization participa¬ tion: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) chancery: 2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 986-4300 FAX: [1] (202) 478-3800 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jackson C. MCDONALD embassy: Koloma, Conakry, east of Hamdallaye Circle mailing address: B. P. 603, Transversale No. 2, Centre Administrate de Koloma, Commune de Ratoma, Conakry telephone: [224] 30-42-08-61 through 68 FAX: [224] 30-42-08-73 Flag description: three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, and green; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia ECONOMY Economy — overview: Guinea possesses major mineral, hydropower, and agricul¬ tural resources, yet remains an underde¬ veloped nation. The country has almost half of the world’s bauxite reserves and is the second-largest bauxite producer. The mining sector accounts for over 70% of exports. Long-run improvements in gov¬ ernment fiscal arrangements, literacy, and the legal framework are needed if the country is to move out of poverty. Investor confidence has been sapped by rampant corruption, a lack of electnc^y and other infrastructure, a lack of skillet workers, and the political uncertainty 265 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK due to the failing health of President Lansana CONTE. Guinea is trying to reengage with the IMF and World Bank, which cut off most assistance in 2003, and is working closely with technical advisors from the U.S. Treasury Department, the World Bank and IMF, seeking to return to a fully funded program. Growth rose slightly in 2006, primarily due to increases in global demand and commodity prices on world markets, but the standard of living fell. The Guinea franc depreciated sharply as the prices for basic necessities like food and fuel rose beyond the reach of most Guineans. Dissatisfaction with eco¬ nomic conditions prompted nationwide strikes in February and June 2006. GDP (purchasing power parity): $20.16 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $3,798 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 3.7% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $2,100 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 23.7% industry: 36.1% services: 40.2% (2006 est.) Labor force: 3.7 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 76% industry and services: 24% (2006 est.) Unemployment rate: NA% Population below poverty line: 47% (2006 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.9% highest 10%: 41% (2006) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 38.1 (2006) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 29% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 17.6% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $342.3 million expenditures: $556.7 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: rice, coffee, pineapples, palm kernels, cassava (tapioca), bananas, sweet potatoes; cattle, sheep, goats; timber Industries: bauxite, gold, diamonds, iron; alumina refining; light manufac¬ turing, and agricultural processing Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity— production: 840 million kWh note: excludes electricity generated at interior mining sites (2006) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 45.5% hydro: 54-5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 832.9 mil¬ lion kWh (2006) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2006) Electricity — imports: 0 kWh (2006) Oil — production: 0 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil — consumption: 9,650 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil— exports: NA Oil— imports: NA Natural gas — production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $344 million (2006 est.) Exports: $615.1 million f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: bauxite, alu¬ mina, gold, diamonds, coffee, fish, agri¬ cultural products Exports — partners: Russia 14.6%, South Korea 11.3%, Spain 10.2%, Ukraine 7.9%, US 6.1%, Ireland 6%, France 5.7%, Germany 5%, Belgium 4-5% (2005) Imports: $730 million f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: petroleum products, metals, machinery, transport equipment, textiles, grain and other foodstuffs Imports — partners: China 8.5%, US 7.3%, France 7.2%, Cote d’Ivoire 5.2%, Italy 4.7%, Belgium 4-1% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $60.2 million (2006 est.) Debt— external: $3.02 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $212.2 mil¬ lion (2006) Currency (code): Guinean franc (GNF) Currency code: GNF Exchange rates: Guinean francs per US dollar— 5,350 (2006), 3,644.3 (2005), 2,225 (2004), 1,984.9 (2003), 1,975.8 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 26,200 (2003) Telephones — mobile cellular: 189,000 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: poor to fair system of open-wire lines, small radiotelephone communication stations, and new microwave radio relay system domestic: microwave radio relay and radiotelephone communication international: country code — 224; satel¬ lite earth station — 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 5, shortwave 3 (2006) Radios: 357,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 6 (2001) Televisions: 85,000 (1997) Internet country code: gn Internet hosts: 367 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 4 (2001) Internet users: 46,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 16 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 11 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1 ,523 m: 3 under 9 14 m: 2 (2006) Railways: total: 837 km standard gauge: 175 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 662 km 1.000-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 44,348 km paved: 4,342 km unpaved: 40,006 km (2003) Waterways: 1,300 km (navigable by shallow-draft native craft) (2005) Ports and terminals: Kamsar Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Presidential Guard (2007) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation — 24 months (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 1,852,534 females age 18-49: 1,827,560 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18—49: 1,034,006 females age 18-49: 1,032,885 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1.7% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: conflicts among rebel groups, warlords, and youth gangs in neighboring states have spilled over into Guinea, resulting in domestic instability; Sierra Leone considers Guinea’s definition of the flood plain limits to define the left bank boundary of the Makona and Moa rivers excessive and protests Guinea’s continued occupa¬ tion of these lands, including the hamlet of Yenga, occupied since 1998 Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 54,810 (Liberia), 5,423 (Sierra Leone), 3,900 (Cote d’Ivoire) IDPs: 19,000 (cross-border incursions from Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone) (2006) 266 GUINEA-BISSAU INTRODUCTION Background: Since independence from Portugal in 1974, Guinea-Bissau has experienced considerable political and military upheaval. In 1980, a military coup established authoritarian dictator Joao Bernardo ‘Nino’ VIEIRA as presi¬ dent. Despite setting a path to a market economy and multiparty system, VIEIRA’s regime was characterized by the suppression of political opposition and the purging of political rivals. Several coup attempts through the 1980s and early 1990s failed to unseat him. In 1994 VIEIRA was elected president in the country’s first free elections. A mili¬ tary mutiny and resulting civil war in 1998 eventually led to VIEIRA’s ouster in May 1999. In February 2000, a transi¬ tional government turned over power to opposition leader Kumba YALA, after he was elected president in transparent polling. In September 2003, after only three years in office, YALA was ousted by the military in a bloodless coup, and businessman Henrique ROSA was sworn in as interim president. In 2005, former President VIEIRA was re-elected presi¬ dent pledging to pursue economic devel¬ opment and national reconciliation. GEOGRAPHY Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Senegal Geographic coordinates: 12 00 N, 15 00 w Map references: Africa Area: total: 36,120 sq km land: 28,000 sq km water: 8,120 sq km Area — comparative: slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut Land boundaries: total: 724 km border countries: Guinea 386 km, Senegal 338 km Coastline: 350 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical; generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds Terrain: mostly low coastal plain rising to savanna in east Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location in the northeast comer of the country 300 m Natural resources: fish, timber, phos¬ phates, bauxite, clay, granite, limestone, unexploited deposits of petroleum Land use: arable land: 8.31% permanent crops: 6.92% other: 84-77% (2005) Irrigated land: 250 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty har- mattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season; brush fires Environment — current issues: defor¬ estation; soil erosion; overgrazing; over¬ fishing Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: this small country is swampy along its western coast and low- lying further inland PEOPLE Population: 1,472,780 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 41.2% (male 302,408/female 303,786) 15-64 years: 55.8% (male 394,799/ female 427,055) 65 years and over: 3% (male 18,463/ female 26,269) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 19.1 years male: 18.5 years female: 19.7 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.052% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 36.81 births/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 16.29 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.995 male(s)/female 15—64 years: 0.924 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.703 male(s)/female total population: 0.945 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 103.5 deaths/1,000 live births male: 113.7 deaths/ 1,000 live births female: 93.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 47.18 years male: 45.37 years female: 49.04 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 4 .79 children bom/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 10% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 17,000 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 1,200 (2001 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorbome diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2007) Nationality: noun: Guinean(s) adjective: Guinean Ethnic groups: African 99% (includes Balanta 30%, Fula 20%, Manjaca 14%, Mandinga 13%, Papel 7%), European and mulatto less than 1% Religions: indigenous beliefs 50%, Muslim 45%, Christian 5% Languages: Portuguese (official), Crioulo, African languages Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 42.4% male: 58.1% female: 27.4% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Guinea-Bissau conventional short form: Guinea-Bissau local long form: Republica da Guine-Bissau local short form: Guine-Bissau former: Portuguese Guinea Government type: republic Capital: name: Bissau 267 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK geographic coordinates: 11 51 N, 15 35 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 9 regions (regioes, singular — regiao); Bafata, Biombo, Bissau, Bolama, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali; note — Bolama may have been renamed Bolama/Bijagos Independence: 24 September 1973 (declared); 10 September 1974 (recog¬ nized by Portugal) National holiday: Independence Day, 24 September (1973) Constitution: 16 May 1984; amended 4 May 1991, 4 December 1991, 26 February 1993, 9 June 1993, and in 1996 Legal system: based on French civil law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Joao Bernardo ‘Nino’ VIEIRA (since 1 October 2005) head of government: Prime Minister Mar- tinho N’Dafa CABI (since 9 April 2007) cabinet: NA elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held 24 July 2005 (next to be held in 2010); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Joao Bernardo VIEIRA elected president; percent of vote, second ballot — Joao Bernardo VIEIRA 52.4%, Malam Bacai SANHA 47.6% Legislative branch: unicameral Na¬ tional People’s Assembly or Assembleia Nacional Popular (100 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four- year terms) elections: last held 28 March 2004 (next to be held in 2008) election results: percent of vote by party — PAIGC 31.5%, PRS 24.8%, PUSD 16.1%, UE 4.1%, APU 1.3%, 13 other parties 22.2%; seats by party — PAIGC 45, PRS 35, PUSD 17, UE 2, APU 1 Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal da Justica (consists of nine justices appointed by the president and serve at his pleasure; final court of appeals in criminal and civil cases); Regional Courts (one in each of nine regions; first court of appeals for Sectoral Court decisions; hear all felony cases and civil cases valued at over $1,000); 24 Sectoral Courts (judges are not neces¬ sarily trained lawyers; they hear civil cases under $1,000 and misdemeanor criminal cases) Political parties and leaders: African Party for the Independence of Guinea- Bissau and Cape Verde or PAIGC [Carlos GOMES Junior]; Party for Social Renewal or PRS [Kumba YALA]; Democratic Social Front or FDS; Electoral Union or UE; Guinea-Bissau Civic Forum/Social Democracy or FCGSD [Antonieta Rosa GOMES]; Guinea-Bissau Democratic Party or PDG; Guinea-Bissau Socialist Demo¬ cratic Party or PDSG [Serifo BALDE]; Labor and Solidarity Party or PST [Iancuba INDJAI]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Victor MAN- DINGA]; Party for Renewal and Progress or PRP; Progress Party or PP [Ibrahima SOW]; Union for Change or UM [Amine SAAD]; Union of Guinean Patriots or UPG [Francisca VAZ]; United Platform or UP (coalition formed by PCD, FDS, FLING, and RGB-MB); United Popular Alliance or APU; United Social Democratic Party or PUSD Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: ACCT, AGP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (corre¬ spondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: none; note — Guinea- Bissau does not have official representa¬ tion in Washington, DC Diplomatic representation from the US: the US Embassy suspended operations on 14 June 1998 in the midst of violent conflict between forces loyal to then President VIEIRA and military-led junta; the US Ambassador to Senegal is accredited to Guinea-Bissau Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green with a vertical red band on the hoist side; there is a black five-pointed star centered in the red band; uses the popular pan- African colors of Ethiopia ECONOMY Economy— overview: One of the 10 poorest countries in the world, Guinea- Bissau depends mainly on farming and fishing. Cashew crops have increased remarkably in recent years, and the country now ranks sixth in cashew pro¬ duction. Guinea-Bissau exports fish and seafood along with small amounts of peanuts, palm kernels, and timber. Rice is the major crop and staple food. However, intermittent fighting between Senegalese-backed government troops and a military junta destroyed much of the country’s infrastructure and caused widespread damage to the economy in 1998; the civil war led to a 28% drop in GDP that year, with partial recovery in 1999-2002. Before the war, trade reform and price liberalization were the most successful part of the country’s structural adjustment program under IMF sponsor¬ ship. The tightening of monetary policy and the development of the private sector had also begun to reinvigorate the economy. Because of high costs, the development of petroleum, phosphate, and other mineral resources is not a near- term prospect. However, offshore oil prospecting has begun and could lead to much-needed revenue in the long run. The inequality of income distribution is one of the most extreme in the world. The government and international donors continue to work out plans to for¬ ward economic development from a lam¬ entably low base. In December 2003, the World Bank, IMF, and UNDP were forced to step in to provide emergency budgetary support in the amount of $107 million for 2004, representing over 80% of the total national budget. Govern¬ ment drift and indecision, however, resulted in continued low growth in 2002-06. GDP (purchasing power parity): $1,249 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $292.9 million (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 2.1% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (P PP): $900 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 62% industry: 12% services: 26% (1999 est.) Labor force: 480,000 (1999) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 82% industry and services: 18% (2000 est.) Unemployment rate: NA% Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.5% highest 10%: 42.4% (1991) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4% (2002 est.) Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA Agriculture— products: rice, com, beans, cassava (tapioca), cashew nuts, peanuts, palm kernels, cotton; timber; fish Industries: agricultural products pro¬ cessing, beer, soft drinks Industrial production growth rate: 4.7% (2003 est.) 268 GUYANA Electricity— production: 58.02 million kWh (2004) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 53.96 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 2,500 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Exports: $116 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) Exports— commodities: cashew nuts, shrimp, peanuts, palm kernels, sawn lumber Exports— partners: India 72%, Nigeria 17.1%, Ecuador 4% (2005) Imports: $176 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) Imports— commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products Imports— partners: Italy 24.8%, Senegal 18.2%, Portugal 15.4%, Cote d’Ivoire 4.2% (2005) Debt— external: $941.5 million (2000 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $115.4 mil¬ lion (1995) Currency (code): Communaute Finan- ciere Africaine franc (XOF); note — responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States Currency code: XOF; GWP Exchange rates: Communaute Finan- ciere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar— 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002) note: since 1 January 1999, the XOF franc has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF francs per euro Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 10,600 (2003) Telephones— mobile cellular: 67,000 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: small system domestic: combination of microwave radio relay, open-wire lines, radiotele¬ phone, and cellular communications international: country code — 245 Radio broadcast stations: AM l (trans¬ mitter out of service), FM 4, shortwave 0 (2001) Radios: 49,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: NA (2005) Televisions: NA Internet country code: gw Internet hosts: 5 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2002) Internet users: 26,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 28 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 25 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1 ,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 20 (2006) Roadways: total: 3,455 km paved: 965 km unpaved: 2,490 km (2002) Waterways: four largest rivers are navi¬ gable for some distance; many inlets and creeks give shallow-water access to much of interior (2006) Ports and terminals: Bissau, Buba, Cacheu, Farim MILITARY Military branches: People’s Revolu¬ tionary Armed Force (FARP): Army, Navy, Air Force; paramilitary force Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 287,542 females age 18-49: 297,295 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 152,681 females age 18-^9: 161,033 (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of GDP: 3.1% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: in 2006, polit¬ ical instability within Senegal’s Casa- mance region resulted in thousands of Senegalese refugees, cross-border raids, and arms smuggling into Guinea-Bissau Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: refugees (country of origin): 7,320 (Senegal) (2006) Illicit drugs: increasingly important transit country for South American cocaine enroute to Europe; enabling environment for trafficker operations thanks to pervasive corruption; archi¬ pelago-like geography around the capital facilitates drug smuggling GUYANA INTRODUCTION Background: Originally a Dutch colony in the 17th century, by 1815 Guyana had become a British possession. The abolition of slavery led to black settlement of urban areas and the importation of indentured servants from India to work the sugar plan¬ tations. This ethnocultural divide has per¬ sisted and has led to turbulent politics. Guyana achieved independence from the UK in 1966, and since then it has been ruled mostly by socialist-oriented govern¬ ments. In 1992, Cheddi JAGAN was elected president in what is considered the country’s first free and fair election since independence. After his death five years later, his wife, Janet JAGAN, became president but resigned in 1999 due to poor health. Her successor, Bharrat JAG DEO, was reelected in 2001 and again in 2006. GEOGRAPHY Location: Northern South America, bor¬ dering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Suriname and Venezuela Geographic coordinates: 5 00 N, 59 00 w Map references: South America Area: total: 214,970 sq km NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN Anna R&gii GEORGETOWN SURINAME Lethe m BRAZIL 269 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK land: 196,850 sq km water: 18,120 sq km AreO — Comparative: slightly smaller than Idaho Land boundaries: total: 2,949 km border countries: Brazil 1,606 km, Suri¬ name 600 km, Venezuela 743 km Coastline: 459 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental margin Climate: tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy seasons (May to August, November to January) Terrain: mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Roraima 2,835 m Natural resources: bauxite, gold, dia¬ monds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish Land use: arable land: 2.23% permanent crops: 0.14% other: 97.63% (2005) Irrigated land: 1,500 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: flash floods are a con¬ stant threat during rainy seasons Environment— current issues: water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial chemicals; deforestation Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: the third-smallest country in South America after Suriname and Uruguay; substantial portions of its western and eastern territories are claimed by Venezuela and Suriname respectively PEOPLE Population: 769,095 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mor¬ tality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the dis¬ tribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 26.1% (male 102,111/female 98,325) 15-64 years: 68.6% (male 266,288/ female 261,620) 65 years and over: 5.3% (male 17,308/ female 23,443) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 27.8 years male: 27.3 years female: 28.3 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.234% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 18.09 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 8.28 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -7.47 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.039 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.018 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.738 male(s)/female total population: 1.006 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 31.35 deaths/1,000 live births male: 34.93 deaths/1,000 live births female: 27.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 66.17 years male: 63.52 years female: 68.95 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.04 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 2.5% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 11,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 1,100 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Guyanese (singular and plural) adjective: Guyanese Ethnic groups: East Indian 50%, black 36%, Amerindian 7%, white, Chinese, and mixed 7% Religions: Christian 50%, Hindu 35%, Muslim 10%, other 5% Languages: English, Amerindian dialects, Creole, Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Urdu Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 98.8% male: 99.1% female: 98.5% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Cooperative Republic of Guyana conventional short form: Guyana former: British Guiana Government type: republic Capital: name: Georgetown geographic coordinates: 6 48 N, 58 10 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 10 regions; Barima-Waini, Cuyuni-Mazaruni, Demerara- Mahaica, East Berbice-Corentyne, Essequibo Islands-West Demerara, Mahaica-Berbice, Pomeroon-Supenaam, Potaro-Siparuni, Upper Demerara- Berbice, Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo Independence: 26 May 1966 (from UK) National holiday: Republic Day, 23 February (1970) Constitution: 6 October 1980 Legal system: based on English common law with certain admixtures of Roman-Dutch law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Bharrat JAGDEO (since 11 August 1999); note — assumed presidency after resignation of President Janet JAGAN and reelected in 2001, and again in 2006 head of government: Prime Minister Samuel HINDS (since October 1992, except for a period as chief of state after the death of President Cheddi JAGAN on 6 March 1997) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president, responsible to the legislature elections: president elected by popular vote as leader of a party list in parliamen¬ tary elections, which must be held at least every five years (no term limits); elections last held 28 August 2006 (next to be held by August 2011); prime min¬ ister appointed by the president election results: President Bharrat JAGDEO reelected; percent of vote 54.6% Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (65 seats; members elected by popular vote, also not more than 4 non-elected non-voting ministers and 2 non-elected non-voting parlia¬ mentary secretaries appointed by the president; to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 28 August 2006 (next to be held by August 2011) election results : percent of vote by party — PPP/C 54.6%, PNC/R 34%, AFC 8.1%, other 3.3%; seats by party — PPP/C 36, PNC/R 22, AFC 5, other 2 Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Judicature, consisting of the High Court and the Judicial Court of Appeal, with right of final appeal to the Caribbean Court of Justice Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Change or AFC [Raphael TROTMAN and Khemraj RAM- JATTAN]; Guyana Action Party or GAP [Paul HARDY]; Justice for All Party [C.N. SHARMA]; People’s National Congress/Reform or PNC/R [Robert Herman Orlando CORBIN]; People’s 270 GUYANA Progressive Party/Civic or PPP/C [Bharrat JAG DEO]; Rise, Organize, and Rebuild or ROAR [Ravi DEV]; The United Force or TUF [Manzoor NADIR]; The Unity Party [Joey JAG AN]; Vision Guyana [Peter RAM- SAROOP]; Working People’s Alliance or WPA [Rupert ROOPNARAINE] Political pressure groups and leaders: Amerindian People’s Association; Guyana Citizens Initiative; Guyana Bar Association; Guyana Human Rights Association; Guyana Public Service Union or GPSU; Private Sector Commission; Trades Union Congress International organization participa¬ tion: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Bayney KARRAN chancery: 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-6900 FAX: [1] (202) 232-1297 consulate(s) general: New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador David M. ROBINSON embassy: 100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetown mailing address: P. O. Box 10507, Georgetown; US Embassy, 3170 Georgetown Place, Washington DC 20521-3170 telephone: [592] 225-4900 through 4909 FAX: [592] 225-8497 Flag description: green, with a red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) superimposed on a long, yellow arrowhead; there is a narrow, black border between the red and yellow, and a narrow, white border between the yellow and the green ECONOMY Economy — overview: The Guyanese economy exhibited moderate economic growth in 2001-02, based on expansion in the agricultural and mining sectors, a more favorable atmosphere for business initiatives, a more realistic exchange rate, fairly low inflation, and the con¬ tinued support of international organiza¬ tions. Chronic problems include a shortage of skilled labor and a deficient infrastructure. The government is jug¬ gling a sizable external debt against the urgent need for expanded public invest¬ ment. The Inter-American Develop¬ ment Bank in November 2006 canceled Guyana’s nearly $400 million debt with the Bank. The bauxite mining sector should benefit in the near term from restructuring and partial privatization. Export earnings from agriculture and mining have fallen sharply, while the import bill has risen, driven by higher energy prices. Guyana’s entrance into the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) in January 2006 will broaden the country’s export market, pri¬ marily in the raw materials sector. GDP (purchasing power parity): $3,711 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $836.7 million (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 4.5% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $4,800 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 35.5% industry: 19.3% services: 45.2% (2006 est.) Labor force: 418,000 (2001 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% Unemployment rate: 9.1% (under¬ stated) (2000) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% inflation rate (consumer prices): 6% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 31.5% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $359.9 million expenditures: $430.3 million; including capital expenditures of $93.4 million (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: sugarcane, rice, wheat, vegetable oils; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish, shrimp Industries: bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, textiles, gold mining Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity— production: 818.8 million kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 99.4% hydro: 0.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 761.5 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 11,200 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $84.3 million (2006 est.) Exports: $621.6 million f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: sugar, gold, bauxite, alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses, rum, timber Exports— partners: Canada 18.9%, US 18.9%, UK 11.8%, Portugal 8.1%, Jamaica 5.3%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.2% (2005) Imports: $706.9 million f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — Commodities: manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food Imports— partners: US 26.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 23.9%, Cuba 6.6%, UK 5%, China 4.1% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $294-9 million (2006 est.) Debt — external: $1.2 billion (2002) Economic aid— recipient: $84 million (1995), Heavily Indebted Poor Country Initiative (HIPC) $253 million (1997) Currency (code): Guyanese dollar (GYD) Currency code: GYD Exchange rates: Guyanese dollars per US dollar— 200.28 (2006), 200.79 (2005), 198.31 (2004), 193.88 (2003), 190.67 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 110,100 (2005) Telephones — mobile cellular: 281,400 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: fair system for long¬ distance service domestic: microwave radio relay network for trunk lines international: country code — 592; tropos¬ pheric scatter to Trinidad; satellite earth station — 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998) Radios: 420,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 3 (l public station; 2 private stations which relay US satellite services) (1997) Televisions: 46,000 (1997) Internet country code: gy Internet hosts: 1,046 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): (2000) Internet users: 160,000 (2005) 271 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK TRANSPORTATION Airports: 90 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 under 914 m: 6 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 81 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1 ,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 65 (2006) Railways: total: 187 km standard gauge: 139 km 1.43 5 -m gauge narrow gauge: 48 km 0.914-m gauge note: all dedicated to ore transport (2001 est.) Roadways: total: 7,970 km paved: 590 km unpaved: 7,380 km (1999) Waterways: Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo rivers are navigable by ocean- going vessels for 150 km, 100 km, and 80 km respectively (2005) Merchant marine: total: 7 ships (1000 GRT or over) 12,461 GRT/15,155 DWT by type: cargo 5, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1 foreign'owned: 1 (Germany 1) registered in other countries: 4 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3, unknown 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Georgetown MILITARY Military branches: Guyana Defense Force: Army, Coast Guard, Air Corps (2006) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 206,098 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 137,964 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1.8% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: all of the area west of the Essequibo River is claimed by Venezuela preventing any discussion of a maritime boundary; Guyana has expressed its intention to join Barbados in asserting claims before UNCLOS that Trinidad and Tobago’s maritime boundary with Venezuela extends into their waters; Suriname claims a triangle of land between the New and Kutari/Koetari rivers in a historic dispute over the headwaters of the Courantyne; Guyana seeks arbitration under provi¬ sions of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to resolve the long-standing dispute with Suriname over the axis of the territorial sea boundary in potentially oil-rich waters Illicit drugs: transshipment point for narcotics from South America — prima¬ rily Venezuela — to Europe and the US; producer of cannabis; rising money laun¬ dering related to drug trafficking and human smuggling 272 INTRODUCTION Background: The native Taino Amerindians — who inhabited the island of Hispaniola when it was discovered by COLUMBUS in 1492 — were virtually annihilated by Spanish settlers within 25 years. In the early 17th century, the French established a presence on Hispaniola, and in 1697, Spain ceded to the French the western third of the island, which later became Haiti. The French colony, based on forestry and sugar-related industries, became one of the wealthiest in the Caribbean, but only through the heavy importation of African slaves and considerable environ¬ mental degradation. In the late 18th century, Haiti’s nearly half million slaves revolted under Toussaint L’OUVER- TURE. After a prolonged struggle, Haiti became the first black republic to declare its independence in 1804. The poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti has been plagued by political vio¬ lence for most of its history. After an armed rebellion led to the departure of President Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE in February 2004, an interim government took office to organize new elections under the auspices of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). Continued violence and technical delays prompted repeated post¬ ponements, but Haiti finally did inaugu¬ rate a democratically elected president and parliament in May of 2006. GEOGRAPHY Location: Caribbean, western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the Dominican Republic Geographic coordinates: 19 00 N, 72 25 w Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total: 27,750 sq km land: 27,560 sq km water: 190 sq km Area— comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries: Dominican Republic 360 km Coastline: 1,771 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 1 2 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: to depth of exploitation Climate: tropical; semiarid where moun¬ tains in east cut off trade winds Terrain: mostly rough and mountainous Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Chaine de la Selle 2,680 m Natural resources: bauxite, copper, cal¬ cium carbonate, gold, marble, hydropower Land use: arable land: 28.11% permanent crops: 1 1.53% other: 60.36% (2005) Irrigated land: 920 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes; periodic droughts Environment — current issues: extensive deforestation (much of the remaining forested land is being cleared for agricul¬ ture and used as fuel); soil erosion; inade¬ quate supplies of potable water Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes Geography — note: shares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic (western one-third is Haiti, eastern two- thirds is the Dominican Republic) PEOPLE Population: 8,706,497 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mor¬ tality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the dis¬ tribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0—14 years: 42.1% (male 1,846,175/ female 1,817,082) 15-64 years: 54.4% (male 2,313,542/ female 2,426,326) 65 years and over: 3.5% (male 134,580/ female 168,792) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 18.4 years male: 17.9 years female: 18.8 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.453% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 35.87 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 10.4 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -0.94 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.016 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.954 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.797 male(s)/female total population: 0.973 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 63.83 deaths/1,000 live births male: 68.45 deaths/ 1,000 live births female: 59.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 57.03 years male: 55.35 years female: 58.75 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 4 .86 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 5.6% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 280,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 24,000 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Haitian(s) adjective: Haitian Ethnic groups: black 95%, mulatto and white 5% Religions: Roman Catholic 80%, Pro¬ testant 16% (Baptist 10%, Pentecostal 4%, Adventist 1%, other 1%), none 1%, other 3% note: roughly half of the population prac¬ tices voodoo Languages: French (official), Creole (official) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 52.9% male: 54-8% female: 51.2% (2003 est.) _ GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Haiti conventional short form: Haiti 273 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK local long form: Republique d’Haiti/ Repiblik d’ Ayiti local short form: Haiti/ Ayiti Government type: republic Capital: name: Port-au-Prince geographic coordinates: 18 32 N, 72 20W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins first Sunday in April; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 10 depart¬ ments (departements, singular — departe- ment); Artibonite, Centre, Grand ‘Anse, Nippes, Nord, Nord-Est, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Est Independence: 1 January 1804 (from France) National holiday: Independence Day, 1 January (1804) Constitution: approved March 1987; sus¬ pended June 1988 with most articles rein¬ stated March 1989; constitutional government ousted in a military coup in September 1991, although in October 1991, military government claimed to be observing the constitution; returned to con¬ stitutional rule in October 1994; constitu¬ tion, while technically in force between 2004—2006, was not enforced; returned to constitutional rule in May 2006 Legal system: based on Roman civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Rene PREVAL (since 14 May 2006) head of government: Prime Minister Jacques- Edouard ALEXIS (since 30 May 2006) cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime min¬ ister in consultation with the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 7 February 2006 (next to be held in 2010); prime minister appointed by the presi¬ dent, ratified by the National Assembly election results: Rene PREVAL elected president; percent of vote — Rene PREVAL 51% Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale con¬ sists of the Senate (30 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber of Deputies (99 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); note — in reestab¬ lishing the Senate, the candidate in each department receiving the most votes in the last election serves six years, the can¬ didate with the second most votes serves four years, and the candidate with the third most votes serves two years elections: Senate — last held 21 April 2006 with run-off elections on 3 December 2006 (next regular election, for one third of seats, to be held in 2008); Chamber of Deputies — last held 21 April 2006 with run-off elections on 3 December 2006 (next regular election to be held in 2010) election results: Senate — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — L’E- SPWA 11, FUSION 5, OPL 4, FL 3, LAAA 2, UNCRH 2, PONT 2, ALYANS 1; Chamber of Deputies — per¬ cent of vote by party — NA; seats by party— L’ESPWA 23, FUSION 17, FRN 12, OPL 10, ALYANS 10, LAAA 5, MPH 3, MOCHRENA 3, other 10; results for six other seats contested on 3 December 2006 remain unknown Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour de Cassation Political parties and leaders: Arti¬ bonite in Action or LAAA [Youri LATORTUE]; Assembly of Progressive National Democrats or RDNP [Leslie MANIGAT]; Convention for Democratic Unity or KID [Evans PAUL]; Cooperative Action to Build Haiti or KONBA [Evans LESCOUFALIR]; Democratic Alliance or ALYANS [Evans PAUL] (coalition composed of KID and PPRH); Effort and Solidarity to Create an Alternative for the People or ESKAMP [Joseph JASME]; For Us All or PONT [Jean-Marie CHERESTAL]; Front for Hope or L’ESPWA [Rene PREVAL] (alliance of ESKAMP, PLB, and grass-roots organizations Grand- Anse Resistance Committee, the Central Plateau Peasants’ Group, and Kombit Sudest); Haitian Christian Democratic Party or PDCH [Osner FEVRY and Marie-Denise CLAUDE]; Haitian Democratic and Reform Movement or MODEREH [Dany TOU- SSAINT and Pierre Soncon PRINCE]; Heads Together or Tet-Ansanm [Dr. Gerard BLOT]; Independent Movement for National Reconciliation or MIRN [Luc FLEURINORD]; Justice for Peace and National Development or JPDN [Rigaud DUPLAN]; Fanmi Lavalas or FL [Rudy HERIVEAUX]; Liberal Party of Haiti or PLH [Gehy MICHEL]; Merging of Haitian Social Democratic Parties or FUSION or FPSDH [Serge GILLES] (coalition of Ayiti Capable, Haitian National Revolutionary Party, and National Congress of Democratic Movements); Mobilization for Haiti’s Development or MPH [Samir MOURRA]; Mobilization for National Development or MDN [Hubert de RON- CERAY]; Movement for National Reconstruction or MRN [Jean Henold BUTEAU]; Movement for the Installation of Democracy in Haiti or MIDH [Marc BAZIN]; National Christian Union for the Reconstruction of Haiti or UNCRH [Marie Claude GERMAIN]; National Front for the Reconstruction of Haiti or FRN [Guy PHILIPPE]; New Christian Movement for a New Haiti or MOCHRENA [Luc MES ADIEU]; Open the Gate Party or PLB [Anes LUBIN]; Popular Party for the Renewal of Haiti or PPRH [Claude ROM AIN]; Struggling People’s Organ¬ ization or OPL [Edgard LEBLANC]; Union of Nationalist and Progressive Haitians or UNITE [Edouard FRAN- CISQUE] Political pressure groups and leaders: Autonomous Organizations of Haitian Workers or CATH [Fignole ST-CYR]; Confederation of Haitian Workers or CTH; Federation of Workers Trade Unions or FOS; General Organization of Independent Haitian Workers [Patrick NUMAS]; Grand-Anse Resistance Committee, or KOREGA; National Popular Assembly or APN; Papaye Peasants Movement or MPP [Chavannes J EAN - BAPTISTE] ; Popular Organiza¬ tions Gathering Power or PROP; Roman Catholic Church; Protestant Federation of Haiti International organization participa¬ tion: ACCT, ACP, Caricom, FAO, G- 77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Raymond JOSEPH chancery: 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-4090 FAX: [1] (202) 745-7215 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, San Juan (Puerto Rico) Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Janet A. SANDERSON embassy: 5 Harry S Truman Boulevard, Bicentenaire-Port-au-Prince mailing address: P. O. Box 1761, Port-au- Prince telephone: [509] 222-0200 FAX: [509] 223-9038 Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a cen¬ tered white rectangle bearing the coat of 274 HAITI arms, which contains a palm tree flanked by flags and two cannons above a scroll bearing the motto L’UNION FAIT LA FORCE (Union Makes Strength) ECONOMY Economy— overview: Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, with 80% of the population living under the poverty line and 54% in abject poverty. Two-thirds of all Haitians depend on the agriculture sector, mainly small-scale sub¬ sistence farming, and remain vulnerable to damage from frequent natural disasters, exacerbated by the country’s widespread deforestation. A macroeconomic program developed in 2005 with the help of the International Monetary Fund helped the economy grow 1.8% in 2006, the highest growth rate since 1999. Haiti suffers from higher inflation than similar low-income countries, a lack of investment, and a severe trade deficit. In 2005, Haiti paid its arrears to the World Bank, paving the way for reengagement with the Bank. The government relies on formal international economic assistance for fiscal sustain¬ ability. In 2006, Haiti held a successful donors conference in which the total aid pledged exceeded Haiti’s request. Remittances are the primary source of for¬ eign exchange, equaling nearly a quarter of GDP. GDP (purchasing power parity): $14.79 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $5,964 billion (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 2.5% (2006 est.) GDP — per capita (PPP): $1,800 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 28% industry: 20% services: 52% (2004 est.) Labor force: 3.6 million note: shortage of skilled labor, unskilled labor abundant (1995) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 66% industry: 9% services: 25% Unemployment rate: widespread unem¬ ployment and underemployment; more than two-thirds of the labor force do not have formal jobs (2002 est.) Population below poverty line: 80% (2003 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 14-4% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 27.4% of GDP (2004 est.) Budget: revenues: $385 million expenditures: $807.7 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: coffee, mangoes, sugarcane, rice, corn, sorghum; wood Industries: sugar refining, flour milling, textiles, cement, light assembly based on imported parts industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity— production: 536.2 million kWh (2004) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 60.3% hydro: 39.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 498.6 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 11,600 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $58.72 mil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $443.7 million f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— Commodities: manufactures, coffee, oils, cocoa, mangoes Exports — partners: US 80.9%, Dominican Republic 6.9%, Canada 4% (2005) imports: $1,721 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — Commodities: food, manufac¬ tured goods, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, raw materials Imports— partners: US 48.7%, Netherlands Antilles 11.9%, Brazil 3.3% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $123.4 million (2006 est.) Debt — external: $1,309 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid — recipient: $153 million (FY05 est.) Currency (code): gourde (HTG) Currency code: HTG Exchange rates: gourdes per US dollar — 40.232 (2006), 40.449 (2005), 38.352 (2004), 42.367 (2003), 29.251 (2002) Fiscal year: 1 October — 30 September COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 140,000 (2004) Telephones — mobile cellular: 400,000 (2004) Telephone system: general assessment: domestic facilities barely adequate; international facilities slightly better domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay trunk service international: country code — 509; satel¬ lite earth station — 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 41, FM 26, shortwave 0 (1999) Radios: 415,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 2 (plus a cable TV service) (1997) Televisions: 38,000 (1997) Internet country code: ht Internet hosts: 6 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (2000) Internet users: 500,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 12 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 8 914 to 1 ,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 7 (2006) Roadways: total: 4,160 km paved: 1,011 km unpaved: 3,149 km (1999) Ports and terminals: Cap-Haitien MILITARY Military branches: no regular military forces — small coast guard; the regular Haitian Armed Forces (FAdH) — Army, Navy, and Air Force — have been demo¬ bilized but still exist on paper unless they are constitutionally abolished (2007) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary recruitment into the police force (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 1,626,491 females age 18—49: 1,637,657 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18—49: 948,320 females age 18—49: 931,972 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18—49: 98,554 females age 18—4 9: 97,690 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 0.4% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: since 2004, about 8,000 peacekeepers from the UN Stabilization Mission in j ,litl (MINUSTAH) maintain civil order in Haiti; despite efforts to control illegal 275 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK migration, Haitians cross into the Dominican Republic and sail to neigh¬ boring countries; Haiti claims US- administered Navassa Island Illicit drugs: Caribbean transshipment point for cocaine en route to the US and Europe; substantial bulk cash smuggling activity; Colombian narcotics traffickers favor Haiti for illicit financial transac¬ tions; pervasive corruption; significant consumer of cannabis HEARD ISLAND AND MCDONALD ISLANDS INTRODUCTION Background: These uninhabited, barren, sub-Antarctic islands were transferred from the UK to Australia in 1947. Populated by large numbers of seal and bird species, the islands have been desig¬ nated a nature preserve. GEOGRAPHY Location: islands in the Indian Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Madagascar to Antarctica Geographic coordinates: 53 06 S, 72 31 E Map references: Antarctic Region Area: total: 412 sq km land: 412 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: slightly more than two times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 101.9 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm Climate: antarctic Terrain: Heard Island — 80% ice-cov¬ ered, bleak and mountainous, dominated by a large massif (Big Ben) and an active volcano (Mawson Peak); McDonald Islands — small and rocky Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Mawson Peak, on Big Ben 2,745 m Natural resources: fish Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) irrigated land: 0 sq km Natural hazards: Mawson Peak, an active volcano, is on Heard Island Environment— current issues: NA PEOPLE - ' - .. Population: uninhabited GOVERNMENT ■ - • . :4 Country name: conventional long form: Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands conventional short form: Heard Island and McDonald Islands abbreviation: HIM I Dependency status: territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Antarctic Division of the Department of the Environment and Heritage Legal system: the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of Australia) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of Australia) Flag description: the flag of Australia is used ECONOMY Economy — overview: The islands have no indigenous economic activity, but the Australian Government allows limited fishing in the surrounding waters. COMMUNICATIONS Internet country code: hm TRANSPORTATION Ports and terminals: none; offshore anchorage only MILITARY Military — note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of Australia; Australia conducts fisheries patrols TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: none HOLY SEE (VATICAN CITY) INTRODUCTION Background: Popes in their secular role ruled portions of the Italian peninsula for more than a thousand years until the mid 19th century, when many of the Papal States were seized by the newly united Kingdom of Italy. In 1870, the pope’s holdings were further circumscribed when Rome itself was annexed. Disputes between a series of “prisoner” popes and Italy were resolved in 1929 by three Lateran Treaties, which established the independent state of Vatican City and granted Roman Catholicism special status in Italy. In 1984, a concordat between the Holy See and Italy modified certain of the earlier treaty provisions, including the primacy of Roman Catholicism as the Italian state religion. Present concerns of the Holy See include religious freedom, international develop¬ ment, the Middle East, terrorism, inter¬ religious dialogue and reconciliation, and the application of church doctrine in an era of rapid change and globalization. About 1 billion people worldwide profess the Catholic faith. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy) Geographic coordinates: 41 54 N, 12 27 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 0.44 sq km land: 0.44 sq km water: 0 sq km Area— comparative: about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Land boundaries: total: 3.2 km border countries: Italy 3.2 km 276 HOLY SEE (VATICAN CITY) Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime Claims: none (landlocked) Climate: temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to May) with hot, dry sum¬ mers (May to September) Terrain: urban; low hill Elevation extremes: lowest point: unnamed location 19 m highest point: unnamed location 75 m Natural resources: none Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops : 0% other: 100% (urban area) (2005) Irrigated land: 0 sq km Natural hazards: NA Environment — current issues: NA Environment— international agreements: party to: Climate Change signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution, Environmental Modification Geography— note: landlocked; enclave in Rome, Italy; world’s smallest state; beyond the territorial boundary of Vatican City, the Lateran Treaty of 1929 grants the Holy See extraterritorial authority over 23 sites in Rome and five outside of Rome, including the Pontifical Palace at Castel Gandolfo (the Pope’s summer residence) PEOPLE Population: 821 (July 2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0% (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: none adjective: none Ethnic groups: Italians, Swiss, other Religions: Roman Catholic Languages: Italian, Latin, French, var¬ ious other languages Literacy: definition: NA total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: The Holy See (State of the Vatican City) conventional short form: Holy See (Vatican City) local long form: Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano) local short form: Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano) Government type: ecclesiastical Capital: name: Vatican City geographic coordinates: 41 54N, 12 27 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: + lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: none Independence: 11 February 1929 (from Italy); note — the three treaties signed with Italy on 11 February 1929 acknowl¬ edged, among other things, the full sov¬ ereignty of the Vatican and established its territorial extent; however, the origin of the Papal States, which over the years have varied considerably in extent, may be traced back to the 8th century National holiday: Coronation Day of Pope BENEDICT XVI, 24 April (2005) Constitution: new Fundamental Law promulgated by Pope JOHN PAUL II on 26 November 2000, effective 22 February 2001 (replaces the first Fundamental Law of 1929) Legal system: based on Code of Canon Law and revisions to it Suffrage: limited to cardinals less than 80 years old Executive branch: chief of state: Pope BENEDICT XVI (since 19 April 2005) head of government: Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio BERTONE (since 15 September 2006) cabinet: Pontifical Commission appointed by the pope elections: pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals; election last held 19 April 2005 (next to be held after the death of the current pope); secretary of state appointed by the pope election results: Joseph RATZINGER elected Pope BENEDICT XVI Legislative branch: unicameral Ponti¬ fical Commission Judicial branch: there are three tri¬ bunals responsible for civil and criminal matters within Vatican City; three other tribunals rule on issues pertaining to the Holy See note: judicial duties were established by the Motu Proprio of Pope PIUS XII on 1 May 1946 Political parties and leaders: none Political pressure groups and leaders: none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers) International organization participa¬ tion: CE (observer), IAEA, IOM (observer), ITU, ITUC, NAM (guest), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, UNWTO (observer), UPU, WIPO, WTO (observer) Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Pietro SAMBI chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-7121 FAX: [1] (202) 337-4036 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Francis ROONEY embassy: Villa Domiziana, Via delle Terme Deciane 26, 00153 Rome mailing address: PSC 59, Box 66, APO AE 09624 telephone: [39] (06) 4674-3428 FAX: [39] (06) 575-8346 Flag description: two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the arms of the Holy See, consisting of the crossed keys of Saint Peter surmounted by the three-tiered papal tiara, centered in the white band ECONOMY Economy — overview: This unique, non¬ commercial economy is supported finan¬ cially by an annual contribution (known as Peter’s Pence) from Roman Catholic dioceses throughout the world; by the sale of postage stamps, coins, medals, and tourist mementos; by fees for admission to museums; and by the sale of publications. Investments and real estate income also account for a sizable portion of revenue. The incomes and living standards of lay workers are comparable to those of coun¬ terparts who work in the city of Rome. GDP (purchasing power parity): $NA Labor force: NA Labor force — by occupation: note. essentially services with a small amount of industry; dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers live outside the Vatican Population below poverty line: NA% Budget: revenues: $247 million expenditures: $243 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005) Industries: printing; production of coins, medals, postage stamps; a small amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and financial activities Electricity— production: NA kWh Electricity— consumption: NA kWh Electricity — imports: NA kWh; note- electricity supplied by Italy Economic aid — recipient: $0 Currency (code): euro (EUR) Currency code: EUR Exchange rates: euros per US dollar- 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year _ COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 5,120 (2005) 277 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Telephone system: general assessment: automatic digital exchange domestic: connected via fiber optic cable to Telecom Italia network international: country code — 39; uses Italian system Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 3, shortwave 2 (2004) Radios: NA Television broadcast stations: 1 (2005) Televisions: NA Internet country code: va Internet hosts: 45 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA Internet users: 93 (2000) MILITARY Military branches: Pontifical Swiss Guard (Corpo della Guardia Svizzera Pontificia) Military — note: defense is the responsi' bility of Italy; ceremonial and limited security duties performed by Pontifical Swiss Guard TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: none HONDURAS INTRODUCTION Background: Once part of Spain’s vast empire in the New World, Honduras became an independent nation in 1821. After two and a half decades of mostly military rule, a freely elected civilian government came to power in 1982. During the 1980s, Honduras proved a haven for anti-Sandinista contras fighting the Marxist Nicaraguan Government and an ally to Salvadoran Government forces fighting leftist guer¬ rillas. The country was devastated by Hurricane Mitch in 1998, which killed about 5,600 people and caused approxi¬ mately $2 billion in damage. GEOGRAPHY Location: Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Nicaragua and bordering the Gulf of Fonseca (North Pacific Ocean), between El Salvador and Nicaragua Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 86 30 W Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total: 1 12,090 sq km land: 1 1 1,890 sq km water: 200 sq km Area — comparative: slightly larger than Tennessee Land boundaries: total: 1,520 km border countries: Guatemala 256 km, El Salvador 342 km, Nicaragua 922 km Coastline: 820 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: natural extension of ter¬ ritory or to 200 nm Climate: subtropical in lowlands, tem¬ perate in mountains Terrain: mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m Natural resources: timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore, antimony, coal, fish, hydropower Land use: arable land: 9.53% permanent crops : 3.21% other: 87.26% (2005) Irrigated land: 800 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; extremely susceptible to damaging hurricanes and floods along the Caribbean coast Environment— current issues: urban population expanding; deforestation results from logging and the clearing of land for agricultural purposes; further land degradation and soil erosion has¬ tened by uncontrolled development and improper land use practices such as farming of marginal lands; mining activ¬ ities polluting Lago de Yojoa (the country’s largest source of fresh water), as well as several rivers and streams, with heavy metals Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: has only a short Pacific coast but a long Caribbean shore¬ line, including the virtually uninhabited eastern Mosquito Coast PEOPLE Population: 7,483,763 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mor¬ tality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the dis¬ tribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 39.3% (male 1,500,949/ female 1,439,084) 15-64 years: 57.2% (male 2,142,953/ female 2,140,432) 65 years and over: 3.5% (male 117,774/ female 142,571) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 19.7 years male: 19.4 years female: 20.1 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.091% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 27.59 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 5.32 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -1.36 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.043 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.001 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.826 male(s)/female total population: 1.011 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 25.21 deaths/1,000 live births male: 28.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 21.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 69.35 years male: 67.78 years female: 70.99 years (2007 est.) 278 HONDURAS Total fertility rate: 3.48 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 1.8% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HI V/ AIDS: 63,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 4,100 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Honduran(s) adjective: Honduran Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Amerin¬ dian and European) 90%, Amerindian 7%, black 2%, white 1% Religions: Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant 3% Languages: Spanish, Amerindian dialects Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 80% male: 79.8% female: 80.2% (2001 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Honduras conventional short form: Honduras local long form: Republica de Honduras local short form: Honduras Government type: democratic constitu¬ tional republic Capital: name: Tegucigalpa geographic coordinates: 14 06 N, 87 13 W time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November; note — these dates become effective in 2007 Administrative divisions: 18 depart¬ ments (departamentos, singular — depar- tamento); Atlantida, Choluteca, Colon, Comayagua, Copan, Cortes, El Paraiso, Francisco Morazan, Gracias a Dios, Intibuca, Islas de la Bahia, La Paz, Lempira, Ocotepeque, Olancho, Santa Barbara, Valle, Yoro Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain) National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821) Constitution: 11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982; amended many times Legal system: rooted in Roman and Spanish civil law with increasing influ¬ ence of English common law; recent judicial reforms include abandoning Napoleonic legal codes in favor of the oral adversarial system; accepts ICJ juris¬ diction, with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory Executive branch: chief of state: President Manuel ZELAYA Rosales (since 27 January 2006); Vice President Elvin Ernesto SANTOS Ordonez (since 27 January 2006); note — the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Manuel ZELAYA Rosales (since 27 January 2006); Vice President Elvin Ernesto SANTOS Ordonez (since 27 January 2006) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 27 November 2005 (next to be held in November 2009) election results: Manuel ZELAYA Rosales elected president — 49.8%, Porfirio “Pepe” LOBO Sosa 46.1%, other 4.1% Legislative branch: unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (128 seats; members are elected proportionally to the number of votes their party’s pres¬ idential candidate receives to serve four- year terms) elections: last held 27 November 2005 (next to be held in November 2009) election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — PL 62, PN 55, PUD 5, PDC 4, PINU 2 Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges are elected for seven-year terms by the National Congress) Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Felicito AVILA]; Democratic Unification Party or PUD [Cesar HAM]; Liberal Party or PL [Patricia ROD AS]; National Innova¬ tion and Unity Party or PINU [Jorge AQUILAR Paredes]; National Party of Honduras or PN [Porfirio LOBO] Politico! pressure groups and leaders: Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in Honduras or CODEH; Confederation of Honduran Workers or CTH; Coordinating Committee of Popular Organizations or CCOP; General Workers Confederation or CGT; Honduran Council of Private Enterprise or COHEP; National Associa¬ tion of Honduran Campesinos or ANACH; National Union of Camp- esinos or UNC; Popular Bloc or BP; United Confederation of Honduran Workers or CUTH International organization participa¬ tion: BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (sub¬ scriber), ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Roberto FLORES Bermudez chancery: Suite 4-M, 3007 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 966-7702 FAX: [1] (202) 966-9751 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco honorary consulate(s) : Boston, Detroit, Jacksonville Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Charles A. FORD embassy: Avenida La Paz, Apartado Postal No. 3453, Tegucigalpa mailing address : American Embassy, APO AA 34022, Tegucigalpa telephone: [504] 236-932 0, 238-5114 FAX: [504] 236-9037 Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with five blue, five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band; the stars represent the members of the former Federal Republic of Central America — Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua; similar to the flag of El Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which features a triangle encircled by the word REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom, centered in the white band ECONOMY Economy — overview: Honduras, the second poorest country in Central America and one of the poorest coun¬ tries in the Western Hemisphere, with an extraordinarily unequal distribution of income and massive unemployment, is banking on expanded trade under the US-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) and on debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. The country has met most of its macroeconomic tar¬ gets, and began a three-year IMF Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) program in February 2004- The economy relies heavily on a narrow range of exports, notably bananas and coffee, making it vulnerable to natural disasters and shifts in commodity prices, but in recent years has experienced a rapi ri. e in exports of light manufacturers. Growth remains dependent on the 279 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK economy of the US, its largest trading partner, and on reduction of the high crime rate, as a means of attracting and maintaining investment. GDP (purchasing power parity): $22.54 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $8,478 billion (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 6% (2006 est.) GDP — per capita (PPP): $3,100 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 13.6% industry: 31.4% services: 55% (2006 est.) Labor force: 2.589 million (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 34% industry: 23% services: 43% (2003 est.) Unemployment rate: 27.9% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 53% (1993 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.6% highest 10%: 42.7% (1998) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 55 (1999) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.7% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 23.7% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $2,002 billion expenditures: $2,028 billion; including capital expenditures of $106 million (2006 est.) Public debt: 67.1% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: bananas, coffee, citrus; beef; timber; shrimp Industries: sugar, coffee, textiles, clothing, wood products Industrial production growth rate: 7.7% (2003 est.) Electricity— production: 4.805 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 50.2% hydro: 49.8% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 4 824 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 356 million kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 37,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: NA bbl/day Oil — imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $160 million (2006 est.) Exports: $1,947 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: coffee, shrimp, bananas, gold, palm oil, fruit, lobster, lumber Exports — partners: US 73.3%, Guate¬ mala 2.9%, El Salvador 2.9% (2005) Imports: $4.86 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: machinery and transport equipment, industrial raw materials, chemical products, fuels, food¬ stuffs Imports — partners: US 52.6%, Guate¬ mala 6.4%, El Salvador 4.1% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $2,778 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $5,587 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid — recipient: $557.8 mil¬ lion (1999) Currency (code): lempira (HNL) Currency code: HNL Exchange rates: lempiras per US dollar— 18.895 (2006), 18.92 (2005), 18.206 (2004), 17.345 (2003), 16.433 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 494,400 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 1.282 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: inadequate system domestic: NA international: country code — 504; satel¬ lite earth stations — 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System Radio broadcast stations: AM 241, FM 53, shortwave 12 (1998) Radios: 2.45 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 11 (plus 17 repeaters) (1997) Televisions: 570,000 (1997) Internet country code: hn Internet hosts: 3,973 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 8 (2000) Internet users: 223,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 116 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 105 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 19 under 914 m: 84 (2006) Railways: total: 699 km narrow gauge: 279 km 1.06 7 -m gauge; 420 km 0.914-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 13,603 km paved: 2,775 km unpaved: 10,828 km (1999) Waterways: 465 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2005) Merchant marine: total: 136 ships (1000 GRT or over) 405,984 GRT/557,179 DWT by type: bulk carrier 11, cargo 61, chem¬ ical tanker 5, container 1, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 1, passenger 5, pas¬ senger/cargo 9, petroleum tanker 29, refrigerated cargo 8, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 1 foreign-owned: 43 (Canada 1, China 3, Egypt 4, Greece 3, Hong Kong 2, Israel 1, Japan 4, South Korea 6, Lebanon 1, Mexico 1, Qatar 1, Singapore 1 1, Taiwan 2, Tanzania 1, US 1, Vietnam 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Puerto Castilla, Puerto Cortes, San Lorenzo, Tela MILITARY Military branches: Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry7)) Honduran Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Hondurena, FAH) (2007) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary 2 to 3 -year mil¬ itary service (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 1,537,232 females age 18-49: 1,515,120 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 1,100,991 females age 18-49: 1,121,649 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18—49: 82,105 females age 18-49: 78,971 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 0.6% (2006 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on the delim¬ itation of “bolsones” (disputed areas) along the El Salvador- Honduras border in 1992 with final settlement by the parties in 2006 after an Organization of American States (OAS) survey and a fur¬ ther ICJ ruling in 2003; the 1992 ICJ ruling advised a tripartite resolution to a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca with consideration of Honduran access to the Pacific; El Salvador continues to claim tiny Conejo Island, not mentioned in the ICJ ruling, off Honduras in the Gulf of Fonseca; Honduras claims the Belizean- administered Sapodilla Cays off the coast of Belize in its constitution, but agreed to 280 HONG KONG 3 joint ecological park around the cays should Guatemala consent to a maritime corridor in the Caribbean under the OAS-sponsored 2002 Belize-Guatemala Differendum; memorials and counter- memorials were filed by the parties in Nicaragua’s 1999 and 2001 proceedings against Honduras and Colombia at the ICJ over the maritime boundary and terri¬ torial claims in the western Caribbean Sea — final public hearings are scheduled for 2007 Illicit drugs: transshipment point for drugs and narcotics; illicit producer of cannabis, cultivated on small plots and used principally for local consumption; corruption is a major problem; some money-laundering activity HONG KONG INTRODUCTION Background: Occupied by the UK in 1841, Hong Kong was formally ceded by China the following year; various adja¬ cent lands were added later in the 19th century. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and the UK on 19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 1 July 1997. In this agreement, China has promised that, under its “one country, two systems” for¬ mula, China’s socialist economic system will not be imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years. GEOGRAPHY Location: Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China Geographic coordinates: 22 15 N, 114 10 E Map references: Southeast Asia Area: total: 1,092 sq km land: 1,042 sq km water: 50 sq km Area — comparative: six times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: total: 30 km regional border: China 30 km Coastline: 733 km Maritime Claims: territorial sea: 3 nm Climate: subtropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall Terrain: hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m Natural resources: outstanding deep¬ water harbor, feldspar Land use: arable land: 5.05% permanent crops : 1.01% other: 93.94% (2001) Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1998 est.) Natural hazards: occasional typhoons Environment— current issues: air and water pollution from rapid urbanization Environment— international agreements: party to: Marine Dumping (associate mem¬ ber), Ship Pollution (associate member) Geography — note: more than 200 islands PEOPLE Population: 6,980,412 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 13% (male 476,089/female 434,326) 15-64 years: 74% (male 2,515,518/ female 2,652,660) 65 years and over: 12.9% (male 419,479/ female 482,340) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 41.2 years male: 40.9 years female: 41.4 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.561% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 7.34 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 6.45 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 4.72 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.096 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.948 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 0.956 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 2.94 deaths/1,000 live births male: 3.12 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 81.68 years male: 78.99 years female: 84.6 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 0.98 children bom/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 2,600 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Chinese/Hong Konger adjective: Chinese/Hong Kong Ethnic groups: Chinese 94-9%, Filipino 2.1%, other 3% (2001 census) Religions: eclectic mixture of local reli¬ gions 90%, Christian 10% Languages: Chinese (Cantonese) 89.2% (official), other Chinese dialects 6.4%, English 3.2% (official), other 1.2% (2001 census) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 93.5% male: 96.9% female: 89.6% (2002) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region conventional short form: Hong Kong local long form: Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu local short form: Xianggang abbreviation: HK Dependency status: special administra¬ tive region of China Government type: limited democracy Administrative divisions: none (special administrative region of China) Independence: none (special adminis¬ trative region of China) National holiday: National Day (Anni¬ versary of the Founding of the People’s Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note — 1 July 1997 is celebrated as Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day Constitution: Basic Law, approved in March 1990 by China’s National People’s Congress, is Hong Kong’s “mini¬ constitution” Legal system: based on English common law 281 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Suffrage: direct election 18 years of age; universal for permanent residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven years; indirect election limited to about 200,000 members of functional constituencies and an 800-member elec¬ tion committee drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organiza¬ tions, and central government bodies Executive branch: chief of state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003) head of government: Chief Executive Donald TSANG (since 24 June 2005) cabinet: Executive Council consists of 14 official members and 15 non-official members elections: chief executive elected for five- year term by 800-member electoral com¬ mittee; last held on 25 March 2007 (next to be held in 2012) election results: Donald TSANG elected chief executive receiving 84.1% of the vote; Alan LEONG received 15.9% Legislative branch: unicameral Legis¬ lative Council or LEGCO (60 seats; in 2004 30 seats indirectly elected by func¬ tional constituencies, 30 elected by pop¬ ular vote; members serve four- year terms) elections: last held 12 September 2004 (next to be held in September 2008) election results: percent of vote by party — pro-democracy 63%, pro-Beijing 37%; seats by party — (pro-Beijing 34) DAB 12, Liberal Party 10, FTU 1, independ¬ ents 11; (pro-democracy 25) Democratic Party 9, CTU 2, ADPL 1, Frontier Party 1, NWSC 1, independents 11; non- voting LEGCO president 1 Judicial branch: Court of Final Appeal in the Hong Kong Special Adminis¬ trative Region Polificai parties and leaders: Association for Democracy and People’s Livelihood or ADPL [Frederick FUNG Kin-kee]; Citizens Party [Alex CHAN Kai-chung]; Civic Party [KUAN Hsin- chi] ; Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong or DAB [MA Lik]; Democratic Party [Albert HO]; Frontier Party [Emily LAU Wai-hing]; Liberal Party [James TIEN Pei-chun] note: political blocs include: pro-democ¬ racy — ADPL, Democratic Party, Frontier Party; pro-Beijing — DAB, Liberal Party Political pressure groups and leaders: Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (pro-China); Chinese Manufacturers’ Association of Hong Kong; Con¬ federation of Trade Unions or CTU (pro- democracy) [LAU Chin-shek, president; LEE Cheuk-yan, general secretary]; Federation of Hong Kong Industries; Federation of Trade Unions or FTU (pro- China) [CHENG Yiu-tong, executive councilor]; Hong Kong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movement in China [Szeto WAH, chairman]; Hong Kong and Kowloon Trade Union Council (pro-Taiwan); Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce; Hong Kong Professional Teachers’ Union [CHEUNG Man- kwong, president]; Neighborhood and Workers’ Service Center or NWSC (pro- democracy); The Alliance [Bernard CHAN, exco member] International organization participa¬ tion: APEC, AsDB, BIS, ICC, IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), IOC, ISO (corre¬ spondent), ITUC, UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: none (special administrative region of China) Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Consul General James B. CUNNINGHAM consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong mailing address: PSC 461, Box 1, FPO AP 96521-0006 telephone: [852] 2523-9011 FAX: [852] 2845-1598 Flag description: red with a stylized, white, five-petal bauhinia flower in the center ECONOMY Economy— overview: Hong Kong has a free market economy highly dependent on international trade. The territory has become more closely linked to mainland China over the past few years. Even before Hong Kong reverted to Chinese administration on 1 July 1997, it had extensive trade and investment ties with China. Hong Kong’s service industry over the past decade has grown rapidly as its manufacturing industry has moved to the mainland. Hong Kong also has stepped up its efforts to gain approval to offer more mainland financial services in a bid to remain competitive with China’s growing financial centers. Hong Kong’s natural resources are limited, and food and raw materials must be imported. Gross imports and exports (including reexports to and from third countries) each exceed GDP in dollar value. Per capita GDP exceeds that of the four big economies of Western Europe. GDP growth averaged a strong 5% from 1989 to 2006, but Hong Kong suffered two recessions in the past eight years because of the Asian financial crisis in 1997-98 and the global downturn in 2001-02. Although the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003 also battered Hong Kong’s economy, a solid rise in exports, a boom in tourism from the mainland because of China’s easing of travel restrictions, and a return of con¬ sumer confidence resulted in the resump¬ tion of strong growth from late 2003 through 2006. Moreover, several large initial public offerings of Chinese compa¬ nies on the Hong Kong stock exchange since late 2005 have helped to boost Hong Kong’s status as a financial hub and have contributed to the improved per¬ formance of the market in late 2006. GDP (purchasing power parity): $258.8 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $188.7 billion (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 6.8% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $37,300 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 0.1% industry: 9% services: 90.9% (2006 est.) Labor force: 3.63 million (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: manufac¬ turing 7.5%, construction 2.9%, whole¬ sale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels 43.9%, financing, insurance, and real estate 19.6%, transport and commu¬ nications 7.1%, community and social services 18.8% note: above data exclude public sector (2005 est.) Unemployment rate: 4 9% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Distribution of family income— Gini index: 52.3 (2001) inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.2% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 21.1% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $35.16 billion expenditures: $33.02 billion; including capital expenditures of $5.9 billion (2006 est.) Public debt: 1% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: fresh vegetables; poultry, pork; fish Industries: textiles, clothing, tourism, banking, shipping, electronics, plastics, toys, watches, clocks Industrial production growth rate: 4% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 38.45 billion kWh (2005) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) 282 HUNGARY Electricity — consumption: 44.55 billion kWh (2005) Electricity— exports: 4 497 billion kWh (2005) Electricity— imports: 10.39 billion kWh (2005) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— consumption: 285,000 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— exports: 0 bbl/day (2005) Oil— imports: 273,000 bbl/day (2005) Natural gas— production: Ocum (2005 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 2.2 billion cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas— exports: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 2.524 billion cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $20.9 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $611.6 billion f.o.b., including reexports (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: electrical ma¬ chinery and appliances, textiles, apparel, footwear, watches and clocks, toys, plas¬ tics, precious stones, printed material Exports— partners: China 45%, US 16.1%, Japan 5.3% (2005) Imports: $329.8 billion (2006 est.) imports — Commodities: raw materials and semi-manufactures, consumer goods, capital goods, foodstuffs, fuel (most is re¬ exported) Imports— partners: China 45%, Japan 11%, Taiwan 7.2%, Singapore 5.8%, US 5.1%, South Korea 4.4% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $132 billion (November 2006 est.) Debt— external: $472.9 billion (30 June 2006 est.) Currency (code): Hong Kong dollar (HKD) Currency code: HKD Exchange rates: Hong Kong dollars per US dollar— 7.7678 (2006), 7.7773 (2005), 7.788 (2004), 7.7868 (2003), 7.7989 (2002) Fiscal year: 1 April— 31 March COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 3.795 million (2005) Telephones — mobile cellular: 8.693 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: modem facilities pro¬ vide excellent domestic and interna¬ tional services domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic network international: country code — 852; satel¬ lite earth stations — 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to Guangzhou, China; access to 5 international submarine cables providing connections to ASEAN member nations, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2004) Radios: 4-45 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 55 (2 TV networks, each broadcasting on 2 chan¬ nels) (2006) Televisions: 1.84 million (1997) Internet country code: hk Internet hosts: 800,834 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 17 (2000) Internet users: 4.879 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 3 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Heliports: 3 (2006) Roadways: total: 1,955 km paved: 1,955 km (2005) Merchant marine: total: 924 ships (1000 GRT or over) 30,838,025 GRT/5 1,957, 682 DWT by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 495, cargo 121, chemical tanker 44, container 133, liquefied gas 22, passenger 6, pas¬ senger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 76, roll on/roll off 3, specialized tanker 7, vehicle carrier 8 foreign'owned: 562 (Australia 1, Belgium 3, Canada 28, China 274, Denmark 6, Germany 6, Greece 27, Indonesia 4, Japan 67, South Korea 6, Norway 26, Philippines 16, Portugal 1, Singapore 24, Syria 1 , Taiwan 6, UAE 2, UK 43, US 2 1 ) registered in other countries: 417 (Bahamas 8, Belize 8, Bermuda 10, Cambodia 15, China 7, Cyprus 1, France 1, French Southern and Antarctic Lands 2, Greece 1, Honduras 2, India 1, Liberia 37, Malaysia 14, Malta 2, Marshall Islands 7, Norway 55, Panama 169, Philippines 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6, Singapore 50, Taiwan 3, Tuvalu 8, unknown 7) (2006) Ports and terminals: Hong Kong MILITARY Military branches: no regular indige¬ nous military forces; Hong Kong garrison of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) includes elements of Ground Forces, Navy, and Air Force; these forces are under the direct leadership of the Central Military Commission in Beijing and under administrative control of the adjacent Guangzhou Military Region Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 1,743,972 females age 18-4 9: 1,904,967 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 1 8 — 49: 1,403,088 females age 18-49: 1,527,278 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 40,343 females age 18-49: 38,234 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: NA Military — note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of China TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: none Illicit drugs: despite strenuous law enforcement efforts, faces difficult chal¬ lenges in controlling transit of heroin and methamphetamine to regional and world markets; modern banking system provides conduit for money laundering; rising indigenous use of synthetic drugs, especially among young people HUNGARY INTRODUCTION Background: Hungary was part of the polyglot Austro-Hungarian Empire, which collapsed during World War I. The country fell under Communist rule following World War II. In 1956, a revolt and an announced withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact were met with a massive military intervention by Moscow. Under the leadership of Janos KADAR in 1968, Hungary began liber¬ alizing its economy, introducing so- called “Goulash Communism.” Hungary held its first multiparty elections in 1990 and initiated a free market economy. It joined NATO in 1999 and the EU in 2004. GEOGRAPHY Location: Central Europe, northwest of Romania Geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 20 00 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 93,030 sq km 283 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK land: 92,340 sq km water: 690 sq km Area— comparative: slightly smaller than Indiana Land boundaries: total: 2,171 km border countries: Austria 366 km, Croatia 329 km, Romania 443 km, Serbia 151 km, Slovakia 677 km, Slovenia 102 km, Ukraine 103 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime Claims: none (landlocked) Climate: temperate; cold, cloudy, humid winters; warm summers Terrain: mostly flat to rolling plains; hills and low mountains on the Slovakian border Elevation extremes: lowest point: Tisza River 78 m highest point: Kekes 1,014 m Natural resources: bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils, arable land Land use: arable land: 49.58% permanent crops: 2.06% other: 48.36% (2005) Irrigated land: 2,300 sq km (2003) Environment— current issues: the up¬ grading of Hungary’s standards in waste management, energy efficiency, and air, soil, and water pollution to meet EU re¬ quirements will require large investments Environment— international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution- Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution- Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: landlocked; strategic location astride main land routes between Western Europe and Balkan Peninsula as well as between Ukraine and Medi¬ terranean basin; the north-south flowing Duna (Danube) and Tisza Rivers divide the country into three large regions PEOPLE Population: 9,956,108 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 15.3% (male 785,643/female 741,907) 15-64 years: 69.3% (male 3,399,926/ female 3,498,403) 65 years and over: 15.4% (male 554,356/ female 975,873) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 38.9 years male: 36.5 years female: 41.5 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: -0.253% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 9.66 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 13.05 deaths/ 1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0.86 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.059 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0. 972 male (s)/fe male 65 years and over: 0.568 male(s)/female total population: 0.909 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 8.21 deaths/1,000 live births male: 8.91 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.92 years male: 68.73 years female: 77.38 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.33 children born/woman (2007 est.) HiV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 2,800 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: less than 100 (2001 est.) Nationality: noun: Hungarian(s) adjective: Hungarian Ethnic groups: Hungarian 92.3%, Roma 1.9%, other or unknown 5.8% (2001 census) Religions: Roman Catholic 51.9%, Calvinist 15.9%, Lutheran 3%, Greek Catholic 2.6%, other Christian 1%, other or unspecified 11.1%, unaffiliated 14.5% (2001 census) Languages: Hungarian 93.6%, other or unspecified 6.4% (2001 census) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.4% male: 99.5% female: 99.3% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Hungary conventional short form: Hungary local long form: Magyar Koztarsasag local short form: Magyarorszag Government type: parliamentary democracy Capital: name: Budapest geographic coordinates: 47 30 N, 19 05 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 19 counties (megyek, singular — megye), 22 urban counties (singular — megye i varos), and 1 capital city (fovaros) counties: Bacs-Kiskun, Baranya, Bekes, Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen, Csongrad, Fejer, Gyor-Moson-Sopron, Hajdu-Bihar, Heves, Jasz-Nagykun-Szolnok, Komarom- Esztergom, Nograd, Pest, Somogy, Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg, Tolna, Vas, Veszprem, Zala urban counties: Bekescsaba, Debrecen, Dunaujvaros, Eger, Gyor, Hodmezo- vasarhely, Kaposvar, Kecskemet, Miskolc, Nagykanizsa, Nyiregyhaza, Pecs, Salgotarjan, Sopron, Szeged, Szekesfehervar, Szekszard, Szolnok, Szombathely, Tatabanya, Veszprem, Zalaegerszeg capital city: Budapest Independence: 1001 (unification by King STEPHEN I) National holiday: Saint Stephen’s Day, 20 August Constitution: 18 August 1949, effective 20 August 1949; revised 19 April 1972; 18 October 1989 revision ensured legal 284 HUNGARY rights for individuals and constitutional checks on the authority of the prime min¬ ister and also established the principle of parliamentary oversight; 1997 amendment streamlined the judicial system Legal system: rule of law based on Western model; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Laszlo SOLYOM (since 5 August 2005) head of government: Prime Minister Ferenc GYURCSANY (since 29 September 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the National Assembly on the recom¬ mendation of the president elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 6-7 June 2005 (next to be held by June 2010); prime minister elected by the National Assembly on the recom¬ mendation of the president; election last held 29 September 2004 election results: Laszlo SOLYOM elected president by a simple majority in the third round of voting, 185 to 182; Ferenc GYURCSANY elected prime minister; result of legislative vote — 197 to 12 note: to be elected, the president must win two-thirds of legislative vote in the first two rounds or a simple majority in the third round Legislative branch: unicameral Na¬ tional Assembly or Orszaggyules (386 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a system of proportional and direct representation to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 9 and 23 April 2006 (next to be held in April 2010) election results: percent of vote by party (5% or more of the vote required for par¬ liamentary representation in the first round)— MSzP 43.2%, Fidesz-KDNP 42%, SzDSz 6.5%, MDF 5%, other 3.3%; seats by party — MSzP 190, Fidesz 141, KDNP 23, SzDSz 20, MDF 11, inde¬ pendent 1 Judicial branch: Constitutional Court (judges are elected by the National Assembly for nine-year terms) Political parties and leaders: Alliance of Free Democrats or SzDSz [Janos KOKAJ; Christian Democratic People’s Party or KDNP [Zsolt SEMJEN]; Hungarian Civic Alliance or Fidesz [Viktor ORB AN, chairman]; Hungarian Democratic Forum or MDF [Ibolya DAVID]; Hungarian Socialist Party or MSzP [Ferenc GYURCSANY] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA (cooperating state), EU, FAO, G-9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Andras SIMONYI chancery: 3910 Shoemaker Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 362-6730 FAX: [1] (202) 966-8135 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador April H. FOLEY embassy: Szabadsag ter 12, H-1054 Budapest mailing address: pouch: American Embassy Budapest, 5270 Budapest Place, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5270 telephone: [36] (1) 475-4400 FAX: [36] (1) 475-4764 Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and green ECONOMY Economy— overview: Hungary has made the transition from a centrally planned to a market economy, with a per capita income nearly two-thirds that of the EU-25 average. Hungary continues to demonstrate strong economic growth and acceded to the EU in May 2004- The private sector accounts for over 80% of GDP. Foreign ownership of and invest¬ ment in Hungarian firms are widespread, with cumulative foreign direct invest¬ ment totaling more than $60 billion since 1989. Hungary issues investment- grade sovereign debt. International observers, however, have expressed con¬ cerns over Hungary’s fiscal and current account deficits. Inflation has declined from 14% in 1998 to 3.7% in 2006. Unemployment has persisted above 6%. Hungary’s labor force participation rate of 57% is one of the lowest in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Germany is by far Hungary’s largest economic partner. Policy challenges include cut¬ ting the public sector deficit to 3% of GDP by 2008, from about 6.5% in 2006, and tackling a persistent trade deficit. The current government has announced and begun to implement an austerity program designed to address these issues, leading to eventual adoption of the euro. GDP (purchasing power parity): $175.2 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $113.2 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 3.9% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $17,600 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 3.1% industry: 32.1% services: 64.8% (2006 est.) Labor force: 4.2 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 5.5% industry: 33.3% services: 61.2% (2003) Unemployment rate: 7.4% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 8.6% (1993 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4-1% highest 10%: 222% (2002) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 26.9 (2002) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.7% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 23.4% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $48.73 billion expenditures: $59.62 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 68.6% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: wheat, corn, sunflower seed, potatoes, sugar beets; pigs, cattle, poultry, dairy products Industries: mining, metallurgy, construc¬ tion materials, processed foods, textiles, chemicals (especially pharmaceuticals), motor vehicles Industrial production growth rate: 9.5% (2006 est.) Electricity — production: 31.83 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 60.1% hydro: 0.5% nuclear: 39% other: 0.3% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 37.1 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 6.3 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 13.8 billion kWh Oil — production: 47,530 bbl/day (2004 est.) 285 the CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Oil— consumption: 132,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: 47,180 bbl/day (2001) Oil— imports: 94,000 bbl/day (2004) Oil— proved reserves: 1 10.7 million bbl (1 January 2002) Natural gas— production: 2.963 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 14 46 bil¬ lion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 11.42 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — proved reserves: 34 26 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $8,392 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $67.99 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: machinery and equipment 61.1%, other manufactures 28.7%, food products 6.5%, raw mate¬ rials 2%, fuels and electricity 1.6% (2003) Exports— partners: Germany 30.2%, Italy 5.7%, Austria 5.6%, France 5.3%, UK 5.1% (2005) Imports: $69.75 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: machinery and equipment 51.6%, other manufactures 35.7%, fuels and electricity 7.7%, food products 3.1%, raw materials 2.0% (2003) Imports— partners: Germany 27.5%, Russia 7.4%, China 7.1%, Austria 6.6%, France 4.9%, Italy 4.9%, Netherlands 4.3% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $21.05 billion (2006 est.) Debt— external: $107.3 billion (30 June 2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $3.4 billion in available EU structural adjustment and cohesion funds (2004-06) Currency (code): forint (HUF) Currency code: FIUF Exchange rates: forints per US dollar — 210.39 (2006), 199.58 (2005), 202.75 (2004), 224.31 (2003), 257.89 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 3.356 million (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 9.32 mil¬ lion (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: the telephone system has been modernized and is capable of satisfying all requests for telecommunica¬ tion service domestic: the system is digitalized and highly automated; trunk services are car¬ ried by fiber-optic cable and digital microwave radio relay; a program for fiber-optic subscriber connections was initiated in 1996; heavy use is made of mobile cellular telephones international: country code — 36; Flungary has fiber-optic cable connections with all neighboring countries; the international switch is in Budapest; satellite earth sta¬ tions — 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean regions), 1 Inmarsat, 1 very small aperture terminal (VSAT) system of ground terminals Radio broadcast stations: AM 17, FM 57, shortwave 3 (1998) Radios: 7.01 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 35 (plus 161 repeaters) (1995) Televisions: 4.42 million (1997) Internet country code: hu Internet hosts: 608,085 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 16 (2000) Internet users: 3.05 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 46 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 20 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 26 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 10 (2006) Heliports: 5 (2006) Pipelines: gas 4,397 km; oil 990 km; refined products 335 km (2006) Railways: total: 7,937 km broad gauge: 36 km 1.524-m gauge standard gauge: 7,682 km 1.435-m gauge (2,628 km electrified) narrow gauge: 219 km 0.760-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 159,568 km paved: 70,050 km (30,874 km of interurban roads including 626 km of expressways) unpaved: 89,518 km (2005) Waterways: 1,622 km (most on Danube River) (2006) Ports and terminals: Budapest, Dunau- jvaros, Gyor-Gonyu, Csepel, Baja, Mohacs (2003) MILITARY Military branches: Ground Forces, Hungarian Air Force (Magyar Legiero, ML) (2006) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in June 2004 (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 18—49: 2,303,116 females age 18-49: 2,265,463 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 1,780,513 females age 18-49: 1,864,580 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age i 8 — 49: 63,847 females age 18-49: 61,037 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1.75% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: bilateral gov¬ ernment, legal, technical and economic working group negotiations continue in 2006 with Slovakia over Hungary’s failure to complete its portion of the Gabcikovo-Nagymaros hydroelectric dam project along the Danube; as a member state that forms part of the EU s external border, Hungary must imple¬ ment the strict Schengen border rules Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and cannabis and for South American cocaine des¬ tined for Western Europe; limited pro¬ ducer of precursor chemicals, particularly for amphetamine and methampheta- mine; efforts to counter money laun¬ dering, related to organized crime and drug trafficking, are improving, but remain vulnerable; significant consumer of ecstasy 286 Celtic (Scottish and Irish) immigrants during the late 9th and 10th centuries A.D., Iceland boasts the world’s oldest functioning legislative assembly, the Althing, established in 930. Independent for over 300 years, Iceland was subse¬ quently ruled by Norway and Denmark. Fallout from the Askja volcano of 1875 devastated the Icelandic economy and caused widespread famine. Over the next quarter century, 20% of the island’s popu¬ lation emigrated, mostly to Canada and the US. Limited home rule from Denmark was granted in 1874 and complete inde¬ pendence attained in 1944. Literacy, longevity, income, and social cohesion are first-rate by world standards. GEOGRAPHY Location: Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK Geographic coordinates: 65 00 N, 18 00 w Map references: Arctic Region Area: total: 103,000 sq km land: 100,250 sq km water: 2,750 sq km Area— comparative: slightly smaller than Kentucky Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 4,970 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin Climate: temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy winters; damp, cool summers Terrain: mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast deeply indented by bays and fiords Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Hvannadalshnukur 2,1 10 m (at Vatnajokull glacier) Natural resources: fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite Land use: arable land: 0.07% permanent crops: 0% other: 99.93% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: earthquakes and vol¬ canic activity Environment— current issues: water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inade¬ quate wastewater treatment Environment— international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution- Persistent Organic Pollutants, Bio¬ diversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Transboundary Air Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation Geography — note: strategic location between Greenland and Europe; west¬ ernmost European country; Reykjavik is the northernmost national capital in the world; more land covered by glaciers than in all of continental Europe PEOPLE Population: 301,931 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 21.4% (male 32,759/female 31,845) 15-64 years: 66.8% (male 102,161/ female 99,411) 65 years and over: 11.8% (male 16,162/ female 19,593) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 34.5 years male: 34 years female: 35 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.824% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 13.57 births/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 6.77 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: l .43 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.029 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.028 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.825 male(s)/female total population : 1.002 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 3.27 deaths/1,000 live births male: 3.41 deaths/ 1,000 live births female: 3.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 80.43 years male: 78.33 years female: 82.62 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.91 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS — people living with HI V/ AIDS: 220 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: less than 100 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Icelanders ) adjective: Icelandic Ethnic groups: homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts 94%, population of foreign origin 6% Religions: Lutheran Church of Iceland 85.5%, Reykjavik Free Church 2.1%, Roman Catholic Church 2%, Hafnarfjorour Free Church 1.5%, other Christian 2.7%, other or unspecified 3.8%, unaffiliated 2.4% (2004) Languages: Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Iceland conventional short form: Iceland local long form: Lydveldid Island local short form: Island Government type: constitutional republic Capital: name: Reykjavik geographic coordinates: 64 09 N, 21 57 W time difference: UTC (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 8 regions; Austurland, Hofudhborgarsvaedhi, Nordhurland Eystra, Nordhurland Vestra, Sudhurland, Sudhurnes, Vestfirdhir, Vesturland Independence: 1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown); 17 June 1944 (from Denmark) National holiday: Independence Day, 1 7 June (1944) . I7 Constitution: 16 June 1944, effective . June 1944; amended many times 287 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Legal system: civil law system based on Danish law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON (since 1 August 1996) head of government: Prime Minister Geir H. HAARDE (since 7 June 2006) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister elections: president, largely a ceremonial post, is elected by popular vote for a four- year term (no term limits); election last held 26 June 2004 (next to be held in June 2008); following legislative elec- tions, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually the prime minister election results: Olafur Ragnar GRIMS- SON 85.6%, Baldur AGUSTSSON 12.5%, Astthor MAGNUSSON 1.9% Legislative branch: unicameral Parlia¬ ment or Althing (63 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 12 May 2007 (next to be held by May 2011) election results: percent of vote by party — Independence Party 36.6%, Social Democratic Alliance 26.8%, Progressive Party 11.7%, Left-Green Movement 14.3%, Liberal Party 7.3%, other 3.3%; seats by party — Independence Party 25, Social Democratic Alliance 18, Progressive Party 7, Left-Green Alliance 9, Liberal Party 4 Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Haestirettur (justices are appointed for life by the Minister of Justice); eight dis¬ trict courts (justices are appointed for life by the Minister of Justice) Political parties and leaders: Inde¬ pendence Party or IP [Geir H. HAARDE]; Left-Green Movement or LGM [Steingrimur SIGFUSSON]; Liberal Party or LP [Gudjon KRIST- JANSSON]; Progressive Party or PP [Jon S1GURDSSON]; Social Democratic Alliance or SDA [Ingibjorg Solrun GIS- LADOTTIR] (includes People’s Alliance or PA, Social Democratic Party or SDP, Women’s List) Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NO, NEA, NIB, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PC A, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Albert JON- SSON chancery: Suite 1200, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005-1704 telephone: [1] (202) 265-6653 FAX: [1] (202) 265-6656 consulate(s) general: New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Carol VAN VOORST embassy: Laufasvegur 21, 101 Reykjavik mailing address: US Department of State, 5640 Reykjavik Place, Washington, D.C. 20521-5640 telephone: [354] 562-9100 FAX: [354] 562-9118 Flag description: blue with a red cross outlined in white extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) ECONOMY Economy — overview: Iceland’s Scan¬ dinavian-type economy is basically capi¬ talistic, yet with an extensive welfare system (including generous housing sub¬ sidies), low unemployment, and remark¬ ably even distribution of income. In the absence of other natural resources (except for abundant geothermal power), the economy depends heavily on the fishing industry, which provides nearly 70% of export earnings and employs 6% of the work force. The economy remains sensitive to declining fish stocks as well as to fluctuations in world prices for its main exports: fish and fish products, alu¬ minum, and ferrosilicon. Government policies include reducing the current account deficit, limiting foreign bor¬ rowing, containing inflation, revising agricultural and fishing policies, and diversifying the economy. The govern¬ ment remains opposed to EU member¬ ship, primarily because of Icelanders’ concern about losing control over their fishing resources. Iceland’s economy has been diversifying into manufacturing and service industries in the last decade, and new developments in software produc¬ tion, biotechnology, and financial serv¬ ices are taking place. The tourism sector is also expanding, with the recent trends in ecotourism and whale watching. Since 2000 growth has varied from -1% in 2002 to 8% in 2004. The 2006 closure of the US military base at Keflavik had very little impact on the national economy; Iceland’s low unemployment rate aided former base employees in finding alter¬ nate employment. GDP (purchasing power parity): $11.38 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $13.71 billion (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 2.6% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $38,000 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 8.4% industry: 15.6% services: 76% (2006 est.) Labor force: 173,000 (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 5.1% industry: 23% services: 71.4% (2005) Unemployment rate: 1.3% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.8% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 31.4% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $7,345 billion expenditures: $6,655 billion; including capital expenditures of $467 million (2006 est.) Public debt: 23.5% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: potatoes, green vegetables; mutton, dairy products; fish Industries: fish processing; aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production; geot¬ hermal power, tourism industrial production growth rate: 5% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 8.474 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 0.1% hydro: 82.5% nuclear: 0% other: 17.5% (geothermal) (2001) Electricity— consumption: 7.881 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity — imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 20,560 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: 0 bbl/day (2001) Oil— imports: 15,470 bbl/day (2001) Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $2,932 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $3,587 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: fish and fish products 70%, aluminum, animal prod¬ ucts, ferrosilicon, diatomite Exports— partners: UK 17.9%, Germany 16.4%, Netherlands 13%, US 8.1%, Spain 7.7%, Denmark 4.3% (2005) 288 ILES EPARSES Imports: $5,189 billion (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: machinery and equipment, petroleum products, food¬ stuffs, textiles Imports partners: Germany 13.4%, US 9.1%, Sweden 8.6%, Denmark 7.3%, Norway 7.2%, UK 5.9%, China 5.3%, Netherlands 5%, Japan 4.7% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $1,018 billion (August 2006 est.) Debt— external: $3,073 billion (2002) Economic aid— donor: $6.7 million (2004) Currency (code): Icelandic krona (ISK) Currency code: ISK Exchange rates: Icelandic kronur per US dollar — 70.195 (2006), 62.982 (2005), 70.192 (2004), 76.709 (2003), 91.662 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 193,900 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 304,000 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: extensive domestic service domestic: the trunk network consists of coaxial and fiber-optic cables and microwave radio relay links international: country code — 354; satel¬ lite earth stations — 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note — Iceland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden) Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM about 70 (including repeaters), short¬ wave 1 (1998) Radios: 260,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 14 (plus 156 repeaters) (1997) Televisions: 98,000 (1997) Internet country code: is Internet hosts: 212,897 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 20 (2001) Internet users: 258,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 98 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 93 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 29 under 914 m: 61 (2006) Roadways: total: 13,028 km paved/oiled gravel: 4,241 km (does not include urban roads) unpaved: 8,787 km (2005) Merchant marine: total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 3,354 GRT/480 DWT by type: passenger/cargo 1 registered in other countries: 34 (Antigua and Barbuda 8, Bahamas 1, Belize 2, Faroe Islands 4, Gibraltar 1, Malta 4, Norway 4, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 10) (2006) Ports and terminals: Grundartangi, Hafnarfjordur, Hornafjordhur, Reyk¬ javik, Seydhisfjordhur MILITARY Military branches: no regular armed forces; Icelandic National Police, Icelandic Coast Guard (Islenska Landhelgisgaeslan) subordinate to Ministry of Justice, Icelandic Crisis Response Unit (2006) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 69,038 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 56,777 (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of GDP: 0% (2005 est.) Military— note: under a 1951 bilateral agreement, Iceland’s defense was pro¬ vided by a US-manned Icelandic Defense Force (IDF) headquartered in Keflavik; in October 2006, all US mili¬ tary forces in Iceland were withdrawn; nonetheless, the US and Iceland signed a Joint Understanding to strengthen their bilateral defense relationship, including regular security consultations, military communications in the event of national emergencies, annual bilateral exercises on Icelandic territory, and future bilat¬ eral and NATO support to four Iceland Air Defense System (IADS) radar sites TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark’s claim that the Faroe Islands’ continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm ILES EPARSES INTRODUCTION Background: The lies Eparses, or scat¬ tered islands, are a group of five French entities — Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, and Tromelin Island — which on 1 April 1960 came under the authority of the Minister in charge of overseas possessions. On 19 September 1960 by decree, the islands were transferred to the charge of the Prefet of Reunion where they remained until 3 January 2005 when they were transferred by another decree to the Senior Administrator of the Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (TAAF). Bassas da India: A French possession since 1897, this atoll is a volcanic seamount surrounded by reefs and awash at high tide. Europa Island: A French possession since 1897, the island is heavily wooded; it is the site of a small military garrison that staffs a weather station. Glorioso Islands: A French possession since 1892, the Glorioso Islands are com¬ posed of two lushly vegetated coral islands (lie Glorieuse and lie du Lys) and three rock islets. A military garrison operates a weather and radio station on He Glorieuse. Juan de Nova Island: Named after a famous 15th century Spanish navigator and explorer, the island has been a French possession since 1897. It has been exploited for its guano and phosphate. Presently a small military garrison over¬ sees a meteorological station. Tromelin Island: First explored by the French in 1776, the island came under the jurisdiction of Reunion in 1814- At present, it serves as a sea turtle sanctuary and is the site of an important meteoro¬ logical station. . Ak GEOGRAPHY Location: Southern Africa, in the Indian Ocean 289 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Bassos da India: atoll in the southern Mozambique Channel, about half way from Madagascar to Mozambique Europa Island: island in the Mozambique Channel, about half way between southern Madagascar and southern Mozambique Glorioso Islands: group of islands in the Indian Ocean, northwest of Madagascar Juan de Nova Island: island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-third of the way between Madagascar and Mozambique Tromelin Island: island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar Geographic coordinates: Bassas da India: 21 30 S, 39 50 E Europa Island: 22 20 S, 40 22 E Glorioso Islands: 11 30 S, 47 20 E Juan de Nova Island: 17 03 S, 42 45 E Tromelin Island: 15 52 S, 54 25 E Map references: Africa Area: Bassas da India: total — 80 sq km; land — 0.2 sq km; water — 79.8 sq km (lagoon) Europa Island: total — 28 sq km; land — 28 sq km; water — 0 sq km Glorioso Islands: total — 5 sq km; land — 5 sq km; water — 0 sq km Juan de Nova Island: total — 4-4 sq km; land — 4-4 sq km; water — 0 sq km Tromelin Island: total — 1 sq km; land — 1 sq km; water — 0 sq km Area— comparative: Bassas da India: land area about one-third the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Europa Island: about one-sixth the size of Washington, DC Glorioso Islands: about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Juan de Nova Island: about seven times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Tromelin Island: about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Land boundaries: none Coastline: Bassas da India: 35.2 km Europa Island: 22.2 km Glorioso Islands: 35.2 km Juan de Nova Island: 24.1 km Tromelin Island: 3.7 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm; note — Juan de Nova Island and Tromelin Island claim a continental shelf of 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation Climate: tropical Terrain: Bassas da India: atoll, awash at high tide; shallow (15 m) lagoon Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island: low, flat, and sandy Tromelin Island: low, flat, sandy; likely volcanic seamount Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Bassas da India 2.4 m; Europa Island 24 m; Glorioso Islands 12 m; Juan de Nova Island 10 m; Tromelin Island 7 m (all unnamed locations) Natural resources: Bassas da India and Europa Island: none Glorioso Islands and Juan de Nova Island: guano, phosphates; coconuts Tromelin Island: fish Land USe: Bassas da India — 100% rock, coral reef, and sand; Europa Island — 100% mangrove swamp and dry wood¬ lands; Glorioso Islands — 100% lush vegetation and coconut palms; Juan de Nova Island — 90% forest, 10% other; Tromelin Island — 100% grasses and scat¬ tered brush Natural hazards: all islands subject to periodic cyclones Bassas da India: maritime hazard since it is under water for a period of three hours prior to and following the high tide and surrounded by reefs Geography— note: Bassas da India: the atoll is a circular reef that sits atop a long-extinct, submerged volcano Europa Island and Juan de Nova Island: wildlife sanctuary for seabirds and sea turtles Glorioso Islands: the islands and rocks are surrounded by an extensive reef system Tromelin Island: climatologically impor¬ tant location for forecasting cyclones in the western Indian Ocean; wildlife sanc¬ tuary (seabirds, tortoises) PEOPLE Population: Bassas da India: uninhabitable Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island: a small French military gar¬ rison and a few meteorologists on each possession; visited by scientists Tromelin Island: uninhabited, except for visits by scientists GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, Tromelin Island local long form: none local short form: Bassas da India, lie Europa, lies Glorieuses, lie Juan de Nova, He Tromelin Dependency status: possessions of France; administered from Paris by the Administrateur Superieur of the Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (TAAF) Legal system: the laws of France, where applicable, apply Executive branch: chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995); repre¬ sented by Senior Administrator Michel CHAMPON Flag description: the flag of France is used ECONOMY Economy — overview: no economic activity COMMUNICATIONS Communications — note: Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, Tromelin Island: 1 meteorological station on each possession; note — meteorolog¬ ical station on Tromelin Island is impor¬ tant for forecasting cyclones TRANSPORTATION Airports: 4 (2006) Ports and terminals: none; offshore anchorage only Transportation — note: aids to naviga - tion — lighthouses: Europa Island 18m; Juan de Nova Island (W side) 37m; Tromelin Island (NW point) 11m MILITARY Military — note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of France TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island: claimed by Madagascar Tromelin Island: claimed by Mauritius INDIA INTRODUCTION Background: The Indus Valley civiliza¬ tion, one of the oldest in the world, dates back at least 5,000 years. Aryan tribes from the northwest infiltrated onto Indian lands about 1500 B.C.; their merger with the earlier Dravidian inhab¬ itants created the classical Indian cul¬ ture. Arab incursions starting in the 8th century and Turkish in the 12th were fol¬ lowed by those of European traders, 290 INDIA NEW * DELHI A** i CHINA Kanpvii Vs™ W “Ate* B&op® Koikata W&dabad _^C «N3gp«r {Mumbai * >•• ♦ &8&GA# Hyderabad ^*vJsMk^pawam AmMm 8m | ,_raH«p Mttrmapiwv \ ipftennai Calicut fiPonfifeheny Coeft^, m&JW immAi) \ - ~ ?s s» ^ luttcom ' LAN, -A •3* Say of Benga, tSiAWS J Port 8?a!J* MCG6*fi {■sumk > beginning in the late 15th century. By the 19th century, Britain had assumed political control of virtually all Indian lands. Indian armed forces in the British army played a vital role in both World Wars. Nonviolent resistance to British colonialism led by Mohandas GANDHI and Jawaharlal NEHRU brought inde¬ pendence in 1947. The subcontinent was divided into the secular state of India and the smaller Muslim state of Pakistan. A third war between the two countries in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. Despite impressive gains in economic investment and output, India laces pressing problems such as the ongoing dispute with Pakistan over Kashmir, sig¬ nificant overpopulation, environmental degradation, extensive poverty, and ethnic and religious strife. GEOGRAPHY,:*' Location: Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and Pakistan Geographic coordinates: 20 00 N, 77 00 E Map references: Asia Area: total: 3,287,590 sq km land: 2,973,190 sq km water: 314,400 sq km Area — comparative: slightly more than one-third the size of the US Land boundaries: total: 14,103 km border countries: Bangladesh 4,053 km, Bhutan 605 km, Burma 1,463 km, China 3,380 km, Nepal 1,690 km, Pakistan 2,912 km Coastline: 7,000 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin Climate: varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north Terrain: upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plain along the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in north Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Kanchenjunga 8,598 m MafuraS resources: coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world), iron ore, man¬ ganese, mica, bauxite, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas, diamonds, petro¬ leum, limestone, arable land Land use: arable land: 48.83% permanent crops : 2.8% other: 48.37% (2005) irrigated Sand: 558,080 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: droughts; flash floods, as • well as widespread and destructive flooding from monsoonal rains; severe thunderstorms; earthquakes Environment — current issues: defor¬ estation; soil erosion; overgrazing; deser¬ tification; air pollution from industrial effluents and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage and runoff of agricultural pesticides; tap water is not potable throughout the country; huge and growing population is overstraining natural resources Environment— international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Bio¬ diversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: dominates South Asian subcontinent; near important * Indian Ocean trade routes; Kanchen- junga, third tallest mountain in the world, lies on the border with Nepal Population: 1,129,866,154 (July 2007 est. ) Age structure: 0-14 years: 31.8% (male 188,208,196/ female 171,356,024) 1 5-64 years: 63.1% (male 366,977,821/ female 346,034,565) 65 years and over: 5.1% (male 27,258,259/ female 30,031,289) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 24.8 years male: 24.5 years , female: 25.2 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.606% (2007 est.) Birth rale: 22.69 births/1, 000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 6.58 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -0.05 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.12 male (s)/fe male under 15 years: 1.098 rnale(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.061 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.908 male(s)/female total population: 1.064 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate; total: 34-61 deaths/1,000 live births male: 39.42 deaths/1,000 live births female: 29.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2007' est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 68.59 years male: 66.28 years female: 71.17 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.81 children born/ woman (2007 est.) . HSV/AIBS— adult prevalent rate: 0.9% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 5.1 million (2001 est.) HIV/AIBS— deaths: 310,000 (2001 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diar¬ rhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and Japanese encephalitis are high risks in some locations animal contact disease: rabies note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2007) Nationality: noun: Indian(s) adjective: Indian Ethnic groups: Indo- Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, Mongoloid and other 3% (2000) Religions: Hindu 80.5%, Muslim 13.4%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.1% (2001 census) Languages: English enjoys associate status but is the most important language for national, political, and commercial communication; Hindi is the national language and primary tongue of 30% of the people; there are 14 other official lan¬ guages: Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya, Punjabi, Assamese, Kashmiri, Sindhi, and Sanskrit; Hindustani is a popular variant of Hindi/Urdu spoken widely throughout northern India but is not an official language 291 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 61% male: 73.4% female: 47.8% (2001 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of India conventional short form: India local long form: Republic of India/ Bharatiya Ganarajya local short form: India/Bharat Government type: federal republic Capital: name: New Delhi geographic coordinates: 2836N, 77 12E time difference: UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Stan- dard Time) Administrative divisions: 28 states and 7 union territories*; Andaman and Nicobar Islands*, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh*, Chhattisgarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli*, Daman and Diu*, Delhi*, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshad- weep*, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Naga¬ land, Orissa, Puducherry*, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal Independence: 15 August 1947 (from UK) National holiday: Republic Day, 26 January (1950) Constitution: 26 January 1950; amended many times Legal system: based on English common law; judicial review of legisla¬ tive acts; accepts compulsory ICJ juris¬ diction, with reservations; separate personal law codes apply to Muslims, Christians, and Hindus Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President A.P.J. Abdul KALAM (since 25 July 2002); Vice President Bhairon Singh SHEKHAWAT (since 19 August 2002) head of government: Prime Minister Manmohan SINGH (since 22 May 2004) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the presi¬ dent on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by an elec¬ toral college consisting of elected mem¬ bers of both houses of Parliament and the legislatures of the states for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held July 2002 (next to be held 18 July 2007); vice president elected by both houses of Parliament for a five-year term; election last held 12 August 2002 (next to be held August 2007); prime minister chosen by parliamentary members of the majority party following legislative elec¬ tions; election last held April — May 2004 (next to be held May 2009) election results: Abdul KALAM elected president; percent of electoral college vote — 89.6%; Bhairon Singh SHEK- HAWAT elected vice president; percent of Parliament vote — 59.8% Legislative branch: bicameral Parlia¬ ment or Sansad consists of the Council of States or Rajya Sabha (a body con¬ sisting of not more than 250 members up to 1 2 of whom are appointed by the pres¬ ident, the remainder are chosen by the elected members of the state and territo¬ rial assemblies; members serve six-year terms) and the People’s Assembly or Lok Sabha (545 seats; 543 elected by popular vote, 2 appointed by the president; mem¬ bers serve five-year terms) elections: People’s Assembly — last held 20 April through 10 May 2004 (next must be held before May 2009) election results: People’s Assembly — per¬ cent of vote by party — NA; seats by party— INC 147, BJP 129, CPI (M) 43, SP 38, RJD 23, DMK 16, BSP 15, SS 12, BJD 11, CPI 10, NCP 10, JD (U) 8, SAD 8, PMK 6, JMM 5, LJSP 4, MDMK 4, TDP 4, TRS 4, independent 6, other 29, vacant 13; note — seats by party as of December 2006 Judicial branch: Supreme Court (one chief justice and 25 associate justices are appointed by the president and remain in office until they reach the age of 65 or are removed for “proved misbehavior”) Political parties and leaders: Bahujan Samaj Party or BSP [MAYAWATI]; Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP [Rajnath SINGH]; Biju Janata Dal or BJD [Naveen PATNAIK]; Communist Party of India or CPI [Ardhendu Bhushan BARDHAN]; Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI (M) [Prakash KARAT]; Dravida Munnetra Kazagham or DMK [M. KARUNANIDHI]; Indian National Congress or INC [Sonia GANDHI]; Janata Dal (United) or JD(U) [Sharad YADEV]; Jharkhand Mukti Morcha or JMM [Shibu SOREN]; Lok Jan Shakti Party or LJSP [Ram Vilas PASWAN]; Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or MDMK [VAIKU]; Nationalist Congress Party or NCP [Sharad PAWAR]; Pattali Makkal Katchi or PMK [S. RAMADOSS]; Rashtriya Janata Dal or RJD [Laloo Prasad YADAV]; Samajwadi Party or SP [Mulayam Singh YADAV]; Shiromani Akali Dal or SAD [Prakash Singh BADAL]; Shiv Sena or SS [Bal THACK¬ ERAY]; Telangana Rashtra Samithi or TRS [K. Chandrasekhar RAO]; Telugu Desam Party or TDP [Chandrababu NAIDU]; note — India has dozens of national and regional political parties; only parties with four or more seats in the People’s Assembly are listed Political pressure groups and leaders: numerous religious or militant/chauvin- istic organizations, including Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal, and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh; various separatist groups seeking greater com¬ munal and/or regional autonomy, including the All Parties Hurriyat Conference in the Kashmir Valley and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland in the Northeast International organization participa¬ tion: AfDB, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dia¬ logue partner), BIMSTEC, BIS, C, CERN (observer), CP, EAS, FAO, G-6, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), ONUB, OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC, SACEP, SCO (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIS, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ranendra SEN chancery: 21C7 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; note — Consular Wing located at 2536 Massa¬ chusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-7000 FAX: [1] (202) 265-4351 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, San Francisco Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador David C. MULFORD embassy: Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 1 10021 mailing address : use embassy street address telephone: [91] (11) 2419-8000 FAX: [91] (11) 2419-0017 consulate(s) general: Chennai (Madras), Kolkata (Calcutta), Mumbai (Bombay) Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of saffron (subdued orange) (top), white, and green with a blue chakra (24- spoked wheel) centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Niger, which has a small orange disk centered in the white band 292 INDIA ECONOMY Economy— overview: India’s diverse economy encompasses traditional village farming, modern agriculture, handicrafts, a wide range of modern industries, and a multitude of services. Services are the major source of economic growth, accounting for more than half of India’s output with less than one third of its labor force. About three-fifths of the work force is in agriculture, leading the UPA government to articulate an eco¬ nomic reform program that includes developing basic infrastructure to improve the lives of the rural poor and boost economic performance. The gov¬ ernment has reduced controls on foreign trade and investment. Tariffs averaged 12.5% on non-agricultural items in 2006. Higher limits on foreign direct investment were permitted in a few key sectors, such as telecommunications. However, tariff spikes in sensitive cate¬ gories, including agriculture, and incre¬ mental progress on economic reforms still hinder foreign access to India’s vast and growing market. Privatization of govern¬ ment-owned industries remained stalled in 2006, and continues to generate polit¬ ical debate; populist pressure from within the UPA government and from its Left Front allies continues to restrain needed initiatives. The economy has posted an average growth rate of more than 7% in the decade since 1996, reducing poverty by about 10 percentage points. India achieved 8.5% GDP growth in 2006, sig¬ nificantly expanding manufacturing. India is capitalizing on its large numbers of well-educated people skilled in the English language to become a major exporter of software services and software workers. Economic expansion has helped New Delhi continue to make progress in reducing its federal fiscal deficit. However, strong growth— more than 8 percent growth in each of the last three years — combined with easy consumer credit and a real estate boom is fueling inflation concerns. The huge and growing population is the fundamental social, eco¬ nomic, and environmental problem. GDP (purchasing power parity): $4,156 trillion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $804 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 9.2% (2006 est.) GDP — per capita (PPP): $3,800 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 19.9% industry: 19.3% services: 60.7% (2005 est.) Labor force: 509.3 million (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 60% industry: 12% services: 28% (2003) Unemployment rate: 7.8% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 25% (2002 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.5% highest 10%: 33.5% (1997) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 32.5 (2000) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.3% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 29.2% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $109.4 billion expenditures: $143.8 billion; including capital expenditures of $15 billion (2006 est.) Public debt: 52.8% of GDP (federal and state debt combined) (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: rice, wheat, oilseed, cotton, jute, tea, sugarcane, potatoes; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats, poultry; fish Industries: textiles, chemicals, food pro¬ cessing, steel, transportation equipment, cement, mining, petroleum, machinery, software Industrial production growth rate: 7.5% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 630.6 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 81.7% hydro: 14-5% nuclear: 3.4% other: 0.3% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 587.9 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 60 million kWh (2004) Electricity — imports: 1.5 billion kWh (2004) Oil — production: 785,000 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil — consumption: 2.45 million bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: 350,000 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil — imports: 2.09 million bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil — proved reserves: 5.6 billion bbl (2006 est.) Natural gas — production: 28.2 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 30.83 bil¬ lion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — imports: 2.63 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 853.5 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $26.4 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $112 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: textile goods, gems and jewelry, engineering goods, chemicals, leather manufactures Exports— partners: US 16.7%, UAE 8.5%, China 6.6%, Singapore 5.3%, UK 4.9%, Hong Kong 4.4% (2005) Imports: $187.9 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: crude oil, machinery, gems, fertilizer, chemicals Imports— partners: China 7.3%, US 5.6%, Switzerland 4-7% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $165 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $132.1 billion (30 June 2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $2.9 billion (FY98/99) Currency (code): Indian rupee (INR) Currency code: INR Exchange rates: Indian rupees per US dollar— 45.3 (2006), 44.101 (2005), 45.317 (2004), 46.583 (2003), 48.61 (2002) Fiscal year: 1 April— 31 March COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 49.75 million (2005) Telephones — mobile cellular: 69.193 million (2006) Telephone system: general assessment: recent deregulation and liberalization of telecommunications laws and policies have prompted rapid growth; local and long distance service provided throughout all regions of the country, with services primarily concen¬ trated in the urban areas; steady improvement is taking place with the recent admission of private and private- public investors, but telephone density remains low at about 10 for each 100 per¬ sons nationwide and only 1 per 100 per¬ sons in rural areas; there remains a national waiting list of over 1.7 million; fastest growth is in cellular service with modest growth in fixed lines domestic: expansion of domestic service, although still weak in rural areas, resulted from increased competition and dramatic reductions in price led in large part by wireless service; mobile cellular service (both CDMA and GSM) intro¬ duced in 1994 and organized nationwide into four metropolitan cities and 19 telecom circles each with about three private service providers and one state- owned service provider; in recent years significant trunk capacity added in the form of fiber-optic cable and one of the 293 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK world’s largest domestic satellite systems, the Indian National Satellite system (INSAT), with 6 satellites supporting 33,000 very small aperture terminals (VSAT) international: country code — 91; satellite earth stations — 8 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region); 9 gateway exchanges operating from Mumbai (Bombay), New Delhi, Kolkata (Calcutta), Chennai (Madras), Jalandhar, Kanpur, Gandhinagar, Hy¬ derabad, and Emakulam; 6 submarine cables, including Sea-Me-We-3 with landing sites at Cochin and Mumbai (Bombay), Sea-Me-We-4 with landing site at Chennai, Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) with landing site at Mumbai (Bombay), South Africa — Far East (SAFE) with landing site at Cochin, i2icn linking to Singapore with landing sites at Mumbai (Bombay) and Chennai (Madras), and Tata Indicom linking Singapore and Chennai (Madras), provide a significant increase in the bandwidth available for both voice and data traffic (2006) Radio broadcast stations: AM 153, FM 91, shortwave 68 (1998) Radios: 116 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 562 (1997) Televisions: 63 million (1997) Internet country code: in Internet hosts: 1.543 million (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 43 (2000) Internet users: 60 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 341 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 243 over 3,047 m: 17 2,438 to 3,047 m: 51 1,524 to 2,437 m: 73 914 to 1 ,523 m: 81 under 914 m: 21 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 98 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 42 under 914 m: 48 (2006) Heliports: 28 (2006) Pipelines: condensate/gas 8 km; gas 5,184 km; liquid petroleum gas 1,993 km; oil 6,500 km; refined products 6,152 km (2006) Railways: total: 63,230 km broad gauge: 45,718 km 1.676-m gauge (16,528 km electrified) narrow gauge: 14,406 km 1.000-m gauge (165 km electrified); 3,106 km 0.762-m gauge and 0.610-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 3,383,344 km paved: 1,603,705 km unpaved: 1,779,639 km (2002) Waterways: 14,500 km note: 5,200 km on major rivers and 485 km on canals suitable for mechanized vessels (2005) Merchant marine: total: 316 ships (1000 GRT or over) 7,772,313 GRT/13, 3 10,858 DWT by type: bulk carrier 96, cargo 72, chem¬ ical tanker 13, container 8, liquefied gas 17, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 10, petroleum tanker 96, roll on/roll off 1 foreign'owned: 10 (China 2, Hong Kong 1, UAE 6, UK 1) registered in other countries: 46 (Bahamas 1, Comoros 1, Cyprus 5, North Korea 1, Liberia 3, Malta 1, Mauritius 2, Panama 19, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6, Singapore 5, Venezuela 1, unknown 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Chennai, Haldia, Jawaharal Nehru, Kandla, Kolkata (Calcutta), Mumbai (Bombay), New Mangalore, Vishakhapatnam Military branches: Army, Navy (includes naval air arm), Air Force, Coast Guard, various security or paramil¬ itary forces (includes Border Security Force, Assam Rifles, National Security Guards, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, Special Frontier Force, Central Reserve Police Force, Central Industrial Security Force, Railway Protection Force, and Defense Security Corps) Military service age and obligation: 16 years of age for voluntary military service (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 287,551,111 females age 16-49: 268,524,835 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 219,471,999 females age 16-49: 209,917,553 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 11,446,452 females age 16-49: 10,665,877 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 2.5% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: since China and India launched a security and foreign policy dialogue in 2005, consolidated discussions related to the dispute over most of their rugged, militarized boundary, regional nuclear proliferation, Indian claims that China transferred missiles to Pakistan, and other matters continue; various talks and confidence¬ building measures have cautiously begun to defuse tensions over Kashmir, particu¬ larly since the October 2005 earthquake in the region; Kashmir nevertheless remains the site of the world’s largest and most militarized territorial dispute with portions under the de facto administra¬ tion of China (Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and Kashmir), and Pakistan (Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas); India and Pakistan have maintained the 2004 cease fire in Kashmir and initiated discussions on defusing the armed stand¬ off in the Siachen glacier region; Pakistan protests India’s fencing the highly militarized Line of Control and construction of the Baglihar Dam on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir, which is part of the larger dispute on water sharing of the Indus River and its tributaries; UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) has maintained a small group of peace¬ keepers since 1949; India does not recog¬ nize Pakistan’s ceding historic Kashmir lands to China in 1964; to defuse tensions and prepare for discussions on a maritime boundary, India and Pakistan seek tech¬ nical resolution of the disputed boundary in Sir Creek estuary at the mouth of the Rann of Kutch in the Arabian Sea; Pakistani maps continue to show its Junagadh claim in Indian Gujarat State; discussions with Bangladesh remain stalled to delimit a small section of river boundary, to exchange territory for 51 Bangladeshi exclaves in India and 111 Indian exclaves in Bangladesh, to allocate divided villages, and to stop illegal cross- border trade, migration, violence, and transit of terrorists through the porous border; Bangladesh protests India’s attempts to fence off high-traffic sections of the border; dispute with Bangladesh over New Moore/South Talpatty/ Purbasha Island in the Bay of Bengal deters maritime boundary delimitation; India seeks cooperation from Bhutan and Burma to keep Indian Nagaland and Assam separatists from hiding in remote areas along the borders; Joint Border Committee with Nepal continues to examine contested boundary sections, including the 400 square kilometer dispute over the source of the Kalapani River; India maintains a strict border regime to keep out Maoist insurgents and control illegal cross-border activities from Nepal Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: refugees (country of origin): 77,200 (Tibet/China), 50,730 (Sri Lanka), 9,700 (Afghanistan) 294 INDIAN OCEAN IDPs: at least 600,000 (about half are Kashmiri Pandits from Jammu and Kashmir) (2006) Trafficking in persons: current situation: India is a source, destination, and transit country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced or bonded labor and commercial sexual exploitation; the large population of men, women, and children — numbering in the millions — in debt bondage face involun¬ tary servitude in brick kilns, rice mills, and embroidery factories, while some children endure involuntary servitude as domestic servants; internal trafficking of women and girls for the purposes of com¬ mercial sexual exploitation and forced marriage also occurs; the government esti¬ mates that 90 percent of India’s sex traf¬ ficking is internal; India is also a destination for women and girls from Nepal and Bangladesh trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploita¬ tion; boys from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh are trafficked through India to the Gulf states for involuntary servitude as child camel jockeys; Indian men and women migrate willingly to the Persian Gulf region for work as domestic servants and low-skilled laborers, but some later find themselves in situations of involun¬ tary servitude including extended working hours, nonpayment of wages, restrictions on their movement by withholding of their passports or confinement to the home, and physical or sexual abuse tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — India has been on the Tier 2 Watch List since 2004 for its failure to show evidence of increasing efforts to address trafficking in persons Illicit drugs: world’s largest producer of licit opium for the pharmaceutical trade, but an undetermined quantity of opium is diverted to illicit international drug markets; transit point for illicit narcotics produced in neighboring countries; illicit producer of methaqualone; vulnerable to narcotics money laundering through the hawala system; licit ketamine and pre¬ cursor production INDIAN OCEAN Background: The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world’s five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, but larger than the Southern Ocean and Arctic Ocean). Four critically important access waterways are the Suez Canal (Egypt), Bab el Mandeb (Djibouti- Yemen), Strait of Hormuz (Iran-Oman), and Strait of Malacca (Indonesia- Malaysia). The decision by the International Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Indian Ocean south of 60 degrees south latitude. GEOGRAPHY Location: body of water between Africa, the Southern Ocean, Asia, and Australia Geographic coordinates: 20 00 S, 80 00 E Map references: Political Map of the World Area: total: 68.556 million sq km note: includes Andaman Sea, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Flores Sea, Great Australian Bight, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Java Sea, Mozambique Channel, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Savu Sea, Strait of Malacca, Timor Sea, and other tribu¬ tary water bodies Area — comparative: about 5.5 times the size of the US Coastline: 66,526 km Climate: northeast monsoon (December to April), southwest monsoon (June to October); tropical cyclones occur during May/June and October/November in the northern Indian Ocean and January/ February in the southern Indian Ocean Terrain: surface dominated by counter¬ clockwise gyre (broad, circular system of currents) in the southern Indian Ocean; unique reversal of surface currents in the northern Indian Ocean; low atmospheric pressure over southwest Asia from hot, rising, summer air results in the south¬ west monsoon and southwest-to-north- east winds and currents, while high pressure over northern Asia from cold, falling, winter air results in the northeast monsoon and northeast-to-southwest winds and currents; ocean floor is domi¬ nated by the Mid-Indian Ocean Ridge and subdivided by the Southeast Indian Ocean Ridge, Southwest Indian Ocean Ridge, and Ninetyeast Ridge Elevation extremes: lowest point: Java Trench -7,258 m highest point: sea level 0 m Natural resources: oil and gas fields, fish, shrimp, sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules Natural hazards: occasional icebergs pose navigational hazard in southern reaches Environment — current issues: endan¬ gered marine species include the dugong, seals, turtles, and whales; oil pollution in the Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf, and Red Sea Geography — note: major chokepoints include Bab el Mandeb, Strait of Hormuz, Strait of Malacca, southern access to the Suez Canal, and the Lombok Strait ECONOMY Economy — overview: The Indian Ocean provides major sea routes con¬ necting the Middle East, Africa, and East Asia with Europe and the Americas. It carries a particularly heavy traffic of petro¬ leum and petroleum products from the oilfields of the Persian Gulf and Indonesia. Its fish are of great and growing importance to the bordering countries for domestic consumption and export. Fishing fleets from Russia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan also exploit the Indian Ocean, mainly for shrimp and tuna. Large reserves of hydrocarbons are being tapped in the offshore areas of Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, and western Australia. An esti¬ mated 40% of the world’s offshore oil pro¬ duction comes from the Indian Ocean. Beach sands rich in heavy minerals and offshore placer deposits are actively exploited by bordering countries, particu¬ larly India, South Africa, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. TRANSPORTATION Ports and terminals: Chennai (Madras; India), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Durban (South Africa), Jakarta (Indonesia), Kolkata (Calcutta; India) Melbourne (Australia), Mumbai (Bombay; India), Richards Bay (South Africa) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: some mar itime disputes (see littoral states) 295 V.i . , ; f * > /' l-5' aA/w . ■■/ ,-■ INDONESIA •;x"S;v PHitlPf •'A-r, > NORTH mam OCEAN PAPUA JPadan! Katoartfan ;Soo*«irav^\'; imow-wm A Atomic INMAN OCEAN ».*S- HM.W j 400 ten INTRODUCTION Background: The Dutch began to colo¬ nize Indonesia in the early 17th century; the islands were occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945. Indonesia declared its inde¬ pendence after Japan’s surrender, but it required four years of intermittent negoti¬ ations, recurring hostilities, and UN mediation before the Netherlands agreed to relinquish its colony. Indonesia is the world’s largest archipelagic state and home to the world’s largest Muslim popu¬ lation. Current issues include: alleviating poverty, preventing terrorism, consoli¬ dating democracy after four decades of authoritarianism, implementing financial sector reforms, stemming corruption, holding the military and police account¬ able for human rights violations, and con¬ trolling avian influenza. In 2005, Indonesia reached a historic peace agree¬ ment with armed separatists in Aceh, which led to democratic elections in December 2006. Indonesia continues to face a low intensity separatist guerilla movement in Papua. GEOGRAPHY # Location: Southeastern Asia, archi¬ pelago between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean Geographic coordinates: 5 00 S, 120 00 E Map references: Southeast Asia Area: total: 1,919,440 sq km land: 1,826,440 sq km water: 93,000 sq km Area— comparative: slightly less than three times the size of Texas Land boundaries: total: 2,830 km border countries: East Timor 228 km, Malaysia 1,782 km, Papua New Guinea 820 km Coastline: 54,716 km Maritime Claims: measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands Terrain: mostly coastal lowlands; larger islands have interior mountains Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Puncak Jaya 5,030 m Natural resources: petroleum, tin, nat¬ ural gas, nickel, timber, bauxite, copper, fertile soils, coal, gold, silver Land use: arable land: 11.03% permanent crops: 7.04% other: 81.93% (2005) Irrigated land: 45,000 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: occasional floods, severe droughts, tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanoes, forest fires Environment— current issues: defor¬ estation; water pollution from industrial wastes, sewage; air pollution in urban areas; smoke and haze from forest fires Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: archipelago of 17,508 islands (6,000 inhabited); strad¬ dles equator; strategic location astride or along major sea lanes from Indian Ocean to Pacific Ocean ' • • . «y - T v/’-v-A PEOPLE y! -■ Population: 234,693,997 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 28.7% (male 34,309,176/ female 33,148,341) 15—64 years: 65.6% (male 77,132,708/ female 76,731,481) 65 years and over: 5.7% (male 5,956,471/female 7,415,820) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 26.9 years male: 26.4 years female: 27.4 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.213% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 19.65 births/1, 000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 6.25 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -1.27 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.035 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.005 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.803 male(s)/female total population: 1.001 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 32.14 deaths/1,000 live births male: 37.39 deaths/1,000 live births female: 26.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.16 years male: 67.69 years female: 12.16 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.38 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HiV/ AIDS: 110,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 2,400 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and chikungunya are high risks in some locations note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2007) Nationality: noun: Indonesian(s) adjective: Indonesian Ethnic groups: Javanese 40.6%, Sundanese 15%, Madurese 3.3%, Minangkabau 2.7%, Betawi 2.4%, Bugis 2.4%, Banten 2%, Banjar 1.7%, other or unspecified 29.9% (2000 census) 296 INDONESIA Religions. Muslim 86.1%, Protestant 5.7%, Roman Catholic 3%, Hindu 1.8%, other or unspecified 3.4% (2000 census) Languages: Bahasa Indonesia (official, modified form of Malay), English, Dutch, local dialects (the most widely spoken of which is Javanese) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 90.4% male: 94% female: 86.8% (2004 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Indonesia conventional short form: Indonesia local long form: Republik Indonesia local short form: Indonesia former: Netherlands East Indies; Dutch East Indies Government type: republic Capital: name: Jakarta geographic coordinates: 6 10 S, 106 48 E time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: Indonesia is divided into three time zones Administrative divisions: 30 provinces (propinsi-propinsi, singular — propinsi), 2 special regions* (daerah-daerah istimewa, singular — daerah istimewa), and 1 special capital city district** (daerah khusus ibukota); Aceh*, Bali, Banten, Bengkulu, Gorontalo, Irian Jaya Barat, Jakarta Raya**, Jambi, Jawa Barat, Jawa Tengah, Jawa Timur, Kalimantan Barat, Kalimantan Selatan, Kalimantan Tengah, Kalimantan Timur, Kepulauan Bangka Belitung, Kepulauan Riau, Lampung, Maluku, Maluku Utara, Nusa Tenggara Barat, Nusa Tenggara Timur, Papua, Riau, Sulawesi Barat, Sulawesi Selatan, Sulawesi Tengah, Sulawesi Tenggara, Sulawesi Utara, Sumatera Barat, Sumatera Selatan, Sumatera Utara, Yogyakarta* note: following the implementation of decentralization beginning on 1 January 2001, the 440 districts or regencies have become the key administrative units responsible for providing most govern¬ ment services Independence: 17 August 1945 (declared); 27 December 1949 (recog¬ nized by the Netherlands) National holiday: Independence Day, 17 August (1945) Constitution: August 1945; abrogated by Federal Constitution of 1949 and Provisional Constitution of 1950, restored 5 July 1959; series of amend¬ ments concluded in 2002 Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law, substantially modified by indigenous concepts and by new criminal procedures and election codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 17 years of age; universal and married persons regardless of age Executive branch: chief of state: President Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO (since 20 October 2004); Vice President Muhammad Yusuf KALLA (since 20 October 2004); note — the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO (since 20 October 2004); Vice President Muhammad Yusuf KALLA (since 20 October 2004) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president and vice president were elected for five-year terms (eligible for a second term) by direct vote of the citizenry; last held 20 September 2004 (next to be held in 2009) election results: Susilo Bambang YUD- HOYONO elected president receiving 60.6% of vote; MEGAWATI Sukarno¬ putri received 39.4% Legislative branch: House of Repre¬ sentatives or Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat (DPR) (550 seats; members elected to serve five-year terms); House of Regional Representatives (Dewan Perwakilan Daerah or DPD), constitutionally man¬ dated role includes providing legislative input to DPR on issues affecting regions; People’s Consultative Assembly (Majelis Permusyawaratan Rakyat or MPR) has role in inaugurating and impeaching president and in amending constitution; consists of popularly-elected members in DPR and DPD; MPR does not formulate national policy elections: last held 5 April 2004 (next to be held in 2009) election results : percent of vote by party — Golkar 21.6%, PDI-P 18.5%, PKB 10.6%, PPP 8.2%, PD 7.5%, PKS 7.3%, PAN 6.4%, others 19.9%; seats by party — Golkar 128, PDI-P 109, PPP 58, PD 55, PAN 53, PKB 52, PKS 45, others 50 note: because of election rules, the number of seats won does not always follow the percentage of votes received by parties Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Mahkamah Agung (justices appointed by the president from a list of candidates approved by the legislature); a separate Constitutional Court or Mahkamah Konstitusi was invested by the president on 16 August 2003; in March 2004 the Supreme Court assumed administrative and financial responsibility for the lower court system from the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights; Labor Court under supervision of Supreme Court began functioning in January 2006 Political parties and leaders: Crescent Moon and Star Party or PBB [MS KABAN]; Democratic Party or PD [Hadi UTOMO]; Functional Groups Party or Golkar [Yusuf KALLA]; Indonesia Democratic Party-Struggle or PDI-P [MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri]; National Awakening Party or PKB [MUHAIMIN Iskander]; National Mandate Party or PAN [Sutrisno BACHIR]; Prosperous Justice Party or PKS [Tifatul SEM- BIRING]; United Development Party or PPP [Suryadharma ALI] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, CP, EAS, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PIF (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNES¬ CO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador SUD- JADNAN Pamohadiningrat chancery: 2020 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 775-5200 FAX: [1] (202) 775-5365 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d’Affaires John A. HEFFERN embassy: Jalan 1 Medan Merdeka Selatan 4'5, Jakarta 101 10 mailing address: Unit 8129, Box 1, FPO AP 96520 telephone: [62] (21) 3435-9000 FAX: [62] (21) 3435-9922 consulate(s) general: Surabaya consulate(s): Medan; Denpasar (consular agency) Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar to the flag of Monaco, which is shorter; also similar to the flag of Poland, which is white (top) and red _ ECONOMY Economy — overview: Indonesia, a vast polyglot nation, has struggled to over¬ come the Asian financial crisis, and still grapples with persistent poverty an 1 unemployment, inadequate infrastruc- 297 ture, endemic corruption, a fragile banking sector, a poor investment cli¬ mate, and unequal resource distribution among regions. The country continues the slow work of rebuilding from the dev¬ astating December 2004 tsunami and from an earthquake in central Java in May 2006 that caused over $3 billion in damage and losses. Declining oil produc¬ tion and lack of new exploration invest¬ ment turned Indonesia into a net oil importer in 2004- The cost of subsidizing domestic fuel placed increasing strain on the budget in 2005, and combined with indecisive monetary policy, contributed to a run on the currency in August, prompting the government to enact a 126% average fuel price hike in October. The resulting inflation and interest rate hikes dampened growth through mid- 2006, while large increases in rice prices pushed millions more people under the national poverty line. Economic reformers introduced three policy packages in 2006 to improve the investment climate, infra¬ structure, and the financial sector, but translating them into reality has not been easy. Keys to future growth remain internal reform, building up the conf idence of inter¬ national and domestic investors, and strong global economic growth. Significant progress has been made in rebuilding Aceh after the devastating December 2004 tsunami, and the province now shows more economic activity than before the disaster. Unfortunately, Indonesia suffered new disasters in 2006 and early 2007 in¬ cluding: a major earthquake near Yog- yakarta, an industrial accident in Sidoarjo, East Java that created a “mud volcano,” a tsunami in South Java, and major flooding in Jakarta, all of which caused additional damages in the billions of dollars. Donors are assisting Indonesia with its disaster mit¬ igation and early warning efforts. GDP (purchasing power parity): $948.3 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $264. 7 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 5.5% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $3,900 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 13.1% industry: 46% services: 41% (2006 est.) Labor force: 108.2 million (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 43.3% industry: 18% services: 38.7% (2004 est.) Unemployment rate: 12.5% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 17.8% (2006) THE Cl l A WORLD FACTBOOK Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.6% highest 10%: 28.5% (2002) Distribution of family income— Gim index: 34.8 (2004) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 13.2% .(2006 est,) Investment (gross fixed): '20.3% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $75.58 billion expenditures: $79.45 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 43.8% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: rice, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, rubber, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, copra; poultry, beef, pork, eggs Industries: petroleum and natural gas, textiles, apparel, footwear, mining, cement, chemical fertilizers, plywood, rubber, food, tourism Industrial production growth rate: 2.6% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 123.4 billion kWh (2005 est.) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 86.9% hydro: 10.5% nuclear: 0% other: 2.6% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 107.7 billion kWh (2005 est.) Electricity— exports: OkWh (2005 est.) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2005 est.) 0*1— production: 1.136 million bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— consumption: 1.168 million bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil — exports: 474,000 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— imports: 424,000 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— proved reserves: 4.85 billion bbl (2006 est.) Natural gas— production: 76 billion cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 39.4 billion cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas— exports: 36.29 billion cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas— imports: 0 cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 2.76 trillion cu m (31 December 2005 est.) Current account balance: $1,636 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $102.3 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodifies: oil and gas, electrical appliances, plywood, textiles, rubber Exports— partners: Japan 21.1%, US 11.5%, Singapore 9.2%, South Korea 8.3%, China 7.8%, Malaysia 4% (2005) Imports: $77.73 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — Commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs imports— partners: Singapore 16.4%, Japan 12%, China 10.1%, US 6.7%, Thailand 6%, South Korea 5%, Saudi Arabia 4-7%, Australia 4.4% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $43.04 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $130.4 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: ODA, $67 billion (2006 est.) note; Indonesia ended 2006 with $67 bil¬ lion in official foreign debt (about 25% of GDP), with Japan ($25 billion), the World Bank ($8.5 billion) and the Asian Development Bank ($8.4 billion) as the largest creditors; about $6 billion in grant assistance was pledged to rebuild Aceh after the December 2004 tsunami; President YUDHYONO ended the Consultative Group on Indonesia forum in January 2007 Currency (code): Indonesian rupiah (IDR) Currency code: IDR Exchange rates: Indonesian rupiah per US dollar— 9,159.3 (2006), 9,704.7 (2005), 8,938.9 (2004), 8,577.1 (2003), 9,311.2 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year T ^ COMMUNICATIONS ~ §& Telephones— main lines in use: 12.772 million (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 46.91 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: domestic service fair, international service good domestic: interisland microwave system and HF radio police net; domestic satel¬ lite communications system international: country code — 62; satellite earth stations — 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 678, FM 43, shortwave 82 (1998) Radios: 31.5 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 54 local d V stations ( 1 1 national TV' networks; each with their own group of local trans¬ mitters) (2006) Televisions: 13.75 million (1997) Internet country code: id Internet hosts: 170,834 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 24 (2000) Internet users: 16 million (2005) * TRANSPORTATION ^ Airports: 662 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 159 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 15 l ,524 to 2,437 m: 49 914 to 1 ,523 m: 49 under 914 m: 42 (2006) 298 IRAN Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 503 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1 ,523 m: 26 under 914 m: 471 (2006) Heliports: 23 (2006) Pipelines: condensate 944 km; coriden- sate/gas 135 km; gas 9,175 km; oil 7,684 km; oil/gas/water 89 km; refined products 1,367 km (2006) Railways: total: 6,458 km narrow gauge: 5,961 km 1.067-m gauge (125 km electrified); 497 km 0.750-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 368,360 km paved: 213,649 km unpaved: 154,711 km (2002) Waterways: 21,579 km (2005) Merchant marine: total: 824 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3, 773,771 GRT/4,887,614 DWT by type: bulk carrier 43, cargo 451, chem¬ ical tanker 21, container 50, liquefied gas 7, livestock carrier 1, passenger 41, pas- senger/cargo 58, petroleum tanker 132, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 12, specialized tanker 4, vehicle carrier 2 foreign-'owned: 30 (France 1, Germany 1, Japan 3, South Korea 1, Norway 1, Philippines 1, Singapore 17, Switzerland 3, UK 2) registered in other countries: 122 (Bahamas 4, Belize 2, Bermuda 1, Cambodia 1, Georgia 1, Hong Kong 4, Liberia 1, Panama 50, Singapore 56, Thailand 1, unknown 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Ranjarmasin, Belawan, Ciwandan, Krueg Geukueh, Palembang, Panjang, Sungai Pakning, Tanjung Perak, Tanjung Priok Military branches: Indonesian Armed Forces (Tentara Nasional Indonesia, TNI): Army (TNI-AD), Navy (TNI-AL, includes marines, naval air arm), Air Force (TNI-AU) note: the TNI is directly subordinate to the president but the government is making efforts to incorporate it into the Department of Defense Military service age and obligation; 18 years of age for compulsory arid voluntary military service; conscript service obliga¬ tion — 2 years (2002) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 60,543,028 females age 1 8 — 49 : 59,981,730 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 48,687,234 females age 18-49: 50,252,911 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 2,201,047 females age 18—4 9: 2,139,573 (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of OOP: 3% (2005 est.) Disputes — international: Indonesia has a stated foreign policy objective of estab¬ lishing stable fixed land and maritime boundaries with all of its neighbors; East Timor-Indonesia Boundary Committee has resolved all but a small portion of the land boundary, but discussions on mar¬ itime boundaries are stalemated over sovereignty of the uninhabited coral island of Pulau Batek/Fatu Sinai in the north and alignment with Australian claims in the south; many East Timorese refugees who left in 2003 still reside in Indonesia and refuse repatriation; a 1997 treaty between Indonesia and Australia settled some parts of their maritime boundary but outstanding issues remain; ICJ’s award of Sipadan and Ligitan islands to Malaysia in 2002 left the sov¬ ereignty of Unarang rock and the mar¬ itime boundary in the Ambalat oil block in the Celebes Sea in dispute; the ICJ decision has prompted Indonesia to assert claims to and to establish a pres¬ ence on its smaller outer islands; Indonesia and Singapore continue to work on finalization of their 1973 mar¬ itime boundary agreement by defining unresolved areas north of Indonesia’s Batam Island; Indonesian secessionists, squatters, and illegal migrants create repatriation problems for Papua New Guinea; piracy remains a problem in the Malacca Strait; maritime delimitation talks continue with Palau; Indonesian groups challenge Australia’s claim to Ashmore Reef; Australia has closed parts of the Ashmore and Cartier Reserve to Indonesian traditional fishing and placed , restrictions on certain catches Refugees and infernally displaced per¬ sons: IDPs: 200,000-350,000 (govern¬ ment offensives against rebels in Aceh; most IDPs in Aceh, Central Kalimantan, Central Sulawesi Provinces, and Maluku), 300,000 (December 2006 floods in Aceh regions) (2006) Trafficking SO persons: current situation: Indonesia is a source, transit, and desti¬ nation country for women, children and men trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labor; Indonesian victims are trafficked to Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore; a significant number of Indonesian women who go overseas each year to work as domestic servants or “cultural performers’’ are sub¬ jected to conditions of involuntary servi¬ tude and commercial sexual exploitation; to a minimal extent, Indonesia is a destination for women from East Asia, Europe, and South America who are trafficked for sexual exploitation; there is extensive traf¬ ficking within Indonesia from rural to urban metropolitan areas particularly for sexual exploitation and involuntary domestic servitude tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Indonesia is placed on the Tier 2 Watch List, for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis largely for domestic use; producer of methamphetamme and ecstasy Background: Known as Persia until 1935, Iran became an Islamic republic in 1979 after the ruling monarchy was over¬ thrown and the shah was forced into exile. Conservative clerical forces estab¬ lished a theocratic system of government with ultimate political authority vested in a learned religious scholar referred to commonly as the Supreme Leader who, according to the constitution, is accountable only to the Assembly of Experts. Iranian -US relations have been strained since a group of Iranian students seized the US Embassy in Tehran on 4 November 1979 and held it until 20 January 1981. During 1980-88, Iran fought a bloody, indecisive war with Iraq that eventually expanded into the Persian Gulf and led to clashes between US Navy and Iranian military forces between 1987 and 1988. Iran has been designated a state sponsor of terrorism for its activities in Lebanon and elsewhere in the world and remains subject to US economic sanctions and export controls because of its continued involvement. Following the election of the reformist Hojjat ol-Eslam Mohammad KHATAMI as . president in 1997 and similarly a reformist Majles (parliament) in 2000, a campaign to foster political reform in 299 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK response to popular dissatisfaction was initiated. The movement floundered as conservative politicians prevented reform measures from being enacted, increased repressive measures, and made electoral gains against reformers. Starting with nationwide municipal elections in 2003 and continuing through Majles elections in 2004, conservatives reestablished con- trol over Iran’s elected government insti- tutions, which culminated with the August 2005 inauguration of an ultra- conservative layman as president. GEOGRAPHY Location: Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan Geographic coordinates: 32 00 N, 53 00 E Map references: Middle East Area: total: 1.648 million sq km land: 1.636 million sq km water: 12,000 sq km Area— comparative: slightly larg er than Alaska Land boundaries: total: 5,440 km border countries: Afghanistan 936 km, Armenia 35 km, Azerbaijan-proper 432 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave 179 km, Iraq 1,458 km, Pakistan 909 km, Turkey 499 km, Turkmenistan 992 km Coastline: 2,440 km; note — Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km) Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: bilateral agree¬ ments or median lines in the Persian Gulf continental shelf: natural prolongation Climate: mostly arid or semiarid, sub¬ tropical along Caspian coast Terrain: rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m highest point: Kuh-e Damavand 5,671 m Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur Land use: arable land: 9.78% permanent crops : 1.29% other: 88.93% (2005) Irrigated land: 76,500 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earth¬ quakes Environment — current issues: air pollu¬ tion, especially in urban areas, from vehicle emissions, refinery operations, and industrial effluents; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; oil pollution in the Persian Gulf; wetland losses from drought; soil degradation (salination); inadequate supplies of potable water; water pollution from raw sewage and industrial waste; urbanization Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation Geography — note: strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, which are vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport PEOPLE Population: 65,397,521 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 23.2% (male 7,783,794/ female 7,385,721) 15-64 years: 71.4% (male 23,636,88 3/ female 23,088,934) 65 years and over: 5.4% (male 1,701,727/ female 1,800,462) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 25.8 years male: 25.6 years female: 26 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.663% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 16.57 births/1, 000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 5.65 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -4.29 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.054 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.024 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.945 male(s)/female total population: 1.026 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 38.12 deaths/1,000 live births male: 38.29 deaths/1,000 live births female: 37.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.56 years male: 69.12 years female: 72.07 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1 .71 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 31,000 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 800 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Iranian(s) adjective: Iranian Ethnic groups: Persian 51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab 3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1% Religions: Muslim 98% (Shi’a 89%, Sunni 9%), other (includes Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha’i) 2% Languages: Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2% Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 77% male: 83.5% female: 70.4% (2002 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Iran conventional short form: Iran local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran local short form: Iran former: Persia Government type: theocratic republic Capital: name: Tehran geographic coordinates: 35 40 N, 51 26 E time difference: UTC+3.5 (8.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 30 provinces (ostanha, singular — ostan); Ardabil, Azarbayjan-e Gharbi, Azarbayjan-e Sharqi, Bushehr, Chahar Mahall va Bakhtiari, Esfahan, Fars, Gilan, Golestan, Hamadan, Hormozgan, Ilam, Kerman, Kermanshah, Khorasan-e Janubi, Khorasan-e Razavi, Khorasan-e Shemali, Khuzestan, Kohgiluyeh va Buyer Ahmad, Kordestan, Lorestan, Markazi, Mazandaran, Qazvin, Qom, Semnan, Sistan va Baluchestan, Tehran, Yazd, Zanjan 300 IRAN Independence: 1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed) National holiday: Republic Day, 1 April (1979) Constitution: 2-3 December 1979; revised 1989 to expand powers of the presidency and eliminate the prime ministership Legal system: the Constitution codifies Islamic principles of government Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Supreme Leader Ali Hoseini- KHAMENEI (since 4 June 1989) head of government: President Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD (since 3 August 2005); First Vice President Parviz DAVUDI (since 11 September 2005) cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president with legislative approval; the Supreme Leader has some control over appointments to the more sensitive ministries note: also considered part of the Executive branch of government are three oversight bodies: 1) Assembly of Experts, a popularly elected body of 86 religious scholars constitutionally charged with determining the succession of the Supreme Leader — based on his qualifications in the field of jurispru¬ dence and commitment to the principles of the revolution, reviewing his perform¬ ance, and deposing him if deemed neces¬ sary; 2) Expediency Council or the Council for the Discernment of Expediency, is a policy advisory and implementation board consisting of per¬ manent members, who number over 40 and represent all major government fac¬ tions and include the heads of the three branches of government, and the clerical members of the Council of Guardians (see next); permanent members are appointed by the Supreme Leader for five-year terms; temporary members, including Cabinet members and Majles committee chairmen, are selected when issues under their jurisdiction come before the Expediency Council; the Expediency Council exerts supervisory authority over the executive, judicial, and legislative branches and resolves leg¬ islative issues on which the Majles and the Council of Guardians disagree and since 1989 has been used to advise national religious leaders on matters of national policy; in 2005 the Council’s powers were expanded, at least on paper, to act as a supervisory body for the gov¬ ernment; 3) Council of Guardians of the Constitution or Council of Guardians or Guardians Council is a 12-member board made up of six clerics chosen by the Supreme Leader and six jurists selected by the Majles from a list of candidates recommended by the judiciary (which in turn is controlled by the Supreme Leader) for six-year terms; this Council determines whether proposed legislation is both constitutional and faithful to Islamic law, vets candidates for suitability, and supervises national elections elections: Supreme Leader appointed for life by the Assembly of Experts; Assembly of Experts elected by popular vote for an eight-year term; last election held 15 December 2006 concurrently with munic¬ ipal elections; president elected by popular vote for a four- year term (eligible for a second term and third nonconsecutive term); last held 17 June 2005 with a two- candidate runoff on 24 June 2005 (next presidential election slated for 2009) election results: Mahmud AHMADI- NEJAD elected president; percent of vote — Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD 62%, Ali Akbar Hashemi-RAFSAN- JANI 36% Legislative branch: unicameral Islamic Consultative Assembly or Majles-e- Shura-ye-Eslami or Majles (290 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 20 February 2004 with a runoff held 7 May 2004 (next to be held in February 2008) election results: percent of vote — NA; seats by party — conservatives/Islamists 190, reformers 50, independents 43, reli¬ gious minorities 5, and 2 seats unac¬ counted for Judicial branch: The Supreme Court and the four-member High Council of the Judiciary have a single head and overlapping responsibilities; together they supervise the enforcement of all laws and establish judicial and legal poli¬ cies; lower courts include a special cler¬ ical court, a revolutionary court, and a special administrative court Political parties and leaders: formal political parties are a relatively new phe¬ nomenon in Iran and most conservatives still prefer to work through political pres¬ sure groups rather than parties, and often political parties or groups are formed prior to elections and disbanded soon thereafter; a loose pro-reform coalition called the 2nd Khordad Front, which includes political parties as well as less formal pressure groups and organizations, achieved considerable success at elec¬ tions to the sixth Majles in early 2000; groups in the coalition include: Islamic Iran Participation Front (IIPF), Executives of Construction Party (Kargozaran), Solidarity Party, Islamic Labor Party, Mardom Salari, Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution Organization (MIRO), and Militant Clerics Society (Ruhaniyun); the coalition participated in the seventh Majles elections in early 2004; following his defeat in the 2005 presidential elections, former MCS Secretary General Mehdi KARUBI formed the National Trust Party; a new apparently conservative group, the Builders of Islamic Iran, took a leading position in the new Majles after winning a majority of the seats in February 2004 Political pressure groups and leaders: the Islamic Revolutionary Party (IRP) was Iran’s sole political party until its dis¬ solution in 1987; Iran now has a variety of groups engaged in political activity; some are oriented along political lines or based on an identity group; others are more akin to professional political parties seeking members and recommending candidates for office; some are active par¬ ticipants in the Revolution’s political life while others reject the state; political pressure groups conduct most of Iran’s political activities; groups that generally support the Islamic Republic include Ansar-e Hizballah, Muslim Students Following the Line of the Imam, Tehran Militant Clergy Association (Ruhan- iyat), Islamic Coalition Party (Mota- lefeh), and Islamic Engineers Society; active pro-reform student groups include the Office of Strengthening Unity (OSU); opposition groups include Freedom Movement of Iran, the National Front, Marz-e Por Gohar, and various ethnic and Monarchist organiza¬ tions; armed political groups that have been repressed by the government include Mujahidin-e Khalq Organization (MEK or MKO), People’s Fedayeen, Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (KDPI), and Komala International organization participa¬ tion: ABEDA, CP, ECO, FAO, G-15, G- 24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, SCO (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) Diplomatic representation in the US: none; note — Iran has an Interests Section in the Pakistani Embassy; address: Iranian Interests Section, Pakistani Embassy, 2209 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007, telephone: [1] (202) 965-4990; FAX [1] (202) 965-107 3 Diplomatic representation from the US: none; note — the American Interests Section is located in the Swiss Embassy 301 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK compound at Africa Avenue, West Farzan Street, number 59, Tehran, Iran; telephone 021 8878 2964 or 021 8879 2364; FAX 021 8877 3265 Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red; the national emblem (a stylized representa- tion of the word Allah in the shape of a tulip, a symbol of martyrdom) in red is centered in the white band; ALLAH AKBAR (God is Great) in white Arabic script is repeated 11 times along the bottom edge of the green band and 11 times along the top edge of the red band ECONOMY Economy — overview: Iran’s economy is marked by a bloated, inefficient state sector, over reliance on the oil sector, and statist policies that create major dis¬ tortions throughout. Most economic activity is controlled by the state. Private sector activity is typically small-scale workshops, farming, and services. President Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD has continued to follow the market reform plans of former President RAF- SANJANI, with limited progress. Relatively high oil prices in recent years have enabled Iran to amass nearly $60 billion in foreign exchange reserves, but have not eased economic hardships such as high unemployment and inflation. The proportion of the economy devoted to the development of weapons of mass destruction remains a contentious issue with leading Western nations. GDP (purchasing power parity): $599.2 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $193.5 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 4.3% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $8,700 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 11.2% industry: 41.7% services: 47.1% (2006 est.) Labor force: 24.36 million note: shortage of skilled labor (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 30% industry: 25% services: 45% (2001 est.) Unemployment rate: 15% according to the Iranian government (2007 est.) Population below poverty line: 40% (2002 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Distribution of family income— Gini index: 43 (1998) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 15.8% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 30% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues : $104.6 billion expenditures: $100.6 billion; including capital expenditures of $7.6 billion (2006 est.) Public debt: 25.3% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: wheat, rice, other grains, sugar beets, fruits, nuts, cotton; dairy products, wool; caviar Industries: petroleum, petrochemicals, fertilizers, caustic soda, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining and vegetable oil production), ferrous and non-ferrous metal fabrication, armaments Industrial production growth rate: 3.2% excluding oil (2006 est.) Electricity — production: 155.7 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 97.1% hydro: 2.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 145.1 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 1.837 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 2.17 billion kWh (2004) Oil — production: 3.979 million bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— consumption: 1.51 million bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: 2.5 million bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Oil— proved reserves: 132.5 billion bbl based on Iranian claims (2006 est.) Natural gas— production: 83.9 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 85.54 bil¬ lion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 3.56 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 5.2 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 26.62 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $13.13 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $63.18 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical prod¬ ucts, fruits and nuts, carpets Exports— partners: Japan 16.9%, China 11.2%, Italy 6%, South Korea 5.8%, Turkey 5.7%, Netherlands 4.6%, France 4.4%, South Africa 4-1%, Taiwan 4.1% (2005) imports: $45.48 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: industrial raw materials and intermediate goods, capital goods, foodstuffs and other consumer goods, technical services, military supplies Imports — partners: Germany 13.9%, UAE 8.4%, China 8.3%, Italy 7.1%, France 6.3%, South Korea 5.4%, Russia 4.9% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $58.46 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $14.8 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid — recipient: $408 million (2002 est.) Currency (code): Iranian rial (IRR) Currency code: IRR Exchange rates: rials per US dollar — 9,227.1 (2006), 8,964 (2005), 8,614 (2004), 8,193.9 (2003), 6,907 (2002) note: Iran has been using a managed floating exchange rate regime since uni¬ fying multiple exchange rates in March 2002 Fiscal year: 21 March— 20 March COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 18.986 million (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 8.5 mil¬ lion (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: inadequate, but cur¬ rently being modernized and expanded with the goal of not only improving the efficiency and increasing the volume of the urban service but also bringing tele¬ phone service to several thousand vil¬ lages, not presently connected domestic: the addition of new fiber cables and modern switching and exchange sys¬ tems installed by Iran’s state-owned telecom company have improved and expanded the main line network greatly; main line availability has more than dou¬ bled to 19 million lines since 1995; addi¬ tionally, mobile service has increased dramatically serving some 8.5 million subscribers in 2005 international: country code — 98; HF radio and microwave radio relay to Turkey, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Afghanis¬ tan, Turkmenistan, Syria, Kuwait, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan; submarine fiber-optic cable to UAE with access to Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG); Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line runs from Azerbaijan through the northern portion of Iran to Turkmenistan with expansion to Georgia and Azerbaijan; satellite earth stations — 9 Intelsat and 4 Inmarsat (2006) Radio broadcast stations: AM 72, FM 5, shortwave 5 (1998) Radios: 17 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 28 (plus 450 repeaters) (1997) Televisions: 4.61 million (1997) internet country code: ir Internet hosts: 5,242 (2006) 302 IRAQ Internet Service Providers (ISPs)- 100 (2002) Internet users: 7.5 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 321 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 129 over 3,047 m: 41 2,438 to 3,047 m: 26 l ,524 to 2,437 m: 25 914 to 1 ,523 m: 31 under 914 m: 6 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 192 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 140 under 914 m: 43 (2006) Heliports: 15 (2006) Pipelines: condensate 7 km; conden- sate/gas 397 km; gas 17,099 km; liquid petroleum gas 570 km; oil 8,521 km; refined products 7,808 km (2006) Railways: total: 7,256 km broad gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gauge standard gauge: 7,162 km 1.435-m gauge (186 km electrified) (2005) Roadways: total: 179,388 km paved: 120,782 km (includes 878 km of expressways) unpaved: 58,606 km (2003) Waterways: 850 km (on Karun River; additional service on Lake Urmia) (2006) Merchant marine: total: 141 ships (1000 GRT or over) 5,086,702 GRT/8,878,829 DWT by type: bulk carrier 39, cargo 45, chem¬ ical tanker 4, container 12, liquefied gas 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 6, petro¬ leum tanker 30, roll on/roll off 3 foreign-owned: 1 (UAE 1) registered in other countries: 22 (Bolivia 1, Cyprus 2, Malta 14, Panama 4, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Assaluyeh, Bushehr Military branches: Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces (Artesh): Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force of the Military of the Islamic Republic of Iran (Niru-ye Hava’i-ye Artesh-e Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran; includes air defense); Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (Sepah-e Pasdaran-e Enqelab-e Eslami, IRGC): Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Qods Force (special operations), and Basij Force (Popular Mobilization Army); Law Enforcement Forces (2007) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age for volunteers; soldiers as young as 9 were recruited extensively during the Iran-Iraq War; conscript service obligation — 18 months (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 18,319,545 females age 18^9: 17,541,037 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 1 8 — 49 : 15,665,725 females age 18-49: 15,005,597 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age i 8 — 49: 862,056 females age 18-49: 808,044 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 2.5% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: Iran protests Afghanistan’s limiting flow of dammed tributaries to the Helmand River in periods of drought; Iraq’s lack of a mar¬ itime boundary with Iran prompts juris¬ diction disputes beyond the mouth of the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf; Iran and UAE dispute Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island, which are occupied by Iran; Iran stands alone among littoral states in insisting upon a division of the Caspian Sea into five equal sectors Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: refugees (country of origin): 662,355 (Afghanistan), 54,000 (Iraq) (2006) Trafficking in persons: current situation: Iran is a source, transit, and destination country for women and girls trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation and involuntary servitude; according to foreign observers, women and girls are trafficked to Pakistan, Turkey, the Persian Gulf, and Europe for sexual exploitation, while boys from Bangla¬ desh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan are traf¬ ficked through Iran en route to Persian Gulf states where they are ultimately forced to work as camel jockeys, beggars, or laborers; Afghan women and girls are trafficked to the country for forced mar¬ riages and sexual exploitation; women and children are also trafficked internally for the purposes of forced marriage, sexual exploitation, and involuntary servitude tier rating: Tier 3 — Iran is downgraded to Tier 3 after persistent, credible reports of Iranian authorities punishing victims of trafficking with beatings, imprisonment, and execution Illicit drugs*, despite substantial interdic¬ tion efforts, Iran remains a key transship¬ ment point for Southwest Asian heroin to Europe; highest percentage of the pop¬ ulation in the world using opiates; lacks anti-money-laundering laws INTRODUCTION Background: Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq was occupied by Britain during the course of World War I; in 1920, it was declared a League of Nations mandate under UK administration. In stages over the next dozen years, Iraq attained its independence as a kingdom in 1932. A “republic” was proclaimed in 1958, but in actuality a series of military strongmen ruled the country until 2003, the last was SADDAM Husayn. Territorial disputes with Iran led to an inconclusive and costly eight-year war (1980-88). In August 1990, Iraq seized Kuwait, but was expelled by US-led, UN coalition forces during the Gulf War of January-February IRAQ 1991. Following Kuwait’s liberation, the UN Security Council (UNSC) required Iraq to scrap all weapons of mass destruc¬ tion and long-range missiles and to allow UN verification inspections. Continued Iraqi noncompliance with UNSC resolu¬ tions over a period of 12 years led to the US-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003 and the ouster of the SADDAM Husayn regime. Coalition forces remain in Iraq under a UNSC mandate, helping to pro¬ vide security and to support the freely elected government. The Coalition Provisional Authority, which temporarily administered Iraq after the invasion, trans¬ ferred full governmental authority on 28 June 2004 to the Iraqi Interim Govern¬ ment, which governed under the Tran¬ sitional Administrative Law for Iraq (TAL). Under the TAL, elections for a 275-member Transitional National Assembly (TNA) were held in Iraq on 30 January 2005. Following these elections, the Iraqi Transitional Government (ITG) assumed office. The TNA was charged with drafting Iraq’s permanent constitu¬ tion, which was approved in a 15 October 2005 constitutional referendum. An elec¬ tion under the constitution for a 275- member Council of Representatives (CoR) was held on 15 December 2005. The CoR approval in the selection of most of the cabinet ministers on 20 May 2006 marked the transition from the ITG to Iraq’s first constitutional government in nearly a half-century. 303 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK GEOGRAPHY Location: Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait Geographic coordinates: 33 00 N, 44 00 E Map references: Middle East Area: total: 437,072 sq km land: 432,162 sq km water: 4,910 sq km Area — comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Idaho Land boundaries: total: 3,650 km border countries: Iran 1,458 km, Jordan 181 km, Kuwait 240 km, Saudi Arabia 814 km, Syria 605 km, Turkey 352 km Coastline: 58 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: not specified Climate: mostly desert; mild to cool win' ters with dry, hot, cloudless summers; northern mountainous regions along Iranian and Turkish borders experience cold winters with occasionally heavy snows that melt in early spring, some- times causing extensive flooding in cen- tral and southern Iraq Terrain: mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in south with large flooded areas; mountains along borders with Iran and Turkey Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: unnamed peak; 3,611 m; note — this peak is not Gundah Zhur 3,607 m or Kuh-e HajjbEbrahim 3,595 m Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur Land use: arable land: 13.12% permanent crops: 0.61% other: 86.27% (2005) Irrigated land: 35,250 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: dust storms, sand' storms, floods Environment — current issues: govern ment water control projects have drained most of the inhabited marsh areas east of An Nasiriyah by drying up or diverting the feeder streams and rivers; a once sizable population of Marsh Arabs, who inhabited these areas for thousands of years, has been displaced; furthermore, the destmction of the natural habitat poses serious threats to the areas wildlife populations; inadequate supplies of potable water; development of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers system con- tingent upon agreements with upstream riparian Turkey; air and water pollution; soil degradation (salination) and erosion; desertification Environment — international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification Geography — note: strategic location on Shatt al Arab waterway and at the head of the Persian Gulf PEOPLE Population: 27,499,638 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 39.4% (male 5,509,736/ female 5,338,722) 15-64 years: 57.6% (male 8,018,841/ female 7,812,611) 65 years and over: 3% (male 386,321/ female 433,407) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 20 years male: 19.9 years female: 20 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.618% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 31.44 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 5.26 deaths/1,000 popula' tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.032 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.026 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.891 male(s)/female total population: 1.024 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 47.04 deaths/1,000 live births male: 52.73 deaths/1,000 live births female: 41.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 69.31 years male: 68.04 years female: 70.65 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 4.07 children bom/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: less than 500 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Iraqi(s) adjective: Iraqi Ethnic groups: Arab 75%— 80%, Kurdish 15% — 20%, Turkoman, Assyrian or other 5% Religions: Muslim 97% (Shi’a 60%- 65%, Sunni 32%— 37%), Christian or other 3% Languages: Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Assyrian, Armenian Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 74-1% male: 84-1% female: 64-2% (2000 est.) GOVERNMENT ' .* _ • _ | _ . _ - _ Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Iraq conventional short form: Iraq local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyah local short form: Al Iraq Government type: parliamentary democracy Capital: name: Baghdad geographic coordinates: 3321N, 44 25E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins 1 April; ends 1 October Administrative divisions: 18 govemorates (muhafazat, singular — muhafazah); Al Anbar, Al Basrah, Al Muthanna, Al Qadisiyah, An Najaf, Arbil, As Sulaymaniyah, At Ta’mim, Babil, Baghdad, Dahuk, Dhi Qar, Diyala, Karbala’, Maysan, Ninawa, Salah ad Din, Wasit Independence: 3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration); note— on 28 June 2004 the Coalition Provisional Authority transferred sovereignty to the Iraqi Interim Government National holiday: Revolution Day, 17 July (1968); note— this holiday was cele¬ brated under the SADDAM Husayn regime; the Government of Iraq has yet to declare a new national holiday Constitution: ratified on 15 October 2005 (subject to review by the Constitu¬ tional Review Committee and a possible public referendum in 2007) Legal system: based on European civil and Islamic law under the framework outlined in the Iraqi Constitution Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Jalal TALABANI (since 6 April 2005); Vice Presidents Adil ABD AL-MAHDI and Tanq al- HASHIMI (since 22 April 2006); note — the president and vice presidents comprise the Presidency Council) 304 IRAQ head of government: Prime Minister Nuri aPMALIKI (since 20 May 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers Barham SALIH and Salam aLZUBAI (since 20 May 2006) cabinet: 37 ministers appointed by the Presidency Council, plus Prime Minister Nuri aPMALIKI, and Deputy Prime Ministers Barham SALIH and Salam ah ZUBAI elections: held 15 December 2005 to elect a 275'member Council of Representatives Legislative branch: bicameral Council of Representatives (consisting of 275 members elected by a closed-list, propor¬ tional representation system) and a Federation Council (membership not established and authorities undefined) elections: held 15 December 2005 to elect a 275-member Council of Representatives; the Council of Representatives elected the Presidency Council and approved the Prime Minister election results: Council of Represent¬ atives — percent of vote by party — Unified Iraqi Alliance 41%, Kurdistan Alliance 22%, Tawafuq Coalition 15%, Iraqi National List 8%, Iraqi Front for National Dialogue 4%, other 10%; number of seats by party — Unified Iraqi Alliance 128, Kurdistan Alliance 53, Tawafuq Coalition 44, Iraqi National List 25, Iraqi Front for National Dialogue 11, other 14 Judicial branch: the Iraq Constitution calls for the Federal Judicial Authority, comprised of the Higher Juridical Council, Supreme Federal Court, Federal Court of Cassation, Public Prosecution Department, Judiciary Oversight Com¬ mission and other federal courts that are regulated in accordance with the law Political parties and leaders: Assyrian Democratic Movement [Yunadim KANNAj; Badr Organization [Hadi al- AMIRI]; Constitutional Monarchy Movement or CMM [Sharif Ali Bin al- HUSAYN]; Da’wa al-Islamiyya Party [Ibrahim al-JA’FARI]; General Conference of Iraqi People [Adnan al- DULAYMI]; Independent Iraqi Alliance or II A [Falah aPNAQIB]; Iraqi Communist Party [Hamid al-MUSAJ; Iraqi Front for National Dialogue [Salih al-MUTLAQj; Iraqi Hizballah [Karim Mahmud al-MUHAMMADAWI]; Iraqi Independent Democrats or IID [Adnan PACHACHI, Mahdi al-HAFIZ]; Iraqi Islamic Party or IIP [Tariq al- HASHIMI]; Iraqi National Accord or INA [Ayad ALLAWI]; Iraqi National Congress or INC [Ahmad CHALABI]; Iraqi National Council for Dialogue or INCD [Khalaf Ulayan al-Khalifawi al- DULAYMI]; Iraqi National Unity Movement or INUM [Ahmad al- KUBAYSI]; Islamic Action Organization or IAO [Ayatollah Muhammad al- MUDARRISI]; Jama’at al Fadilah or JAF [Muhammad Ali al-YAQUBI]; Kurdistan Democratic Party or KDP [Masud BARZANI]; Kurdistan Islamic Union [Salah ad-Din Muhammad BAHA al- DIN] ; National Reconciliation and Liberation Party [Mishan al-JABBURI]; Patriotic Union of Kurdistan or PUK [Jalal TALABANI]; Sadrist Trend [Muqtada al-SADR] (not an organized political party, but it fields independent candidates affiliated with Muqtada al- SADR); Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq or SCIRI [Abd al-Aziz al-HAKIM] note: the Kurdistan Alliance, Iraqi National List, Tawafuq Coalition, Iraqi Front for National Dialogue, and Unified Iraqi Alliance were only electoral slates consisting of the representatives from the various Iraqi political parties Political pressure groups and leaders: an insurgency against the Government of Iraq and Coalition forces is primarily concentrated in Baghdad and in areas north, northeast, and west of the capital; the diverse, multigroup insurgency con¬ sists principally of Sunni Arabs whose only common denominator is a shared desire to oust the Coalition and end US influence in Iraq; a number of predomi¬ nantly Shia militias, some associated with political parties, challenge govern¬ mental authority in Baghdad and southern Iraq International organization participa¬ tion: ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Samir Shakir al-SUMAYDI chancery: 1801 P Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 483-7500 FAX: [1] (202) 462-5066 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ryan C. CROCKER embassy: Baghdad mailing address: APO AE 09316 telephone: 00-1-240-553-0584 ext. 5340 or 5635; note — Consular Section FAX: NA Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with three green five-pointed stars in a hori¬ zontal line centered in the white band; the phrase ALLAHU AKBAR (God is Great) in green Arabic script — Allahu to the right of the middle star and Akbar to the left of the middle star — was added in January 1991 during the Persian Gulf crisis; similar to the flag of Syria, which has two stars but no script, Yemen, which has a plain white band, and that of Egypt which has a gold Eagle of Saladin cen¬ tered in the white band; design is based upon the Arab Liberation colors ECONOMY Economy — overview: Iraq ’s economy is dominated by the oil sector, which has traditionally provided about 95% of for¬ eign exchange earnings. Iraq’s seizure of Kuwait in August 1990, subsequent international economic sanctions, and damage from military action by an inter¬ national coalition beginning in January 1991 drastically reduced economic activity. Although government policies supporting large military and internal security forces and allocating resources to key supporters of the regime hurt the economy, implementation of the UN’s oil-for-food program, which began in December 1996, helped improve condi¬ tions for the average Iraqi citizen. Iraq was allowed to export limited amounts of oil in exchange for food, medicine, and some infrastructure spare parts. In December 1999, the UN Security Council authorized Iraq to export under the program as much oil as required to meet humanitarian needs. The military victory of the US-led coalition in March-April 2003 resulted in the shut¬ down of much of the central economic administrative structure. Although a comparatively small amount of capital plant was damaged during the hostilities, looting, insurgent attacks, and sabotage have undermined efforts to rebuild the economy. Attacks on key economic facilities — especially oil pipelines and infrastructure — have prevented Iraq from reaching projected export volumes, but total government revenues have been higher than anticipated due to high oil prices. Despite political uncertainty, Iraq is making some progress in building the institutions needed to implement economic policy and has negotiated a debt reduction agreement with the Paris Club and a Standby Arrangement with the IMF. An International Compact with Iraq is being established to integrate. Iraq into the regional and global economy, while recognizing the need to resolve destabilizing security and polit¬ ical conflicts. Additionally, the Iraqi government is seeking to pass law 305 strengthen the economy; this legislation includes a hydrocarbon law to encourage contracting with foreign investors and a revenue sharing law to equitably divide oil revenues within the nation. Controlling inflation, reducing corrup' tion, and implementing structural reforms such as bank restructuring and developing the private sector, will be key to Iraq’s economic prospects. GDP (purchasing power parity): $87.9 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $40 66 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 2.4% (2006 est,), GDP— per capita (PPP): $2,900 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 7.3% industry: 66.6% services: 26.1% (2004 est.) Labor force: 7.4 million (2004 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% Unemployment rate: 25% to 30% (2005, est.) Population below poverty Sine: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 64.8% (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $33.4 billion expenditures: $41 billion (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, cotton; cattle, sheep, poultry Industries: petroleum, chemicals, tex¬ tiles, leather, construction materials, food processing, fertilizer, metal fabrica- tion/p, recessing Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity— production: 34.6 billion kWh (2006) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 98.4% hydro: 1.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 33.3 billion kWh (2005) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2005) Electricity— imports: 2.02 billion kWh (2005) Oil— production: 2.13 million bbl/day; note — prewar production in 2002 was 2.2 million bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil— consumption: 377,000 bbl/day ( 2006 est. ) THE CIA WORE D'Vp ACTEOOK * Oil — exports: 1.5 million bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil— imports: 0 bbl/day (2006) Oil— proved reserves: 112.5 billion bbl (2006 est.) Natural gas— production: 1.75 billion cu m (2006 est.) , ' * Natural gas— consumption: l 75 billion cu m (2006 est.) Natural gas— exports: 0 cu m (2006 est.) Natural gas— imports: 0 cu m (2006 est.) Natural gas — proved reserves: 3.115 trillion cu m ( 1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $8,134 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $32.19 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: crude oil 84%, crude materials excluding fuels 8%, food and live animals 5% Exports— partners: US 49.7%, Italy 10.4%, Spain 6.3%, Canada 5.6% (2005) Imports: $20.76 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) imports— commodities: food, medicine, manufactures Imports— partners: Turkey 23.4%, Syria 23.1%, US 1 1.7%, Jordan 6.3% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $15.65 billion (2006 est.) Debt— external: $81.48 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $13.5 billion pledged in foreign aid for 2004-07 from outside of the US, over $33 billion pledged total (2004) Currency (code): New Iraqi dinar (NID) as of 22 January 2004 Currency code: NID, IQD prior to 22 January 2004 Exchange rates: New Iraqi dinars per US dollar— 1,466 (2006), 1,475 (2005), 1,890 (second half, 2003), 0.3109 (2001) Fiscal year: calendar year Telephones — main lines in use: 1.547 million (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 8.7 mil¬ lion (2006) Telephone system: general assessment: the aftermath of the liberation of Iraq in 2003 severely dis¬ rupted telecommunications throughout Iraq including international connec¬ tions; USAID repaired switching capa¬ bilities and constructed a mobile arid satellite communication facility; land¬ lines now exceed pre-war levels domestic: repairs to switches and lines destroyed during 2003 have been com¬ pleted, but sabotage remains a problem; additional switching capacity is improving access; cellular service is widely available in major cities and cen¬ tered on 3 regional GSM networks, improving country-wide connectivity; there are currently 8.7 million users of cellular services international: country code — 964; satel¬ lite earth stations— 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Arabsat (inoperative); coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Jordan, Kuwait, Syria, and Turkey; despite a new satellite gateway, interna¬ tional calls outside of Baghdad are some¬ times problematic (2006) Radio broadcasf stations: after 17 months of unregulated media growth, there are approximately 80 radio stations (types NA) on the air inside Iraq (2004) Radios: 4.85 million (1997) Television broadcasf stations: 21 (2004) Televisions: 1.75 million (1997) internet country code: iq Internet hosts: 5 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000) internet users: 36,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 110 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 7,7 over 3,047 m: 20 2,438 to 3,047 m: 37 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 9 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 33 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1 ,523 m. 13 under 914 m: 1 0 ( 2006 ) Heliports: 8 (2006) Pipelines: gas 2,228 km; liquid petro¬ leum gas 918 km; oil 5,506 km; refined products 1,637 km (2006) Railways: total: 2,200 km standard gauge: 2,200 km 1.435-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 45,550 km paved: 38,399 km unpaved: 7,151 km (1999) Waterways: 5,279 km note: Euphrates River (2,815 km), Tigris River (1,899 km), and Third River (565 km) are principal waterways (2004) Merchant marine: total: 13 ships (1000 GRT or over) 67,796 GRT/101, 317 DWT hy type: cargo 11, petroleum tanker 2 (2006) 306 IRELAND Ports and terminals: A1 Basrah, Khawr az Zubayr, Umm Qasr Military branches: Iraqi Armed Forces: Iraqi Army (includes Iraqi Special Operations Force, Iraqi Intervention Force), Iraqi Navy (former Iraqi Coastal Defense Force), Iraqi Air Force (former Iraqi Army Air Corps) (2005) Military service age and obligation: all volunteer force; the Iraqi Government is creating a new professional Iraqi military force of men aged 18 to 40 to defend Iraq from external threats and the current insurgency (2006). Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 5,870,640 females age 18-49: 5,642,073 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age i 8 — 49^ 4,930,074 females age 18-49: 4,771,105 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18—49: 198,518 females age 2 8 — 4 9: 289,879 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 8.6% (2006) Disputes — international: coalition forces assist Iraqis in monitoring internal and cross-border security; approximately two million Iraqis have fled the conflict in Iraq, with the majority taking refuge in Syria and Jordan, and lesser numbers to Egypt, Lebanon, Iran, and Turkey; Iraq’s lack of a maritime boundary with Iran prompts jurisdiction disputes beyond the mouth of the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf; Turkey has expressed concern over the autonomous status of Kurds in Iraq Refugees and infernally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 15,000 (Palestinian Territories), 11,960 (Iran), 16,1 10 (Turkey) IDPs: 1.9 million (ongoing US-led war and Kurds’ subsequent return) (2007) % r w .•-"•'•A % % i ■% UfiortiJ Northern \ % \ tmtsrn M\\ 'WP* Wr 4 v * ' • • Droghfcc^ AILAKTIC OCBAN % -A ! ’ \ f ) S jp \N#w j t ... A * IT* WaterforW .Kitiarney Asanoentooft# A’ tSMOS v i - tf Anaepon * / JL, J unertcK,- a Cs&s-Sm Background: Celtic tribes arrived on the island between 600-150 B.C. Invasions by Norsemen that began in the late 8th century were finally ended when King Brian BORU defeated the Danes in 1014. English invasions began in the 12th cen¬ tury and set off more than seven centuries of Anglo-Irish struggle marked by fierce rebellions and harsh repressions. A failed 1916 Easter Monday Rebellion touched off several years of guerrilla warfare that in 1921 resulted in independence from the UK for 26 southern counties; six northern (Ulster) counties remained part of the UK. In 1948 Ireland withdrew from the British Commonwealth; it joined the European Community in 1973. Irish governments have sought the peaceful unification of Ireland and have cooperated with Britain against terrorist groups. A peace settlement for Northern Ireland is being implemented with some difficulties. In 2006, the Irish and British governments developed and began working to implement the St. Andrews Agreement, building on the Good Friday Agreement approved in 1998. Location: Western Europe, occupying five- sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain Geographic coordinates: 53 00 N, 8 00 W Map references: Europe Area: total: 70,280 sq km land: 68,890 sq km water: 1,390 sq km Area- — comparative: slightly larger than West Virginia Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries: UK 360 km Coastline: 1,448 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm Climate: temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; over¬ cast about half the time Terrain: mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Carr aun toohil 1,041 m Natural resources: natural gas, peat, copper, lead, zinc, silver, barite, gypsum, limestone, dolomite Land use: arable land: 16.82% permanent crops: 0.03% other: 83.15% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: NA Environment — current issues: water pollution, especially of lakes, from agri¬ cultural runoff Environment— international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution- Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution- Persistent Organic Pollutants, Marine Life Conservation Geography — note: strategic location on major air and sea routes between North America and northern Europe; over 40% of the population resides within 100 km of Dublin Population: 4,109,086 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 20.8% (male 442,664/female 413,556) 15-64 years: 67-5% (male 1,387,803/ female 1,385,355) 65 years and over: 11.7% (male 212,782/female 266,926) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 34.3 years male: 33.5 years female: 35.1 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.143% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 14-4 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 7.79 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 4.82 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.002 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.797 male(s)/female total population: 0.989 male(s)/female (2007 est.) 307 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Infant mortality rate: total: 5.22 deaths/ 1,000 live births male: 5.72 deaths/ 1,000 live births female: 4.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.9 years male: 75.27 years female: 80.7 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.86 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 2,800 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS — deaths: less than 100 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Irishman (men), Irishwoman (women), Irish (collective plural) adjective: Irish Ethnic groups: Celtic, English Religions: Roman Catholic 88.4%, Church of Ireland 3%, other Christian 1.6%, other 1.5%, unspecified 2%, none 3.5% (2002 census) Languages: English (official) is the Ian- guage generally used, Irish (Gaelic or Gaeilge) (official) spoken mainly in areas located along the western seaboard Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Ireland local long form: none local short form: Eire Government type: republic, parliamen- tary democracy Capital: name: Dublin geographic coordinates: 53 20 N 6 15 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 26 counties; Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow note: Cavan, Donegal, and Monaghan are part of Ulster Province Independence: 6 December 1921 (from UK by treaty) National holiday: Saint Patrick’s Day, 17 March Constitution: adopted 1 July 1937 by plebiscite; effective 29 December 1937 Legal system: based on English common law, substantially modified by indigenous concepts; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Mary MCALEESE (since 11 November 1997) head of government: Prime Minister Bertie AHERN (since 26 June 1997) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the presi- dent with previous nomination by the prime minister and approval of the House of Representatives elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 31 October 1997 (next scheduled for October 2011); note — Mary MCALEESE appointed to a second term when no other candidate qualified for the 2004 presidential election; prime minister (taoiseach) nominated by the House of Representatives and appointed by the president election results: Mary MCALEESE elected president; percent of vote — Mary MCALEESE 44.8%, Mary BANOTTI 29.6% note: government coalition— Fianna Fail and the Progressive Democrats Legislative branch: bicameral Parlia¬ ment or Oireachtas consists of the Senate or Seanad Eireann (60 seats; 49 members elected by the universities and from candidates put forward by five voca¬ tional panels, 1 1 are nominated by the prime minister; to serve five-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Dail Eireann (166 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of propor¬ tional representation to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate — last held 16 and 17 July 2002 (next to be held by July 2007); House of Representatives — last held 24 May 2007 (next to be held by May 2012) election results: Senate — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — Fianna Fail 30, Fine Gael 15, Labor Party 5, Progressive Democrats 4, independents and other 6; House of Representatives — percent of vote by party — Fianna Fail 41.6%, Fine Gael 27.3%, Labor Party 10.1%, Sinn Fein 6.9%, Green Party 4-7%, Progressive Democrats 2.7%, other 6.7%; seats by party — Fianna Fail 78, Fine Gael 51, Labor Party 20, Sinn Fein 4, Green Party 6, Progressive Democrats 2, other 5 Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister and cabinet) Political parties and leaders: Fianna Fail [Bertie AHERN]; Fine Gael [Enda KENNY]; Green Party [Trevor SAR¬ GENT]; Labor Party [Pat RABBITTE]; Progressive Democrats [Michael McDOWELL]; Sinn Fein [Gerry ADAMS]; Socialist Party [Joe HIG¬ GINS]; The Workers’ Party [Sean GAR¬ LAND] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Noel FAHEY chancery: 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 462-3939 FAX: [1] (202) 232-5993 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, New York, San Francisco Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas C. FOLEY embassy: 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 mailing address : use embassy street address telephone: [353] (1) 668-8777 FAX: [353] (1) 668-9946 Flag description: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and orange; similar to the flag of Cote d’Ivoire, which is shorter and has the colors reversed — orange (hoist side), white, and green; also similar to the flag of Italy, which is shorter and has colors of green (hoist side), white, and red ECONOMY Economy— overview: Ireland is a small, modern, trade-dependent economy with growth averaging 6% in 1995-2006. Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by industry and services. Industry accounts for 46% of GDP, about 80% of exports, and 29% of the labor force. Although exports remain the primary engine for Ireland’s growth, the economy has also benefited from a 308 IRELAND rise in consumer spending, construction, and business investment. Per capita GDP is 40 ^ above that of the four big European economies and the second highest in the EU behind Luxembourg. Over the past decade, the Irish Government has imple¬ mented a series of national economic pro¬ grams designed to curb price and wage inflation, reduce government spending, increase labor force skills, and promote for¬ eign investment. Ireland joined in circu¬ lating the euro on 1 January 2002 along with 1 1 other EU nations. GDP (purchasing power parity): $180.7 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $204.4 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 6% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $44,500 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 46% services: 49% (2002 est.) Labor force: 2.12 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 8% industry: 29% services: 64% (2002 est.) Unemployment rate: 4 3% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 10% (1997 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 27.3% (1997) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 35.9 (1996) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.9% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 28% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $74-49 billion expenditures: $73.05 billion; including capital expenditures of $5.5 billion (2006 est.) Public debt: 22.8% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; beef, dairy products Industries: steel, lead, zinc, silver, alu¬ minum, barite, and gypsum mining pro¬ cessing; food products, brewing, textiles, clothing; chemicals, pharmaceuticals; machinery, rail transportation equipment, passenger and commercial vehicles, ship construction and refurbishment; glass and crystal; software, tourism Industrial production growth rate: 5% (2006 est.) Electricity — production: 23.26 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 95.9% hydro: 2.3% nuclear: 0% other: 1.7% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 23.23 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 1.6 billion kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 hbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 182,400 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: 27,450 bbl/day (2001) Oil— imports: 178,600 bbl/day (2001) Oil— proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2002) Natural gas— production: 855 million cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 4 295 bil¬ lion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 3.44 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 19.82 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $9.45 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $119.8 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals, phar¬ maceuticals; live animals, animal products Exports — partners: US 18.5%, UK 17.4%, Belgium 15.3%, Germany 7.3%, France 6.5%, Netherlands 4-7%, Italy 4.2% (2005) Imports: $87.36 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: data processing equipment, other machinery and equip¬ ment, chemicals, petroleum and petro¬ leum products, textiles, clothing Imports— partners: UK 37.1%, US 13.8%, Germany 9.2%, Netherlands 4.5% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $842.5 million (August 2006 est.) Debt — external: $1,392 trillion (30 June 2006) Economic aid — donor: ODA, $607 mil¬ lion (2004) Currency (code): euro (EUR) note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by finan¬ cial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries Currency code: EUR Exchange rates: euros per US dollar — 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 2.033 million (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 4.21 mil¬ lion (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: modern digital system using cable and microwave radio relay domestic: microwave radio relay international: country code — 353; satel¬ lite earth station — 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 106, shortwave 0 (1998) Radios: 2.55 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 4 (many repeaters) (2001) Televisions: 1.82 million (2001) Internet country code: ie Internet hosts: 238,191 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 22 (2000) Internet users: 2.06 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 36 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 15 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 6 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 21 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 17 (2006) Pipelines: gas 1,728 km (2006) Railways: total: 3,312 km broad gauge: 1,947 km 1.600-m gauge (46 km electrified) narrow gauge: 1,365 km 0.914'in gauge (operated by the Irish Peat Board to transport peat to power stations and bri¬ quetting plants) (2005) Roadways: total: 96,602 km paved: 96,602 km (includes 200 km of expressways) (2003) Waterways: 753 km (pleasure craft only) (2005) Merchant marine: total: 23 ships (1000 GRT or over) 103,589 GRT/145,044 DWT by type: cargo 19, chemical tanker 2, container 1 , roll on/roll off 1 foreign'owned: 4 (Germany 2, US 2) registered in other countries: 21 (Bahamas 2, Bermuda 1, Cyprus 3, Gibraltar 1, Netherlands 10, Panama 2, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, UK 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Cork, Dublin, New Ross, Shannon Foynes, Waterford MILITARY Military branches: Irish Defense Forces fOglaigh na h-Eireann): Army (includes ^v*l Service and Air Corps) (2006) 309 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Military service age and obligation-. 17 years of age for voluntary military service; enlistees under the age of 17 can be recruited for specialist positions (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 17-49: 977,092 females age 17-49: 978,465 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 17-49: 814,768 females age '17-49: 813,981 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 29,327 females age 17-49: 28,139 (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of GDP: 0.9% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: Ireland, Iceland, and the UK dispute Denmark’s claim that the Faroe Islands’ continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm Illicit drugs: transshipment point for and consumer of hashish from North Africa to the UK and Netherlands and of European-produced synthetic drugs; increasing consumption of South American cocaine; minor transship- ment point for heroin and cocaine des¬ tined for Western Europe; despite recent legislation, narcotics-related money laundering — using bureaux de change, trusts, and shell companies involving the offshore financial com¬ munity — remains a concern ISLE OF MAN INTRODUCTION Background: Part of the Norwegian Kingdom of the Hebrides until the 13th century when it was ceded to Scotland, the isle came under the British crown in 1765. Current concerns include reviving the almost extinct Manx Gaelic language. Isle of Man is a British crown dependency, but is not part of the UK. However, the UK Government remains constitutionally responsible for its defense and interna¬ tional representation. GEOGRAPHY Location: Western Europe, island in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and Ireland Geographic coordinates: 54 15 N, 4 30 W Map references: Europe Area: total: 572 sq km land: 572 sq km water: 0 sq km Area— comparative: slightly more than three times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 160 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm Climate: temperate; cool summers and mild winters; overcast about one-third of the time Terrain: hills in north and south bisected by central valley Elevation extremes: lowest point: Irish Sea 0 m highest point: Snaefell 621 m Natural resources: none Land use: arable land: 9% permanent crops : 0% other: 91% (permanent pastures, forests, mountain, and heathland) (2002) Irrigated land: 0 sq km Natural hazards: NA Environment— current issues: waste disposal (both household and industrial); transboundary air pollution Geography — note: one small islet, the Calf of Man, lies to the southwest, and is a bird sanctuary PEOPLE Population: 75,831 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 17.1% (male 6,645/female 6,330) 15-64 years: 65.8% (male 25,085/female 24,840) 65 years and over: 17.1% (male 5,232/ female 7,699) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 39.8 years male: 38.6 years female: 41.2 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.513% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 10.96 births/1, 000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 11.1 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 5.27 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.951 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 5.72 deaths/ 1,000 live births male: 6.67 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4-72 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.64 years male: 75.3 years female: 82.17 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1 .65 children bom/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Manxman (men), Manxwoman (women) adjective: Manx Ethnic groups: Manx (Norse-Celtic descent), Britons Religions: Anglican, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Society of Friends Languages: English, Manx Gaelic Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Isle of Man abbreviation: I.O.M. Dependency status: British crown dependency Government type: parliamentary democracy Capital: name: Douglas geographic coordinates: 54 09N.4 28W time difference: UTC 0 (five hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: + lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: none; there are no first-order administrative divi¬ sions as defined by the US Government, 310 ISLE OF MAN but there are 24 local authorities each with its own elections Independence: none (British crown dependency) National holiday: Tynwald Day, 5 July Constitution: unwritten; note — The Isle of Man Constitution Act of 1961 does not embody the unwritten Manx Constitution Legal system: English common law and Manx statute Suffrage: 16 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Lord of Mann Queen ELIZ¬ ABETH II (since 6 February 1952); rep¬ resented by Lieutenant Governor Sir Paul K. HADDACKS (since 17 October 2005) head of government: Chief Minister Tony BROWN (since 14 December 2006) cabinet: Council of Ministers elections: the monarch is hereditary; lieu¬ tenant governor appointed by the monarch for a five-year term; the chief minister is elected by the Tynwald; elec¬ tion last held 14 December 2006 (next to be held in December 2008) election results: House of Keys speaker Tony BROWN elected chief minister by the Tynwald Legislative branch: bicameral Tynwald consists of the Legislative Council ( 1 1 seats; members composed of the President of Tynwald, the Lord Bishop of Sodor and Man, a nonvoting attorney general, and 8 others named by the House of Keys) and the House of Keys (24 seats; members are elected by pop¬ ular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Keys — last held 23 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2011) election results: House of Keys — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — Liberal Vannin Party 2, Man Labor Party 1, independents 21 Judicial branch: High Court of Justice (justices are appointed by the Lord Chancellor of England on the nomina¬ tion of the lieutenant governor) Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Progressive Government; Liberal Vannin Party [Peter KARRANJ; Man Labor Party; Man Nationalist Party (Mec Vannin) [Bernard MOFFATT] (branch of the British National Party) note: most members sit as independents Political pressure groups and leaders: none International organization participa¬ tion: UPU Diplomatic representation in the US: none (British crown dependency) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (British crown dependency) Flag description: red with the Three Legs of Man emblem (Trinacria), in the center; the three legs are joined at the thigh and bent at the knee; in order to have the toes pointing clockwise on both sides of the flag, a two-sided emblem is used ECONOMY Economy — overview: Offshore banking, manufacturing, and tourism are key sec¬ tors of the economy. The government offers incentives to high-technology companies and financial institutions to locate on the island; this has paid off in expanding employment opportunities in high-income industries. As a result, agri¬ culture and fishing, once the mainstays of the economy, have declined in their shares of GDP. The Isle of Man also attracts online gambling sites and the film industry. Trade is mostly with the UK. The Isle of Man enjoys free access to EU markets. GDP (purchasing power parity): $2,719 billion (2005 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $2,719 billion (2005 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 5.2% (2005) GDP— per capita (PPP): $35,000 (2005 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 13% services: 86% (2000 est.) Labor force: 39,690 (2001) Labor force — by occupation: agricul¬ ture, forestry, and fishing 3%, manufac¬ turing 11%, construction 10%, transport and communication 8%, wholesale and retail distribution 11%, professional and scientific services 18%, public adminis¬ tration 6%, banking and finance 18%, tourism 2%, entertainment and catering 3%, miscellaneous services 10% Unemployment rate: 1.5% (December 2006 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.1% (December 2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $965 million expenditures: $943 million; including capital expenditures of $96 million (FY05/06 est.) Agriculture — products: cereals, vegeta¬ bles; cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry Industries: financial services, light man¬ ufacturing, tourism Industrial production growth rate: 3.2% (FY96/97) Exports: $NA Exports— Commodities: tweeds, her¬ ring, processed shellfish, beef, lamb Exports— partners: UK (2004) Imports: $NA Imports — Commodities: timber, fertil¬ izers, fish Imports— partners: UK (2004) Debt — external: $NA Economic aid — recipient: $NA Currency (code): British pound (GBP); note — there is also a Manx pound Currency code: GBP Exchange rates: Manx pounds per US dollar— 0.5418 (2006), 0.5493 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002) note: the Manx pound is at par with the British pound Fiscal year: 1 April— 31 March COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 51,000 (1999) Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: landline, telefax, mobile cel¬ lular telephone system international: fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, satellite earth sta¬ tion, submarine cable Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) Radios: NA Television broadcast stations: 0 (receives broadcasts from the UK and satellite) (1999) Televisions: 27,490 (1999) Internet country code: im Internet hosts: 290 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA Internet users: NA TRANSPORTATION Airports: 1 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) Railways: total: 65 km standard gauge: 7 km 1.067-m gauge (7 km electrified) narrow gauge: 58 km 0.914-m gauge (29 km electrified) note: primarily summer tourist attrac¬ tions (2006) Roadways: total: 800 km paved: 800 km (1999) Merchant marine: total: 305 ships (1000 GRT or over) 8,266,229 GRT/13,792,927 DWT by type: bulk carrier 38, cargo 65, chem¬ ical tanker 53, container 16, liquefied gas 38, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 74, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off , specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 311 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK foreigri'owned: 213 (Cyprus 1, Denmark 53, Estonia 2, France 2, Germany 56, Greece 45, Italy 5, Japan 4, Monaco 3, Netherlands 1, Norway 27, Singapore 7, Sweden 1, Turkey 3, US 3) registered in other countries: 9 (Antigua and Barbuda 2, Liberia 5, Marshall Islands 1, NZ 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Castletown, Douglas, Ramsey MILITARY Military — note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of the UK TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: none • .:;i S. . . -v • V- - A. A ft, ■ ISRAEL Ay NLV./A.'v ' INTRODUCTION Background: Following World War II, the British withdrew from their mandate of Palestine, and the UN partitioned the area into Arab and Jewish states, an arrangement rejected by the Arabs. Subsequently, the Israelis defeated the Arabs in a series of wars without ending the deep tensions between the two sides. The territories Israel occupied since the 1967 war are not included in the Israel country profile, unless otherwise noted. On 25 April 1982, Israel withdrew from the Sinai pursuant to the 1979 Israel- Egypt Peace Treaty. Israel and Palestinian officials signed on 13 September 1993 a Declaration of Principles (also known as the “Oslo Accords”) guiding an interim period of Palestinian self-rule. Outstanding terri¬ torial and other disputes with Jordan were resolved in the 26 October 1994 Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace. In addi¬ tion, on 25 May 2000, Israel withdrew unilaterally from southern Lebanon, which it had occupied since 1982. In keeping with the framework established at the Madrid Conference in October 1991, bilateral negotiations were con¬ ducted between Israel and Palestinian representatives and Syria to achieve a permanent settlement. In April 2003, US President BUSH, working in con¬ junction with the EU, UN, and Russia — the “Quartet” — took the lead in laying out a roadmap to a final settlement of the conflict by 2005, based on reciprocal steps by the two parties leading to two states, Israel and a democratic Palestine. However, progress toward a permanent status agreement was undermined by Israeli-Palestinian violence between September 2003 and February 2005. An Israeli-Palestinian agreement reached at Sharm al-Sheikh in February 2005, along with an internally-brokered Palestinian ceasefire, significantly reduced the vio¬ lence. In the summer of 2005, Israel uni¬ laterally disengaged from the Gaza Strip, evacuating settlers and its military. The election of HAMAS in January 2006 to head the Palestinian Legislative Council froze relations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Ehud OLMERT became prime minister in March 2006; following an Israeli military operation in Gaza in June-July 2006, he shelved plans to unilaterally evacuate from most of the West Bank. The kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers by Lebanese Hizballah led to a 34-day conflict in Lebanon in June-August 2006. GEOGRAPHY AAvC' ’■■'ytfSzF'1 3'p’C'' Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Lebanon Geographic coordinates: 31 30 N, 34 45 E Map references: Middle East Area: total: 20,770 sq km land: 20,330 sq km water: 440 sq km Area— comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey Land boundaries: total: 1,017 km border countries: Egypt 266 km, Gaza Strip 51 km, Jordan 238 km, Lebanon 79 km, Syria 76 km, West Bank 307 km Coastline: 273 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: to depth of exploitation Climate: temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas Terrain: Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central mountains; Jordan Rift Valley Elevation extremes: lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m highest point: Har Meron 1,208 m Natural resources: timber, potash, copper ore, natural gas, phosphate rock, magnesium bromide, clays, sand Land use: arable land : 15.45% permanent crops: 3.88% other: 80.67% (2005) Irrigated land: 1,940 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts; periodic earthquakes Environment— current issues: limited arable land and natural fresh water resources pose serious constraints; deser¬ tification; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; groundwater pol¬ lution from industrial and domestic waste, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation Geography— note: there are 242 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the West Bank, 42 in the Israeli-occu¬ pied Golan Heights, 0 in the Gaza Strip, and 29 in East Jerusalem (August 2005 est. ); Sea of Galilee is an important freshwater source Population: 6,426,679 note: includes about 187,000 Israeli set- 312 ISRAEL tiers in the West Bank, about 20,000 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, and fewer than 177,000 in East Jerusalem (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 26.1% (male 858,246/female 818,690) 15-64 years: 64.2% (male 2,076,649/ female 2,046,343) 65 years and over: 9.8% (male 269,483/ female 357,268) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 29.9 years male: 29.1 years female: 30.8 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.154% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 17.71 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 6.17 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.048 male(s)/female 15—64 years: 1.015 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.754 male(s)/female total population: 0.994 male(s)/female (2007 est.) infant mortality rate: total: 6.75 deaths/1,000 live births male: 7.45 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 79.59 years male: 77.44 years female: 81.85 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.38 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS — people living with HIV/ AIDS: 3,000 (1999 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 100 (2001 est.) Nationality: noun: Israeli(s) adjective: Israeli Ethnic groups: Jewish 76.4% (of which Israel-born 67.1%, Europe/America-bom 22.6%, Africa-born 5.9%, Asia-born 4.2%), non-Jewish 23.6% (mostly Arab) (2004) Religions: Jewish 76.4%, Muslim 16%, Arab Christians 1.7%, other Christian 0.4%, Druze 1.6%, unspecified 3.9% (2004) Languages: Hebrew (official), Arabic used officially for Arab minority, English most commonly used foreign language Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.1% male: 98.5% female: 95.9% (2004 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: State of Israel conventional short form: Israel local long form: Medinat Yisra’el local short form: Yisra’el Government type: parliamentary democracy Capital: name: Jerusalem geographic coordinates: 32 05 N, 34 48 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins last Friday in March; ends the Sunday between the holidays of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur note: Israel proclaimed Jerusalem as its capital in 1950, but the US, like nearly all other countries, maintains its Embassy in Tel Aviv Administrative divisions: 6 districts (mehozot, singular — mehoz); Central, Haifa, Jerusalem, Northern, Southern, Tel Aviv Independence: 14 May 1948 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration) National holiday: Independence Day, 14 May (1948); note — Israel declared inde¬ pendence on 14 May 1948, but the Jewish calendar is lunar and the holiday may occur in April or May Constitution: no formal constitution; some of the functions of a constitution are filled by the Declaration of Establishment (1948), the Basic Laws of the parliament (Knesset), and the Israeli citizenship law; note — since May 2003 the Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee of the Knesset has been working on a draft constitution Legal system: mixture of English common law, British Mandate regula¬ tions, and, in personal matters, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim legal systems; in December 1985, Israel informed the UN Secretariat that it would no longer accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President (acting) Dalia ITZIK head of government: Prime Minister Ehud OLMERT (since May 2006); Deputy Prime Minister Tzipora “Tzipi” LIVNI (since May 2006) cabinet: Cabinet selected by prime min¬ ister and approved by the Knesset elections: president is largely a ceremonial role and is elected by the Knesset for a seven-year term (no term limits); elec¬ tion last held 28 March 2006 (next to be held in 2010 but can be called earlier); following legislative elections, the presi¬ dent assigns a Knesset member — tradi¬ tionally the leader of the largest party — the task of forming a governing coalition election results: Moshe KATZAV elected president by the 120-member Knesset with a total of 60 votes, other candidate, Shimon PERES, received 57 votes (there were three abstentions); Ehud OLMERT won the right to lead the government when his Kadima Party won 29 seats in elections held on 28 March 2006; in May 2006 OLMERT formed a coalition gov¬ ernment with the Labor, GIL (Pensioners), and SHAS parties; in October 2006 the Yisrael Beiteinu party joined the government Legislative branch: unicameral Knesset (120 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 28 March 2006 (next scheduled to be held in 2010) election results: percent of vote by party — Kadima 22%, Labor 15.1%, SHAS 9.5%, Likud 9%, Yisrael Beiteinu 9%, NU/NRP 7.1%, GIL 5.9%, Torah and Shabbat Judaism 4-7%, Meretz-YAHAD 3.8%, United Arab List 3%, Balad 2.3%, HADASH 2.7%, other 5.9%; seats by party — Kadima 29, Labor 19, Likud 12, SHAS 12, Yisrael Beiteinu 11, NU/NRP 9, GIL 7, Torah and Shabbat Judaism 6, Meretz-YAHAD 5, United Arab List 4, Balad 3, HADASH 3 Judicial branch: Supreme Court (jus¬ tices appointed by Judicial Selection Committee — made up of all three branches of the government; mandatory retirement age is 70) Political parties and leaders: Democratic Front for Peace and Equality (HADASH) [Muhammad BARAKA]; GIL (Pensioners) [Rafael EITAN]; Kadima [Ehud OLMERT]; Labor Party [Amir PERETZ]; Likud Party [Binyamin NETANYAHU]; Meretz-YAHAD [Yossi BEILIN]; National Democratic As¬ sembly (Balad) [Azmi BISHARA]; Na¬ tional Union (NU)/National Religious Party (NRP) [Binyamin ELON]; SHAS [Eliyahu YISHAI]; Torah and Shabbat Judaism [Yaakov LITZMAN]; United Arab List [Ibrahim SARSOUR]; Yisrael Beiteinu [Avigdor LIEBERMAN] Political pressure groups and leaders: Israeli nationalists advocating Jewish set¬ tlement on the West Bank and Gaza Strip; Peace Now [Yariv OPPEN- HEIMER, Secretary General] supports territorial concessions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip; Yesha Council of Settlements [Bentzi LIEBERMAN, Chairman] promotes settler interests and opposes territorial compromise, B Th Lm monitors human rights abuses 313 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK International organization participa¬ tion: BIS, BSEC (observer), CERN (observer), EBRD, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OAS (observer), OPCW (signatory), OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission : Ambassador Salai MERIDOR chancery: 3514 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 364-5500 FAX: [1] (202) 364-5607 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Richard H. JONES embassy: 71 Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv 63903 mailing address: PSC 98, Box 29, APO AE 09830 telephone: [972] (3) 519-7575 FAX: [972] (3) 516-4390 consulate(s) general: Jerusalem; note — an independent US mission, established in 1928, whose members are not accredited to a foreign government Flag description: white with a blue hexagram (six-pointed linear star) known as the Magen David (Shield of David) centered between two equal hor¬ izontal blue bands near the top and bottom edges of the flag Economy — overview: Israel has a tech¬ nologically advanced market economy with substantial, though diminishing, government participation. It depends on imports of crude oil, grains, raw mate¬ rials, and military equipment. Despite limited natural resources, Israel has intensively developed its agricultural and industrial sectors over the past 20 years. Israel imports substantial quantities of grain, but is largely self-sufficient in other agricultural products. Cut dia¬ monds, high-technology equipment, and agricultural products (fruits and vegeta¬ bles) are the leading exports. Israel usu¬ ally posts sizable trade deficits, which are covered by large transfer payments from abroad and by foreign loans. Roughly half of the government’s external debt is owed to the US, which is its major source of economic and military aid. The bitter Israeli-Palestinian conflict; difficulties in the high-technology, construction, and tourist sectors; and fiscal austerity in the face of growing inflation led to small declines in GDP in 2001 and 2002. The economy rebounded in 2003-05, growing at a 4% to 5.2% rate each year, as the government tightened fiscal policy and implemented structural reforms to boost competition and efficiency in the markets. The conflict with Lebanon in summer 2006 slightly dampened GDP growth, but continuing strong foreign investment, tax revenue, and private consumption levels helped the economy recover quickly. GDP (purchasing power parity): $170.3 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $140.3 billion (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 48% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $26,800 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 2.6% industry: 30.8% services: 66.6%- (2006 est.) Labor force: 2.6 million (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agricul¬ ture, forestry, and fishing 1.8%, manufac¬ turing 15.7%, construction 5.3%, wholesale and retail trade 12.9%, trans¬ port, storage, and communications 6.3%, finance and business 16.9%, personal and other services 11.5%, public services 28.6% (1996) Unemployment rate: 8.3% (30 September 2006) Population below poverty line: 21.6% (2005) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.4% highest 10%: 28.31% (2005) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 38.6 (2005) Inflation rate (consumer prices): -0.1% (2006) Investment (gross fixed): 17.3% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $48.4 billion expenditures: $49.57 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 89% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: citrus, vegeta¬ bles, cotton; beef, poultry, dairy products Industries: high-technology projects (including aviation, communications, computer-aided design and manufactures, medical electronics, fiber optics), wood and paper products, potash and phos¬ phates, food, beverages, and tobacco, caustic soda, cement, construction, metals products, chemical products, plastics, dia¬ mond cutting, textiles, footwear Industrial production growth rate: 8.6% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 46.07 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 99.9% hydro: 0.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 41.38 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 1.47 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil — production: 100 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil — consumption: 249,500 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil — imports: NA bbl/day Oil — proved reserves: 2 million bbl (l January 2006) Natural gas— production: 792 million cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 792 million cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas — exports: 0 cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas — imports: 0 cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 38.94 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $1,463 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $42.86 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: machinery and equipment, software, cut diamonds, agri¬ cultural products, chemicals, textiles and apparel Exports— partners: US 36.5%, Belgium 8.7%, Hong Kong 5.6% (2005) Imports: $47.8 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: raw materials, military equipment, investment goods, rough diamonds, fuels, grain, consumer goods Imports— partners: US 13.4%, Belgium 10.1%, Germany 6.4%, UK 5.7%, Switzerland 5.5%, China 4-2% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $28.2 billion (2006 est.) Debt— external: $81.98 billion (30 June 2006 est.) Economic aid — recipient: $240 million from US (FY06) Currency (code): new Israeli shekel (ILS); note — NIS is the currency abbre¬ viation; ILS is the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) code for the NIS Currency code: ILS Exchange rates: new Israeli shekels per US dollar — 4.4565 (2006), 4.4877 (2005), 4.482 (2004), 4.5541 (2003), 4.7378 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year 314 ITALY Telephones— -main lines in use: 2.936 million (2005) Telephones-— mobile cellular: 7.757 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: most highly deveh oped system in the Middle East although not the largest domestic: good system of coaxial cable and microwave radio relay; all systems are digital international: country code — 972; 3 sub¬ marine cables; satellite earth stations — 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 23, FM 15, shortwave 2 (1998) Radios: 3.07 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 17 (plus 36 repeaters) (1995) Televisions: 1.69 million (1997) Internet country code: .il Internet hosts: 1.252 million (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 21 (2000) Internet users: 3.7 million (2006) Airports: 53 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 30 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1 ,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 6 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 23 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 20 (2006) Heliports: 3 (2006) Pipelines: gas 193 km; .oil 442 km; refined products 261 km (2006) Railways: total: 853 km standard gauge: 853 km 1.435-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 17,446 km paved: 17,446 km (includes 144 km of expressways) (2004) Merchant marine: total: 18 ships (1000 GRT or over) 716,382 GRT/845,053 DWT by type: cargo 2, container 16 registered in other countries: 51 (Bahamas 1, Bermuda 3, Cyprus 3, Honduras 1, Liberia 5, Malta 23, Panama 6, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2, Slovakia 7) (2006) Ports and terminals: Ashdod, Elat (Eilat), Hadera, Haifa Military branches: Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Israel Naval Forces (INF), Israel Air Force (IAF) (2007) Military service age and obligation: 17 years of age for compulsory (Jews, Druzes) and voluntary (Christians, Muslims, Circassians) military service; both sexes are eligible for military service; conscript service obligation — 36 months for men, 21 months for women (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 17-49: 1,492,125 females age 17-49: 1,443,916 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 17-49: 1,255,902 females age 17-4 9: 1,212,394 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-4-9: 53,760 females age 15-4 9: 51,293 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 7.3% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli- Palestinian Interim Agreement — perma¬ nent status to be determined through further negotiation; Israel continues con- stiuction of a “seam line” separation bar¬ rier along parts of the Green Line and within the West Bank; Israel withdrew its settlers and military from the Gaza Strip and from four settlements in the West Bank in August 2005; Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied (Lebanon claims the Shab’a Farms area of Golan Heights); since 1948, about 350 peace¬ keepers from the UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) headquartered in Jerusalem monitor ceasefires, super¬ vise armistice agreements, prevent iso¬ lated incidents from escalating, and assist other UN personnel in the region Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: IDPs: 150,000-420,000 (Arab vil¬ lagers displaced from homes in northern Israel) (2006) Trafficking in persons: current situation: Israel is a destination country for low- skilled workers from Eastern Europe and Asia who migrate voluntarily for con¬ tract labor in the construction, agricul¬ ture, and health care industries, some of whom are subsequently subjected to con¬ ditions of involuntary servitude; many labor recruitment agencies in source countries and in Israel require workers to pay large up-front fees that often lead to debt bondage and vulnerability to forced labor; Israel is also a destination country for women trafficked from Eastern Europe for the purpose of sexual exploitation tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List— Israel is placed on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to address trafficking, namely the conditions of involuntary servitude allegedly facing thousands of foreign migrant workers Illicit drugs: increasingly concerned about ecstasy, cocaine, and heroin abuse; drugs arrive in country from Lebanon and, increasingly, from Jordan; money- laundering center Background: Italy became a nation-state in 1861 when the regional states of the peninsula, along with Sardinia and Sicily, were united under King Victor EMMANUEL II. An era of parliamen¬ tary government came to a close in the early 1920s when Benito MUSSOLINI established a Fascist dictatorship. His disastrous alliance with Nazi Germany led to Italy’s defeat in World War II. A democratic republic replaced the monarchy in 1946 and economic revival followed. Italy was a charter member of NATO and the European Economic Community (EEC). It has been at the forefront of European economic and political unification, joining the Economic and Monetary Union in 1999. Persistent problems include illegal immi¬ gration, organized crime, corruption, high unemployment, sluggish economic growth, and the low incomes and tech¬ nical standards of southern Italy com¬ pared with the prosperous north. Location: Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central Mediter¬ ranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia Geographic coordinates: 42 50 N, 12 50 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 301,730 sq km land: 294,020 sq km water: 7,210 sq km note: includes Sardinia and Sicily 315 THE CIA WORLb FACTBOOK Area— comparative: slightly larger than Arizona Land boundaries: total: 1,932.2 km border countries: Austria 430 km, France 488 km, Holy See (Vatican City) 3.2 km, San Marino 39 km, Slovenia 232 km, Switzerland 740 km Coastline: 7,600 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation Climate: predominantly Mediterranean; Alpine in far north; hot, dry in south Terrain: mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco) de Courmayeur 4,748 m (a sec¬ ondary peak of Mont Blanc) Natural resources: coal, mercury, zinc, potash, marble, barite, asbestos, pumice, fluorspar, feldspar, pyrite (sulfur), natural gas and crude oil reserves, fish, arable land Land use: arable land: 26.41% permanent crops: 9.09% other: 64-5% (2005) Irrigated land: 27,500 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches, earth¬ quakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice Environment— current issues: air pollu¬ tion from industrial emissions such as sulfur dioxide; coastal and inland rivers polluted from industrial and agricultural effluents; acid rain damaging lakes; inad¬ equate industrial waste treatment and disposal facilities Environment — international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution- Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution- Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: strategic location dominating central Mediterranean as well as southern sea and air approaches to Western Europe PEOPLE Population: 58,147,733 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 13.8% (male 4,121,246/ female 3,874,971) 15-64 years: 66.4% (male 19,527,203/ female 19,059,897) 65 years and over: 19.9% (male 4,823,244/ female 6,741,172) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 42.5 years male: 41.1 years female: 44.1 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.01% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 8.54 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 10.5 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 2.06 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.064 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.025 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.715 male(s)/female total population: 0.959 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 5.72 deaths/ 1,000 live births male: 6.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.1 deaths/ 1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 79.94 years male: 77.01 years female: 83.07 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.29 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.5% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS — people living with HIV/ AIDS: 140,000 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS — deaths: less than 1,000 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Italian(s) adjective: Italian Ethnic groups: Italian (includes small clus¬ ters of German-, French-, and Slovene- Italians in the north and Albanian-Italians and Greek-Italians in the south) Religions: Roman Catholic 90% (approximately; about one-third regu¬ larly attend services), other 10% (includes mature Protestant and Jewish communities and a growing Muslim immigrant community) Languages: Italian (official), German (parts of Trentino-Alto Adige region are predominantly German speaking), French (small French-speaking minority in Valle d’Aosta region), Slovene (Slovene-speaking minority in the Trieste-Gorizia area) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.4% male: 98.8% fem,ale: 98% (2001 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Italian Republic conventional short form: Italy local long form: Repubblica Italiana local short form: Italia former: Kingdom of Italy Government type: republic Capital: name: Rome geographic coordinates: 41 54 N, 12 29 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 15 regions (regioni, singular — regione) and 5 autonomous regions* (regioni autonome, singular — regione autonoma); Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Emilia- Romagna, Friuli- Venezia Giulia*, Lazio (Latium), Liguria, Lombardia, Marche, Molise, Piemonte (Piedmont), Puglia (Apulia), Sardegna* (Sardinia), Sicilia*, Toscana (Tuscany), Trentino-Alto Adige* (Trentino-South Tyrol), Umbria, Valle d’Aosta* (Aosta Valley), Veneto Independence: 17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed; Italy was not finally unified until 1870) National holiday: Republic Day, 2 June (1946) Constitution: passed 11 December 1947, effective 1 January 1948; amended many times Legal system: based on civil law system; appeals treated as new trials; judicial review under certain conditions in Constitutional Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction 316 ITALY Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal (except in senatorial elections, where minimum age is 25) Executive branch: chief of state: President Giorgio NAPOL1TANO (since 15 May 2006) head of government: Prime Minister (referred to in Italy as the president of the Council of Ministers) Romano PRODI (since 17 May 2006) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and approved by the president elections: president elected by an elec- toral college consisting of both houses of parliament and 58 regional representa¬ tives for a seven-year term (no term limits); election last held 10 May 2006 (next to be held in May 2013); prime minister appointed by the president and confirmed by parliament election results: Giorgio NAPOLITANO elected president on the fourth round of voting; electoral college vote — 543 Legislative branch: bicameral Parlia¬ ment or Parlamento consists of the Senate or Senato della Repubblica (315 seats; members elected by proportional vote with the winning coalition in each region receiving 55% of seats from that region; to serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camera dei Deputati (630 seats; members elected by popular vote with the winning national coalition receiving 54% of chamber seats; to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate — last held 10 April 2006 (next to be held in 2011); Chamber of Deputies — last held 10 April 2006 (next to be held in May 2011) election results: Senate — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — The Union 158 (DS 62, DL 39, RC 27, Together with the Union 11, other 19), House of Freedoms 154 (FI 79, AN 41, UDC 21, LEG A 13), other 3; Chamber of Deputies — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — The Union 348 (DS 220, RC 41, Rose in the Fist 18, Italy of Values 17, PdCI 16, Greens Federation 15, UDEUR 10, other 11), House of Freedoms 276 (FI 140, AN 71, Union of Christian and Center Democrats 39, LEGA 26), other 6 Judicial branch: Constitutional Court or Corte Costituzionale (composed of 15 judges: one-third appointed by the presi¬ dent, one-third elected by parliament, one-third elected by the ordinary and administrative Supreme Courts) Political parties and leaders: Center - Left Union Coalition [Romano PRODI]: Ulivo Alliance (including Democrats of the Left or DS [Piero FASSINO]; Daisy- Democracy is Freedom or DL [Francesco RUTELLI]); Rose in the Fist (including Italian Social Democrats or SDI [Enrico BOSELLI]; Italian Radical Party [Emma BONINO]); Together with the Union (including Italian Communist Party or PdCI [Oliviero DILIBERTO]; Green Federation [Alfonso PECORARO SCANIO]; United Consumers); Communist Renewal or RC [Fausto BERTINOTTI]; Italy of Values or IdV [Antonio DI PIETRO]; Union of Democrats for Europe or UDEUR [Clemente MASTELLA]; Republican European Movement or MRE [Luciana SBARBATI] CentemRight Freedom House Coalition [Silvio BERLUSCONI] : Forza Italia or FI [Silvio BERLUSCONI]; National Alliance or AN [Gianfranco FINI]; Union of Christian Democrats and Centrist Democrats or UDC [Pier Ferdinando CASINI]; Northern League or LEGA [Umberto BOSSI]; Christian Democracy (Per la Autonomie) [Gianfranco ROTONDI] other nomallied parties: New Italian Socialist Party or New PSI [Gianni DE MICHELIS]; Italian Republican Party or PRI [Giorgio LA MALFA]; Social Alternative [Alessandra MUSSOLINI]; Social Movement-Tricolor Flame or MSI-Fiamma [Luca ROMAGNOLI]; Social Idea Movement with Rauti or MIS [Pino RAUTI]; South Tyrol People’s Party or SVP (German speakers) [Elmar Pichler ROLLE]; Union of Valley Aosta Region or UV [Guido CESAL] Political pressure groups and leaders: Italian manufacturers and merchants associations (Confindustria, Confcom- mercio); organized farm groups (Con- fcoltivatori, Confagricoltura); Roman Catholic Church; three major trade union confederations (Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro or CGIL [Guglielmo EPIFANI] which is left wing, Confederazione Italiana dei Sindacati Lavoratori or CISL [Savino PEZ- ZOTTA], which is Roman Catholic cen¬ trist, and Unione Italiana del Lavoro or UIL [Luigi ANGELETTI] which is lay centrist) International organization participa¬ tion: AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CDB, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR^ UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Giovanni CASTELLANETA chancery: 3000 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 612-4400 FAX: [1] (202) 518-2151 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco consulate(s) : Detroit Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald P. SPOGLI embassy: Via Vittorio Veneto 121, 00 187-Rome mailing address: PSC 59, Box 100, APO AE 09624 telephone: [39] (06) 46741 FAX: [39] (06) 488-2672, 4674-2356 consulate(s) general: Florence, Milan, Naples Flag description: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red; similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and is green (hoist side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of the Cote d’Ivoire, which has the colors reversed — orange (hoist side), white, and green; inspired by the French flag brought to Italy by Napoleon in 1797 ECONOMY Economy — overview: Italy has a diversi¬ fied industrial economy with roughly the same total and per capita output as France and the UK. This capitalistic economy remains divided into a devel¬ oped industrial north, dominated by pri¬ vate companies, and a less-developed, welfare-dependent, agricultural south, with 20% unemployment. Most raw materials needed by industry and more than 75% of energy requirements are imported. Over the past decade, Italy has pursued a tight fiscal policy in order to meet the requirements of the Economic and Monetary Unions and has benefited from lower interest and inflation rates. The current government has enacted numerous short-term reforms aimed at improving competitiveness and long¬ term growth. Italy has moved slowly, however, on implementing needed struc¬ tural reforms, such as lightening the high tax burden and overhauling Italy s rigid labor market and over-generous pension system, because of the current economic slowdown and opposition from labor unions. But the leadership faces a severe 317 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK economic constraint: the budget deficit has breached the 3% EU ceiling. The economy experienced low growth in 2006, and unemployment remained at a high level. GDP (purchasing power parity): $1,756 trillion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $1,785 trillion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 1.9% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $30,200 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 2% industry: 29.1% services: 69% (2006 est.) Labor force: 24.63 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 5% industry: 32% services: 63% (2001) Unemployment rate: 7% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.1% highest 10%: 26.6% (2000) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 36 (2000) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.3% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 20.8% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $832.9 billion expenditures: $925 billion; including cap¬ ital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 107.8% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: fruits, vegetables, grapes, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans, grain, olives; beef, dairy products; fish Industries: tourism, machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, food processing, tex¬ tiles, motor vehicles, clothing, footwear, ceramics Industrial production growth rate: 1.5% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 277.6 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 78.6% hydro: 18.4% nuclear: 0% other: 3% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 303.8 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 800 million kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 46.4 billion kWh (2004) Oil — production: 145,100 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — consumption: 1.881 million bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: 456,600 bbl/day (2001) Oil — imports: 2.158 million bbl/day (2001) Oil — proved reserves: 586.6 million bbl ( 1 January 2002) Natural gas — production: 12.96 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 80.61 bil¬ lion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — exports: 396 million cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 67.91 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 226.5 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $23.73 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $450.1 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: engineering products, textiles and clothing, produc¬ tion machinery, motor vehicles, trans¬ port equipment, chemicals; food, beverages and tobacco; minerals, and nonferrous metals Exports— partners: Germany 13.2%, France 12.3%, US 8%, Spain 7.5%, UK 6.6% (2005) Imports: $445.6 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: engineering products, chemicals, transport equip¬ ment, energy products, minerals and nonferrous metals, textiles and clothing; food, beverages, and tobacco Imports— partners: Germany 17.4%, France 10%, Netherlands 5.7%, China 4.6%, Belgium 4.5%, Spain 4-3%, UK 4% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $70.5 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $1,957 trillion (30 June 2006 est.) Economic aid— donor: ODA, $1 billion (2002 est.) Currency (code): euro (EUR) note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by finan¬ cial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries Currency code: EUR Exchange rates: euros per US dollar— 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 25.049 million (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 72.2 mil¬ lion (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: modern, well developed, fast; fully auto¬ mated telephone, telex, and data services domestic: high-capacity cable and microwave radio relay trunks international: country code — 39; satellite earth stations — 3 Intelsat (with a total of 5 antennas — 3 for Atlantic Ocean and 2 for Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and NA Eutelsat; 21 sub¬ marine cables Radio broadcast stations: AM about 100, FM about 4,600, shortwave 9 (1998) Radios: 50.5 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 358 (plus 4,728 repeaters) (1995) Televisions: 30.3 million (1997) Internet country code: it Internet hosts: 1.731 million (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 93 (Italy and Holy See) (2000) Internet users: 28.87 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 133 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 98 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 30 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 31 under 914 m: 14 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 35 I, 524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1 ,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 19 (2006) Heliports: 5 (2006) Pipelines: gas 17,589 km; oil 1,136 km (2006) Railways: total: 19,459 km standard gauge: 18,037 km 1.435-m gauge ( 1 1 ,354 km electrified) narrow gauge: 123 km 1.000-m gauge (122 km electrified); 1,299 km 0.950-m gauge (161 km electrified) (2005) Roadways: total: 484,688 km paved: 484,688 km (includes 6,621 km of expressways) (2004) Waterways: 2,400 km note: used for commercial traffic; of lim¬ ited overall value compared to road and rail (2004) Merchant marine: total: 591 ships (1000 GRT or over) II, 737,175 GRT/12,573,225 DWT by type: bulk carrier 52, cargo 45, chem¬ ical tanker 136, container 25, liquefied gas 37, livestock carrier 3, passenger 16, passenger/cargo 150, petroleum tanker 49, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 33, specialized tanker 13, vehicle carrier 28 foreign-owned: 36 (France 1, Greece 6, Spam 1, Taiwan 10, UK 3, US 15) 318 ITALY registered in other countries: 152 (Bahamas 5, Belize 4, Cayman Islands 12, Cyprus 2, France 2, Germany 1, Gibraltar 6, Isle of Man 5, Jamaica 1, Liberia 16, Malta 29, Marshall Islands 1, Norway 4, Panama 15, Portugal 12, Romania 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 18, Singapore 2, Spain 2, Sweden 7, Turkey 3, UK 4) (2006) Ports and terminals: Augusta, Genoa, Livorno, Melilli Oil Terminal, Ravenna, Taranto, Trieste, Venice Military branches: Army (Esercito Italiano, El), Navy (Marina Militare Italiana, MMI), Air Force (Aeronautica Militare Italiana, AMI), Carabinieri Corps (Corpo dei Carabinieri, CC) (2005) Military service age and obligation: voluntary military service; conscription abolished January 2005 (2006) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 13,491,260 females age 18-49: 12,886,033 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 10,963,513 females age 18-49: 10,452,189 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18^9: 286,344 females age 18-49: 270,099 (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of GDP: 1.8% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: Italy’s long coastline and developed economy entices tens of thousands of illegal immi¬ grants from southeastern Europe and northern Africa Illicit drugs: important gateway for and consumer of Latin American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin entering the European market; money laundering by organized crime and from smuggling 319 Montego Bey Saint Ann's Savanna .la-Wat MandeviSe KINGSTON Morant Rooky Portmofe — j ifm -iB'm Caribbean Sea Caribbean Sm 0 » . : f Ho \ n ! INTRODUCTION Background: The island — discovered by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1494 — was settled by the Spanish early in the 16th century. The native Taino Indians, who had inhabited Jamaica for centuries, were gradually exterminated, replaced by African slaves. England seized the island in 1655 and a plantation economy- based on sugar, cocoa, and coffee — was established. The abolition of slavery in 1834 freed a quarter million slaves, many of whom became small farmers. Jamaica gradually obtained increasing independ- ence from Britain, and in 1958 it joined other British Caribbean colonies in forming the Federation of the West Indies. Jamaica gained full independence when it withdrew from the Federation in 1962. Deteriorating economic condi- tions during the 1970s led to recurrent violence as rival gangs affiliated with the major political parties evolved into pow¬ erful organized crime networks involved in international drug smuggling and money laundering. The cycle of vio¬ lence, drugs, and poverty has served to impoverish large sectors of the populace. Nonetheless, many rural and resort areas remain relatively safe and contribute substantially to the economy. GEOGRAPHY _ Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba Geographic coordinates: 18 15 N, 77 30 W Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total: 10,991 sq km land: 10,831 sq km water : 160 sq km Area — comparative: slightly smaller than Connecticut Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 1,022 km Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin Climate: tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior Terrain: mostly mountains, with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Blue Mountain Peak 2,256 m Natural resources: bauxite, gypsum, limestone Land use: arable land: 15.83% permanen t crops : 1 0 . 0 1 % other: 74.16% (2005) Irrigated land: 250 sq km (2002) Natural hazards: hurricanes (especially July to November) Environment— current issues: heavy rates of deforestation; coastal waters pol¬ luted by industrial waste, sewage, and oil spills; damage to coral reefs; air pollution in Kingston results from vehicle emissions Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Con¬ servation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements GOOgraphy — note: strategic location between Cayman Trench and Jamaica Channel, the main sea lanes for the Panama Canal Population: 2,780,132 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 32.5% (male 459,968/female 444,963) 15-64 years: 60.1% (male 822,486/ female 848,310) 65 years and over: 7-4% (male 91,856/ female 112,549) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 23.2 years male: 22.6 years female: 23.7 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.777% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 20.44 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 6.59 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -6.07 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.034 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.816 male(s)/female total population: 0.978 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 15.73 deaths/1,000 live births male: 16.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 15.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.12 years male: 71.43 years female: 74.9 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.36 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 1.2% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 22,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 900 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Jamaican(s) adjective: Jamaican Ethnic groups: black 91.2%, mixed 6.2%, other or unknown 2.6% (2001 census) Religions: Protestant 62.5% (Seventh- Day Adventist 10.8%, Pentecostal 9.5%, Other Church of God 8.3%, Baptist 7.2%, New Testament Church of God 6.3%, Church of God in Jamaica 4.8%, Church of God of Prophecy 4.3%, Anglican 3.6%, other Christian 7.7%), Roman Catholic 2.6%, other or unspeci¬ fied 14-2%, none 20.9%, (2001 census) Languages: English, English patois Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 87.9% male: 84-1% female: 91.6% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none 320 JAMAICA conventional short form: Jamaica Government type: constitutional parlia- mentary democracy Capital: name: Kingston geographic coordinates: 18 00 N, 76 48 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 14 parishes; Clarendon, Hanover, Kingston, Man¬ chester, Portland, Saint Andrew, Saint Ann, Saint Catherine, Saint Elizabeth, Saint James, Saint Mary, Saint Thomas, Trelawny, Westmoreland note: for local government purposes, Kingston and Saint Andrew were amal¬ gamated in 1923 into the present single corporate body known as the Kingston and Saint Andrew Corporation Independence: 6 August 1962 (from UK) National holiday: Independence Day; 6 August (1962) Constitution: 6 August 1962 Legal system: based on English com¬ mon law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Kenneth O. HALL (since 15 February 2006) head of government: Prime Minister Portia SIMPSON-MILLER (since 30 March 2006) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the gov¬ ernor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the monarch is heredi¬ tary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition in the House of Representatives is appointed prime minister by the gov¬ ernor general; the deputy prime minister is recommended by the prime minister Legislative branch: bicameral Parlia¬ ment consists of the Senate (a 21- member body appointed by the governor general on the recommendations of the prime minister and the leader of the opposition; ruling party is allocated 13 seats, and the opposition is allocated 8 seats) and the House of Representatives (60 seats; members are elected by pop¬ ular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 16 October 2002 (next to be held no later than October 2007) election results: percent of vote by party — PNP 52%, JLP 47.3%; seats by party — PNP 34, JLP 26 Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister); Court of Appeal Polifical parties and leaders: Jamaica Labor Party or JLP fBruce GOLDING]; People’s National Party or PNP [Portia SIMPSON-MILLER]; National Demo¬ cratic Movement or NDM [Michael WILLIAMS] Polifical pressure groups and leaders: New Beginnings Movement or NBM; Rastafarians (black religious/racial cultists, pan- Africanists) International organization participa¬ tion: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G- 15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Gordon SHIRLEY chancery: 1520 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 452-0660 FAX: [1] (202) 452-0081 consulate(s) general: Miami, New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Brenda LaGrange JOHNSON embassy: 142 Old Hope Road, Kingston 6 mailing address: P.O. Box 541, Kingston 5 telephone: [1] (876) 702-6000 FAX: [1] (876) 702-6348 Flag description: diagonal yellow cross divides the flag into four triangles — green (top and bottom) and black (hoist side and outer side) ECONOMY Economy — overview: The Jamaican economy is heavily dependent on serv¬ ices, which now account for more than 60% of GDP The country continues to derive most of its foreign exchange from tourism, remittances, and bauxite/alu¬ mina. Jamaica’s economy, already sad¬ dled with a record of sluggish growth, was hit hard by Hurricane Ivan in late 2004, but has made a gradual recovery. The economy faces serious long-term problems: high but declining interest rates, increased foreign competition, exchange rate instability, a sizable mer¬ chandise trade deficit, large-scale unem¬ ployment and underemployment, and a high debt burden — the result of govern¬ ment bailouts to ailing sectors of the economy, most notably the financial sector in the mid-to-late 1990s. Following a strategy begun in 2004, Jamaica has reduced its public debt to 133.3% of GDP. Inflation also had declined to 5.8% at the end of 2006. High unemployment exacerbates the serious crime problem, including gang violence fueled by the drug trade. The government faces the difficult prospect of having to achieve fiscal discipline in order to maintain debt payments while simultaneously attacking a serious and growing crime problem that is hampering economic growth. GDP (purchasing power parity): $12.82 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $9.23 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 2.3% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $4,600 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 5.2% industry: 27.3% services: 67.5% (2006 est.) Labor force: 1.1 million (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 18.1% industry: 17.3% services: 64.6% (2004) Unemployment rate: 11.3% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 14.8% (2003 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.4% highest 10%: 30.3% (2000) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 38.1 (2003) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.8% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 30.8% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $2.85 billion expenditures: $3,174 billion; including capital expenditures of $180.4 million (2006 est.) Public debt: 133.3% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: sugarcane, ba¬ nanas, coffee, citrus, yams, ackees, veg¬ etables; poultry, goats, milk; crustaceans, mollusks Industries: tourism, bauxite/alumina, agro processing, light manufactures, rum, cement, metal, paper, chemical products, telecommunications Industrial production growth rate: -2% (2000 est.) Electricity — production: 6.913 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 96.8% hydro: 1.8% nuclear: 0% other: 1.4% (2001) 321 THE CIA WOR L.£> FACTBOOK Electricity — consumption: 6.429 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity — imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 72,080 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $970 million (2006 est.) Exports: $2,087 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: alumina, baux- ite, sugar, bananas, rum, coffee, yams, beverages, chemicals, wearing apparel, mineral fuels Exports— partners: US 25.8%, Canada 19.3%, UK 10.7%, Netherlands 8.6%, China 7%, Norway 6.4%, Germany 5.6% (2005) Imports: $4,682 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: food and other consumer goods, industrial supplies, fuel, parts and accessories of capital goods, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials Imports — partners: US 41.4%, Trinidad and Tobago 14%, Venezuela 5.5%, Japan 4.6% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $2,317 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $7,384 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid — recipient: $254. 7 mil¬ lion (2004) Currency (code): Jamaican dollar (JMD) Currency code: JMD Exchange rates: J amaican dollars per US dollar— 65.768 (2006), 62.51 (2005), 61.197 (2004), 57.741 (2003), 48.416 (2002) Fiscal year: 1 April— 31 March Telephones — main lines in use: 342,000 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 2.7 mil lion (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: fully automatic domestic telephone network domestic: NA international: country code — 1-876; 3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations — 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 10, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998) Radios: 1.215 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 7 (1997) Televisions: 460,000 (1997) Internet country code: jm Internet hosts: 1,402 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 21 (2000) Internet users: 1.067 million (2005) Airports: 35 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 914 to 1 ,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 5 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 22 (2006) Railways: total: 272 km standard gauge: 272 km 1.435-m gauge note: 207 of these km belonging to the Jamaica Railway Corporation had been in common carrier service until 1992 but are no longer operational; 57 km of the remaining track is privately owned and used by ALCAN to transport bauxite (2003) Roadways: total: 20,996 km paved: 15,386 km (includes 33 km of expressways) unpaved: 5,610 km (2004) Merchant marine: total: 10 ships (1000 GRT or over) 124,323 GRT/1 84,247 DWT by type: bulk carrier 5, cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 2 foreign'owned: 10 (Germany 3, Greece 6, Italy 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Kingston, Port Esquivel, Port Kaiser, Port Rhoades, Rocky Point Military branches: Jamaica Defense Force: Ground Forces, Coast Guard, Air Wing (2007) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; younger recruits may be con¬ scripted with parental consent (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 592,018 females age 1 8 — -4 9; 616,500 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-4 9: 478,761 females age 18-4 9: 504,541 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 27,923 females age 18-4 9: 27,889 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 0.6% (2006 est.) Disputes— international : none Trafficking in persons: current situation: Jamaica is a source country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation and labor; information suggests that women from the Dominican Republic and Eastern Europe are also trafficked to Jamaica for sexual exploitation; women and children are trafficked internally from rural to urban and tourist areas for sexual exploitation; there may also be trafficking for domestic servitude and forced labor tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Jamaica is placed on the Tier 2 Watch List based on the determination that it is making signif¬ icant efforts to undertake future action Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine from South America to North America and Europe; illicit cultivation and consumption of cannabis; govern¬ ment has an active manual cannabis eradication program; corruption is a major concern; substantial money-laun¬ dering activity; Colombian narcotics traffickers favor Jamaica for illicit finan¬ cial transactions Background: This desolate, artic, moun¬ tainous island was named after a Dutch whaling captain who indisputably dis¬ covered it in 1614 (earlier claims are inconclusive). Visited only occasionally by seal hunters and trappers over the fol¬ lowing centuries, the island came under Norwegian sovereignty in 1929. The long dormant Haakon VII Toppen/ Beerenberg volcano resumed activity in 1970; the most recent eruption occurred in 1985. It is the northernmost active volcano on earth. : -A..' - GEOGRAPHY, Location: Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the Norwegian Sea, northeast of Iceland Geographic coordinates: 71 00 N, 8 00 W Map references: Arctic Region Area: total: 377 sq km land: 377 sq km water: 0 sq km 322 JAPAN > B— | ' J ■%:•' ■ ; "*&$nyr) \~ajyzytar * "^uSSr** it ® note: includes three island groups — Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands Area — Comparative: four times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 1,143 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds Terrain: mostly low-lying coral atolls sur¬ rounded by extensive reefs Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Banaba 81m Natural resources: phosphate (produc¬ tion discontinued in 1979) Land use: arable land: 2.74% permanent crops: 47.95% other: 49.31% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March; occasional tornadoes; low level of some of the islands make them very sensitive to changes in sea level Environment — current issues: heavy pol¬ lution in lagoon of south Tarawa atoll due to heavy migration mixed with traditional practices such as lagoon latrines and open- pit dumping; ground water at risk Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography— note: 21 of the 33 islands are inhabited; Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati is one of the three great phos¬ phate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean — the others are Makatea in French Polynesia, and Nauru PEOPLE Population: 107,817 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 38.2% (male 20,886/female 20,322) 15—64 years: 58.4% (male 31,083/female 31,884) 65 years and over: 3.4% (male 1,554/ female 2,088) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 20.4 years male: 19.9 years female: 20.9 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.235% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 30.48 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 8.12 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.028 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.975 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.744 male(s)/female total population: 0.986 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 46.02 deaths/1,000 live births male: 51.03 deaths/1,000 live births female: 40.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 62.45 years male: 59.41 years female: 65.63 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 4.12 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS — people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HiV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: I-Kiribati (singular and plural) adjective: I-Kiribati Ethnic groups: Micronesian 98.8%, other 1.2% (2000 census) Religions: Roman Catholic 52%, Protestant (Congregational) 40%, other (includes Seventh-Day Adventist, Muslim, Baha’i, Latter-day Saints, Church of God) 8% (1999) Languages: I-Kiribati, English (official) Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA male: NA female: NA GOVERNMENT ■ ' ’ ■' Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Kiribati conventional short form: Kiribati local long form: Republic of Kiribati local short form: Kiribati note: pronounced keer-ree-bahss former: Gilbert Islands Government type: republic Capital: name: Tarawa geographic coordinates: 1 25 N, 173 00 E time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 3 units; Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands; note — in addition, there are 6 districts (Banaba, Central Gilberts, Line Islands, Northern Gilberts, Southern Gilberts, Tarawa) and 21 island coun¬ cils — one for each of the inhabited islands (Abaiang, Abemama, Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Kanton, Kiritimati, Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei, Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa, Tabiteuea, Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa, Teraina) Independence: 12 July 1979 (from UK) National holiday: Independence Day, 12 July (1979) Constitution: 12 July 1979 Legal system: NA Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003); Vice President Teima ONORIO; note — the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003); Vice President Teima ONORIO cabinet: 12-member cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of the House of Parliament elections: the House of Parliament chooses the presidential candidates from among its members and then those can¬ didates compete in a general election; president is elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for two more terms); election last held 4 July 2003 (next to be held not later than July 2007); vice president appointed by the president election results: Anote TONG 47.4%, Harry TONG 43.5%, Banuera BERINA 9.1% Legislative branch: unicameral House of Parliament or Maneaba Ni Maungatabu (42 seats; 39 members elected by popular vote, 1 ex officio member — the attorney general, 1 appointed to represent Banaba, and 1 other; to serve four-year terms) elections: legislative elections were held in two rounds — the first round on 9 May 2003 and the second round on 14 May 2003 (next to be held by November 2006) 339 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — BTK 17, MTM 16, independents 7, other 2 (includes attorney general) Judicial branch: Court of Appeal; High Court; 26 Magistrates’ courts; judges at all levels are appointed by the president Political parties and leaders: Bouto- kaan Te Koaua Party or BTK [Taber- annang TIMEON]; Maneaban Te Mauri Party or MTM [Teburoro TITO]; Maurin Kiribati Pati or MKP; National Pro¬ gressive Party or NPP [Dr. Harry TONG] note: there is no tradition of formally organized political parties in Kiribati; they more closely resemble factions or interest groups because they have no party headquarters, formal platforms, or party structures Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, ITUC, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO Diplomatic representation in the US: Kiribati does not have an embassy in the US; there is an honorary consulate in Honolulu Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Kiribati; the ambassador to Fiji is accred¬ ited to Kiribati Flag description: the upper half is red with a yellow frigate bird flying over a yellow rising sun, and the lower half is blue with three horizontal wavy white stripes to represent the ocean ECONOMY Economy — overview: A remote country of 33 scattered coral atolls, Kiribati has few natural resources. Commercially viable phosphate deposits were exhausted at the time of independence from the UK in 1979. Copra and fish now represent the bulk of production and exports. The economy has fluctuated widely in recent years. Economic devel¬ opment is constrained by a shortage of skilled workers, weak infrastructure, and remoteness from international markets. Tourism provides more than one-fifth of GDP. Private sector initiatives and a financial sector are in the early stages of development. Foreign financial aid from UK, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and China equals more than 10% of GDP. Remittances from seamen on merchant ships abroad account for more than $5 million each year. Kiribati receives around $15 million annually for the gov¬ ernment budget from an Australian trust fund. GDP (purchasing power parity): $209 million (2004 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $76.4 million (2005 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 0.3% (2005) GDP — per capita (PPP): $2,800 (2004 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 8.9% industry: 24-2% services: 66.8% (2004) Labor force: 7,870 economically active, not including subsistence farmers (2001 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 2.7% industry: 32% services: 65.3% (2000) Unemployment rate: 2% official rate; underemployment 70% (1992 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.5% (2005 est.) Budget: revenues: $55.52 million expenditures: $59.71 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (FY05) Agriculture— products: copra, taro, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, vegetables; fish Industries*, fishing, handicrafts Industrial production growth rate: 0.7% (1991 est.) Electricity— production: 13 million kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 12.09 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 200 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $19.87 mil¬ lion (2004) Exports: $17 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) Exports— commodities: copra 62%, coconuts, seaweed, fish Exports— partners: US 22.8%, Belgium 21.5%, Japan 14.3%, Samoa 7.8%, Australia 7.5%, Malaysia 6.7%, Taiwan 5.6%, Denmark 4-6% (2005) Imports: $62 million c.i.f. (2004 est.) Imports — commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, miscella¬ neous manufactured goods, fuel Imports— partners: Australia 33%, Fiji 27.1%, Japan 18.1%, NZ 6.9% (2005) Debt— external: $10 million (1999 est.) Economic aid — recipient: $16.7 million largely from UK and Japan (2004) Currency (code): Australian dollar (AUD) Currency code: AUD Exchange rates: Australian dollars per US dollar— 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002) Fiscal year: NA COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 4,500 (2002) Telephones— mobile cellular: 600 (2004) Telephone system: general assessment: generally good quality national and international service domestic: wire line service available on Tarawa and Kiritimati (Christmas Island); connections to outer islands by HF/VHF radiotelephone; wireless service available in Tarawa since 1999 international: country code — 686; Kiribati is being linked to the Pacific Ocean Cooperative Telecommunica¬ tions Network, which should improve telephone service; satellite earth sta¬ tion — 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM l, FM 2, shortwave 1 (may be inactive) (2002) Radios: 17,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: l (pos¬ sibly inactive) (2002) Televisions: 1,000 (1997) Internet country code: ki Internet hosts: 42 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000) Internet users: 2,000 (2004) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 19 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 16 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1 ,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 4 (2006) Roadways: total: 670 km (1999) Waterways: 5 km (small network of canals in Line Islands) (2003) 340 KOREA, NORTH Merchant marine: total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2 749 GRT/3,91 1 DWT by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1 foreign- owned: 1 (UAE 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Betio MILITARY Military branches: no regular military forces; Police Force (carries out law enforcement functions and paramilitary duties; small police posts are on all islands) (2007) Manpower available for military service: males age 18^9: 21,938 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 14,231 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 1,128 (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of GDP: NA Military — note: Kiribati does not have military forces; defense assistance is pro¬ vided by Australia and NZ TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international : none KOREA, NORTH INTRODUCTION Background: An independent kingdom for much of its long history, Korea was occupied by Japan in 1905 following the Russo-Japanese War. Five years later, Japan formally annexed the entire penin¬ sula. Following World War II, Korea was split with the northern half coming under Soviet-sponsored Communist domination. After failing in the Korean War (1950-53) to conquer the US- backed Republic of Korea (ROK) in the southern portion by force, North Korea (DPRK), under its founder President KIM Il-so’ng, adopted a policy of osten¬ sible diplomatic and economic “self- reliance” as a check against excessive Soviet or Communist Chinese influence. The DPRK demonized the US as the ultimate threat to its social system through state-funded propaganda, and molded political, economic, and military policies around the core ideological objective of eventual unification of Korea under Pyongyang’s control. KIM’s son, the current ruler KIM Jong II, was officially designated as his father’s suc¬ cessor in 1980, assuming a growing polit¬ ical and managerial role until the elder KIM’s death in 1994. After decades of economic mismanagement and resource misallocation, the DPRK since the mid- 1990s has relied heavily on international aid to feed its population while contin¬ uing to expend resources to maintain an army of 1 million. North Korea’s long- range missile development, as well as its nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons programs and massive conventional armed forces, are of major concern to the international community. In December 2002, following revelations that the DPRK was pursuing a nuclear weapons program based on enriched uranium in violation of a 1994 agreement with the US to freeze and ultimately dismantle its existing plutonium-based program, North Korea expelled monitors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). In January 2003, it declared its withdrawal from the international Non- Proliferation Treaty. In mid-2003 Pyongyang announced it had completed the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel rods (to extract weapons-grade plutonium) and was developing a “nuclear deterrent.” Beginning in August 2003, North Korea, China, Japan, Russia, South Korea, and the US have participated in the Six-Party Talks aimed at resolving the stalemate over the DPRK’s nuclear programs. North Korea pulled out of the talks in November 2005. It test-fired ballistic missiles in July 2006 and tested a nuclear weapon in October 2006. In October 2006, the DRPK announced that it would return to the Six-Party Talks. The Talks recon¬ vened in December 2006. GEOGRAPHY Location: Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and South Korea Geographic coordinates: 40 00 N, 127 00 E Map references: Asia Area: total: 120,540 sqkm land: 120,410 sq km water: 130 sq km Area — comparative: slightly smaller than Mississippi Land boundaries: total: 1,673 km border countries: China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, Russia 19 km Coastline: 2,495 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 1 2 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm note: military boundary line 50 nm in the Sea of Japan and the exclusive economic zone limit in the Yellow Sea where all foreign vessels and aircraft without per¬ mission are banned Climate: temperate with rainfall con¬ centrated in summer Terrain: mostly hills and mountains sep¬ arated by deep, narrow valleys; coastal plains wide in west, discontinuous in east Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m highest point: Paektu-san 2,744 m Natural resources: coal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnesite, iron ore, copper, gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar, hydropower Land use: arable land: 22.4% permanent crops : 1.66% other: 75.94% (2005) Irrigated land: 14,600 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding; occa¬ sional typhoons during the early fall Environment — current issues: water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water; waterborne disease; deforestation; soil erosion and degradation Environment — international agreements: party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Mo¬ dification, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea Geography — note: strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and Russia; mountainous interior is isolated and sparsely populated PEOPLE Population: 23,301,725 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 23.3% (male 2,758,826/ female 2,679,093) 341 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK 15-64 years: 68.1% (male 7,852,282/ female 8,024,429) 65 years and over: 8.5% (male 709,599/ female 1,277,496) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 32.4 years male: 30.9 years female: 33.8 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.785% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 15.06 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 7.21 deaths/1,000 popula- tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.979 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.555 male(s)/female total population: 0.945 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 22.56 deaths/1,000 live births male: 24-2 deaths/1,000 live births female: 20.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.92 years male: 69.18 years female: 74-8 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.05 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Korean(s) adjective: Korean Ethnic groups: racially homogeneous; there is a small Chinese community and a few ethnic Japanese Religions: traditionally Buddhist and Confucianist, some Christian and syn¬ cretic Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way) note: autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent; government- sponsored religious groups exist to pro¬ vide illusion of religious freedom Languages: Korean Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% GOVERNMENT _ _ Country name: conventional long form: Democratic People’s Republic of Korea conventional short form: North Korea local long form: Choson-minjujuui- inmin-konghwaguk local short form: Choson abbreviation: DPRK Government type: Communist state one-man dictatorship Capital: name: Pyongyang geographic coordinates: 3901 N, 125 45 E time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 4 munici¬ palities (si, singular and plural) provinces: Chagang-do (Chagang), Hamgyong-bukto (North Hamgyong), Hamgyong-namdo (South Hamgyong), Hwanghae-bukto (North Hwanghae), Hwanghae-namdo (South Hwanghae), Kangwon-do (Kangwon), P’yongan- bukto (North P’yongan), P’yongan- namdo (South P’yongan), Yanggang-do (Yanggang) municipalities: Kaesong-si (Kaesong), Najin Sonbong-si (Najin), Namp’o-si (Namp’o), P’yongyang-si (Pyongyang) Independence: 15 August 1945 (from Japan) National holiday: Founding of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), 9 September (1948) Constitution: adopted 1948; completely revised 27 December 1972, revised again in April 1992, and September 1998 Legal system: based on Prussian civil law system with Japanese influences and Communist legal theory; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory 1CJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 1 7 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: KIM Jong II (since July 1994); note — on 3 September 2003, rub- berstamp Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA) reelected KIM Jong II chairman of the National Defense Commission, a position accorded nation’s “highest administrative authority”; SPA reelected KIM Yong Nam president of its Presidium also with responsibility of representing state and receiving diplomatic credentials head of government: Premier KIM Yong II (since 11 April 2007); Vice Premiers KWAK Pom Gi (since 5 September 1998), JON Sung Hun (since 3 September 2003), RO Tu Choi (since 3 September 2003) cabinet: Naegak (cabinet) members, except for Minister of People’s Armed Forces, are appointed by SPA elections: last held in September 2003 (next to be held in September 2008) election results: KIM Jong II and KIM Yong Nam were only nominees for posi¬ tions and ran unopposed Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme People’s Assembly or Ch’oego Inmin Hoeui (687 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 3 August 2003 (next to be held in August 2008) election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — NA; ruling party approves a list of candidates who are elected without opposition; some seats are held by minor parties Judicial branch: Central Court (judges are elected by the Supreme People’s Assembly) Political parties and leaders: major party — Korean Workers’ Party or KWP [KIM Jong II]; minor parties — Chondoist Chongu Party [RYU Mi Yong] (under KWP control), Social Democratic Party [KIM Yong Dae] (under KWP control) Political pressure groups and leaders: none International organization participa¬ tion: ARF, FAO, G-77, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO Diplomatic representation in the US: none; North Korea has a Permanent Mission to the UN in New York Diplomatic representation from the US: none; note — Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang represents the US as consular protecting power Flag description: three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue; the red band is edged in white; on the hoist side of the red band is a white disk with a red five-pointed star ECONOMY Economy-overview: North Korea, one of the world’s most centrally planned and isolated economies, faces desperate eco¬ nomic conditions. Industrial capital stock is nearly beyond repair as a result of years of underinvestment and shortages of spare parts. Industrial and power output have declined in parallel. Due in part to severe summer flooding followed by dry weather conditions in the fall of 2006, the nation has suffered its 12th year of food shortages because of on¬ going systemic problems, including a lack of arable land, collective farming practices, and chronic shortages of trac¬ tors and fuel. Massive international food aid deliveries have allowed the people of North Korea to escape mass starvation since famine threatened in 1995, but the population continues to suffer from pro¬ longed malnutrition and poor living con¬ ditions. Large-scale military spending eats up resources needed for investment 342 KOREAN, NORTH and civilian consumption. In 2004, the regime formalized an arrangement whereby private “farmers’ markets” were allowed to begin selling a wider range of goods. It also permitted some private farming on an experimental basis in an effort to boost agricultural output. In October 2005, the regime reversed some of these policies by forbidding private sales of grains and reinstituting a centralized food rationing system. By December 2005, the regime terminated most international humanitarian assistance operations in North Korea (calling instead for develop¬ mental assistance only) and restricted the activities of remaining international and non-governmental aid organizations such as the World Food Program. External food aid now comes primarily from China and South Korea in the form of grants and long-term concessional loans. Finn polit¬ ical control remains the Communist gov¬ ernment’s overriding concern, which will likely inhibit the loosening of economic regulations. GDP (purchasing power parity): $40 billion note: North Korea does not publish any reliable National Income Accounts data; the datum shown here is derived from purchasing power parity (PPP) GDP esti¬ mates for North Korea that were made by Angus MADDISON in a study con¬ ducted for the OECD; his figure for 1999 was extrapolated to 2006 using estimated real growth rates for North Korea’s GDP and an inflation factor based on the US GDP deflator; the result was rounded to the nearest $10 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): NA (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 1.8% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $1,800 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 30% industry: 34% services: 36% (2002 est.) Labor force: 9.6 million Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 36% industry and services: 64% Unemployment rate: NA% Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA% Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA Agriculture — products: rice, corn, pota¬ toes, soybeans, pulses; cattle, pigs, pork, eggs Industries: military products; machine building, electric power, chemicals; mining (coal, iron ore, limestone, mag¬ nesite, graphite, copper, zinc, lead, and precious metals), metallurgy; textiles, food processing; tourism Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity— production: 21.71 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 29% hydro: 71% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 20.19 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 138.5 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 25,000 bbl/day (2004) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: 22,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Exports: $1.34 billion f.o.b. (2005) Exports — commodities: minerals, met¬ allurgical products, manufactures (including armaments), textiles, agricul¬ tural and fishery products Exports — partners: China 35%, South Korea 24%, Thailand 9%, Japan 9% (2005) Imports: $2.72 billion c.i.f. (2005) Imports — commodities: petroleum, coking coal, machinery and equipment, textiles, grain Imports— partners: China 42%, South Korea 28%, Russia 9%, Thailand 8% (2005) Debt — external: $12 billion (1996 est.) Economic aid — recipient: $NA; note- approximate ly 350,000 metric tons in food aid, worth approximately $118 mil¬ lion, through the World Food Program appeal in 2004, plus additional aid from bilateral donors and non-governmental organizations Currency (code): North Korean won (KPW) Currency code: KPW Exchange rates: official: North Korean won per US dollar — 141 (2006), 170 (December 2004), 150 (December 2002), market: North Korean won per US dollar— 2,500-3,000 (December 2006) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 980,000 (2003) Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: country code — 850; satel¬ lite earth stations — 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Russian (Indian Ocean region); other international connections through Moscow and Beijing Radio broadcast stations: AM 17 (including 11 stations of Korean Central Broadcasting Station; North Korea has a national intercom” cable radio station wired throughout the country that is a significant source of information for the average North Korean citizen; it is wired into most residences and workplaces and carries news and commentary), FM 14, shortwave 14 (2006) Radios: 3.36 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 4 (includes Korean Central Television, Mansudae Television, Korean Educational and Cultural Network, and Kaesong Television targeting South Korea) (2003) Televisions: 1.2 million (1997) Internet country code: kp Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000) Internet users: NA TRANSPORTATION Airports: 77 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 36 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 22 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1 ,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 3 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 41 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 20 914 to 1 ,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 7 (2006) Heliports: 22 (2006) Pipelines: oil 154 km (2006) Railways: total: 5,214 km standard gauge: 5,214 km 1.43 5 -m gauge (3,500 km electrified) (2005) Roadways: total: 31,200 km paved: 1,997 km unpaved: 29,203 km (1999 est.) Waterways: 2,250 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2006) Merchant marine: total: 232 ships (1000 GRT or over) 983,182 GRT/ 1,3 70, 104 DWT by type: bulk carrier 14, cargo 176, chem¬ ical tanker 1, container 4, livestock car¬ rier 3, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 17, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 8, vehicle carrier 1 343 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK foreign^ owned: 60 (British Virgin Islands 1, China 1, Denmark 1, Egypt 2, Greece I, India 1, Lebanon 6, Lithuania 1, Marshall Islands 1, Pakistan 3, Romania II, Russia 1, Singapore 1, Syria 14, Turkey 4, UAE 6, US 3, Yemen 2) registered in other countries: 5 (Belize 2, Mongolia 3) (2006) Ports and terminals: Ch’ongjin, Haeju, Hungnam (Hamhung), Kimch’aek, Kosong, Najin, Namp’o, Sinuiju, Songnim, Sonbong (formerly Unggi), Ungsang, Wonsan Military branches: North Korean People’s Army: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force; civil security forces (2005) Military service age and obligation: 17 years of age (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 17-49: 5,851,801 females age 17-49: 5,850,733 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 17-49: 4,810,831 females age 17-49: 4,853,270 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age i 8 — 49: 194,605 females age 17-49: 187,846 (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of GDP: NA TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES . Disputes — international: risking arrest, imprisonment, and deportation, tens of thousands of North Koreans cross into China to escape famine, economic priva¬ tion, and political oppression; North Korea and China dispute the sovereignty of certain islands in Yalu and Tumen rivers; Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South Korea since 1953; periodic incidents in the Yellow Sea with South Korea which claims the Northern Limiting Line as a maritime boundary; North Korea supports South Korea in rejecting Japan’s claim to Liancourt Rocks (Tok-do/Take-shima) Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: IDPs: 50,000-25 0,000 (govern¬ ment repression and famine) (2006) Trafficking in persons: current situation: North Korea is a source country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation; North Korea’s own system of political repression includes forced labor in a network of prison camps where an estimated 150,000 to 200,000 persons are incarcer¬ ated; the illegal status of North Koreans in China and other countries increases their vulnerability to trafficking schemes and sexual and physical abuse; North Koreans forcibly returned from China may be subject to hard labor in prison camps operated by the government tier rating: Tier 3 — North Korea does not fully comply with minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so Illicit drugs: for years, from the 1970s into the 2000s, citizens of the Demo¬ cratic People’s Pvepublic of (North) Korea (DPRK), many of them diplo¬ matic employees of the government, were apprehended abroad while traf¬ ficking in narcotics, including two in Turkey in December 2004; police inves¬ tigations in Taiwan and Japan in recent years have linked North Korea to large illicit shipments of heroin and metham- phetamine, including an attempt by the North Korean merchant ship Pong Su to deliver 150 kg of heroin to Australia in April 2003 KOREA, SOUTH Background: An independent Korean state or collection of states has existed almost continuously for several mil¬ lennia. Between its initial unification in the 7 th century — from three predecessor Korean states — until the 20th century, Korea existed as a single independent country. In 1905, following the Russo- Japanese War, Korea became a protec¬ torate of imperial Japan, and in 1910 it was annexed as a colony. Korea regained its independence following Japan’s sur¬ render to the United States in 1945. After World War II, a Republic of Korea (ROK) was set up in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula while a Communist-style government was installed in the north (the DPRK). During the Korean War (1950-53), US troops and UN forces fought alongside soldiers from the ROK to defend South Korea from DPRK attacks supported by China and the Soviet Union. An armistice was signed in 1953, splitting the peninsula along a demilitarized zone at about the 38th parallel. Thereafter, South Korea achieved rapid economic growth with per capita income rising to roughly 14 times the level of North Korea. In 1993, KIM Young-sam became South Korea’s first civilian president following 32 years of military rule. South Korea today is a fully functioning modern democracy. In June 2000, a historic first North-South summit took place between the South’s President KIM Dae-jung and the North’s leader KIM Jong II. GEOGRAPHY _ - Location: Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea Geographic coordinates: 37 00 N, 127 30 E Map references: Asia Area: total: 98,480 sq km land: 98,190 sq km water: 290 sq km Area— comparative: slightly larger than Indiana Land boundaries: total: 238 km border countries: North Korea 238 km Coastline: 2,413 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the Korea Strait contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: not specified Climate: temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter Terrain: mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and south Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m highest point: Halla-san 1,950 m Natural resources: coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower potential Land use: arable land: 16.58% permanent crops: 2.01% other: 81.41% (2005) 344 KOREA, SOUTH Irrigated land: 8,780 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity common in southwest Environment— current issues: air pollu¬ tion in large cities; acid rain; water pollu¬ tion from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents; drift net fishing Environment — international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Re¬ sources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change- Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, En¬ dangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography— note: strategic location on Korea Strait PEOPLE Population: 49,044,790 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 18.3% (male 4,714,103/ female 4,262,873) 15—64 years: 72.1% (male 18,004,719/ female 17,346,594) 65 years and over: 9.6% (male 1,921,803/ female 2,794,698) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 35.8 years male: 34-8 years female: 36.8 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.394% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 9.93 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 5.99 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.106 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.038 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.688 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 6.05 deaths/1,000 live births male: 6.43 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.23 years male: 73.81 years female: 80.93 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.28 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HI V/ AIDS: 8,300 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Korean(s) adjective: Korean Ethnic groups: homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese) Religions: Christian 26.3% (Protestant 19.7%, Roman Catholic 6.6%), Buddhist 23.2%, other or unknown 1.3%, none 49.3% (1995 census) Languages: Korean, English widely taught in junior high and high school Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.9% male: 99.2% female: 96.6% (2002) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Korea conventional short form: South Korea local long form: Taehan-min’guk local short form: Han’guk abbreviation: ROK Government type: republic Capital: name: Seoul geographic coordinates: 37 34N, 127 00E time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 7 metropol¬ itan cities (gwangyoksi, singular and plural) provinces: Cheju-do, Cholla-bukto (North Cholla), Cholla-namdo (South Cholla), Ch’ungch’ong-bukto (North Ch’ungch’ong), Ch’ungch’ong-namdo (South Ch’ungch’ong), Kangwon-do, Kyonggi-do, Kyongsang-bukto (North Kyongsang), Kyongsang-namdo (South Kyongsang) metropolitan cities: Inch’on-gwangyoksi (Inchon), Kwangju-gwangyoksi (Kwangju), Pusan-gwangyoksi (Pusan), Soul-t’ukpy- olsi (Seoul), Taegu-gwangyoksi (Taegu), Taejon-gwangyoksi (Taejon), Ulsan- gwangyoksi (Ulsan) Independence: 15 August 1945 (from Japan) National holiday: Liberation Day, 15 August (1945) Constitution: 17 July 1948; note — amended or rewritten nine times; current constitution approved on 29 October 1987 Legal system: combines elements of continental European civil law systems, Anglo-American law, and Chinese clas¬ sical thought Suffrage: 19 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President ROH Moo-hyun (since 25 February 2003) head of government: Prime Minister HAN Duck-soo (since 2 April 2007); Deputy Prime Ministers KIM Woo-sik (since 10 February 2006); KWON O-kyu (since 18 July 2006); KIM Shin-il (since 20 September 2006) cabinet: State Council appointed by the president on the prime minister’s recom¬ mendation elections: president elected by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 19 December 2002 (next to be held on 19 December 2007); prime min¬ ister appointed by president with consent of National Assembly; deputy prime ministers appointed by president on prime minister’s recommendation election results: ROH Moo-hyun elected president; percent of vote — ROH Moo- hyun (MDP) 48.9%; LEE Hoi-chang (GNP) 46.6%; other 4.5% Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Kukhoe (299 seats; 243 members elected in single-seat constituencies, 56 elected by propor¬ tional representation; to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 15 April 2004 (next to be held in April 2008) election results: percent of vote by party — Uri 51%, GNP 41%, DLP 3%, DP 3%, others 2%; seats by party — Uri 141, GNP 127, DP 12, DLP 9, PFP 5, independents 5 note: percent of vote is for 2004 general election; seats by party reflect results of 2005 and 2006 by-elections; MDP became DP in May 2005; United Liberal Democrats (ULD) merged with GNP in February 2006 Judicial branch: Supreme Court (jus¬ tices appointed by president with con¬ sent of National Assembly); Constitutional Court (justices appointed by president based partly on nominations by National Assembly and Chief Justice of the court) Political parties and leaders: Democratic Labor Party or DLP [MOON Seong-hyun]; Democratic Party or DP [PARK Sang-chun]; Grand National Party or GNP [KANG Jae-sup]; People- First Party or PFP [SHIN Kook-hwan and SIM Dae-pyung]; Uri Party [Chung Sye-kyun] Political pressure groups and leaders: Federation of Korean Industries; Federation of Korean Trade Unions; Korean Confederation of Trade Unions; Korean National Council of Churches; Korean Traders Association; Korean Veterans’ Association; National Council 345 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK of Labor Unions; National Democratic Alliance of Korea; National Federation of Farmers’ Associations; National Federation of Student Associations International organization participa¬ tion: AfDB, APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IFIO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA, MIGA, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador LEE Tae-sik chancery: 2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-5600 FAX: [1] (202) 387-0205 consulate(s) general: Agana (Guam), Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Alexander VERSHBOW embassy: 32 Sejong-no, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-710 mailing address: US Embassy Seoul, Unit 15550, APO AP 96205-5550 telephone: [82] (2) 397-4114 FAX: [82] (2) 738-8845 Flag description: white with a red (top) and blue yin-yang symbol in the center; there is a different black trigram from the ancient I Ching (Book of Changes) in each corner of the white field Economy— overview: Since the 1960s, South Korea has achieved an incredible record of growth and integration into the high-tech modern world economy. Four decades ago, GDP per capita was compa¬ rable with levels in the poorer countries of Africa and Asia. In 2004, South Korea joined the trillion dollar club of world economies. Today its GDP per capita is equal to the lesser economies of the EU. This success was achieved by a system of close government/business ties, including directed credit, import restric¬ tions, sponsorship of specific industries, and a strong labor effort. The govern¬ ment promoted the import of raw mate¬ rials and technology at the expense of consumer goods and encouraged savings and investment over consumption. The Asian financial crisis of 1997-99 exposed longstanding weaknesses in South Korea’s development model, including high debt/equity ratios, mas¬ sive foreign borrowing, and an undisci¬ plined financial sector. GDP plunged by 6.9% in 1998, then recovered by 9.5% in 1999 and 8.5% in 2000. Growth fell back to 3.3% in 2001 because of the slowing global economy, falling exports, and the perception that much-needed corporate and financial reforms had stalled. Led by consumer spending and exports, growth in 2002 was an impressive 7%, despite anemic global growth. Between 2003 and 2006, growth moderated to about 4-5%. A downturn in consumer spending was offset by rapid export growth. Moderate inflation, low unem¬ ployment, an export surplus, and fairly equal distribution of income characterize this solid economy. GDP (purchasing power parity): $1,196 trillion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $897. 4 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 4.8% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $24,500 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 45% services: 52% (2006 est.) Labor force: 23.77 million (31 December 2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 6.4% industry: 26.4% services: 67.2% (2006 est.) Unemployment rate: 3.3% (December 2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 15% (2003 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 25% (2005 est.) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 35.8 (2000) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.2% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 28.4% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $200 billion expenditures: $201 billion; including cap¬ ital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 31.9% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: rice, root crops, barley, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs, chickens, milk, eggs; fish Industries: electronics, telecommunica¬ tions, automobile production, chemicals, shipbuilding, steel Industrial production growth rate: 8% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 345.2 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 62.4% hydro: 0.8% nuclear: 36.6% other: 0.2% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 321 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 7,378 bbl/day (2004) Oil— consumption: 2.149 million bbl/day (2004) Oil— exports: 645,200 bbl/day (2004) Oil — imports: 2.263 million bbl/day (2004) Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 27.84 bil¬ lion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — imports: 28.93 billion cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $2 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $326 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: semiconduc¬ tors, wireless telecommunications equip¬ ment, motor vehicles, computers, steel, ships, petrochemicals Exports— partners: China 21.8%, US 14.6%, Japan 8.5%, Hong Kong 5.5% (2005) ‘ Imports: $309.3 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: machinery, electronics and electronic equipment, oil, steel, transport equipment, organic chemicals, plastics Imports— partners: Japan 18.5%, China 14.8%, US 11.8%, Saudi Arabia 6.2% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $239 billion (2006 est.) Debt— external: $249.4 billion (30 September 2006 est.) Economic aid— donor: ODA, $744 mil¬ lion (2005) Currency (code): South Korean won (KRW) Currency code: KRW Exchange rates: South Korean won per US dollar— 955.3 (2006), 1,024-1 (2005), 1,145.3 (2004), 1,191.6 (2003), 1,251.1 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 23.745 million (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 38.342 million (2005) 346 KUWAIT Telephone system: general assessment: excellent domestic and international services domestic: NA international: country code — 82; fiber¬ optic submarine cables— 1 Korea-Russia- Japan, 1 Korea-Japan-Hong Kong, 3 Korea-Japan-China, 1 Korea-Japan- China-Europe, 1 Korea-Japan-China- US-Taiwan, 1 Korea-Japan-China, 1 Korea-Japan-Hong Kong-Taiwan, 1 Korea-Japan; satellite earth stations — 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean) and 3 Inmarsat ( 1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 61, fm 150, shortwave 2 (2005) Radios: 47.5 million (2000) Television broadcast stations: 43 (plus 59 cable operators and 190 relay cable operators) (2005) Televisions: 15.9 million (1997) Internet country code: kr Internet hosts: 5.434 million (2005) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): ll (2000) Internet users: 33.9 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 107 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 69 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 21 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1 ,523 m: 1 1 under 914 m: 20 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 38 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 35 (2006) Heliports: 540 (2006) Pipelines: gas 1,482 km; refined prod¬ ucts 827 km (2006) Railways: total: 3,472 km standard gauge: 3,472 km 1.435-m gauge (1,361 km electrified) (2005) Roadways: total: 100,279 km paved: 87,032 km (includes 3,060 km of expressways) unpaved: 13,247 km (2004) Waterways: 1,608 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2006) Merchant marine: total: 669 ships (1000 GRT or over) 8,634,188 GRT/13,733,624 DWT by type: bulk carrier 157, cargo 193, chemical tanker 98, container 81, lique¬ fied gas 22, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 24, petroleum tanker 57, refrigerated cargo 17, roll on/roll off 6, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 6 foreign'owned: 22 (France 12, Japan 1, UK 2, US 7) registered in other countries: 365 (Belize 4, Cambodia 23, China 2, Cyprus 1, Georgia 1, Honduras 6, Hong Kong 6, Indonesia 1, Liberia 3, Malaysia 1, Malta 6, Marshall Islands 1, Panama 291, Singapore 17, unknown 2) (2006) Ports and terminals: Inchon, Masan, P’ohang, Pusan, Ulsan Military branches: Army, Navy, Republic of Korea Air Force (Han-guk Kong Goon), Marine Corps, National Maritime Police (coast guard) (2006) Military service age and obligation: 20-30 years of age for compulsory mili¬ tary service; conscript service obliga¬ tion 24—28 months, depending on the military branch involved; 18 years of age for voluntary military service; some 4,000 women serve as commissioned and noncommissioned officers, approx. 2.3% of all officers; women, in service since 1950, are admitted to seven service branches, including infantry, but excluded from artillery, armor, anti-air, and chaplaincy corps (2007) Manpower available for military service: males age 20-49: 12,483,677 females age 20-H9: 12,014,462 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 20-49: 10,115,817 females age 20-49: 9,721,914 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 344,943 females age 20-49: 312,720 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 2.7% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South Korea since 1953; periodic incidents with North Korea in the Yellow Sea over the Northern Limiting Line, which South Korea claims as a maritime boundary; South Korea and Japan claim Liancourt Rocks (Tok- do/Take-shima), occupied by South Korea since 1954 KUWAIT Ar Rawajalayn, Jafib* tjjawaK ash Shuytikh | M»n4’ ai Aljmadi^ \ Abd Aiiafv, \ AzZawr\ 1 (MTnS1 Sa‘ud i X Wafrah INTRODUCTION Background: Britain oversaw foreign relations and defense for the ruling Kuwaiti AL-SABAH dynasty from 1899 until independence in 1961. Kuwait was attacked and overrun by Iraq on 2 August 1990. Following several weeks of aerial bombardment, a US-led, UN coalition began a ground assault on 23 February 1991 that liberated Kuwait in four days. Kuwait spent more than $5 bil¬ lion to repair oil infrastructure damaged during 1990-91. The AL-SABAH family has ruled since returning to power in 1991, and reestablished an elected leg¬ islature that in recent years has become increasingly assertive. GEOGRAPHY Location: Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi Arabia Geographic coordinates: 29 30 N, 45 45 E Map references: Middle East Area: total: 17,820 sq km land: 17,820 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey Land boundaries: total: 462 km border countries: Iraq 240 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km Coastline: 499 km Maritime Claims: territorial sea: 12 nm Climate: dry desert; intensely hot sum¬ mers; short, cool winters Terrain: flat to slightly undulating desert plain Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: unnamed location 306 m Natural resources: petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas 347 THE. CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Land use: arable land: 0.84% permanent crops : 0.17% other: 98.99% (2005) Irrigated land: 130 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April and bring heavy rain, which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust storms occur throughout the year, but are most common between March and August Environment— current issues: limited nat¬ ural fresh water resources; some of worlds largest and most sophisticated desalination facilities provide much of the water; air and water pollution; desertification Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping Geography— note: strategic location at head of Persian Gulf PEOPLE Population: 2,505,559 note: includes 1,291,354 non-nationals (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 26.7% (male 340,814/female 328,663) 15-64 years: 70.5% (male 1,128,231/ female 636,967) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 44,542/ female 26,342) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 26 years male: 27.9 years female: 22.4 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 3.561% note: this rate reflects a return to pre- Gulf crisis immigration of expatriates (2007 est.) Birth rate: 21.95 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 2.39 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 16.05 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.037 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.771 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.691 male(s)/female total population: 1.526 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 9.47 deaths/1,000 live births male: 10.48 deaths/1,000 live births female: 8.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.36 years male: 76.25 years female: 78.52 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.86 children bom/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 0.12% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Kuwaiti(s) adjective: Kuwaiti Ethnic groups: Kuwaiti 45%, other Arab 35%, South Asian 9%, Iranian 4%, other 7% Religions: Muslim 85% (Sunni 70%, Shi’a 30%), other (includes Christian, Hindu, Parsi) 15% Languages: Arabic (official), English widely spoken Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.3% male: 94-4% female: 91% (2005 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: State of Kuwait conventional short form: Kuwait local long form: Dawlat al Kuwayt local short form: Al Kuwayt Government type: constitutional emirate Capital: name: Kuwait geographic coordinates: 29 20 N, 47 59 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 6 governorates (muhafazat, singular — muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al ‘Asimah, Al Farwaniyah, Al Jahra’, Hawalli, Mubarak Al Kabir Independence: 19 June 1961 (from UK) National holiday: National Day, 25 February (1950) Constitution: approved and promulgated 11 November 1962 Legal system: civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal mat¬ ters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: NA years of age; universal (adult); note — males in the military or police are not allowed to vote; adult females were allowed to vote as of 16 May 2005; all voters must have been cit¬ izens for 20 years Executive branch: chief of state: Amir SABAH al- Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah (since 29 January 2006); Crown Prince NAWAF al- Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah head of government: Prime Minister NASIR MUHAMMAD al-Ahmad al- Sabah (since 3 April 2007); First Deputy Prime Minister JABIR Mubarak al- Hamad al-Sabah (since 9 February 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers MUHAMMAD al-Sabah al-Salim al- Sabah (since 9 February 2006) and Faysal al-HAJJI (since 5 April 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister and approved by the amir elections: none; the amir is hereditary; the amir appoints the prime minister and deputy prime ministers Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Umma (50 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms; all cabinet ministers are also ex officio voting mem¬ bers of the National Assembly) elections: last held 29 June 2006 (next election to be held in 2010) election results: percent of vote by bloc — NA; seats by bloc — Islamic Bloc (Sunni) 17, Popular Bloc 9, National Action Bloc (liberals) 8, independents 16 Judicial branch: High Court of Appeal Political parlies and leaders: none; for¬ mation of political parties is in practice illegal, but is not forbidden by law Political pressure groups and leaders: a number of political groups act as de facto parties; several legislative blocs operate in the National Assembly: tribal groups, merchants, Shi’a activists, Islamists, secular liberals and pro-govern¬ ment deputies; in mid-2006, a coalition of Islamists, liberals, and Shia cam¬ paigned successfully for electoral reform to reduce corruption International organization participa¬ tion: ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, BDEAC, CAEU, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signa¬ tory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador SALIM Abdallah al-Jabir al-Sabah chancery: 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 966-0702 FAX: [11(202) 966-0517 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Richard LEBARON embassy: Bayan 36302, Area 14, Al- Masjed Al-Aqsa Street (near the Bayan palace), Kuwait City mailing address: P. O. Box 77 Safat 13001 348 KUWAIT Kuwait; or PSC 1280 APO AE 09880- 9000 telephone: [965] 259-1001 FAX: [965] 538-0282 Flog description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a black trapezoid based on the hoist side; design, which dates to 1961, based on the Arab revolt flag of World War I ECONOMY Economy— overview: Kuwait is a small, rich, relatively open economy with self- reported crude oil reserves of about 96 billion barrels — 10% of world reserves. Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP, 95% of export revenues, and 80% of government income. Kuwait’s climate limits agricultural development. Con¬ sequently, with the exception of fish, it depends almost wholly on food imports. About 75% of potable water must be dis¬ tilled or imported. Kuwait continues its discussions with foreign oil companies to develop fields in the northern part of the country. High oil prices in recent years have helped build Kuwait’s budget and trade surpluses and foreign reserves. As a result of this positive fiscal situation, the need for economic reforms is less urgent and the government has not earnestly pushed through new initiatives. GDP (purchasing power parity): $55.91 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $60.72 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 12.6% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $23,100 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 0.4% industry: 48.3% services: 51.3% (2006 est.) Labor force: 1.136 million note: non-Kuwaitis represent about 80% of the labor force (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% Unemployment rate: 2.2% (2004 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 26.4% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $59.58 billion expenditures: $33.62 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 8.1% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: practically no crops; fish Industries: petroleum, petrochemicals, cement, shipbuilding and repair, water desalination, food processing, construc¬ tion materials Industrial production growth rate: 13.1% (2005 est.) Electricity— production: 40.37 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 37.54 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 2.418 million bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— consumption: 335,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: 1.97 million bbl/day (2003) Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Oil— proved reserves: 96.5 billion bbl (2006 est.) Natural gas— production: 9.7 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 9.7 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 1.572 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $40.75 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $56.06 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: oil and refined products, fertilizers Exports — partners: Japan 19.7%, South Korea 15.4%, US 11.9%, Taiwan 11.1%, Singapore 9.5%, Netherlands 4-7% (2005) Imports: $19.12 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — Commodities: food, construc¬ tion materials, vehicles and parts, clothing Imports— partners: US 14.1%, Germany 10.8%, Japan 8.4%, Saudi Arabia 6.2%, UK 5.7%, France 4.8%, China 4.5% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $11.08 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $19.7 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $NA Currency (code): Kuwaiti dinar (KD) Currency code: KWD Exchange rates: Kuwaiti dinars per US dollar— 0.29 (2006), 0.292 (2005), 0.2947 (2004), 0.298 (2003), 0.3039 (2002) Fiscal year: 1 April— 31 March COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 510,300 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 2.536 million (2006) Telephone system: general assessment: the quality of service is excellent domestic: new telephone exchanges pro¬ vide a large capacity for new subscribers; trunk traffic is carried by microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and open-wire and fiber-optic cable; a cellular tele¬ phone system operates throughout Kuwait, and the country is well supplied with pay telephones international: country code — 965; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; linked to Bahrain, Qatar, UAE via the Fiber-Optic Gulf (FOG) cable; satel¬ lite earth stations — 3 Intelsat ( 1 Atlantic Ocean, 2 Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 2 Arabsat Radio broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 11, shortwave 1 (1998) Radios: 1.175 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 13 (plus several satellite channels) (1997) Televisions: 875,000 (1997) Internet country code: .kw Internet hosts: 2,310 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (2000) Internet users: 700,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 7 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2006) Heliports: 5 (2006) Pipelines: gas 269 km; oil 540 km; refined products 57 km (2006) Roadways: total: 5,749 km paved: 4,887 km unpaved: 862 km (2004) Merchant marine: total: 38 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,424,983 GRT/3,996,755 DWT by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 1, container 6, liquefied gas 5, livestock carrier 3, petroleum tanker 21 registered in other countries: 28 (Bahrain 3, Comoros 1, Liberia 1, Libya 1, Panama 2, Qatar 7, Saudi Arabia 5, UAE 8) (2006) 349 THE C i A WORLD FACTBOOK Ports and terminals: Ash Shu’aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Az Zawr (Mina’ Sa’ud), Mina’ ‘Abd Allah, Mina’ al Ahmadi MILITARY Military branches: Land Forces, Kuwaiti Navy, Kuwaiti Air Force (ALQuwwat ah Jawwiya al-Kuwaitiya), National Guard (2007) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; 1 month annual training to age 40; women have served in police forces since 1999 (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 864,745 females age 18-49: 467,120 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 737,292 females age 18-49: 405,207 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 18,743 females age 18-49: 20,065 (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of GDP: 5.3% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: Kuwait and Saudi Arabia continue negotiating a joint maritime boundary with Iran; no maritime boundary exists with Iraq in the Persian Gulf Trafficking in persons: current situation: Kuwait is a destination country for men and women who migrate legally from South and Southeast Asia for domestic or low-skilled labor, but are subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude by employers in Kuwait including condi¬ tions of physical and sexual abuse, non¬ payment of wages, confinement to the home, and withholding of passports to restrict their freedom of movement; Kuwait is reportedly a transit point for South and East Asian workers recruited for low-skilled work in Iraq; some of these workers are deceived as to the true location and nature of this work, and others are subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude in Iraq; in past years, Kuwait was also a destination country for children exploited as camel jockeys, but this form of trafficking appears to have ceased tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Kuwait is placed on the Tier 2 Watch List based largely on pledges of future actions KYRGYZSTAN INTRODUCTION Background: A Central Asian country of incredible natural beauty and proud nomadic traditions, Kyrgyzstan was annexed by Russia in 1864; it achieved independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Nationwide demonstrations in the spring of 2005 resulted in the ouster of President Askar AKAYEV, who had run the country since 1990. Subsequent pres¬ idential elections in July 2005 were won overwhelmingly by former prime min¬ ister Kurmanbek BAKIYEV. The polit¬ ical opposition organized demonstrations in Bishkek in April, May, and November 2006 resulting in the adoption of a new constitution that transferred some of the president’s powers to parliament and the government. In December 2006, the Kyrgyz parliament voted to adopt new amendments, restoring some of the pres¬ idential powers lost in the November 2006 constitutional change. Current concerns include: privatization of state- owned enterprises, expansion of democ¬ racy and political freedoms, reduction of corruption, improving interethnic rela¬ tions, and combating terrorism. GEOGRAPHY Location: Central Asia, west of China Geographic coordinates: 41 00 N, 75 00 E Map references: Asia Area: total: 198,500 sq km land: 191,300 sq km water: 7,200 sq km Area— comparative: slightly smaller than South Dakota Land boundaries: total: 3,878 km border countries: China 858 km, Kazakhstan 1,051 km, Tajikistan 870 km, Uzbekistan 1,099 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime Claims: none (landlocked) Climate: dry continental to polar in high Tien Shan; subtropical in southwest (Fergana Valley); temperate in northern foothill zone Terrain*, peaks of Tien Shan and associ¬ ated valleys and basins encompass entire nation Elevation extremes: lowest point: Kara-Daryya (Karadar’ya) 132 m highest point: Jengish Chokusu (Pik Pobedy) 7,439 m Natural resources: abundant hydro¬ power; significant deposits of gold and rare earth metals; locally exploitable coal, oil, and natural gas; other deposits of nepheline, mercury, bismuth, lead, and zinc Land use: arable land: 6.55% permanent crops: 0.28% other: 93.17% note: Kyrgyzstan has the world’s largest natural growth walnut forest (2005) Irrigated land: 10,720 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: NA Environment— current issues: water pollution; many people get their water directly from contaminated streams and wells; as a result, water-borne diseases are prevalent; increasing soil salinity from faulty irrigation practices Environment— international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Flazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography— note: landlocked; entirely mountainous, dominated by the Tien Shan range; many tall peaks, glaciers, and high-altitude lakes 350 KYRGYZSTAN PEOPLE Population: 5,284,149 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 30.3% (male 817,663/female 785,167) 15-64 years: 63.5% (male 1,645,270/ female 1,709,522) 65 years and over: 6.2% (male 127,600/ female 198,927) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 23.9 years male: 23.1 years female: 24.8 years (2007 est.) Popuiation growth rate: 1.354% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 23.08 births/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 7.02 deaths/1,000 popula- tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -2.52 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.041 male(s)/female 15—64 years: 0.962 male(s)/female 65 years and over : 0.641 male(s)/female total population: 0.962 male(s)/female (2007 est.) infant mortality rate: total: 33.38 deaths/1,000 live births male: 38.51 deaths/1,000 live births female: 27.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 68.81 years male: 64.8 years female: 73.02 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.68 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 3,900 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Kyrgyzstani(s) adjective: Kyrgyzstan i Ethnic groups: Kyrgyz 64.9%, Uzbek 13.8%, Russian 12.5%, Dungan 1.1%, Ukrainian 1%, Uygur 1%, other 5.7% (1999 census) Religions: Muslim 75%, Russian Orthodox 20%, other 5% Languages: Kyrgyz 64.7% (official), Uzbek 13.6%, Russian 12.5% (official), Dungun 1%, other 8.2% (1999 census) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.7% male: 99.3% female: 98.1% (1999 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Kyrgyz Republic conventional short form: Kyrgyzstan local long form: Kyrgyz Respublikasy local short form: Kyrgyzstan former: Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic Government type: republic Capital: name: Bishkek geographic coordinates: 42 54 N, 74 36 E time difference: UTC+6 ( 1 1 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 7 provinces (oblastlar, singular — oblasty) and 1 city* (shaar); Batken Oblasty, Bishkek Shaary*, Chuy Oblasty (Bishkek), Jalal- Abad Oblasty, Naryn Oblasty, Osh Oblasty, Talas Oblasty, Ysyk-Kol Oblasty (Karakol) note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative cen¬ ters (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses) Independence: 31 August 1991 (from Soviet Union) National holiday: Independence Day, 31 August (1991) Constitution: adopted 5 May 1993; note — amendment proposed by President Askar AKAYEV and passed in a national referendum on 2 February 2003 significantly expanded the powers of the president at the expense of the leg¬ islature; during large-scale demonstra¬ tions in November 2006, President BAKIYEV and the opposition negoti¬ ated a new constitution granting greater powers to the parliament and the gov¬ ernment; amendments added on 30 December 2006 redistributed some power back to the president Legal system: based on civil law system Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Kurmanbek BAKIYEV (since 14 August 2005) head of government: Prime Minister Almaz ATAMBAYEV (since 30 March 2007); First Deputy Prime Minister Daniyar USENOV (since 10 May 2006) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister; note — following legislative elections under the constitu¬ tion, the legislature will propose and the president appoint the prime minister, and the prime minister will propose and the president appoint members of the Cabinet, except for ministers in charge of defense and security, who will be appointed solely by the president elections: Kurmanbek BAKIYEV elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eli¬ gible for a second term); election last held 10 July 2005 (next scheduled for 2010); prime minister nominated by the president for approval by Parliament; note — the constitution calls for the leg¬ islature to propose and the president to appoint the prime minister after legisla¬ tive elections, currently scheduled for 2010 election results: Kurmanbek BAKIYEV elected president; percent of vote— Kurmanbek BAKIYEV 88.6%, Tursunbai BAKIR-UULU 3.9%, other candidates 7.5%; Almaz ATAMBAYEV approved as prime minister 48-3 Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme Council or Jorgorku Kenesh (75 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note — the December 2006 constitution calls for 90 seats elections: elections for the new unicam¬ eral body or Jorgorku Kenesh were held 27 February 2005, but the vast majority of positions remained undecided and were contested in a runoff election on 13 March 2005; election irregularities caused widespread protests that resulted in the president being forced to flee the country election results: Supreme Council — per¬ cent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — NA Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (judges of both the Supreme and Constitutional Courts are appointed for 10-year terms by the Jorgorku Kenesh on the recommenda¬ tion of the president; their age limit is 70 years); Higher Court of Arbitration; Local Courts (judges appointed by the president on the recommendation of the National Council on Legal Affairs for a probationary period of five years, then 10 years) Political parties and leaders: Ar- Namys (Dignity) Party [Emil ALIYEV]; Asaba (Banner National Revival Party) [Azimbek BEKNAZAROV, Roza OTUNBAYEVA1; Ata-Meken (Father¬ land) [Omurbek TEKEBAYEV]; Demo¬ cratic Movement of Kyrgyzstan or DDK [Viktor TCHETRNOMORETS]; Erkin- dik (Freedom) Party [Topchubek TUR- GUNALIYEV]; Moya Strana (My Country Party of Action) [Medet SADYRKULOV]; Party of Communists of Kyrgyzstan or KCP [Ishak MASALIYEV]; Party of Justice and Progress [Muratbek IMANALIEV]; Party of Peasants [Esengul ISAKOV]; Republican Party of Labor and Unity [Tabaldy OROZALIYEV]; Sanjira (Tree of Life) [Ednan KARABAYEV]; Social Democratic Party [Almaz ATAM- 351 THE C-l A WORLD FACTBOOK BAYEV]; Sodruzhestvo (Cooperation) [Vladimir NIFADYEV, Samat BORUBAYEV]; Union of Democratic Forces [Kubatbek BAIBOLOV] Political pressure groups and leaders: Adilet Legal Clinic [Cholpon JAKUPOVA]; Coalition for Democracy and Civil Society; For Reforms [Omurbek TEKEBAYEV, Almazbek ATAMBAYEV]; Interbilim [Asiya SASYKBAYEVA] International organization participa¬ tion: AsDB, CIS, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (corre- spondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Zamira SYDYKOVA chancery: 2360 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 338-5141 FAX: [1] (202) 386-7550 consulate(s) : New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Marie L. YOVANOVITCH embassy: 171 Prospect Mira, Bishkek 720016 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [996] (312) 551-241, (517) 777-217 FAX: [996] (312) 551-264 Flag description: red field with a yellow sun in the center having 40 rays repre¬ senting the 40 Kyrgyz tribes; on the obverse side the rays run counterclock¬ wise, on the reverse, clockwise; in the center of the sun is a red ring crossed by two sets of three lines, a stylized repre¬ sentation of the roof of the traditional Kyrgyz yurt ECONOMY Economy — overview: Kyrgyzstan is a poor, mountainous country with a pre¬ dominantly agricultural economy. Cotton, tobacco, wool, and meat are the main agricultural products, although only tobacco and cotton are exported in any quantity. Industrial exports include gold, mercury, uranium, natural gas, and electricity. Following independence Kyrgyzstan was progressive in carrying out market reforms, such as an improved regulatory system and land reform, but political instability during 2005-06 has undercut the investment climate. Kyrgyzstan was the first Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) country to be accepted into the World Trade Organization. Much of the government’s stock in enterprises has been sold. Drops in production had been severe after the breakup of the Soviet Union in December 1991, but by mid- 1995, production began to recover and exports began to increase. The economy is heavily weighted toward gold export and a drop in output at the main Kumtor gold mine sparked a 0.5% decline in GDP in 2002, but GDP growth bounced back the following year. In 2005 Kyrgyzstan again experienced a decline in GDP, this time 0.6%. The government has made steady strides in controlling its sub¬ stantial fiscal deficit, nearly closing the gap between revenues and expenditures in 2006. The government and international financial institutions have been engaged in a comprehensive medium-term poverty reduction and economic growth strategy; in 2005 Bishkek agreed to pursue much- needed tax reform and in 2006 became eli¬ gible for the heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) initiative. Progress fighting corruption, further restructuring of domestic industry, and success in attracting foreign investment are keys to future growth. GDP (purchasing power parity): $10.73 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $2,255 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 2.7% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $2,100 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 34.5% industry: 19.5% services: 46.1% (2006 est.) Labor force: 2.7 million (2000) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 55% industry: 15% services: 30% (2000 est.) Unemployment rate: 18% (2004 est.) Population below poverty line: 40% (2004 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.9% highest 10%: 23.3% (2001) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 29 (2001) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.4% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 15.5% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $498.3 million expenditures: $544-8 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: tobacco, cotton, potatoes, vegetables, grapes, fruits and berries; sheep, goats, cattle, wool Industries: small machinery, textiles, food processing, cement, shoes, sawn logs, refrigerators, furniture, electric motors, gold, rare earth metals Industrial production growth rate: -4.5% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 1406 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 7.6% hydro: 92.4% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 6.777 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 6.4 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 100 million kWh (2004) Oil— production: 1,378 bbl/day (2004) Oil — consumption: 10,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: 29 million cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 919 million cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 890 million cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $287.3 mil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $701.8 million f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: cotton, wool, meat, tobacco; gold, mercury, uranium, natural gas, hydropower; machinery; shoes Exports— partners: UAL 35.6%, Russia 18.6%, China 13.4%, Kazakhstan 13% (2005) Imports: $1,177 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: oil and gas, machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs Imports— partners: China 43%, Russia 19.7%, Kazakhstan 12.1%, Turkey 4-4% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $621.2 million (2006 est.) Debt— external: $2,483 billion (30 June 2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $50 million from the US (2001) Currency (code): som (KGS) Currency code: KGS Exchange rates: soms per US dollar— 40.149 (2006), 41.012 (2005), 42.65 (2004), 43.648 (2003), 46.937 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year 352 KYRGYZSTAN COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 438,200 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 541,700 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: telecommunications infrastructure is growing; fixed line pen¬ etration remains low and concentrated in urban areas domestic: 4 mobile cellular service providers with growing coverage international: country code — 996; con¬ nections with other CIS countries by landline or microwave radio relay and with other countries by leased connec¬ tions with Moscow international gateway switch and by satellite; satellite earth stations — 1 Intersputnik, 1 Intelsat; connected internationally by the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line (2006) Radio broadcast stations: AM 3 (plus 10 repeater stations), FM 20, shortwave NA (2006) Radios: 520,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 7 (l countrywide and 6 regional stations) (2006) Televisions: 210,000 (1997) Internet country code: kg Internet hosts: 18,928 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA Internet users: 280,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 37 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 18 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 under 914 m: 3 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 19 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 16 (2006) Pipelines: gas 254 km; oil 16 km (2006) Railways: total: 470 km broad gauge: 470 km 1.520-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 18,500 km paved: 16,854 km unpaved: 1,646 km (1999) Waterways: 600 km (2006) Ports and terminals: Balykchy (Ysyk- Kol or Rybach’ye) MILITARY Military branches: Army, Air Force, National Guard (2005) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service (2001) Manpower available tor military service: males age 18-49: 1,193,529 females age 18-49: 1,219,080 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 871,493 females age 18-49: 1,024,568 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 1 8-49 : 6 1 ,09 1 females age 18-49: 59,784 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1.4% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: Kyrgyzstan has yet to ratify the 2001 boundary delimita¬ tion with Kazakhstan; disputes in Isfara Valley delay completion of delimitation with Tajikistan; delimitation of 130 km of border with Uzbekistan is hampered by serious disputes around enclaves and other areas Illicit drugs: limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy for CIS mar¬ kets; limited government eradication of illicit crops; transit point for Southwest Asian narcotics bound for Russia and the rest of Europe; major consumer of opiates 353 INTRODUCTION Background: Modern-day Laos has its roots in the ancient Lao kingdom of Lan Xang, established in the 14th Century under King FA NGUM. For three hun¬ dred years Lan Xang included large parts of present-day Cambodia and Thailand, as well as all of what is now Laos. After centuries of gradual decline, Laos came under the control of Siam (Thailand) from the late 18th century until the late 19th century when it became part of French Indochina. The Franco-Siamese Treaty of 1907 defined the current Lao border with Thailand. In 1975, the Communist Pathet Lao took control of the government ending a six-century-old monarchy and instituting a strict socialist regime closely aligned to Vietnam. A gradual return to private enterprise and the liberalization of foreign investment laws began in 1986. Laos became a member of ASEAN in 1997. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam Geographic coordinates: 18 00 N, 105 00 E Map references: Southeast Asia Area: total: 236,800 sq km land: 230,800 sq km water: 6,000 sq km Area — comparative: slightly larger than Utah Land boundaries: total: 5,083 km border countries: Burma 235 km, Cam¬ bodia 541 km, China 423 km, Thailand 1,754 km, Vietnam 2,130 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime Claims: none (landlocked) Climate: tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season (December to April) Terrain: mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mekong River 70 m highest point: Phou Bia 2,817 m Natural resources: timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones Land use: arable land: 4-01% permanent crops: 0.34% other: 95.65% (2005) Irrigated land: 1,750 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: floods, droughts Environment — current issues: unex- ploded ordnance; deforestation; soil ero¬ sion; most of the population does not have access to potable water Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: landlocked; most of the country is mountainous and thickly forested; the Mekong River forms a large part of the western boundary with Thailand PEOPLE Population: 6,521,998 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 41.2% (male 1,349,352/ female 1,338,252) 15-64 years: 55.7% (male 1,795,029/ female 1,835,168) 65 years and over: 3.1% (male 90,188/ female 114,009) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 19 years male: 18.7 years female: 19.3 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.37% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 34.98 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 11.28 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.008 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0. 978 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.791 male(s)/female total population: 0.984 male(s)/female (2007 est.) infant mortality rate: total: 81.44 deaths/1,000 live births male: 90.91 deaths/1,000 live births female: 71.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 55.89 years male: 53.82 years female: 58.04 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 4 .59 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 1,700 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s) adjective: Lao or Laotian Ethnic groups: Lao Loum (lowland) 68%, Lao Theung (upland) 22%, Lao Soung (highland) including the Hmong and the Yao 9%, ethnic Vietnamese/ Chinese 1% Religions: Buddhist 65%, animist 32.9%, Christian 1.3%, other and unspecified 0.8% (1995 census) Languages: Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 68.7% male: 77% female: 60.9% (2001 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Lao People’s Democratic Republic conventional short form: Laos local long form: Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao local short form: none Government type: Communist state Capital: name: Vientiane geographic coordinates: 17 58N, 10236E time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 15 provinces (khoueng, singular and plural), 1 munic¬ ipality* (kampheng nakhon, singular and plural); Attapu, Bokeo, Bolik- hamxai, Champasak, Houaphan, Kham- mouan, Louangnamtha, Louangphrabang, Oudomxai, Phongsali, Salavan, Savannakhet, Viangchan (Vientiane)*, Viangchan, Xaignahouli, Xekong, Xiangkhoang Independence: 19 July 1949 (from France) National holiday: Republic Day, 2 December (1975) Constitution: promulgated 14 August 1991 Legal system: based on traditional cus¬ toms, French legal norms and proce¬ dures, and socialist practice 354 LAOS Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive brunch: chief of state: President Lt. Gen. CHOUMMALI Saignason (since 8 June 2006); Vice President BOUN-GNANG Volachit (since 8 June 2006) head of government: Prime Minister BOUASONE Bouphavanh (since 8 June 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers Maj. Gen. ASANG Laoli (since May 2002), Maj. Gen. DOUANGCHAI Phichit (since 8 June 2006), SOMSAVAT Lengsavat (since 26 February 1998), and THONGLOUN Sisoulit (since 27 March 2001) cabinet: Ministers appointed by presi¬ dent, approved by National Assembly elections: president and vice president elected by National Assembly for five- year terms; election last held 8 June 2006 (next to be held in 201 1); prime minister nominated by president and elected by National Assembly for five-year term election results: CHOUMMALI Saigna¬ son elected president; BOUN-GNANG Volachit elected vice president; percent of National Assembly vote — 100%; BOUASONE Bouphavanh elected prime minister; percent of National Assembly vote — 97% Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (115 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 30 April 2006 (next to be held in 2011) election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — LPRP 113, inde¬ pendents 2 Judicial branch: People’s Supreme Court (the president of the People’s Supreme Court is elected by the National Assembly on the recommenda¬ tion of the National Assembly Standing Committee; the vice president of the People’s Supreme Court and the judges are appointed by the National Assembly Standing Committee) Political parties and leaders: Lao People’s Revolutionary Party or LPRP [CHOUMMALI Saignason]; other par¬ ties proscribed Political pressure groups and leaders: noncommunist political groups pro¬ scribed; most opposition leaders fled the country in 1975 International organization participa¬ tion: ACCT, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UN WTO, UPU, WOO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador PHIANE Philakone chancery: 2222 S Street NW, Washing¬ ton, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-6416 FAX: [1] (202) 332-4923 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia M. HASLACH embassy: 19 Rue Bartholonie, That Dam Road, Vientiane mailing address: American Embassy Vientiane, Box V, APO AP 96546 telephone: [856] 21-26 7000 FAX: [856] 21-26 7074 Flag description: three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width), and red with a large white disk centered in the blue band ECONOMY Economy — overview: The government of Laos, one of the few remaining official Communist states, began decentralizing control and encouraging private enter¬ prise in 1986. The results, starting from an extremely low base, were striking — growth averaged 6% per year in 1988-2006 except during the short-lived drop caused by the Asian financial crisis beginning in 1997. Despite this high growth rate, Laos remains a country with a primitive infrastructure. It has no rail¬ roads, a rudimentary road system, and limited external and internal telecom¬ munications, though the government is sponsoring major improvements in the road system with possible support from Japan. Electricity is available in only a few urban areas. Subsistence agriculture, dominated by rice, accounts for about half of GDP and provides 80% of total employment. The economy will con¬ tinue to benefit from aid by the IMF and other international sources and from new foreign investment in hydropower and mining. Construction will be another strong economic driver, especially as hydroelectric dam and road projects gain steam. Several policy changes since 2004 may help spur growth. In late 2004, Laos gained Normal Trade Relations status with the US, allowing Laos-based pro¬ ducers to benefit from lower tariffs on exports. Laos is taking steps to join the World Trade Organization in the next few years; the resulting trade policy reforms will improve the business envi¬ ronment. On the fiscal side, a value- added tax (VAT) regime, slated to begin in 2008, will streamline the govern¬ ment’s inefficient tax system. GDP (purchasing power parity): $13.63 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $2,773 billion (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 7.4% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $2,100 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 43.4% industry: 30.6% services: 26% (2006 est.) Labor force: 2.1 million (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 80% industry and services: 20% (2005 est.) Unemployment rate: 2.4% (2005 est.) Population below poverty line: 30.7% (2005 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 30.6% (1997) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 37 (1997) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.8% (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $400 million expenditures: $537.4 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton, tea, peanuts, rice; water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry Industries: copper, tin, and gypsum mining; timber, electric power, agricul¬ tural processing, construction, garments, tourism, cement Industrial production growth rate: 15.7% (2006 est.) Electricity — production: 3.936 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 1.4% hydro: 98.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 3.26 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 600 million kWh (2004) Electricity — imports: 200 million kWh (2004) Oil — production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — consumption: 3,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: NA bbl/day Oil — imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas — production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $504 2 mil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $982.2 million (2006 est.) Exports — Commodities: garments, wood products, coffee, electricity, tin Exports — partners: Thailand 29.4%, Vietnam 12.5%, France 6%, Germany 4.5% (2005) 355 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Imports: $1,376 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, consumer goods Imports— partners: Thailand 66.8%, China 9.1%, Vietnam 5.8% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $316.9 million (2006 est.) Debt— external: $3,179 billion (2006) Economic aid— recipient: $379 million (2006 est.) Currency (code): kip (LAK) Currency code: LAK Exchange rates: kips per US dollar— 10,235 (2006), 10,820 (2005), 10,585.5 (2004), 10,569 (2003), 10,056.3 (2002) Fiscal year: 1 October — 30 September COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 90,067 (2006) Telephones— mobile cellular: 520,546 (2006) Telephone system: general assessment: service to general public is poor but improving; the govern- ment relies on a radiotelephone network to communicate with remote areas domestic: radiotelephone communications international: country code — 856; satel¬ lite earth station — 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region) Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 14, shortwave 2 (2006) Radios: 730,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 7 (includes 1 station relaying Vietnam Television from Hanoi) (2006) Televisions: 52,000 (1997) Internet country code: la Internet hosts: 1,108 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000) Internet users: 25,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 44 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1 ,524 to 2,437 m; 4 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 35 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 21 (2006) Pipelines: refined products 540 km (2006) Roadways: total: 31,210 km paved: 4,494 km unpaved: 26,716 km (2003) Waterways: 4,600 km note: primarily Mekong and tributaries; 2,897 additional km are intermittently navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m (2005) Merchant marine: total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 2,370 GRT/3,110 DWT by type: cargo 1 (2006) MILITARY Military branches: Lao Peoples Army (LPA; includes Riverine Force), Air Force Military service age and obligation: 15 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation — minimum 18 months (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 15-49: 1,500,625 females age 15-49: 1,521,116 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 15-49: 954,816 females age 15-49: 1,006,082 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 73,167 females age 15-49: 71,432 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 0.5% (2006) Military — note: Laos is one of the world’s least developed countries; the Lao People’s Armed Forces are small, poorly funded, and ineffectively re¬ sourced; there is little political will to allocate sparse funding to the military, and the armed forces’ gradual degrada¬ tion is likely to continue; the massive drug production and trafficking industry centered in the Golden Triangle makes Laos an important narcotics transit country, and armed Wa and Chinese smugglers are active on the Lao- Burma border (2005) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: Southeast Asian states have enhanced border sur¬ veillance to check the spread of avian flu; talks continue on completion of demarcation with Thailand but disputes remain over islands in the Mekong River; concern among Mekong Com¬ mission members that China’s construc¬ tion of dams on the Mekong River will affect water levels Trafficking in persons: current situation: Laos is a source country for men and women trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation; a significant number are economic migrants who are subjected to commercial sexual exploitation or condi¬ tions of forced or bonded labor in Thailand; to a lesser extent, Laos is a transit and destination country for women who are trafficked for sexual exploitation including a small number of victims from China and Vietnam traf¬ ficked to work as street vendors and for sexual exploitation in prostitution tier rating: Tier 3 — Laos does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so Illicit drugs: estimated opium poppy cul¬ tivation in 2005 was 5,600 hectares, about a 45% decrease from 2004; esti¬ mated potential opium production in 2005 was 28 metric tons, a significant decrease from 200 metric tons in 2003; unsubstantiated reports of domestic methamphetamine production; growing domestic methamphetamine problem Background: After a brief period of inde¬ pendence between the two World Wars, Latvia was annexed by the USSR in 1940 — an action never recognized by the US and many other countries. It reestab¬ lished its independence in 1991 fol¬ lowing the breakup of the Soviet Union. Although the last Russian troops left in 1994, the status of the Russian minority (some 30% of the population) remains of concern to Moscow. Latvia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004- GEOGRAPHY Location: Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania Geographic coordinates: 57 00 N, 25 00 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 64,589 sq km land: 63,589 sq km water: 1,000 sq km Area — comparative: slightly larger than West Virginia Land boundaries: total: 1,368 km border countries: Belams 167 km, Estonia 343 km, Lithuania 576 km, Russia 282 km Coastline: 531 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm 356 LATVIA continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation Climate: maritime; wet, moderate winters Terrain: low plain Elevation extremes: lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Galzina Kalns 312 m Natural resources: peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, wood, arable land Land use: arable land: 28.19% permanent crops: 0.45% other: 71.36% (2005) Irrigated land: 200 sq km note: land in Latvia is often too wet, and in need of drainage, not irrigation; approximately 16,000 sq km or 85% of agricultural land has been improved by drainage (2003) Natural hazards: NA Environment— current issues: Latvia’s environment has benefited from a shift to service industries after the country regained independence; the main envb ronmental priorities are improvement of drinking water quality and sewage system, household, and hazardous waste management, as well as reduction of air pollution; in 2001, Latvia closed the EU accession negotiation chapter on envi¬ ronment committing to full enforcement of EU environmental directives by 2010 Environment — international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution- Persistent Organic Pollutants, Bio¬ diversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: most of the country is composed of fertile, low-lying plains, with some hills in the east PEOPLE Population: 2,259,810 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 13.6% (male 157,451/female 150,184) 15-64 years: 69.6% (male 764,910/ female 808,848) 65 years and over: 16.7% (male 123,952/ female 254,465) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 39.6 years male: 36.6 years female: 42.7 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: -0.648% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 9.43 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 13.64 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -2.27 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.048 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.946 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.487 male(s)/female total population: 0.862 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 9.16 deaths/1,000 live births male: 11.08 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.13 deaths/ 1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.6 years male: 66.39 years female: 77.1 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.28 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 0.6% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 7,600 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: less than 500 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Latvian(s) adjective: Latvian Ethnic groups: Latvian 57.7%, Russian 29.6%, Belarusian 4.1%, Ukrainian 2.7%, Polish 2.5%, Lithuanian 1.4%, other 2% (2002) Religions: Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox Languages: Latvian (official) 58.2%, Russian 37.5%, Lithuanian and other 4.3% (2000 census) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.7% male: 99.8% female: 99.7% (2000 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Latvia conventional short form: Latvia local long form: Latvijas Republika local short form: Latvija former: Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic Government type: parliamentary democracy Capital: name: Riga geographic coordinates: 56 57 N, 24 06 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 26 counties (singular — rajons) and 7 municipalities*: Aizkraukles Rajons, Aluksnes Rajons, Balvu Rajons, Bauskas Rajons, Cesu Rajons, Daugavpils*, Daugavpils Rajons, Dobeles Rajons, Gulbenes Rajons, Jekabpils Rajons, Jelgava*, Jelgavas Rajons, Jurmala*, Kraslavas Rajons, Kuldigas Rajons, Liepaja*, Liepajas Rajons, Limbazu Rajons, Ludzas Rajons, Madonas Rajons, Ogres Rajons, Preilu Rajons, Rezekne*, Rezeknes Rajons, Riga*, Rigas Rajons, Saldus Rajons, Talsu Rajons, Tukuma Rajons, Valkas Rajons, Valmieras Rajons, Ventspils*, Ventspils Rajons Independence; 18 November 1918 (from Soviet Russia) National holiday: Independence Day, 18 November (1918); note — 18 November 1918 was the date Latvia declared itself independent from Soviet Russia; 4 May 1990 is when it declared the renewal of independence; 21 August 1991 was the date of de facto independence from the Soviet Union Constitution: 15 February 1922; restored to force by the Constitutional Law of the Republic of Latvia adopted by the Supreme Council on 21 August 1991; multiple amendments since Legal system: based on civil law system Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens Executive branch: chief of state: President Vaira VIKE- FREIBERGA (since 8 July 1999) 357 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK head of government: Prime Minister Aigars KALVITIS (since 2 December 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and appointed by the Parliament elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term (no term limits); election last held 31 May 2007 (next to be held 2011); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Valdis ZATLERS elected president; parliamentary vote — Valdis ZATLERS 58, Aivars ENDZINS 39; note — Valdis ZATLERS is scheduled to take office on 7 July 2007 Legislative branch: unicameral Parlia¬ ment or Saeima (100 seats; members are elected by proportional representation from party lists by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 7 October 2006 (next to be held in October 2010) election results : percent of vote by party — TP 19.5%, ZZS 16.7%, JL 16.4%, SC 14.4%; LPP/LC 8.6%; TB/LNNK 7%; PCTVL 6%; seats by party — TP 23, ZZS 18, JL 18, SC 17, LPP/LC 10, TB/LNNK 8, PCTVL 6 Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges’ appointments are confirmed by Parlia¬ ment); Constitutional Court (judges’ ap¬ pointments are confimaed by Parliament) Political parties and leaders: First Party of Latvia or LPP [Ainars SLESERS]; For Human Rights in a United Latvia or PCTVL [Jakovs PLINERS]; For the Fatherland and Freedom/Latvian National Independence Movement or TB/LNNK [Roberts ZILE, Maris GRIN- BLATS]; Harmony Center or SC [janis URBANOVICS, Nils USAKOVS]; Latvian Farmer’s Union or LZS [Augusts BRIGMANIS]; Latvian Social Demo¬ cratic Workers Party (Social Democrats) or LSDSP [Juris BOJARS]; Latvian Socialist Party or LSP [Alfreds RUBIKS]; Latvia’s Way or LC [Ivars GODMANIS, Ainars BERZINS]; New Democrats or JD [Maris GULBIS]; New Era Party or JL [Einars REPSE, Krisjanis KARINS]; People’s Party or TP [Aigars KALVITIS]; The Union of Latvian Greens and Farmers Party or ZZS [Indulis EMSIS] Political pressure groups and leaders: Headquarters for the Protection of Russian Schools (SHTAB) [Aleksandr KAZAKOV] International organization participa¬ tion: Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (corre¬ spondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d’Affaires Maris SELGA chancery: 2306 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 328-2840 FAX: [1] (202) 328-2860 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Catherine Todd BAILEY embassy: 7 Raina Boulevard, Riga LV- 1510 mailing address: American Embassy Riga, PSC 78, Box Riga, APO AE 09723 telephone: [371] 703-6200 FAX: [371] 782-0047 Flag description: three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and maroon ECONOMY Economy — overview: Latvia’s economy experienced average GDP growth of more than 7.0% over the past several years. In 2006 it reached 10.2% real GDP growth. The majority of companies, banks, and real estate have been priva¬ tized, although the state still holds sizable stakes in a few large enterprises. Latvia officially joined the World Trade Organization in February 1999. EU mem¬ bership, a top foreign policy goal, came in May 2004. The current account deficit- more than 15% of GDP in 2006 — and inflation remain major concerns. GDP (purchasing power parity): $36.49 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rafe): $16.5 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 11.9% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $16,000 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 3.7% industry: 26.3% services: 70% (2006 est.) Labor force: 1.136 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 13% industry: 19% services: 68% (2005 est.) Unemployment rate: 6.5% (December 2006 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 26.1% (1998) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 35 (2003) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.8% (December 2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 31.4% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $6,172 billion expenditures: $6.45 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 11% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish Industries: buses, vans, street and rail¬ road cars; synthetic fibers, agricultural machinery, fertilizers, washing machines, radios, electronics, pharmaceuticals, processed foods, textiles; note — dependent on imports for energy and raw materials Industrial production growth rate: 8.5% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 4.55 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 29.1% hydro: 70.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 6.329 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 707 million kWh (2005) Electricity— imports: 2.855 billion kWh (2005) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 47,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: 0 bbl/day (2004) Oil— imports: 0 bbl/day (2004) Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 1.91 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 1.91 billion cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $2,538 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $6.98 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, metals, textiles, foodstuffs Exports— partners: Lithuania 11%, Estonia 10.8%, Germany 10.2%, UK 10.2%, Russia 7.9%, Sweden 7.8%, Denmark 5.3%, Poland 5.3% (2005) Imports: $10.33 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — Commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, vehicles Imports— partners: Germany 13.9%, Lithuania 13.6%, Russia 8.5%, Estonia 7.9%, Poland 6.4%, Finland 5.9%, Belarus 5.8%, Sweden 5.1% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $2.61 billion (2006 est.) 358 LEBANON Debt— external: $18.9 billion (30 June 2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $96.2 million (2002 est.) Currency (code): Latvian lat (LVL) Currency code: LVL Exchange rates: lati per US dollar— 0.5597 (2006),— 0.5647 (2005), 0.5402 (2004), 0.5715 (2003), 0.6182 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use- 731,000 (2005) Telephones — mobile cellular: 1.872 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: recent efforts focused on bringing competition to the telecom¬ munications sector, beginning in 2003; the number of fixed lines is decreasing as wireless telephony expands domestic: 3 wireless service providers including Lattelekom, the incumbent monopoly international: country code — 371; the Latvian network is now connected via fiber optic cable to Estonia, Finland, and Sweden Radio broadcast stations: AM 8, FM 56, shortwave 1 (1998) Radios: 1.76 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 44 (plus 31 repeaters) (1995) Televisions: 1.22 million (1997) Internet country code: lv Internet hosts: 65,858 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 41 (2001) Internet users: 1.03 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 46 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 24 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1 ,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 13 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 22 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 19 (2006) Pipelines: gas 1,097 km; oil 82 km; refined products 415 km (2006) Railways: total: 2,303 km broad gauge: 2,270 km 1.520-m gauge (257 km electrified) narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 69,532 km paved: 69,532 km (2004) Waterways: 300 km (2005) Merchant marine: total: 21 ships (1000 GRT or over) 250,559 GRT/336,136 DWT by type: cargo 7, chemical tanker 1, liq¬ uefied gas 2, passenger/cargo 3, petro¬ leum tanker 7, roll on/roll off 1 registered in other countries: 105 (Antigua and Barbuda 5, Bahamas 1, Belize 6, Cambodia 2, Cyprus 4, Dominica 1, Gibraltar 2, Liberia 14, Malta 40, Marshall Islands 7, Panama 3, Russia 2, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 18) (2006) Ports and terminals: Riga, Ventspils MILITARY Military branches: Latvian Republic Defense Force: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Border Guard, Home Guard (Zemessardze) (2005) Military service age and obligation: 19 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation — 12 months; 18 years of age for volunteers; plans are to phase out conscription, ten¬ tatively moving to an all-professional force by 2007; under current law, every citizen is entitled to serve in the armed forces for life (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 19-49: 517,713 females age 19-19: 519,631 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 19-49: 361,098 females age 19-19: 422,913 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 19,137 females age 19-49: 18,505 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1.2% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: Russia refuses to sign the 1997 boundary treaty due to Latvian insistence on a unilateral clarifi- catory declaration referencing Soviet occupation of Latvia and territorial losses; Russia demands better Latvian treatment of ethnic Russians in Latvia; as of January 2007, ground demarcation of the boundary with Belarus was com¬ plete and mapped with final ratification documentation in preparation; the Latvian parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns over oil exploration rights; as a member state that forms part of the EU’s external border, Latvia must implement the strict Schengen border rules with Russia Illicit drugs: transshipment and destina¬ tion point for cocaine, synthetic drugs, opiates, and cannabis from Southwest Asia, Western Europe, Latin America, and neighboring Balkan countries; despite improved legislation, vulnerable to money laundering due to nascent enforcement capabilities and compara¬ tively weak regulation of offshore compa¬ nies and the gaming industry; CIS organized crime (including counter¬ feiting, corruption, extortion, stolen cars, and prostitution) accounts for most laundered proceeds LEBANON INTRODUCTION Background: Following the capture of Syria from the Ottoman Empire by Anglo-French forces in 1918, France received a mandate over this territory and separated out a region of Lebanon in 1920. France granted this area independ¬ ence in 1943. A lengthy civil war (1975-1990) devastated the country, but Lebanon has since made progress toward rebuilding its political institutions. Under the Ta’if Accord — the blueprint for national reconciliation — the Leban¬ ese established a more equitable political system, particularly by giving Muslims a greater voice in the political process while institutionalizing sectarian divi¬ sions in the government. Since the end of the war, Lebanon has conducted sev¬ eral successful elections, most militias have been disbanded, and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) have extended authority over about two-thirds of the country. Hizballah, a radical Shi’a organ¬ ization listed by the US State Department as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, retains its weapons. During Lebanon’s civil war, the Arab League legitimized in the Ta’if Accord 359 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Syria’s troop deployment, numbering about 16,000 based mainly east of Beirut and in the Bekaa Valley. Damascus justi- fied its continued military presence in Lebanon by citing Beirut’s requests and the failure of the Lebanese Government to implement all of the constitutional reforms in the Ta’if Accord. Israel’s with- drawal from southern Lebanon in May 2000, however, encouraged some Lebanese groups to demand that Syria withdraw its forces as well. The passage of UNSCR 1559 in early October 2004 — a resolution calling for Syria to withdraw from Lebanon and end its interference in Lebanese affairs — further emboldened Lebanese groups opposed to Syria’s presence in Lebanon. The assassi- nation of former Prime Minister Rafiq HARIRI and 20 others in February 2005 led to massive demonstrations in Beirut against the Syrian presence (“the Cedar Revolution”). Syria finally withdrew the remainder of its military forces from Lebanon in April 2005. In May-June 2005, Lebanon held its first legislative elections since the end of the civil war free of foreign interference, handing a majority to the bloc led by Saad HARIRI, the slain prime minister’s son. Hizballah kidnapped two Israeli soldiers in July 2006 leading to a 34-day conflict with Israel. UNSCR 1701, which passed in August 2006, called for the disarma- ment of Hizballah. GEOGRAPHY Location: Middle East, bordering the Me- diterranean Sea, between Israel and Syria Geographic coordinates: 33 50 N, 35 50 E Map references: Middle East Area: total: 10,400 sq km land: 10,230 sq km water: 170 sq km Area — comparative: about 0.7 times the size of Connecticut Land boundaries: total: 454 km border countries: Israel 79 km, Syria 375 km Coastline: 225 km Maritime Claims: territorial sea: 12 nm Climate: Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers; Lebanon mountains experience heavy winter snows Terrain: narrow coastal plain; El Beqaa (Bekaa Valley) separates Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Qurnat as Sawda’ 3,088 m Natural resources: limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a water-deficit region, arable land Land use: arable land: 16.35% permanent crops: 13.75% other: 69.9% (2005) Irrigated land: 1,040 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: dust storms, sand¬ storms Environment — current issues: defor¬ estation; soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in Beirut from vehicular traffic and the burning of industrial wastes; pol¬ lution of coastal waters from raw sewage and oil spills Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation Geography — note: Nahr el Litani is the only major river in Near East not crossing an international boundary; rugged terrain historically helped isolate, protect, and develop numerous factional groups based on religion, clan, and ethnicity PEOPLE Population: 3,925,502 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 26.2% (male 525,199/female 504,240) 15-64 years: 66.7% (male 1,255,624/ female 1,361,265) 65 years and over: 7.1% (male 125,904/ female 153,270) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 28.3 years male: 27.2 years female: 29.5 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.198% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 18.08 births/1, 000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 6.1 deaths/ 1 ,000 population (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.042 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.922 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.821 male(s)/female total population: 0.944 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 23.39 deaths/1,000 live births male: 25.94 deaths/1,000 live births female: 20.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.15 years male: 70.67 years female: 75.77 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.88 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 2,800 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Lebanese (singular and plural) adjective: Lebanese Ethnic groups: Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1% note: many Christian Lebanese do not identify themselves as Arab but rather as descendents of the ancient Canaanites and prefer to be called Phoenicians Religions: Muslim 59.7% (Shi’a, Sunni, Druze, Isma’ilite, Alawite or Nusayri), Christian 39% (Maronite Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Melkite Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Syrian Catholic, Armenian Catholic, Syrian Orthodox, P>.oman Catholic, Chaldean, Assyrian, Copt, Protestant), other 1.3% note: 17 religious sects recognized Languages: Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 87-4% male: 93.1% female: 82.2% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Lebanese Republic conventional short form: Lebanon local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah local short form: Lubnan former: Greater Lebanon Government type: republic Capital: name: Beirut geographic coordinates: 33 53 N, 35 30 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: + lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 8 gover- norates (mohafazat, singular — moha- fazah); Aakar, Baalbek-Hermel, Beyrouth, Beqaa, Liban-Nord, Liban-Sud, Mont- Liban, Nabatiye Independence: 22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration) National holiday: Independence Day, 22 November ( 1943) Constitution: 23 May 1926; amended a number of times, most recently Charter of Lebanese National Reconciliation (Ta’if Accord) of October 1989 360 LEBANON Legal system: mixture of Ottoman law, canon law, Napoleonic code, and civil law; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for women at age 21 with elementary education Executive branch: chief of state: President Emile LAHUD (since 24 November 1998) head of government: Prime Minister Fuad SINIORA (since 30 June 2005); Deputy Prime Minister Elias MURR (since April 2005) cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the presi¬ dent and members of the National Assembly elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a six-year term (may not serve consecutive terms); elec¬ tion last held 15 October 1998 (next to be held in 2007 based on three-year extension); note — on 3 September 2004 the National Assembly voted 96 to 29 to extend Emile LAHUD’s six-year term by three years; the prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president in consultation with the National Assembly; by agreement, the president is a Maronite Christian, the prime minister is a Sunni Muslim, and the speaker of the National Assembly is a Shi’a Muslim election results: for 15 October 1998 elec¬ tion: Emile LAHUD elected president; National Assembly vote — 118 votes in favor, 0 against, 10 abstentions Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Majlis Alnuwab (Arabic) or Assemblee Nationale (French) (128 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of sectarian proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: last held in four rounds on 29 May, 5, 12, 19 June 2005 (next to be held 2009) election results: percent of vote by group — NA; seats by group — Future Movement Bloc 36; Democratic Gathering 15; Development and Resistance Bloc 15; Free Patriotic Movement 15; Loyalty to the Resistance 14; Qornet Shewan 6; Lebanese Forces 5; Popular Bloc 4; Tripoli Independent Bloc 3; Kataeb Reform Movement 2; Syrian National Socialist Party 2; Tachnaq Party 2; Ba’th Party 1; Democratic Left 1; Democratic Renewal Movement 1; Kataeb Party 1; Nasserite Popular Movement 1; independent 4 Judicial branch: four Courts of Cassation (three courts for civil and commercial cases and one court for crim¬ inal cases); Constitutional Council (called for in Ta’if Accord — rules on constitutionality of laws); Supreme Council (hears charges against the presi¬ dent and prime minister as needed) Political parties and leaders: 14 March Coalition: Democratic Gathering [Walid JUNBLATT, leader of Progressive Socialist Party]; Democratic Left [Ilyas ATALLAH]; Democratic Renewal Movement [Nassib LAHUD]; Future Movement Bloc [Sa’ad HARIRI]; Kataeb Reform Movement [Amine GEMAYEL]; Lebanese Forces [Samir JA’JA]; Nasserite Popular Movement [Ussama SAAD]; Qornet Shewan Gathering (a grouping composed of political parties and inde¬ pendent members of the National Assembly [no individual leader]); Tripoli Independent Bloc Change and Reform Alliance: Free Patriotic Movement [Michel AWN]; Metn Bloc [Michel MURR]; Popular Bloc [Elias SKAFF]; Tachnaq Hizballah and Amal Alliance: Ba’th Party [Muhammad MUHAMMADIYAH]; Development and Resistance Bloc [Nabih BERRI, leader of Amal Movement]; Kataeb Party [Karim PAKRADONI]; Loyalty to the Resistance [Mohammad RA’AD]; Syrian Social Nationalist Party [Dr. Issam al- MAYHAYRI, secretary general] Political pressure groups and leaders: none Internationai organization participa¬ tion: ABEDA, ACCT, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, I CRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, 1LO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d’Affaires Carla JAZZAR; note — ambassador designate is Antoine CHEDID chancery: 2560 28th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-632 0 FAX: [1] (202) 939-6324 consulate(s) general: Detroit, New York, Los Angeles Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jeffrey D. FELTMAN embassy: Awkar, Lebanon; (Awkar facing the Municipality) mailing address: P. O. Box 70-840, Antelias, Lebanon; PSC 815, Box 2, FPO AE 09836-0002; from US: US Embassy Beirut, 6070 Beirut Place, Washington, DC 20521-6070 telephone: [961] (4) 542600, 543600 FAX: [961] (4) 544136 Flag description: three horizontal bands consisting of red (top), white (middle, double width), and red (bottom) with a green cedar tree centered in the white band ECONOMY Economy— overview: The 1975-90 civil war seriously damaged Lebanon’s eco¬ nomic infrastructure, cut national output by half, and all but ended Lebanon’s position as a Middle Eastern entrepot and banking hub. In the years since, Lebanon has rebuilt much of its war-torn physical and financial infrastructure by borrowing heavily — mostly from domestic banks. In an attempt to reduce the ballooning national debt, the Rafiq HARIRI government began an austerity program, reining in government expen¬ ditures, increasing revenue collection, and privatizing state enterprises, but eco¬ nomic and financial reform initiatives stalled and public debt continued to grow despite receipt of more than $2 bil¬ lion in bilateral assistance at the Paris II Donors Conference. The Israeli- Hizballah conflict caused an estimated $3.6 billion in infrastructure damage in July and August 2006, and internal Lebanese political tension continues to hamper economic activity. GDP (purchasing power parity): $22.02 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $19.89 billion (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: -6.4% (2006 est.) GDP — per capita (PPP): $5,700 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 7% industry: 21% services: 72% (2005) Labor force: 1.5 million note: in addition, there are as many as 1 million foreign workers (2005 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% .services : NA% Unemployment rate: 20% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 28% (1999 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4 8% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 17.8% of GDP (2006 est.) 361 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Budget: revenues: $4-444 billion expenditures: $7,429 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 209% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: citrus, grapes, tomatoes, apples, vegetables, potatoes, olives, tobacco; sheep, goats Industries: banking, tourism, food pro- cessing, jewelry, cement, textiles, min- eral and chemical products, wood and furniture products, oil refining, metal fabricating Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity— production: 9.762 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 97.2% hydro: 2.8% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 9.529 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 450 million kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 107,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil — imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $5,339 bil¬ lion (October 2006) Exports: $1,881 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.) Exports— commodities: authentic jew¬ elry, inorganic chemicals, miscellaneous consumer goods, fruit, tobacco, construc¬ tion minerals, electric power machinery and switchgear, textile fibers, paper Exports— partners: Syria 25.3%, UAE 11.4%, Switzerland 8.1%, Turkey 6%, Saudi Arabia 5.4% (2005) Imports: $9.34 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.) Imports— commodities: petroleum products, cars, medicinal products, clothing, meat and live animals, con¬ sumer goods, paper, textile fabrics, tobacco Imports— partners: Italy 11.1%, Syria 10.7%, France 9.2%, Germany 6.4%, China 5.4%, US 5.3%, UK 4-4%, Saudi Arabia 4.3% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $16.78 billion (2006 est.) Debt— external: $31.1 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $2.2 billion received (2003) from the $4-2 billion in soft loans pledged at the November 2002 Paris II Aid Conference Currency (code): Lebanese pound (LBP) Currency code: LBP Exchange rates: Lebanese pounds per US dollar— 1,507.5 (2006), 1,507.5 (2005), 1,507.5 (2004), 1,507.5 (2003), 1,507.5 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 990,000 (2005) Telephones — mobile cellular: 1.178 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: repair of the telecom¬ munications system, severely damaged during the civil war, now complete domestic: 2 commercial wireless networks provide good service; political instability hampers privatization and deployment of new technologies international: country code — 961; satel¬ lite earth stations — 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean) (erratic operations); coaxial cable to Syria; 3 sub¬ marine coaxial cables Radio broadcasf sfaflons: AM 20, FM 22, shortwave 4 (1998) Radios: 2.85 million (1997) Television broadcasf stafions: 15 (plus 5 repeaters) (1995) Televisions: 1.18 million (1997) Internet country code: lb Internet hosts: 3,307 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 22 (2000) Internet users: 700,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 7 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 9 14 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006) Pipelines: gas 43 km (2006) Railways: total: 401 km standard gauge: 319 km 1.435 m narrow gauge: 82 km 1.050 m note: rail system became unusable because of damage done during fighting in the 1980s and in 2006 (2006) Roadways: total: 7,300 km paved: 6,198 km unpaved: 1,102 km (1999) Merchant marine: total: 39 ships (1000 GRT or over) 150,598 GRT/1 78,295 DWT hy type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 18, livestock carrier 10, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 3, vehicle carrier 3 foreigri'Owned: 4 (Greece 3, Syria 1) registered in other countries: 59 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Barbados 1, Cambodia 6, Comoros 6, Egypt 2, Georgia 7, Honduras 1, North Korea 6, Liberia 2, Malta 10, Mongolia 1, Panama 2, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4, Sao Tome and Principe 1, Syria 7, unknown 2) (2006) Ports and terminals: Beirut, Chekka, Jounie, Tripoli • *'C . • MILITARY Military branches: Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF): Army, Navy, and Air Force (2007) Military service age and obligation: 18-30 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; in May 2005, conscript service obligation reduced from 12 to 6 months over a 2-year period; conscripts eligible to volunteer for 5 years of military service upon com¬ pleting 6 months of conscript service; Lebanon is moving toward a predomi¬ nantly professional armed forces (2005) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 974,363 females age 18-49: 1,024,273 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 821,762 females age 18-49: 865,770 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 3.1% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: lacking a treaty or other documentation describing the boundary, portions of the Lebanon-Syria boundary are unclear with several sections in dispute; since 2000, Lebanon has claimed Shab’a Farms area in the Israeli- occupied Golan Heights; the roughly 2,000-strong UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has been in place since 1978 Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 405,425 (Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA)), 20,000-40,000 (Iraq) IDPs: 17,000 (1975-90 civil war, Israeli invasions), 200,000 (July- August 2006 war) (2006) Illicit drugs: cannabis cultivation dramat¬ ically reduced to 2,500 hectares in 2002 despite continued significant cannabis consumption; opium poppy cultivation minimal; small amounts of Latin American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin transit country on way to European markets and for Middle Eastern consumption; money laundering of drug proceeds fuels concern that extremists are benefiting from drug trafficking 362 Leribe .Teyateyaneng Mokbottang 'MASERU .Mafetsng dacha's Nek ,Qtifhing INTRODUCTION Background: Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independence from the UK in 1966. The Basuto National Party ruled for the first two decades. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in 1990, but returned to Lesotho in 1992 and reinstated in 1995. Com stitutional government was restored in 1993 after 7 years of military rule. In 1998, violent protests and a military mutiny fol¬ lowing a contentious election prompted a brief but bloody intervention by South African and Botswanan military forces under the aegis of the Southern African Development Community. Constitu¬ tional reforms have since restored polit¬ ical stability; peaceful parliamentary elections were held in 2002. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa Geographic coordinates: 29 30 S, 28 30 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 30,355 sq km land: 30,355 sq km water: 0 sq km Area— comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland Land boundaries: total: 909 km border countries: South Africa 909 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime Claims: none (landlocked) Climate: temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers Terrain: mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains Elevation extremes: lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m Natural resources: water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay, building stone Land use: arable land: 10.87% permanent crops: 0.13% other: 89% (2005) Irrigated land: 30 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: periodic droughts Environment— current issues: popula¬ tion pressure forcing settlement in mar¬ ginal areas results in overgrazing, severe soil erosion, and soil exhaustion; deserti¬ fication; Highlands Water Project con¬ trols, stores, and redirects water to South Africa Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Con¬ servation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea Geography— note: landlocked, com¬ pletely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea level PEOPLE Population: 2,125,262 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mor¬ tality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the dis¬ tribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 35.7% (male 382,308/female 377,303) 15-64 years: 59.3% (male 613,979/ female 645,818) 65 years and over: 5% (male 42,621/ female 63,233) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 21.1 years male: 20.4 years female: 21.7 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.144% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 24.72 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 22.49 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -0.78 migrants )/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.013 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.951 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.674 male(s)/female total population: 0.956 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 79.85 deaths/1,000 live births male: 84-4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 75.17 deaths/ 1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 39.97 years male: 40.73 years female: 39.18 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 3.21 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 28.9% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HI V/ AIDS: 320,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 29,000 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural) adjective: Basotho Ethnic groups: Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%, Religions: Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20% Languages: Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 84.8% male: 74-5% female: 94-5% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho conventional short form: Lesotho local long form: Kingdom of Lesotho local short form: Lesotho former: Basutoland Government type: parliamentary consti¬ tutional monarchy Capital: name: Maseru geographic coordinates: 29 28 S, 27 30 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale’s Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha’s Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka Independence: 4 October 1966 (from UK) National holiday: Independence Day, 4 October ( 1966) Constitution: 2 April 1993 Legal system: based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review of legislative acts in High 363 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Court and Court of Appeal; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reser¬ vations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state : King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996); note — King LETSIE III formerly occupied the throne from November 1990 to February 1995 while his father was in exile head of government: Prime Minister Pakalitha MOSISILI (since 23 May 1998) cabinet: Cabinet elections: none — according to the consti¬ tution, the leader of the majority party in the Assembly automatically becomes prime minister; the monarch is heredi¬ tary, but, under the terms of the constitu¬ tion, that came into effect after the March 1993 election, the monarch is a “living symbol of national unity” with no executive or legislative powers; under tra¬ ditional law the college of chiefs has the power to depose the monarch, determine who is next in the line of succession, or who shall serve as regent in the event that the successor is not of mature age Legislative branch: bicameral Parlia¬ ment consists of the Senate (33 mem¬ bers— 22 principal chiefs and 11 other members appointed by the ruling party) and the Assembly ( 1 20 seats, 80 by pop¬ ular vote and 40 by proportional vote; members elected by popular vote for five- year terms) elections: last held 17 February 2007 (next to be held in 2012) election results: percent of vote by party— NA; seats by party — LCD 61, NIP 21, ABC 17, LWP 10, ACP 4, BNP 3, other 4 Judicial branch: High Court (chief jus¬ tice appointed by the monarch acting on the advice of the Prime Minister); Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts; customary or traditional court Political parties and leaders: Alliance of Congress Parties or ACP; All Basotho Convention or ABC [Thomas THA- BANE]; Basotholand African Congress or BAC [Khauhelo RALITAPOLE1; Basotho Congress Party or BCP [Ntsukunyane MPHANYA]; Basotho National Party or BNP [Maj. Gen. Justin Metsing LEKHANYAJ; Kopanang Basotho Party or KPB [Pheelo MOSALA]; Lesotho Congress for Democracy or LCD (the governing party) [Pakalitha MOSISILI]; Lesotho Education Party or LEP [Thabo PITSO]; Lesotho Workers Party or LWP [Macaefa BILLY]; Marematlou Freedom Party or MFP [Vincent MALEBO]; National Independent Party or NIP [Anthony MANYELI]; New Lesotho Freedom Party or NLFP [Manapo MAJARA]; Popular Front for Democracy or PFD [Lekhetho RAKUOANE]; Sefate Democratic Union or SDU [Bofihla NKUEBE]; Social Democratic Party of SDP [Masitise SELESO] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Moleiekeng E. RAPOLAKI chancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 797-5533 through 5536 FAX: [1] (202) 234-6815 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador June Carter PERRY embassy: 254 Kingsway, Maseru West (Consular Section) mailing address: P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho telephone: [266] 22 312666 FAX: [266] 22 310116 Flag description: three horizontal stripes of blue (top), white, and green in the pro¬ portions of 3:4:3; the colors represent rain, peace, and prosperity respectively; cen¬ tered in the white stripe is a black Basotho hat representing the indigenous people; the flag was unfurled in October 2006 to celebrate 40 years of independence ECONOMY Economy— overview: Small, land¬ locked, and mountainous, Lesotho relies on remittances from miners employed in South Africa and customs duties from the Southern Africa Customs Union for the majority of government revenue. However, the government has recently strengthened its tax system to reduce dependency on customs duties. Com¬ pletion of a major hydropower facility in January 1998 now permits the sale of water to South Africa and also generates royalties for Lesotho. Lesotho produces about 90% of its own electrical power needs. As the number of mineworkers has declined steadily over the past sev¬ eral years, a small manufacturing base has developed based on farm products that support the milling, canning, leather, and jute industries, as well as a rapidly expanding apparel-assembly sector. The latter has grown significantly mainly due to Lesotho qualifying for the trade benefits contained in the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act. The economy is still primarily based on sub¬ sistence agriculture, especially livestock, although drought has decreased agricul¬ tural activity. The extreme inequality in the distribution of income remains a major drawback. Lesotho has signed an Interim Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility with the IMF. GDP (purchasing power parity): $5,327 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $1,437 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 3% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $2,600 (2006 est ) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 16.1% industry: 43% services: 40.9% (2006 est.) Labor force: 838,000 (2000) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 86% of resident population engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work in South Africa industry and services : 14% Unemployment rate: 45% (2002) Population below poverty line: 49% (1999) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.9% highest 10%: 43.4% Distribution of family income — Gini index: 63.2 (1995) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 32% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $778.9 million expenditures: $734-7 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock Industries: food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts, construc¬ tion, tourism Industrial production growth rate: 15.5% (1999) Electricity— production: 250 million kWh; note — electricity supplied by South Africa (2004) Electricity — consumption: 244.5 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 12 million kWh; note — electricity supplied by South Africa (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 1,400 bbl/day (2004) 364 LIBERIA Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: o cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $75.44 mil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $779.1 million f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (2000) Exports— partners: Hong Kong 29.6%, China 24%, Taiwan 22.3%, Germany 5.7%, India 5.5% (2005) Imports: $1,401 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medi¬ cines, petroleum products Imports— partners: US 83.8%, Belgium 12.7%, Canada 2.4% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $528.2 million (2006 est.) Debt— external: $735 million (2002) Economic aid— recipient: $41.5 million (2000) Currency (code): loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR) Currency code: LSL; ZAR Exchange rates: maloti per US dollar— 6.85 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003), 10.541 (2002) Fiscal year: 1 April— 31 March COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 48,000 (2005) Telephones — mobile cellular: 245,100 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: rudimentary system domestic: consists of a modest but growing number of landlines, a small microwave radio relay system, and a minor radiotelephone communication system; a cellular mobile telephone system is growing international: country code — 266; satellite earth station — 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM l, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998) Radios: NA (2002) Television broadcast stations: l (2000) Televisions: NA Internet country code: Is Internet hosts: 168 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): l (2000) Internet users: 43,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 28 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 25 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 21 (2006) Roadways: total: 5,940 km paved: 1,087 km unpaved: 4,853 km (1999) MILITARY Military branches: Lesotho Defense Force (LDF): Army and Air Wing Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 428,982 females age 18-49: 440,102 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 1 8—49 : 180,797 females age 18-4 9: 160,681 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 2.6% (2006) Military — note: the Lesotho Govern¬ ment in 1999 began an open debate on the future structure, size, and role of the armed forces, especially considering the Lesotho Defense Force’s (LDF) history of intervening in political affairs TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: none LIBERIA INTRODUCTION Background: Settlement of freed slaves from the US in what is today Liberia began in 1822; by 1847, the Americo- Liberians were able to establish a republic. William TUBMAN, president from 1944-71, did much to promote for¬ eign investment and to bridge the eco¬ nomic, social, and political gaps between the descendents of the original settlers and the inhabitants of the interior. In 1980, a military coup led by Samuel DOE ushered in a decade of authori¬ tarian rule. In December 1989, Charles TAYLOR launched a rebellion against DOE’s regime that led to a prolonged civil war in which DOE himself was killed. A period of relative peace in 1997 allowed for elections that brought TAYLOR to power, but major fighting resumed in 2000. An August 2003, peace agreement ended the war and prompted the resignation of former president Charles TAYLOR, who was exiled to Nigeria. After two years of rule by a tran¬ sitional government, democratic elec¬ tions in late 2005 brought President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF to power. The UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), which maintains a strong presence throughout the country, completed a dis¬ armament program for former combat¬ ants in late 2004, but the security situation is still volatile and the process of rebuilding the social and economic structure of this war-torn country remains sluggish. GEOGRAPHY Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d’Ivoire and Sierra Leone Geographic coordinates: 6 30 N, 9 30 W Map references: Africa Area: total: 1 1 1,370 sq km land: 96,320 sq km water: 15,050 sq km Area — comparative: slightly larger than Tennessee Land boundaries: total: 1,585 km border countries: Guinea 563 km, Cote d’Ivoire 716 km, Sierra Leone 306 km Coastline: 579 km Maritime Claims: territorial sea: 200 nm Climate: tropical; hot, humid; dry win¬ ters with hot days and cool to cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with fre¬ quent heavy showers Terrain: mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and low mountains in northeast 365 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Wuteve 1,380 m Natural resources: iron ore, timber, dia¬ monds, gold, hydropower Land use: arable land: 3.43% permanent crops: 1.98% other: 94.59% (2005) Irrigated land: 30 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March) Environment — current issues: tropical rain forest deforestation; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw sewage Environment — international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Tim¬ ber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation Geography — note: facing the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline is characterized by lagoons, mangrove swamps, and river- deposited sandbars; the inland grassy plateau supports limited agriculture PEOPLE Population: 3,195,931 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 43.6% (male 698,382/female 695,409) 15-64 years: 53.6% (male 848,951/ female 865,380) 65 years and over: 2.7% (male 42,745/ female 45,064) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 18.1 years male : 17.9 years female: 18.2 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 4.836% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 43.75 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 22.24 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 26 86 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.004 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.981 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.949 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 149.73 deaths/1,000 live births male: 165.65 deaths/1,000 live births female: 133.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 40.39 years male: 38.93 years female: 41.89 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 5.94 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 5.9% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 100,000 (2003 est.) HiV/AIDS— deaths: 7,200 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever (2007) Nationality: noun: Liberian(s) adjective: Liberian Ethnic groups: indigenous African 95% (including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru, Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, Dei, Bella, Mandingo, and Mende), Americo-Liberians 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from the US who had been slaves), Congo People 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from the Caribbean who had been slaves) Religions: Christian 40%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 40% Languages: English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages, of which a few can be written and are used in corre¬ spondence Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 57.5% male: 73.3% female: 41.6% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT _ _ Country name: conventional long form : Republic of Liberia conventional short form: Liberia Government type: republic Capital: name: Monrovia geographic coordinates: 6 18N, 1047 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 15 counties; Bomi, Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba, River Cess, River Gee, Sinoe Independence: 26 July 1847 National holiday: Independence Day, 26 July (1847) Constitution: 6 January 1986 Legal system: dual system of statutory law based on Anglo-American common law for the modern sector and customary law based on unwritten tribal practices for indigenous sector; accepts compul¬ sory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAP (since 16 January 2006); note — the President is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF (since 16 January 2006) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the presi¬ dent and confirmed by the Senate elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 8 November 2005 (next to be held in 2011) election results: Ellen JOHNSON SIR- LEAF elected president; percent of vote, second round— Ellen JOHNSON SIR- LEAF 59.6%, George WEAH 40.4% Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (30 seats; note — number of seats changed in 1 1 October 2005 elections; members elected by popular vote to serve nine- year terms) and the House of Representatives (64 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) elections: Senate— last held 11 October 2005 (next to be held in 2011); House of Representatives — last held 11 October 2005 (next to be held in 2011) election results: Senate — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — COTOL 7, NPP 4, CDC 3, LP 3, UP 3, APD 3, other 7; House of Representatives — per¬ cent of vote by party — NA; seats by party— CDC 15, LP 9, COTOL 8, UP 8, APD 5, NPP 4, other 15 note: junior senators — those who received the second most votes in each county in the 11 October 2005 elec¬ tion — will only serve a six-year first term because the Liberian constitution man¬ dates staggered Senate elections to ensure continuity of government; all sen¬ ators will be eligible for nine-year terms thereafter Judicial branch: Supreme Court Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Peace and Democracy or APD [Togba-na TIPOTEH]; Coalition for the Transformation of Liberia or COTOL; Congress for Democratic Change or CDC [George WEAH]; Liberian Action Party or LAP [H. Varney SHERMAN]; Liberty Party or LP [Charles BRUM- 366 LIBERIA SKINE]; National Patriotic Party or NPP [Cyril ALLEN]; Unity Party or UP [Charles CLARKE] Political pressure groups and leaders: Demobilized former military officers International organization participa¬ tion: ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G'77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCp ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILo! IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, ITUC, NAM, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHoi WIPO, WMO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Charles A. MINOR chancery: 5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 723-0437 FAX: [1] (202) 723-0436 consulate(s) general: New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Donald E. BOOTH embassy: 111 United Nations Drive, P O. Box 10-0098, Mamba Point, 1000 Monrovia, 10 mailing address : use embassy street address telephone: [231] 226-370 through 226- 380 FAX: [231] 226-148 Flag description: 11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alter¬ nating with white; there is a white five- pointed star on a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner; the design was based on the US flag ECONOMY Economy— overview: Civil war and government mismanagement have destroyed much of Liberia’s economy, especially the infrastructure in and around the capital, Monrovia. Many businessmen have fled the country, taking capital and expertise with them. Some have returned, but many will not. Richly endowed with water, mineral resources, forests, and a climate favorable to agriculture, Liberia had been a pro¬ ducer and exporter of basic products — primarily raw timber and rubber. Local manufacturing, mainly foreign owned, had been small in scope. President JOHNSON SIRLEAF, a Harvard-trained economist, has taken steps to reduce cor¬ ruption, build support from international donors, and encourage private invest¬ ment. An embargo on timber exports has been lifted, opening a source of revenue for the government, but diamonds remain under UN sanctions. The recon¬ struction of infrastructure and the raising of incomes in this ravaged economy will largely depend on generous financial sup¬ port and technical assistance from donor countries. GDP (purchasing power parity): $2,821 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $902.9 million (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 7.8% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $900 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 76.9% industry: 5.4% services: 17.7% (2002 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 70% industry: 8% services: 22% (2000 est.) Unemployment rate: 85% (2003 est.) Population below poverty line: 80% (2000) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 15% (2003 est.) Budget: revenues: $85.4 million expenditures: $90.5 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) Agriculture — products: rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, sugarcane, bananas; sheep, goats; timber Industries: rubber processing, palm oil processing, timber, diamonds Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity— production: 325 million kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 302.3 mil lion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 3,500 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Exports: $910 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) Exports — commodities: rubber, timber, iron, diamonds, cocoa, coffee Exports— partners: Belgium 40.7%, Spain 15.2%, US 8.9%, Malaysia 5.4%, Thailand 4-5%, Poland 4-5%, Germany 4.3% (2005) Imports: $4,839 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) Imports Commodities: fuels, chemi¬ cals, machinery, transportation equip¬ ment, manufactured goods; foodstuffs Imports— partners: South Korea 38.1%, Japan 21.2%, Singapore 14-3%, Croatia 4.7% (2005) Debt— external: $3.2 billion (2005 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $94 million (1999) Currency (code): Liberian dollar (LRD) Currency code: LRD Exchange rates: Liberian dollars per US dollar— 59.43 (2006), 53.098 (2005), 54.906 (2004), 59.379 (2003), 61.754 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 6,900 (2002) Telephones— mobile cellular: 160,000 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: the limited services available are found almost exclusively in the capital Monrovia domestic: fully automatic system with very low density of less than 1 fixed main line per 100 persons; limited wireless service available international: country code — 231; satellite earth station — 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 7, shortwave 2 (2001) Radios: 790,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus 4 repeaters) (2001) Televisions: 70,000 (1997) Internet country code: lr Internet hosts: 8 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2001) Internet users: 1,000 (2002) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 53 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 51 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 9 14 m: 38 (2006) Railways: total: 490 km standard gauge: 345 km 1.43 5 -m gauge narrow gauge: 145 km 1.067-m gauge note: railway is inoperable because of damage suffered during the civil war (2005) Roadways: total: 10,600 km paved: 657 km unpaved: 9,943 km (1999) 367 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Merchant marine: total: 1,687 ships (1000 GRT or over) 62,522,787 GRT/96,776,521 DWT by type: barge carrier 3, bulk carrier 322, cargo 83, chemical tanker 199, combina¬ tion ore/oil 2, container 477, liquefied gas 75, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 397, refrigerated cargo 76, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 11, vehicle carrier 35 foreign' owned: 1,611 (Argentina 7, Australia 2, Austria 13, Bahamas, The 1, Bermuda 1, Brazil 3, Canada 2, China 35, Croatia 7, Cyprus 3, Denmark 8, Estonia 1, France 3, Germany 587, Greece 267, Hong Kong 37, India 3, Indonesia 1, Isle of Man 5, Israel 5, Italy 16, Japan 102, South Korea 3, Kuwait 1, Latvia 14, Lebanon 2, Mexico 1, Monaco 10, Netherlands 29, Norway 38, Poland 14, Qatar 2, Russia 77, Saudi Arabia 24, Singapore 28, Slovenia 2, Sweden 8, Switzerland 7, Taiwan 69, Turkey 1, UAE 18, UK 41, Ukraine 16, Uruguay 3, US 93, unknown 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Buchanan, Monrovia MILITARY Military branches: Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL): Army, Navy, Air Force Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 575,384 females age 18—49: 588,780 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18—49: 267,430 females age 18-49: 286,231 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1.3% (2006 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: although civil unrest continues to abate with the assis¬ tance of 18,000 UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) peacekeepers, as of January 2007, Liberian refugees still remain in Guinea, Cote d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, and Ghana; Liberia, in turn, shelters refugees fleeing turmoil in Cote d’Ivoire; despite the presence of over 9,000 UN forces (UNOCI) in Cote d’Ivoire since 2004, ethnic conflict continues to spread into neighboring states who can no longer send their migrant workers to Ivorian cocoa plantations; UN sanctions ban Liberia from exporting diamonds and timber Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 6,592 (Cote d’Ivoire) IDPs: 13,000 (civil war from 1990-2004; IDP resettlement began in November 2004) (2006) Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin and South American cocaine for the European and US markets; corruption, criminal activity, arms-dealing, and dia¬ mond trade provide significant potential for money laundering, but the lack of well-developed financial system limits the country’s utility as a major money¬ laundering center LIBYA Background: The Italians supplanted the Ottoman Turks from the area around Tripoli in 1911 and did not relinquish their hold until 1943 when defeated in World War II. Libya then passed to UN administration and achieved independ¬ ence in 1951. Following a 1969 military coup, Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al- QADHAFI began to espouse his own political system, the Third Universal Theory. The system is a combination of socialism and Islam derived in part from tribal practices and is supposed to be implemented by the Libyan people themselves in a unique form of “direct democracy.” QADHAFI has always seen himself as a revolutionary and visionary leader. He used oil funds during the 1970s and 1980s to promote his ideology outside Libya, supporting subversives and terrorists abroad to hasten the end of Marxism and capitalism. In addition, beginning in 1973, he engaged in mili¬ tary operations in northern Chad’s Aozou Strip — to gain access to minerals and to use as a base of influence in Chadian politics — but was forced to retreat in 1987. UN sanctions in 1992 isolated QADHAFI politically following the downing of Pan AM Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. Libyan support for terrorism appeared to have decreased after the imposition of sanctions. During the 1990s, QADHAFI also began to rebuild his relationships with Europe. UN sanctions were suspended in April 1999 and finally lifted in September 2003 after Libya resolved the Lockerbie case. In December 2003, Libya announced that it had agreed to reveal and end its programs to develop weapons of mass destruction, and QADHAFI has made significant strides in normalizing relations with western nations since then. He has received various Western European leaders as well as many working-level and commercial delega¬ tions, and made his first trip to Western Europe in 15 years when he traveled to Brussels in April 2004. QADHAFI also resolved in 2004 some of the outstanding cases against his government for terrorist activities in the 1980s by compensating some families of victims of the Pan Am 103, French airliner UTA, and La Belle disco bombings. The US resumed full diplomatic relations with Libya in May 2006 and rescinded Libya’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism in June. GEOGRAPHY s Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Tunisia Geographic coordinates: 25 00 N, 17 00 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 1,759,540 sq km land: 1,759,540 sq km water: 0 sq km Area— comparative: slightly larger than Alaska Land boundaries: total: 4,348 km border countries: Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,115 km, Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km Coastline: 1,770 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm note: Gulf of Sidra closing line — 32 degrees, 30 minutes north exclusive fishing zone: 62 nm Climate: Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior Terrain: mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m highest point: Bikku Bitti 2,267 m 368 LIBYA Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, gypsum Land use: arable land: 1.03% permanent crops: 0.19% other: 98.78% (2005) Irrigated land: 4,700 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms Environment — current issues: desertifi¬ cation; very limited natural fresh water resources; the Great Manmade River Project, the largest water development scheme in the world, is being built to bring water from large aquifers under the Sahara to coastal cities Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea Geography— note: more than 90% of the country is desert or semidesert PEOPLE Population: 6,0 36,914 note: includes 166,510 non-nationals (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 33.4% (male 1,029,096/ female 985,606) 15-64 years: 62.4% (male 1,940,287/ female 1,827,429) 65 years and over: 4.2% (male 124,892/ female 129,604) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 23.3 years male: 23.4 years female: 23.2 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.262% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 26.09 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 3.47 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.044 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.062 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.964 male(s)/female total population: 1.052 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 22.82 deaths/1,000 live births male: 25.07 deaths/1,000 live births female: 20.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.88 years male: 74.64 years female: 79.23 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 3.21 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.3% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 10,000 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diar¬ rhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorbome diseases: may be a significant risk in some locations during the trans¬ mission season (typically April through October) (2007) Nationality: noun: Libyan(s) adjective: Libyan Ethnic groups: Berber and Arab 97%, other 3% (includes Greeks, Maltese, Italians, Egyptians, Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, and Tunisians) Religions: Sunni Muslim 97%, other 3% Languages: Arabic, Italian, English, all are widely understood in the major cities Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 82.6% male: 92.4% female: 72% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Great Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya conventional short form: Libya local long form: A1 Jumahiriyah al Arabiyah al Libiyah ash Shabiyah al Ishtirakiyah al Uzma local short form: none Government type: Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by the populace through local councils; in prac¬ tice, an authoritarian state Capital: name: Tripoli geographic coordinates: 32 54 N, 13 11E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 25 municipal¬ ities (baladiyat, singular — baladiyah); Ajdabiya, Al ‘Aziziyah, Al Fatih, Al Jabal al Akhdar, Al Jufrah, Al Khums, Al Kufrah, An Nuqat al Khams, Ash Shati’, Awbari, Az Zawiyah, Banghazi, Darnah, Ghadamis, Gharyan, Misratah, Murzuq, Sabha, Sawfajjin, Surt, Tarabulus, Tarhunah, Tubruq, Yafran, Zlitan; note — the 25 municipalities may have been replaced by 13 regions Independence: 24 December 1951 (from UN trusteeship) National holiday: Revolution Day, 1 September (1969) Constitution: none; note — following the September 1969 military overthrow of the Libyan government, the Revo¬ lutionary Command Council replaced the existing constitution with the Constitutional Proclamation in Decem¬ ber 1969; in March 1977, Libya adopted the Declaration of the Establishment of the People’s Authority Legal system: based on Italian civil law system and Islamic law; separate religious courts; no constitutional provision for judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory Executive branch: chief of state: Revolutionary Leader Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-QADHAFl (since 1 September 1969); note — holds no official title, but is de facto chief of state head of government: Secretary of the General People’s Committee (Prime Minister) al-Baghdadi Ali al-MAH- MUDI (since 5 March 2006) cabinet: General People’s Committee established by the General People’s Congress elections: national elections are indirect through a hierarchy of people’s commit¬ tees; head of government elected by the General People’s Congress; election last held March 2006 (next to be held NA) election results: NA Legislative branch: unicameral General People’s Congress (approximately 2,700 seats; members elected indirectly through a hierarchy of people’s committees) Judicial branch: Supreme Court Political parties and leaders: none Political pressure groups and leaders: various Arab nationalist movements with almost negligible memberships may be functioning clandestinely, as well as some Islamic elements; an anti-QAD- HAFI Libyan exile movement exists, pri¬ marily based in London, but has little influence International organization participa¬ tion: ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: ambassador (vacant); Charge d’Affaires Ali AUJALI 369 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK chancery: 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Suite 705, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 944-960 1 FAX: [1] (202) 944-9060 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d’Affaires ad Interim Charles O. CECIL embassy: Corinthia Bab Africa Hotel, Souq At-Tlat Al-Qadim, Tripoli mailing address : US Embassy, 8850 Tripoli Place, Washington, DC 20521-8850 telephone: [218] 21-335-1848 Flag description: plain green; green is the traditional color of Islam (the state religion) ECONOMY Economy — overview: The Libyan economy depends primarily upon rev¬ enues from the oil sector, which con¬ tribute about 95% of export earnings, about one-quarter of GDP, and 60% of public sector wages. Substantial revenues from the energy sector coupled with a small population give Libya one of the highest per capita GDPs in Africa, but little of this income flows down to the lower orders of society. Libyan officials in the past four years have made progress on economic reforms as part of a broader campaign to reintegrate the country into the international fold. This effort picked up steam after UN sanctions were lifted in September 2003 and as Libya announced in December 2003 that it would abandon programs to build weapons of mass destruction. Almost all US unilateral sanctions against Libya were removed in April 2004, helping Libya attract more foreign direct invest¬ ment, mostly in the energy sector. Libyan oil and gas licensing rounds continue to draw high international interest; the National Oil Company set a goal of nearly doubling oil production to 3 bil¬ lion bbl/day by 2010. Libya faces a long road ahead in liberalizing the socialist- oriented economy, but initial steps — including applying for WTO membership, reducing some subsidies, and announcing plans for privatization — are laying the groundwork for a transition to a more market-based economy. The non-oil manufacturing and construction sectors, which account for more than 20% of GDP, have expanded from processing mostly agricultural products to include the production of petrochemicals, iron, steel, and aluminum. Climatic condi¬ tions and poor soils severely limit agri¬ cultural output, and Libya imports about 75% of its food. Libya’s primary agricul¬ tural water source remains the Great Manmade River Project, but significant resources are being invested in desalin¬ ization research to meet growing water demands. GDP (purchasing power parity): $72.68 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $34.2 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 6.1% (2006 est.) GDP — per capita (PPP): $12,300 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 7.3% industry: 51.3% services: 41-4% (2006 est.) Labor force: 1.787 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 17% industry: 23% services: 59% (2004 est.) Unemployment rate: 30% (2004 est.) Population below poverty line: 7.4% (2005 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.1% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 7.4% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $33.34 billion expenditures: $19.3 billion; including capital expenditures of $5.6 billion (2006 est.) Public debt: 5.6% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus, vegetables, peanuts, soybeans; cattle Industries: petroleum, iron and steel, food processing, textiles, handicrafts, cement Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity— production: 19.44 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 18.08 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil — production: 1.72 million bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil— consumption: 237,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: 1.34 million bbl/day (2004) Oil — imports: 0 bbl/day (2004) Oil— proved reserves: 42 billion bbl (2006 est.) Natural gas — production: 8.06 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 5.93 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — exports: 2.13 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 1472 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $14.5 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $37.02 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: crude oil, refined petroleum products, natural gas, chemicals Exports — partners: Italy 38%, Germany 15.1%, Spain 9.3%, Turkey 6.2%, France 6.2%, US 5.2% (2005) Imports: $14-47 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — Commodities: machinery, semi-finished goods, food, transport equipment, consumer products Imports— partners: Italy 21.2%, Germany 10.2%, Tunisia 5.9%, Turkey 4.8%, UK 4.8%, France 4.7%, South Korea 4-6%, China 4-5% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $57.48 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $4,492 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: ODA, $18 million (2004 est.) Currency (code): Libyan dinar (LYD) Currency code: LYD Exchange rates: Libyan dinars per US dollar— 1.3108 (2006), 1.3084 (2005), 1.305 (2004), 1.2929 (2003), 1.2707 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 750,000 (2003) Telephones— mobile cellular: 234,800 (2004) Telephone system: general assessment: telecommunications system is being modernized; mobile cellular telephone system became operational in 1996 domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, cellular, tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations international: country code — 218; satel¬ lite earth stations — 4 Intelsat, NA Arabsat, and NA Intersputnik; subma¬ rine cables to France and Italy; microwave radio relay to Tunisia and Egypt; tropospheric scatter to Greece; participant in Medarabtel (1999) Radio broadcast stations: AM 16, FM 3, shortwave 3 (2001) Radios: 1.35 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 12 (plus 1 repeater) (1999) 370 LIECHTENSTEIN Televisions: 730,000 (1997) Internet country code: ly Internet hosts: 31 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs)* l (2002) Internet users: 205,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 141 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 60 over 3,047 m: 23 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 l ,524 to 2,437 m: 23 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 2 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 81 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 15 9 14 to 1,523 m: 41 under 9 14 m: 18 (2006) Heliports: 2 (2006) Pipelines: condensate 882 km; gas 3,481 km; oil 6,916 km (2006) Railways: 0 km note: Libya is working on seven lines totaling 2,757 km of 1.435-m gauge track; it hopes to have trains running by 2008 (2005) Roadways: total: 83,200 km paved: 47,590 km unpaved: 35,610 km (1999) Merchant marine: total: 18 ships (1000 GRT or over) 86,034 GRT/89,820 DWT by type: cargo 10, liquefied gas 3, pas- senger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 2 foreign-owned: 4 (Kuwait 1, Norway 1, Turkey 2) (2006) Ports and terminals: As Sidrah, Az Zuwaytinah, Marsa al Burayqah, Ra’s Lanuf, Tripoli, Zawiyah MILITARY Military branches: Armed Peoples on Duty (APOD, Army), Libyan Arab Navy, Libyan Arab Air Force (Ah Quwwat ahjawwiya al-Jamahiriya ah Arabia al-Libyya, LAAF) (2007) Military service age and obligation: 17 years of age (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 17-49: 1,505,675 females age 17-49: 1,429,152 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 17-49: 1,291,624 females age 17-49: 1,230,824 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18—49: 62,034 females age 17-49: 59,533 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 3.9% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: Libya has claimed more than 32,000 sq km in southeastern Algeria and about 25,000 sq km in the Tommo region of Niger in a currently dormant dispute; various Chadian rebels from the Aozou region reside in southern Libya Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: refugees (country of origin): 8,873 (Palestinian Territories) (2006) Trafficking in persons: current situation: Libya is a transit and destination country for men, women, and children from sub-Saharan Africa and Asia trafficked for forced labor and sexual exploitation; many victims will¬ ingly migrate to Libya en route to Europe with the help of smugglers, but may be forced into prostitution or work as laborers and beggars to pay off their $800-$ 1,200 smuggling debt; laborers from Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia are reportedly trafficked to Libya for the pur¬ pose of labor exploitation tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Libya is placed on the Tier 2 Watch List for its lack of evidence of increasing efforts to address trafficking since 2004 LIECHTENSTEIN INTRODUCTION Background: The Principality of Liechtenstein was established within the Holy Roman Empire in 1719; it became a sovereign state in 1806. Until the end of World War I, it was closely tied to Austria, but the economic devastation caused by that conflict forced Liechtenstein to enter into a customs and monetary union with Switzerland. Since World War II (in which Liech¬ tenstein remained neutral), the country’s low taxes have spurred outstanding eco¬ nomic growth. Shortcomings in banking regulatory oversight resulted in concerns about the use of financial institutions for money laundering. However, Liech¬ tenstein implemented anti-money-laun- dering legislation over the past several years and a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty with the US went into effect in 2003. GEOGRAPHY Location: Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland Geographic coordinates: 47 16 N, 9 32 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 160 sq km land: 160 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: total: 76 km border countries: Austria 34-9 km, Switzerland 41.1 km Coastline: 0 km (doubly landlocked) Maritime claims: none (landlocked) Climate: continental; cold, cloudy win¬ ters with frequent snow or rain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers Terrain: mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third Elevation extremes: lowest point: Ruggeller Riet 430 m highest point: Vorder-Grauspitz 2,599 m Natural resources: hydroelectric poten¬ tial, arable land Land use: arable land: 25% permanent crops: 0% other: 75% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: NA Environment — current issues: NA Environment — international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution- Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution- Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic 371 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Proto¬ col, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Pro¬ tection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea Geography— note: along with Uzbek¬ istan, one of only two doubly landlocked countries in the world; variety of micro¬ climatic variations based on elevation PEOPLE Population: 34,247 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 17.1% (male 2,902/female 2,963) 15-64 years: 70% (male 11,887/female 12,101) 65 years and over: 12.8% (male 1,862/ female 2,532) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 40.1 years male: 39.5 years female: 40.5 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.745% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 10.02 births/l,000population (2007 est.) Death rate: 7.3 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 4.73 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.979 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.982 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.735 male(s)/female total population: 0.946 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 4-58 deaths/1,000 live births male: 6.13 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.02 deaths/ 1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 79.81 years male: 76.24 years female: 83.4 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1 .51 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Liechtensteiner(s) adjective: Liechtenstein Ethnic groups: Alemannic 86%, Italian, Turkish, and other 14% Religions: Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 7%, unknown 10.6%, other 6.2% (June 2002) Languages: German (official), Alemannic dialect Literacy: definition: age 10 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein conventional short form: Liechtenstein heal long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein local short form: Liechtenstein Government type: constitutional monarchy Capital: name: Vaduz geographic coordinates: 47 09 N, 931 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: + lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 11 communes (Gemeinden, singular — Gemeinde); Balzers, Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg, Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz Independence: 23 January 1719 (Principality of Liechtenstein estab¬ lished); 12 July 1806 (independence from the Holy Roman Empire) National holiday: Assumption Day, 15 August Constitution: 5 October 1921 Legal system: local civil and penal codes; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdic¬ tion, with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Prince HANS ADAM II (since 13 November 1989, assumed executive powers 26 August 1984); Heir Apparent Prince ALOIS, son of the monarch (born 11 June 1968); note — on 15 August 2004, HANS ADAM trans¬ ferred the official duties of the ruling prince to ALOIS, but HANS ADAM retains status of chief of state head of government: Head of Government Otmar HASLER (since 5 April 2001); Deputy Head of Government Klaus TSCHUETSCHER (since 21 April 2005) cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Parliament, confirmed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is heredi¬ tary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party in the Landtag is usually appointed the head of government by the monarch and the leader of the largest minority party in the Landtag is usually appointed the deputy head of government by the monarch if there is a coalition government Legislative branch: unicameral Parlia¬ ment or Landtag (25 seats; members are elected by popular vote under propor¬ tional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 11 and 13 March 2005 (next to be held by 2009) election results : percent of vote by party — FBP 48.7%, VU 38.2%, FL 13%; seats by party— FBP 12, VU 10, FL 3 Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Court of Appeal or Obergericht Political parties and leaders: Patriotic Union or VU [Adolf HEEB] (was Fatherland Union); Progressive Citizens’ Party or FBP [Otmar HASLER]; The Free List or FL [Claudia HEEB-FLECK and Egon MATT] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: CE, EBRD, EFTA, IAEA, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, W1PO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Claudia FRITSCHE chancery: 888 17th Street NW, Suite 1250, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: [1] (202) 331-0590 FAX: [1] (202) 331-3221 Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Liechtenstein; the US Ambassador to Switzerland is accredited to Liecht¬ enstein Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a gold crown on the hoist side of the blue band ECONOMY Economy — overview: Despite its small size and limited natural resources, Liechtenstein has developed into a pros¬ perous, highly industrialized, free-enter¬ prise economy with a vital financial service sector and living standards on a par with its large European neighbors. The Liechtenstein economy is widely diversified with a large number of small businesses. Low business taxes — the maximum tax rate is 20% — and easy incorporation rules have induced many holding or so-called letter box companies to establish nominal offices in Liechtenstein, providing 30% of state revenues. The country participates in a customs union with Switzerland and uses the Swiss franc as its national currency. It imports more than 90% of its energy requirements. Liechtenstein has been a member of the European Economic Area (an organization serving as a bridge between the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and the EU) since May 1995. The government is working 372 LITHUANIA to harmonize its economic policies with those of an integrated Europe. GDP (purchasing power parity): $1,786 billion (2001 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $2,487 billion (2001) GDP— real growth rate: 11% (1999 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $25,000 (1999 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 6% industry: 39% services: 55% (2001) Labor force: 29,500 of whom 13,900 commute from Austria, Switzerland, and Germany to work each day (31 December 2001) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 2% industry: 47% services: 51% (31 December 2001 est.) Unemployment rate: 1.3% (September 2002) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% inflation rate (consumer prices): 1% (2001) Budget: revenues: $424.2 million expenditures: $414.1 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.) Agriculture— products: wheat, barley, corn, potatoes; livestock, dairy products Industries: electronics, metal manufac- turing, dental products, ceramics, phan maceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism, optical instruments Industrial production growth rate: NA% Exports: $2.47 billion (1996) Exports Commodities: small specialty machinery, connectors for audio and video, parts for motor vehicles, dental products, hardware, prepared foodstuffs, electronic equipment, optical products Exports— partners: EU 62.6% (Germany 24.3%, Austria 9.5%, France 8.9%, Italy 6.6%, UK 4.6%), US 18.9%, Switzerland 15.7% (2004) Imports: $917.3 million (1996) Imports commodities: agricultural products, raw materials, energy products, machinery, metal goods, textiles, food¬ stuffs, motor vehicles Imports — partners: EU, Switzerland (2004) Debt— external: $0 (2001) Currency (code): Swiss franc (CHF) Currency code: CHF Exchange rates: Swiss francs per US dollar— 1.2539 (2006), 1.2452 (2005), 1.2435 (2004), 1.3467 (2003), 1.5586 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 19,900 (2002) Telephones— mobile cellular: 11,400 (2002) Telephone system: general assessment: automatic telephone system domestic: NA international: country code — 423; linked to Swiss networks by cable and microwave radio relay Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) Radios: 21,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: NA (linked to Swiss networks) (1997) Televisions: 12,000 (1997) Internet country code: h Internet hosts: 4,697 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 44 (Fiechtenstein and Switzerland) (2000) Internet users: 20,000 (2002) TRANSPORTATION Pipelines: gas 20 km (2006) Railways: 9 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified) note: belongs to the Austrian Railway System connecting Austria and Switzerland (2006) Roadways: total: 380 km paved: 38 0 km (2006) Waterways: 28 km (2005) Ports and terminals: none MILITARY Manpower available for military service: males age 18-4 9: 7,736 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-4 9: 6,250 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 208 (2005 est.) Military — note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of Switzerland Transnational issues Disputes — international: none Illicit drugs: has strengthened money laundering controls, but money laun¬ dering remains a concern due to Fiechtenstein’s sophisticated offshore financial services sector LITHUANIA INTRODUCTION Background: Independent between the two World Wars, Fithuania was annexed by the USSR in 1940 — an action never recognized by the US. On 1 1 March 1990, Fithuania became the first of the Soviet republics to declare its independ¬ ence, but Moscow did not recognize this proclamation until September of 1991 (following the abortive coup in Moscow). The last Russian troops with¬ drew in 1993. Fithuania subsequently restructured its economy for integration into Western European institutions; it joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004- GEOGRAPHY Location: Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Fatvia and Russia Geographic coordinates: 56 00 N, 24 00 E Map references: Europe Area: total : 65,200 sq km land: NA sq km water: NA sq km Area — comparative: slightly larger than West Virginia Land boundaries: total: 1,613 km border countries: Belarus 653.5 km, Fatvia 588 km, Poland 103.7 km, Russia (Kaliningrad) 267.8 km Coastline: 90 km Maritime Claims: territorial sea: 12 nm Climate: transitional, between maritime and continental; wet, moderate winters and summers Terrain: lowland, many scattered small lakes, fertile soil Elevation extremes: lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m 373 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK highest point: Juozapines Kalnas 293.6 m Natural resources: peat, arable land, amber Land use: arable land: 44-81% permanent crops: 0.9% other: 54.29% (2005) Irrigated land: 70 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: NA Environment— current issues: contami- nation of soil and groundwater with petroleum products and chemicals at military bases Environment— international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution- Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution- Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change- Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: fertile central plains are separated by hilly uplands that are ancient glacial deposits PEOPLE Population: 3,575,439 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 14.9% (male 273,573/female 259,570) 15-64 years: 69.3% (male 1,213,011/ female 1,264,996) 65 years and over: 15.8% (male 194,500/ female 369,789) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 38.6 years male: 36.1 years female: 41.2 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: -0.289% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 8.87 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 11.05 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -0.72 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.054 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.959 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.526 male(s)/female total population: 0.887 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 6.68 deaths/1,000 live births male: 7.99 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74-44 years male: 69.46 years female: 79.69 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1 .21 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 1,300 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Lithuanian(s) adjective: Lithuanian Ethnic groups: Lithuanian 83.4%, Polish 6.7%, Russian 6.3%, other or unspecified 3.6% (2001 census) Religions: Roman Catholic 79%, Russian Orthodox 4-1%, Protestant (including Lutheran and Evangelical Christian Baptist) 1.9%, other or unspecified 5.5%, none 9.5% (2001 census) Languages: Lithuanian (official) 82%, Russian 8%, Polish 5.6%, other and unspecified 4.4% (2001 census) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.6% male: 99.6% female: 99.6% (2001 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Lithuania conventional short form: Lithuania local long form: Lietuvos Respublika local short form: Lietuva former: Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic Government type: parliamentary democracy Capital: name: Vilnius geographic coordinates: 54 41 N, 25 19 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 10 counties (apskritys, singular — apskritis); Alytaus, Kauno, Klaipedos, Marijampoles, Panevezio, Siauliu, Taurages, Telsiu, Utenos, Vilniaus Independence: 11 March 1990 (declared); 6 September 1991 (recog¬ nized by Soviet Union) National holiday: Independence Day, 16 February (1918); note — 16 February 1918 was the date Lithuania declared its independence from Soviet Russia and established its statehood; 11 March 1990 was the date it declared its independence from the Soviet Union Constitution: adopted 25 October 1992 Legal system: based on civil law system; legislative acts can be appealed to the constitutional court Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Valdas ADAMKUS (since 12 July 2004) head of government: Prime Minister Gediminas KIRKILAS (since 4 July 2006) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the nomination of the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 13 and 27 June 2004 (next to be held June 2009); prime minister appointed by the president on the approval of the Parliament election results: Valdas ADAMKUS elected president; percent of vote — Valdas ADAMKUS 52.2%, Kazimiera PRUNSKIENE 47.8%; Gedimmas KIRKILAS approved by Parliament 85- 13, with five abstentions Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Seimas (141 seats; 71 members are elected by popular vote, 70 are elected by proportional representa¬ tion; to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 10 and 24 October 2004 (next to be held in October 2008) election results: percent of vote by party — Labor 28.6%, Working for Lithuania (Social Democrats and Social Liberals) 20.7%, TS 14.6%, For Order and Justice (Liberal Democrats and Lithuanian People’s Union) 11.4%, Liberal and Center Union 9.1%, Farmers and New Democracy Union 6.6%, other 9%; seats by faction — Labor 29, Homeland Union 26, Social Democrats 23, Civil Democracy (split from Labor) 11, Liberal Movement (formerly Liberal Political Group) 11, National Farmer’s Union (formerly Farmers and New Democracy Union) 11, Social Liberal 10, Liberal Democrats 9, Liberal and Center Union 8, independents 3 (as of late -July 2006) Judicial branch: Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; judges for all courts appointed by the President Political parties and leaders: Civil Democracy Party [Viktor MUNTIANAS]; Electoral Action of Lithuanian Poles [Valdemar TOMASZEVSKI]; National Farmer’s Union [Kazimiera PRUNSKIENE]; Homeland Union/Conservative Party or TS [Andrius KUBILIUS]; Labor Party [Kestutis DAUKSYS]; Liberal and Center Union [Arturas ZUOKAS]; Liberal Democratic Party [Rolandas PAKSAS]; Liberal Movement [Petras AUSTREVICIUS]; Lithuanian Christian Democrats or LKD [Valentinas STUNDYS]; Lithuanian People’s Union 374 LITHUANIA for a Fair Lithuania [Julius VESELKA]; Lithuanian Social Democratic Party [Algirdas BRAZAUSKAS]; Social Liberal/Nevv Union [Arturas PAUL- ALSKAS], Social Union of Christian Conservatives [Gediminas VAGNO- RIUS]; Young Lithuania and New Nationalists [Stanislovas BUSKEVICIUS1 Political pressure groups and leaders- NA International organization participa¬ tion: ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Audrius BRUZGA chancery: 4590 Mac Arthur Blvd. NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 234-5860 FAX: [1] (202) 328-0466 consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John A. CLOUD embassy: Akmenu Gatve 6, Vilnius, LT- 03106 mailing address: American Embassy, Akmenu Gatve 6, Vilnius LT-03106 telephone: [370] (5) 266 5500 FAX: [370] (5) 266 5510 Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), green, and red ECONOMY Economy— overview: Lithuania, the Baltic state that has conducted the most trade with Russia, has grown rapidly since rebounding from the 1998 Russian financial crisis. Unemployment fell to 3.7% in 2006, while wages grew 17.6%, contributing to rising inflation. Exports and imports continue to grow strongly, and the current account deficit rose to nearly 10% of GDP in 2006. Trade has been increasingly oriented toward the West. Lithuania has gained membership in the World Trade Organization and joined the EU in May 2004. Privatization of the large, state-owned utilities is nearly complete. Foreign gov¬ ernment and business support have helped in the transition from the old command economy to a market economy, but foreign direct investment declined in 2006. GDP (purchasing power parity): $54.9 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $30.2 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 7.5% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $15,300 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 5.5% industry: 33.3% services: 61.2% (2006 est.) Labor force: 1.617 million (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 15.8% industry: 28.2% services: 56% (2004) Unemployment rate: 3.7% note: based on survey data, official regis¬ tered unemployment of 5.7% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 4% (2003) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 24.9% (2000) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 32.5 (2003) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.8% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 23% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $9,415 billion expenditures: $9,761 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 18% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: grain, potatoes, sugar beets, flax, vegetables; beef, milk, eggs; fish Industries: metal-cutting machine tools, electric motors, television sets, refrigera¬ tors and freezers, petroleum refining, shipbuilding (small ships), furniture making, textiles, food processing, fertil¬ izers, agricultural machinery, optical equipment, electronic components, computers, amber jewelry Industrial production growth rate: 7% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 17.8 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 16.5% hydro: 5.7% nuclear: 77.7% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 9.358 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 11.49 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — imports: 4.293 billion kWh (2004) Oil — production: 14,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 56,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: 0 bbl/day (2004) Oil— imports: 93,000 bbl/day (2004) Natural gas— production: 0 cu m (2004) Natural gas— consumption: 2.92 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 2.92 billion cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $2,572 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $14.64 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — Commodities: mineral prod¬ ucts 23%, textiles and clothing 16%, machinery and equipment 11%, chemi¬ cals 6%, wood and wood products 5%, foodstuffs 5% (2001) Exports— partners: Russia 10.4%, Latvia 10.2%, Germany 9.4%, France 7.1%, Estonia 5.9%, Poland 5.5%, Sweden 5%, LJS 4.7%, UK 4.7%, Denmark 4.3% (2005) Imports: $18.25 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: mineral prod¬ ucts, machinery and equipment, trans¬ port equipment, chemicals, textiles and clothing, metals Imports— partners: Russia 27.9%, Germany 15.1%, Poland 8.3% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $5.22 billion (2006 est.) Debt— external: $15.12 billion (30 June 2006 est.) Economic aid — recipient: $1.6 billion (1995) Currency (code): litas (LTL) Currency code: LTL Exchange rates: litai per US dollar— 2.7498 (2006), 2.774 (2005), 2.7806 (2004), 3.0609 (2003), 3.677 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 801,100 (2005) Telephones — mobile cellular: 4.353 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: inadequate, but is being modernized to provide an improved international capa¬ bility and better residential access domestic: a national, fiber-optic cable, interurban, trunk system is nearing com¬ pletion; rural exchanges are being improved and expanded; mobile cellular systems are being installed; access to the Internet is available; still many unsatisfied telephone subscriber applications international: country code — 370; landline connections to Latvia and Poland; major international connections to Denmark, Sweden, and Norway by submarine cable for further transmission by satellite 375 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Radio broadcast stations: AM 29, FM 142, shortwave 1 (2001) Radios: 1.9 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 27 (may have as many as 100 transmitters, including repeater stations) (2001) Televisions: 1.7 million (1997) Internet country code: It Internet hosts: 148,675 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 32 (2001) Internet users: 1.222 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 91 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 34 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 20 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 57 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 53 (2006) Pipelines: gas 1,696 km; oil 228 km; refined products 121 km (2006) Railways: total: 1,771 km broad gauge: 1,749 km 1.524-m gauge (122 km electrified) standard gauge: 22 km 1.435-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 79,497 km paved: 70,549 km (includes 417 km of expressways) unpaved: 8,948 km (2005) Waterways: 425 km (2005) Merchant marine: total: 49 ships (1000 GRT or over) 353,094 GRT/352,883 DWT by type: hulk carrier 6, cargo 20, chemical tanker 1, container 1, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 14, roll on/roll off 1 foreign'Owned: 10 (Denmark 10) registered in other countries: 17 (Antigua and Barbuda 3, Belize 1, North Korea 1, Norway 1, Panama 5, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3, unknown 3) (2006) Ports and terminals: Klaipeda Military branches: Ground Forces, Naval Force, Lithuanian Military Air Forces, National Defense Volunteer Forces (2005) Military service age and obligation: 19-45 years of age for compulsory mili- tary service, conscript service obliga- tion— 12 months; 18 years of age for volunteers (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 19-49: 830,368 females age 19-49: 830,524 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 19-49: 590,606 females age 19-49: 676,102 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 29,689 females age 19-49: 28,543 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1.9% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: Lithuania and Russia committed to demarcating their boundary in 2006 in accordance with the land and maritime treaty ratified by Russia in May 2003 and by Lithuania in 1999; Lithuania operates a simplified transit regime for Russian nationals trav¬ eling from the Kaliningrad coastal exclave into Russia, while still con¬ forming, as a EU member state having an external border with a non-EU member, to strict Schengen border rules; the Latvian parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns over potential hydrocarbons; as of January 2007, ground demarcation of the boundary with Belarus was complete and mapped with final ratification docu¬ ments in preparation Illicit drugs: transshipment and destina¬ tion point for cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy, and opiates from Southwest Asia, Latin America, Western Europe, and neigh¬ boring Baltic countries; growing produc¬ tion of high-quality amphetamines, but limited production of cannabis, metham- phetamines; susceptible to money laun¬ dering despite changes to banking legislation LUXEMBOURG INTRODUCTION Background: Founded in 963, Luxem¬ bourg became a grand duchy in 1815 and an independent state under the Netherlands. It lost more than half of its territory to Belgium in 1839, but gained a larger measure of autonomy. Full inde¬ pendence was attained in 1867. Overrun by Germany in both World Wars, it ended its neutrality in 1948 when it entered into the Benelux Customs Union and when it joined NATO the following year. In 1957, Luxembourg became one of the six founding countries of the European Economic Community (later the European Union), and in 1999 it joined the euro currency area. GEOGRAPHY Location: Western Europe, between France and Germany Geographic coordinates: 49 45 N, 6 10 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 2,586 sq km land: 2,586 sq km water: 0 sq km Area— comparative: slightly smaller than Rhode Island Land boundaries: total: 359 km border countries: Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, Germany 138 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime Claims: none (landlocked) Climate: modified continental with mild winters, cool summers Terrain: mostly gently rolling uplands with broad, shallow valleys; uplands to slightly mountainous in the north; steep slope down to Moselle flood plain in the southeast Elevation extremes: lowest point: Moselle River 133 m highest point: Buurgplaatz 559 m Natural resources: iron ore (no longer exploited), arable land Land use: arable land: 23.94% permanent crops: 0.39% other: 75.67% (includes Belgium) (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: NA Environment— current issues: air and water pollution in urban areas, soil pollu¬ tion of farmland 376 LUXEMBOURG Environment internotionol agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution- Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution- Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution- Volatile Organic Com¬ pounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification Geography— note: landlocked; the only Grand Duchy in the world PEOPLE Population: 480,222 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 18.8% (male 46,478/female 43,656) 15-64 years: 66.6% (male 161,466/ female 158,261) 65 years and over: 14.7% (male 28,530/ female 41,831) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 38.9 years male: 37.9 years female: 39.9 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.207% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 11.84 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 8.42 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 8.64 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.065 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over : 0.682 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 4-68 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4-67 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4-69 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 79.03 years male: 75.76 years female: 82.52 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.78 children bom/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: less than 500 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: less than 100 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Luxembourger(s) adjective: Luxembourg Ethnic groups: Celtic base (with French and German blend), Portuguese, Italian, Slavs (from Montenegro, Albania, and Kosovo) and European (guest and resi¬ dent workers) Religions: Roman Catholic 87%, other (includes Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 13% (2000) Languages: Luxembourgish (national language), German (administrative lan¬ guage), French (administrative language) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (2000 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg conventional short form: Luxembourg local long form: Grand Duche de Luxembourg local short form: Luxembourg Government type: constitutional monarchy Capital: name: Luxembourg geographic coordinates: 49 45 N, 6 10 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg Independence: 1839 (from the Netherlands) National holiday: National Day (Birthday of Grand Duchess Charlotte) 23 June; note — the actual date of birth was 23 January 1896, but the festivities were shifted by five months to allow observance during a more favorable time of year Constitution: 17 October 1868; occa¬ sional revisions Legal system: based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory Executive branch: chief of state: Grand Duke HENRI (since 7 October 2000); Heir Apparent Prince GUILLAUME (son of the monarch) head of government: Prime Minister Jean- Claude JUNCKER (since 1 January 1995); Deputy Prime Minister Jean ASSELBORN (since 31 July 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers recom¬ mended by the prime minister and appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is heredi¬ tary; following popular elections to the Chamber of Deputies, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch; the deputy prime minister is appointed by the monarch; they are responsible to the Chamber of Deputies note: government coalition — CSV and LSAP Legislative branch: unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (60 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 13 June 2004 (next to be held by June 2009) election results: percent of vote by party — CSV 36.1%, LSAP 23.4%, DP 16.1%, Green Party 11.6%, ADR 10%, other 2.8%; seats by party — CSV 24, LSAP 14, DP 10, Green Party 7, ADR 5 note: there is also a Council of State that serves as an advisory body to the Chamber of Deputies; the Council of State has 21 members appointed by the Grand Duke on the advice of the prime minister Judicial branch: judicial courts and tri¬ bunals (3 Justices of the Peace, 2 district courts, and 1 Supreme Court of Appeals); administrative courts and tri¬ bunals (State Prosecutor’s Office, admin¬ istrative courts and tribunals, and the Constitutional Court); judges for all courts are appointed for life by the monarch Political parties and leaders: Action Committee for Democracy and Justice or ADR [Gast GIBERYEN]; Christian Social People’s Party or CSV [Francois BILTGEN] (also known as Christian Social Party or PCS); Democratic Party or DP [Claude MEISCHl; Green Party [Francois BAUSCHJ; Luxembourg Socialist Workers’ Party or LSAP [Alex BODRYj; dei Lenk/la Gauche (the Left); other minor parties Political pressure groups and leaders: ABBL (bankers’ association); ALEBA (financial sector trade union); Centrale Paysanne (federation of agricultural pro¬ ducers); CEP (professional sector chamber); CGFP (trade union repre¬ senting civil service); Chambre de Commerce (Chamber of Commerce); Chambre des Metiers (Chamber of Artisans); FEDIL (federation of industri¬ alists); Greenpeace (environment pro¬ tection); LCGP (center-right trade union); Mouvement Ecologique (protec¬ tion of ecology); OGBL (center-left trade union) International organization participa¬ tion: ACCT, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, 377 THF. CIA WORLD FACTBOOK ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph WEYLAND chancery: 2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-4171/72 FAX: [1] (202) 328-8270 consulate(s) general: New York, San Francisco Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ann WAGNER embassy: 22 Boulevard Emmanuel Servais, L-2535 Luxembourg City mailing address: American Embassy Luxembourg, Unit 1410, APO AE 09126-1410 (official mail); American Embassy Luxembourg, PSC 9, Box 9500, APO AE 09123 (personal mail) telephone: [352] 46 01 23 FAX: [352] 46 14 01 Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and light blue; similar to the flag of the Netherlands, which uses a darker blue and is shorter; design was based on the flag of France ECONOMY Economy — overview: This stable, high- income economy — benefiting from its proximity to France, Belgium, and Germany — features solid growth, low inflation, and low unemployment. The industrial sector, initially dominated by steel, has become increasingly diversified to include chemicals, rubber, and other products. Growth in the financial sector, which now accounts for about 28% of GDP, has more than compensated for the decline in steel. Most banks are foreign- owned and have extensive foreign deal¬ ings. Agriculture is based on small family-owned farms. The economy depends on foreign and cross-border workers for about 60% of its labor force. Although Luxembourg, like all EU mem¬ bers, has suffered from the global eco¬ nomic slump, the country enjoys an extraordinarily high standard of living — GDP per capita ranks second in the world. GDP (purchasing power parity): $33.87 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $34.53 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 6.2% (2006 est.) GDP — per capita (PPP): $71,400 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 13% services: 86% ( 2005 est.) Labor force: 203,000 of whom 121,600 are foreign cross-border workers com¬ muting primarily from France, Belgium, and Germany (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 1% industry: 13% services: 86% (2004 est.) Unemployment rate: 4.1% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.6% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 18.3% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $19.07 billion expenditures: $19.79 billion; including capital expenditures of $975.5 million (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: wine, grapes, barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits; dairy products, livestock products Industries: banking and financial serv¬ ices, iron and steel, information tech¬ nology, telecommunications, cargo transportation, food processing, chemi¬ cals, metal products, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum, tourism Industrial production growth rate: 4.3% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 3.203 billion kWh (2005 est.) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 57.3% hydro: 25.2% nuclear: 0% other: 17.5% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 6.14 billion kWh (2005 est.) Electricity— exports: 2.346 billion kWh (2005 est.) Electricity— imports: 5.287 billion kWh (2005 est.) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 62,420 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: 634 bbl/day (2001) Oil— imports: 50,700 bbl/day (2001) Natural gas— production: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 1.361 bil¬ lion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 1.361 billion cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $4.63 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $19.55 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — Commodities: machinery and equipment, steel products, chemicals, rubber products, glass Exports— partners: Germany 20.9%, France 17.3%, Belgium 9.1%, UK 8.2%, Italy 7.4%, Spain 7.3%, Netherlands 4.2% (2005) Imports: $24-22 billion c.i.f. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: minerals, met¬ als, foodstuffs, quality consumer goods Imports— partners: Belgium 28.4%, Germany 21.7%, China 12.6%, France 9.5%, Netherlands 5.1% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $232.2 million (August 2006 est.) Debt — external: $NA Economic aid — donor: ODA, $235.59 million (2004) Currency (code): euro (EUR) note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by finan¬ cial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries Currency code: EUR Exchange rates: euros per US dollar— 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 244,500 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 720,000 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: highly developed, completely automated and efficient system, mainly buried cables domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; buried cable international: country code — 352; 3 channels leased on TAT-6 coaxial sub¬ marine cable (Europe to North America) Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999) Radios: 285,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 5 (1999) Televisions: 285,000 (1998 est.) Internet country code: lu Internet hosts: 88,661 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 8 (2000) Internet users: 315,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 2 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2006) 378 LUXEMBOURG Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Heliports: 1 (2006) Pipelines: gas 155 km (2006) Railways: total: 274 km standard gauge: 274 km 1.435-m gauge (262 km electrified) (2005) Roadways: total: 5,227 km paved: 5,227 km (includes 147 km of expressways) (2004) Waterways: 37 km (on Moselle River) (2003) Merchant marine: total: 42 ships (1000 GRT or over) 557,636 GRT/792,069 DWT by type: bulk carrier 6, chemical tanker 16, container 7, liquefied gas 2, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 5 foreign-ovuned: 42 (Belgium 9, Finland 4, France 14, Germany 10, Netherlands 2, US 3) (2006) Ports and terminals. Mertert MILITARY Military branches: Army Military service age and obligation: a 1967 law made the Army an all- volun¬ teer force; 17 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers under 18 are not deployed into combat or with peace¬ keeping missions (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 17—49: 110,867 females age 17-49: 108,758 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 17-49: 90,279 females age 17-49: 88,638 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 2,775 females age 17-49: 2,703 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 0.9% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: none 379 INTRODUCTION Background: Colonized by the Portu¬ guese in the 16th century, Macau was the first European settlement in the Far East. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and Portugal on 13 April 1987, Macau became the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 20 December 1999. China has prom¬ ised that, under its “one country, two sys¬ tems” formula, China’s socialist economic system will not be practiced in Macau, and that Macau will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years. GEOGRAPHY Location: Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China Geographic coordinates: 22 10 N, 113 33 E Map references: Southeast Asia Area: total: 28.2 sq km land: 28.2 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: less than one-sixth the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: total: 0.34 km regional border: China 0.34 km Coastline: 41 km Maritime claims: not specified Climate: subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers Terrain: generally flat Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Coloane Alto 172.4 m Natural resources: NEGL Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops : 0% other: 100% (2005) irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: typhoons Environment — current issues: NA Environment — international agree¬ ments: party to: Marine Dumping (asso¬ ciate member), Ship Pollution (associate member) Geography — note: essentially urban; an area of land reclaimed from the sea meas¬ uring 5.2 sq km and known as Cotai now connects the islands of Coloane and Taipa; the island area is connected to the mainland peninsula by three bridges PEOPLE Population: 456,989 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 15.4% (male 36,413/female 33,981) 15-64 years: 76.6% (male 166,797/ female 183,088) 65 years and over: 8% (male 15,541/ female 21,169) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 36.6 years male: 36 years female: 36.9 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.841% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 8.57 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 4.59 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 4 42 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.072 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.911 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.734 male(s)/female total population: 0.918 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 4.33 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.51 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4-13 deaths/ 1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 82.27 years male: 79.44 years female: 85.25 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.03 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Chinese adjective: Chinese Ethnic groups: Chinese 95.7%, Macanese (mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry) 1%, other 3.3% (2001 census) Religions: Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none and other 35% (1997 est.) Languages: Cantonese 87.9%, Hokkien 4-4%, Mandarin 1.6%, other Chinese dialects 3.1%, other 3% (2001 census) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91.3% male: 95.3% female: 87.8% (2001 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Macau Special Administrative Region conventional short form: Macau local long form: Aomen Tebie Xing- zhengqu (Chinese); Regiao Admin- istrativa Especial de Macau (Portuguese) local short form: Aomen (Chinese); Macau (Portuguese) Dependency status: special administra¬ tive region of China Government type: limited democracy Administrative divisions: none (special administrative region of China) Independence: none (special adminis¬ trative region of China) National holiday: National Day (An¬ niversary of the Founding of the People’s Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note — 20 December 1999 is celebrated as Macau Special Administrative Region Establishment Day Constitution: Basic Law, approved on 31 March 1993 by China’s National People’s Congress, is Macau’s “mini-con¬ stitution” Legal system: based on Portuguese civil law system Suffrage: direct election 18 years of age, universal for permanent residents living in Macau for the past seven years; indi¬ rect election limited to organizations reg¬ istered as “corporate voters” (257 are currently registered) and a 300-member Election Committee drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organiza¬ tions, and central government bodies Executive branch: chief of state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003) head of government: Chief Executive Edmund HO Hau-wah (since 20 December 1999) cabinet: Executive Council consists of one government secretary, three legisla¬ tors, four businessmen, one pro-Beijing unionist, and one pro-Beijing educator elections: chief executive chosen by a 300-member Election Committee for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 29 August 2004 (next to be held in 2009) 38Q MACAU election results: Edmund HO Hau-wah reelected received 296 votes; three mem¬ bers submitted blank ballots; one member was absent Legislative branch: unicameral Legis¬ lative Assembly (29 seats; 12 members elected by popular vote, 10 by indirect vote, and 7 appointed by the chief exec¬ utive; to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 25 September 2005 (next in September 2009) election results: percent of vote — New Democratic Macau Association 18.8%, Macau United Citizens’ Association 16.6%, Union for Development 13.3%, Union for Promoting Progress 9.6%, Macau Development Alliance 9.3%, others 32.4%; seats by political group — New Democratic Macau Association 2, Macau United Citizens’ Association 2, Union for Development 2, Union for Promoting Progress 2, Macau Development Alliance 1, others 3; 10 seats filled by professional and business groups; seven members appointed by chief executive Judicial branch: Court of Final Appeal in Macau Special Administrative Region Political parties and leaders: Civil Service Union [Jose Maria Pereira COUTINHO]; Development Union [KWAN Tsui-hang]; Macau Develop¬ ment Alliance [Angela LEONG On- kei] ; Macau United Citizens’ Association [CHAN Meng-kam]; New Democratic Macau Association [Antonio NG Kuok- cheong]; United Forces Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), ISO (correspondent), UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: none (special administrative region of China) Diplomatic representation from the US: the US has no offices in Macau; US interests are monitored by the US Consulate General in Hong Kong Flag description: light green with a lotus flower above a stylized bridge and water in white, beneath an arc of five gold, five-pointed stars: one large in center of arc and four smaller ECONOMY Economy— overview: Macau’s well-to- do economy has remained one of the most open in the world since its rever¬ sion to China in 1999. Apparel exports and tourism are mainstays of the economy. Although the territory was hit hard by the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis and the global downturn in 2001, its economy grew 10.1% in 2002, 14.2% in 2003, and 28.6% in 2004 before slowing to 6.7% in 2005. The economic boom was powered by gambling, tourism, and the construction necessary to sup¬ port such endeavors. China’s decision to ease travel restrictions led to a rapid rise in the number of mainland visitors. The opening of Macau’s gaming industry to foreign access in 2001 spurred an increase in public works expenditures. The budget also returned to surplus in 2002 because of the surge in visitors from China and a hike in taxes on gambling profits, which generated about 70% of government revenue. Much of Macau’s textile industry may move to the main¬ land due to the termination in 2005 of the Multi-Fiber Agreement, which pro¬ vided a near guarantee of export markets, leaving the territory more dependent on gambling and trade-related services to generate growth. The Closer Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Macau and mainland China that came into effect on 1 January 2004 offers many Macau-made products tariff- free access to the mainland. The range of products covered by CEPA was expanded on 1 January 2005. GDP (purchasing power parity): $io billion (2004) GDP (official exchange rate): $11.56 billion (2005) GDP— real growth rate: 6.7% GDP — per capita (PPP): $24,300 (2005) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 0.1% industry: 7.2% services: 92.7% (2002 est.) Labor force: 248,000 (2005) Labor force — by occupation: manufac¬ turing 13.7%, construction 10.5%, trans¬ port and communications 5.9%, wholesale and retail trade 14.6%, restau¬ rants and hotels 10.3%, gambling 17.9%, public sector 7.8%, other services and agriculture 19.3% (2005 est.) Unemployment rate: 4.1% (2005) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.4% (2005) Budget: revenues: $3.16 billion expenditures: $3.16 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (FY05/06) Agriculture — products: only 2% of land area is cultivated, mainly by vegetable growers; fishing, mostly for crustaceans, is important; some of the catch is exported to Hong Kong Industries: tourism, gambling, clothing, textiles, electronics, footwear, toys Industrial production growth rate- NA% Electricity— production: 2.027 billion kWh (2005) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 1 00% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 2.159 billion kWh (2005) Electricity— exports: 1 million kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 340.8 million kWh (2005) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— consumption: 12,360 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— exports: 21 bbl/day (2005) Oil— imports: 12,840 bbl/day (2005) Natural gas— production: Ocum (2005 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 43.96 mil¬ lion cu m (2005 est.) Exports: $3 .156 billion f.o.b.; note — includes reexports (2005) Exports— commodities: clothing, tex¬ tiles, footwear, toys, electronics, ma¬ chinery and parts Exports— partners: US 48.7%, China 14-9%, Hong Kong 9.8%, Germany 5.9% (2005) Imports: $3,912 billion c.i.f. (2005) Imports — commodities: raw materials and semi-manufactured goods, consumer goods (foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco), capital goods, mineral fuels and oils Imports — partners: China 43.1%, Japan 10.9%, Hong Kong 10%, Singapore 5.2%, US 4.1%, Taiwan 4% (2005) Debt — external: $3.1 billion (2004) Economic aid— recipient: $NA Currency (code): pataca (MOP) Currency code: MOP Exchange rates: patacas per US dollar — 8.0015 (2006), 8.011 (2005), 8.022 (2004), 8.021 (2003), 8.033 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 174,400 (2005) Telephones — mobile cellular: 532,800 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: fairly modern commu¬ nication facilities maintained for domestic and international services domestic: NA international: country code — 853; HF radiotelephone communication facility; access to international communications carriers provided via Hong Kong and China; satellite earth station — 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) 381 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) Radios: 160,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 1 (2006) Televisions: 49,000 (1997) Internet country code: mo Internet hosts: 108 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000) Internet users: 201,000 (2004) TRANSPORTATION Airports: l (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2006) Roadways: total: 368 km paved: 368 km (2005) Ports and terminals: Macau Military branches: no regular military forces Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 112,744 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 91,299 (2005 est.) Military — note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of China TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: none Trafficking in persons: current situation: Macau is a transit and destination territory for women traf¬ ficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation; most females in Macau’s sizeable sex industry come from the interior regions of China or Mongolia, though a significant number also come from Russia, Eastern Europe, Thailand, and Vietnam; the majority of women in Macau’s prostitution trade appear to have entered Macau and the sex trade voluntarily, though there is evi¬ dence that some are deceived or coerced into sexual servitude, often through the use of debt bondage; organized criminal syndicates are reportedly involved in bringing women to Macau, and fear of reprisals from these groups may prevent some women from seeking help tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Macau is placed on the Tier 2 Watch List for failing to show evidence of increasing efforts to address trafficking since 2004 Illicit drugs: transshipment point for drugs going into mainland China; con¬ sumer of opiates and amphetamines MACEDONIA INTRODUCTION Background: Macedonia gained its inde¬ pendence peacefully from Yugoslavia in 1991, but Greece’s objection to the new state’s use of what it considered a Hellenic name and symbols delayed international recognition, which occurred under the provisional designa¬ tion of “the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.” In 1995, Greece lifted a 20- month trade embargo and the two coun¬ tries agreed to normalize relations. The United States began referring to Macedonia by its constitutional name, Republic of Macedonia, in 2004 and negotiations continue between Greece and Macedonia to resolve the name issue. Some ethnic Albanians, angered by perceived political and economic inequities, launched an insurgency in 2001 that eventually won the support of the majority of Macedonia’s Albanian population and led to the internation¬ ally-brokered Framework Agreement, which ended the fighting by establishing a set of new laws enhancing the rights of minorities. The undetermined status of neighboring Kosovo, implementation of the Framework Agreement, and a weak economy continue to be challenges for Macedonia. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southeastern Europe, north of Greece Geographic coordinates: 41 50 N, 22 00 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 25,333 sq km land: 24,856 sq km water: 477 sq km Area— comparative: slightly larger than Vermont Land boundaries: total: 766 km border countries: Albania 151 km, Bulgaria 148 km, Greece 246 km, Serbia 221 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime Claims: none (landlocked) Climate: warm, dry summers and autumns; relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall Terrain: mountainous territory covered with deep basins and valleys; three large lakes, each divided by a frontier line; country bisected by the Vardar River Elevation extremes: lowest point: Vardar River 50 m highest point: Golem Korab (Maja e Korabit) 2,764 m Natural resources: low-grade iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, manganese, nickel, tungsten, gold, silver, asbestos, gypsum, timber, arable land Land use: arable land: 22.01% permanent crops : 1.79% other: 76.2% (2005) Irrigated land: 550 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: high seismic risks Environment— current issues: air pollu¬ tion from metallurgical plants Environment— international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change- Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, En¬ dangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: landlocked; major transportation corridor from Western and Central Europe to Aegean Sea and Southern Europe to Western Europe PEOPLE Population: 2,055,915 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 19.8% (male 210,418/female 195,884) 15-64 years: 69.1% (male 715,997/ female 704,739) 65 years and over: 11.1% (male 99,892/ female 128,985) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 34-4 years male: 33.5 years female: 35.5 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.263% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 12.02 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 382 MACEDONIA Death rate: 8.78 deaths/1,000 popula- tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -0.61 migrant (s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.074 male(s)/female 15—64 years: 1.016 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.774 male(s)/female total population: 0.997 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 9.53 deaths/1,000 live births male: 9.69 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.21 years male: 71.73 years female: 76.88 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.57 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: less than 200 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: less than 100 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Macedonian(s) adjective: Macedonian Ethnic groups: Macedonian 64.2%, Albanian 25.2%, Turkish 3.9%, Roma (Gypsy) 2.7%, Serb 1.8%, other 2.2% (2002 census) Religions: Macedonian Orthodox 64-7%, Muslim 33.3%, other Christian 0.37%, other and unspecified 1.63% (2002 census) Languages: Macedonian 66.5%, Albanian 25.1%, Turkish 3.5%, Roma 1.9%, Serbian 1.2%, other 1.8% (2002 census) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.1% male: 98.2% female: 94-1% (2002 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Macedonia conventional short form: Macedonia local long form: Republika Makedonija local short form: Makedonija note: the provisional designation used by the UN, EU, and NATO is Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) former: People’s Republic of Macedonia, Socialist Republic of Macedonia Government type: parliamentary democracy Capital: name: Skopje geographic coordinates: 4159N.2126E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 85 municipal¬ ities (opstini, singular — opstina); Aerodrom (Skopje), Aracinovo, Berovo, Bitola, Bogdanci, Bogovinje, Bosilovo, Brvenica, Butel (Skopje), Cair (Skopje), Caska, Centar (Skopje), Centar Zupa, Cesinovo, Cucer-Sandevo, Debar, Debartsa, Delcevo, Demir Hisar, Demir Kapija, Dojran, Dolneni, Drugovo, Gazi Baba (Skopje), Gevgelija, Gjorce Petrov (Skopje), Gostivar, Gradsko, llinden, Jegunovce, Karbinci, Karpos (Skopje), Kavadarci, Kicevo, Kisela Voda (Skopje), Kocani, Konce, Kratovo, Kriva Palanka, Krivogastani, Krusevo, Kumanovo, Fipkovo, Lozovo, Make- donska Kamenica, Makedonski Brod, Mavrovo i Rastusa, Mogila, Negotino, Novaci, Novo Selo, Ohrid, Oslomej, Pehcevo, Petrovec, Plasnica, Prilep, Probistip, Radovis, Rankovce, Resen, Rosoman, Saraj (Skopje), Skopje, Sopiste, Staro Nagoricane, Stip, Struga, Strumica, Studenicani, Suto Orizari (Skopje), Sveti Nikole, Tearce, Tetovo, Valandovo, Vasilevo, Veles, Vevcani, Vinica, Vranestica, Vrapciste, Zajas, Zelenikovo, Zelino, Zrnovci note: the ten municipalities followed by Skopje in parentheses collectively con¬ stitute the larger Skopje Municipality Independence: 8 September 1991 (refer¬ endum by registered voters endorsed independence from Yugoslavia) National holiday: llinden Uprising Day, 2 August (1903); note — also known as Saint Elijah’s Day Constitution: adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991; amended November 2001 by a series of new constitutional amendments strengthening minority rights and in 2005 with amendments related to the judiciary Legal system: based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Execufive branch: chief of state: President Branko CRVENKOVSKI (since 12 May 2004) head of government: Prime Minister Nikola GRUEVSKI (since 26 August 2006) cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the majority vote of all the deputies in the Assembly; note — current cabinet formed by the government coalition par¬ ties VMRO/DPMNE, NSDP, PDSh/ DPA, and several small parties elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); two-round election last held 14 April and 28 April 2004 (next to be held by April 2009); prime minister elected by the Assembly following leg¬ islative elections election results: Branko CRVENKOVSKI elected president on second-round ballot; percent of vote — Branko CRVENKOVSKI 62.7%, Sasko KEDEV 37.3% Legislative branch: unicameral As¬ sembly or Sobranie (120 seats; members elected by popular vote from party lists based on the percentage of the overall vote the parties gain in each of six elec¬ toral districts; to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 5 July 2006 (next to be held by July 2010) election results: percent of vote by party — VMRO-DPMNE 33%, SDSM 22%, BDI/DUI 12%, PDSh/DPA 7%, NSDP 6%, VMRO-Narodna 6%, other 14%; seats by party — VMRO-DPMNE 45, SDSM 32, BDI/DUI 17, PDSh/DPA 11, NSDP 7, VMRO-Narodna 6, other 2 Judicial branch: Supreme Court — the Assembly appoints the judges; Con¬ stitutional Court — the Assembly appoints the judges; Republican Judicial Council— the Assembly appoints the judges Political parties and leaders: Democratic Alliance [Pavle TRA- JANOVJ; Democratic League of the Bosniaks [Rafet MUMINOVICJ; Democratic Party of Albanians or PDSh/DPA [Arben XHAFERIJ; Demo¬ cratic Party of Serbs [Ivan STOIL- JKOVIC]; Democratic Party of Turks [Kenan HASIPI]; Democratic Renewal of Macedonia [Liljana POPOVSKA]; Democratic Union of Vlachs for Macedonia [Mitko KOSTOV]; Democratic Union for Integration or BDI/DUI [Ali AHMETI]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organ¬ ization-Democratic Party for Mace¬ donian National Unity or VMRO- DPMNE [Nikola GRUEVSKI]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organ¬ ization-People’s Party or VMRO- Narodna [Vesna JANEVSKA]; League for Democracy [Gjorgi MARJANOVIC]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Risto PENOV]; Liberal Party [Stojan ANDOV]; National Alternative [Harun ALIU]; National Democratic Party-New Democratic Forces or PDK-FRO [Hysni SHAQIR]; New Social Democratic Party or NSDP [Tito PETKOVSKI]; Party for Democratic Future [Alajdin DEMIRI]; Party for Democratic Prosperity or PPD/PDP [Abduljhadi VEJSELIJ; Party for European Future or PEI [Fijat 383 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK CANOSKI]; Social Democratic Alliance of Macedonia or SDSM [Radmila SEK- ER1NSKA]; Socialist Party of Mace- donia or SP [Ljubisav IVANOV' ZINGO]; Union of Romas or SR [Saliu SHABAN]; United Party for Emancipation or OPE [Nezdet MUSTAFA] Political pressure groups and leaders: Federation of Free Trade Unions [Svetlana PETROVIC]; Federation of Trade Unions [Vanco MURATOVSKI]; World Macedonian Congress [Todor PETROV] International organization participa¬ tion: BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) chancery: 2129 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 667 -0501 FAX: [1] (202) 667-2131 consulate(s) general: Southfield (Michigan) Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Gillian A. MILOVANOVIC embassy: Bui. Ilindenska bb, 1000 Skopje mailing address: American Embassy Skopje, US Department of State, 7120 Skopje Place, Washington, DC 20521 - 7120 (pouch) telephone: [389] 2 311-6180 FAX: [389] 2 311-7103 Flag description: a yellow sun with eight broadening rays extending to the edges of the red field Economy Economy — overview: At independence in September 1991, Macedonia was the least developed of the Yugoslav republics, producing a mere 5% of the total federal output of goods and services. The collapse of Yugoslavia ended transfer payments from the central government and eliminated advantages from inclu- sion in a de facto free trade area. An absence of infrastructure, UN sanctions on the downsized Yugoslavia, and a Greek economic embargo over a dispute about the country’s constitutional name and flag hindered economic growth until 1996. GDP subsequently rose each year through 2000. However, the leadership’s commitment to economic reform, free trade, and regional integration was undermined by the ethnic Albanian insurgency of 2001. The economy shrank 4.5% because of decreased trade, inter¬ mittent border closures, increased deficit spending on security needs, and investor uncertainty. Growth barely recovered in 2002 to 0.9%, then averaged 4% per year during 2003-06. Macedonia has main¬ tained macroeconomic stability with low inflation, but it has lagged the region in attracting foreign investment, and job growth has been anemic. Macedonia has an extensive gray market, estimated to be more than 20 percent of GDP, that falls outside official statistics. GDP (purchasing power parity): $16.94 billion note: Macedonia has a large informal sector (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $6,225 billion (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 3.1% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $8,300 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 9% industry: 29% services: 62% (2006 est.) Labor force: 899,000 (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 21.7% industry: 32.6% services: 45.7% (September 2006) Unemployment rate: 36% (September 2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 30% (2005) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Distribution of family income — Gini index: 28.2 (1998) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 9.2% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $2,234 billion expenditures: $2,284 billion; including capital expenditures of $24 million (2006 est.) Public debt: 41.5% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: grapes, wine, tobacco, vegetables; milk, eggs Industries: food processing, beverages, textiles, chemicals, iron, steel, cement, energy, pharmaceuticals Industrial production growth rate: 3.4% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 5.935 billion kWh (2006) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 83.7% hydro: 16.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 8.929 billion kWh (2006) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2006) Electricity — imports: 2.994 billion kWh (2006) Oil — production: 0 bbl/day (2005) Oil— consumption: 23,000 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 100 million cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — imports: 100 million cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $167 million (2006 est.) Exports: $2,341 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: food, bever¬ ages, tobacco; textiles, miscellaneous manufactures, iron and steel Exports— partners: Serbia and Montenegro 22.5%, Germany 17.8%, Greece 15.3%, Italy 8.3% (2005) Imports: $3,631 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: machinery and equipment, automobiles, chemicals, fuels, food products Imports— partners: Russia 13.2%, Germany 10.4%, Greece 9.2%, Serbia and Montenegro 8.2%, Bulgaria 7.3%, Italy 6% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $1,867 billion (November 2006) Debt— external: $2,285 billion (November 2006) Economic aid— recipient: $NA Currency (code): Macedonian denar (MKD) Currency code: MKD Exchange rates: Macedonian denars per US dollar— 48.978 (2006), 48.92 (2005), 49.41 (2004), 54.322 (2003), 6435 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 533,200 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 1.261 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: country code — 389 Radio broadcast stations: AM 29, FM 20, shortwave 0 (1998) Radios: 410,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 31 (plus 166 repeaters) (1995) Televisions: 510,000 (1997) Internet country code: mk 384 MADAGASCAR Internet hosts: 3,716 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPsV 6 (2000) Internet users: 392,671 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 17 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 under 914 m: 8 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 4 (2006) Pipelines: gas 268 km; oil 120 km (2006) Railways: total: 699 km standard gauge: 699 km 1.435-m gauge (233 km electrified) (2005) Roadways: total: 8,684 km paved: 5,540 km unpaved: 3,144 km (1999) military Military branches: Army of the Republic of Macedonia (ARM): Joint Operational Command, with subordi¬ nate Air Wing (Makedonsko Voeno Vozduhoplovstvo, MW), Special Operations Regiment (2007) Military service age and obligation: mandatory military service phased out by mid-2006; 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2007) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 498,259 females age 18-49: 481,317 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 411,156 females age 18-49: 397,839 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 16,686 females age 18^9: 15,664 (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of GDP: 6% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: ethnic Alban¬ ians in Kosovo object to demarcation of the boundary with Serbia in accordance with the 2000 Macedonia-Serbia and Montenegro delimitation agreement; Greece continues to reject the use of the name Macedonia or Republic of Macedonia Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: IDPs: fewer than 1,000 (ethnic conflict in 2001) (2006) Illicit drugs: major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and hashish; minor transit point for South American cocaine destined for Europe; although not a financial center and most criminal activity is thought to be domestic, money laundering is a problem due to a mostly cash-based economy and weak enforcement MADAGASCAR INTRODUCTION Background: Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a French colony in 1896, but regained its inde¬ pendence in 1960. During 1992-93, free presidential and National Assembly elections were held, ending 17 years of single-party rule. In 1997, in the second presidential race, Didier RATSIRAKA, the leader during the 1970s and 1980s, was returned to the presidency. The 2001 presidential election was contested between the followers of Didier RAT¬ SIRAKA and Marc RAVALO- MANANA, nearly causing secession of half of the country. In April 2002, the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the winner. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique Geographic coordinates: 20 00 S, 47 00 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 587,040 sq km land: 581,540 sq km water: 5,500 sq km Area — comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Arizona Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 4,828 km Maritime Claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or 100 nm from the 2,500-m deep isobath Climate: tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south Terrain: narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m Natural resources: graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands, semi¬ precious stones, mica, fish, hydropower Land use: arable land: 5.03% permanent crops : 1.02% other: 93.95% (2005) Irrigated land: 10,860 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: periodic cyclones, drought, and locust infestation Environment — current issues: soil ero¬ sion results from deforestation and over¬ grazing; desertification; surface water contaminated with raw sewage and other organic wastes; several endangered species of flora and fauna unique to the island Environment — international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: world’s fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozam¬ bique Channel PEOPLE Population: 19,448,815 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 43.9% (male 4,297,985/ female 4,243,369) 385 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK 15-64 years: 53% (male 5,117,874/ female 5,190,032) 65 years and over: 3.1% (male 270,411/ female 329,144) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 17.8 years male: 17.6 years female: 18 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 3.008% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 38.6 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 8.51 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.013 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.986 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.822 male(s)/female total population: 0.992 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 57.02 deaths/1,000 live births male: 62.09 deaths/1,000 live births female: 51.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 62.14 years male: 60.23 years female: 64-1 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 5 .24 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 1.7% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 140,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 7,500 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorbome diseases: malaria and plague are high risks in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007) Nationality: noun: Malagasy (singular and plural) adjective: Malagasy Ethnic groups: Malayo -Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed African, Malayo- Indonesian, and Arab ancestry — Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian, Creole, Comoran Religions: indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7% Languages: French (official), Malagasy (official) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 68.9% male: 75.5% female: 62.5% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Madagascar conventional short form: Madagascar local long form: Republique de Madagascar/ Repoblikan’i Madagasikara local short form: Madagascar/Mada- gasikara former: Malagasy Republic Government type: republic Capital: name: Antananarivo geographic coordinates: 18 52 S, 47 30 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara Independence: 26 June 1960 (from France) National holiday: Independence Day, 26 June (1960) Constitution: 19 August 1992 by national referendum Legal system: based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Marc RAVALO- MANANA (since 6 May 2002) head of government: Prime Minister Charles RABEMANANJARA (25 January 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 3 December 2006 (next to be held in December 2011); prime minister appointed by the president election results: percent of vote — Marc RAVALOMANANA 54.8%, Jean LA- HINIRIKO 11.7%, Roland RATSIRAKA 10.1%, Herizo RAZAFIMAFiALEO 9.1%, Norbert RATSIRAHONANA 4.2%, Ny Hasina ANDRIAMANJATO 4-2%, Elia RAVELOMANANTSOA 2.6%, Pety RAKOTONIAINA 1.7%, other 1.6% Legislative branch: bicameral legislature consists of a National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (160 seats; mem¬ bers are elected by popular vote to serve four- year terms) and a Senate or Senat (100 seats; two-thirds of the seats filled by regional assemblies; the remaining one-third of seats appointed by the pres¬ ident; to serve four-year terms) elections: National Assembly — last held 15 December 2002 (next to be held in 2007) election results: National Assembly — per¬ cent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — TIM 103, FP 22, AREMA 3, LEADER/Fanilo 2, RPSD 5, others 3, independents 22 Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional Court or Haute Cour Constitutionnelle Political parties and leaders: Asso¬ ciation for the Rebirth of Madagascar or AREMA [Pierrot RAJAONARIVELO]; Economic Liberalism and Democratic Action for National Recovery or LEADER/Fanilo [Herizo RAZAFIMA- HALEO]; Fihaonana Party or FP [Guy- Willy RAZANAMASY]; I Love Madagascar or TIM [Marc RAVALO- MANANA]; Renewal of the Social Democratic Party or RPSD [Evariste MARSON] Political pressure groups and leaders: Committee for the Defense of Truth and Justice or KMMR; Committee for National Reconciliation or CRN [Albert Zafyj; National Council of Christian Churches or FFKM International organization participa¬ tion: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Narisoa RAJAONARIVONY chancery: 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-5525, 5526 FAX: [1] (202) 265-3034 consulate(s) general: New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James D. McGEE embassy: 14' 16 Rue Rainitovo, Antsa- havola, Antananarivo 101 mailing address: B. P. 620, Antsahavola, Antananarivo telephone: [261] (20) 22-212-57, 22-212- 73, 22-209-56 FAX: [261] (20) 22-345-39 Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a ver¬ tical white band of the same width on hoist side ECONOMY Economy — overview: Having discarded past socialist economic policies, Mada- 386 MADAGASCAR gascar has since the mid 1990s followed a World Bank- and IMF-led policy of pri¬ vatization and liberalization. This strategy placed the country on a slow and steady growth path from an extremely low level. Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is a mainstay of the economy, accounting for more than one- fourth of GDP and employing 80% of the population. Exports of apparel have boomed in recent years primarily due to duty-free access to the US. Deforestation and erosion, aggravated by the use of firewood as the primary source of fuel, are serious concerns. President RAVAL- OMANANA has worked aggressively to revive the economy following the 2002 political crisis, which triggered a 12% drop in GDP that year. Poverty reduc¬ tion and combating corruption will be the centerpieces of economic policy for the next few years. GDP (purchasing power parity): $17.27 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $5,059 billion (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 4.7% (2006 est.) GDP — per capita (PPP): $900 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture : 26.9% industry: 16.5% services: 56.6% (2006 est.) Labor force: 7.3 million (2000) Population below poverty line: 50% (2004 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3% highest 10%: 29% (1999) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 47.5 (2001) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 12% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 26.3% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $879.9 million expenditures: $1,147 billion; including capital expenditures of $331 million (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), beans, bananas, peanuts; live¬ stock products Industries: meat processing, seafood, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar, textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum, tourism Industrial production growth rate: 3% (2000 est.) Electricity — production: 984 million kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 36.1% hydro: 63.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 915.1 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 90.59 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — consumption: 14,500 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Oil— proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2002) Natural gas — production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: Ocum (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $504 million (2006 est.) Exports: $993.5 million f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar, cotton cloth, chromite, petroleum products Exports — partners: France 31.6%, US 31%, Germany 8.8% (2005) Imports: $1,544 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food Imports — partners: France 16.8%, China 10.7%, Iran 8%, Mauritius 6.7%, Hong Kong 5%, South Africa 4.9% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $563 million (2006 est.) Debt — external: $4.6 billion (2002) Economic aid — recipient: $354 million (2001) Currency (code): Madagascar ariary (MGA) Currency code: MGF Exchange rates: Malagasy ariary per US dollar— 2,161.4 (2006), 2,003 (2005), 1,868.9 (2004), 1,238.3 (2003), 1,366.4 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 66,900 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 504,700 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: system is above average for the region domestic: open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter links connect regions international: country code — 261; subma¬ rine cable to Bahrain; satellite earth sta¬ tions — 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) Radio broadcast stations: AM 2 (plus a number of repeater stations), FM 9, shortwave 6 ( 200 1 ) Radios: 3.05 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus 36 repeaters) (2001 ) Televisions: 325,000 (1997) Internet country code: .mg Internet hosts: 1,504 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000) Internet users: 90,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 116 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 29 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 2 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 87 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 42 under 914 m: 43 (2006) Railways: total: 854 km narrow gauge: 854 km 1.000-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 49,827 km paved: 5,780 km unpaved: 44,047 km (1999) Waterways: 600 km (2005) Merchant marine: total: 9 ships (1000 GRT or over) 13,896 GRT/ 18,466 DWT by type: cargo 5, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 2 (2006) Ports and terminals: Antsiranana, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara Military branches: People’s Armed Forces: Intervention Force, Develop¬ ment Force, and Aeronaval Force (navy and air); National Gendarmerie Military service age and obligation: 18-50 years of age; conscript service obligation— 18 months (either military or equivalent civil service) (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 3,542,797 females age 18—4 9: 3,551,447 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18—49: 2,218,662 females age 18-49: 2,408,810 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 187,000 females age 18-49: 184,833 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1% (2006) 387 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES _ _ _ _ Disputes— International: claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island (all adminis¬ tered by France) Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used mostly for domestic consumption; trans¬ shipment point for heroin MALAWI INTRODUCTION Background: Established in 1891, the British protectorate of Nyasaland became the independent nation of Malawi in 1964. After three decades of one-party rule under President Hastings Kamuzu BANDA the country held mul¬ tiparty elections in 1994, under a provi¬ sional constitution which came into full effect the following year. Current President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA, elected in May 2004 after a failed attempt by the previous president to amend the constitution to permit another term, struggled to assert his authority against his predecessor, culmi¬ nating in MUTHARIKA quitting the political party on whose ticket he was elected into office. MUTHARIKA sub¬ sequently started his own party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), and has continued with a halting anti¬ corruption campaign against abuses car¬ ried out under the previous regime. Increasing corruption, population growth, increasing pressure on agricultural lands, and the spread of HIV/AIDS pose major problems for the country. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southern Africa, east of Zambia Geographic coordinates: 13 30 S, 34 00 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 1 18,480 sq km land: 94,080 sq km water: 24,400 sq km Area — comparative: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania Land boundaries: total: 2,881 km border countries: Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime claims: none (landlocked) Climate: sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May to November) Terrain: narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some mountains Elevation extremes: lowest point: junction of the Shire River and international boundary with Mozambique 37 m highest point: Sapitwa (Mount Mlanje) 3,002 m Natural resources: limestone, arable land, hydropower, unexploited deposits of uranium, coal, and bauxite Land use: arable land : 20.68% permanent crops : 1.18% other: 78.14% (2005) Irrigated land: 560 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: NA Environment— current issues: defor¬ estation; land degradation; water pollu¬ tion from agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial wastes; siltation of spawning grounds endangers fish populations Environment — international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea Geography — note: landlocked; Lake Nyasa, some 580 km long, is the country’s most prominent physical feature PEOPLE Population: 13,603,181 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mor¬ tality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the dis¬ tribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 46.1% (male 3,143,724/ female 3,130,937) 15-64 years: 51.2% (male 3,491,114/ female 3,474,209) 65 years and over: 2.7% (male 155,954/ female 207,243) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 16.7 years male: 16.6 years female: 16.8 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.383% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 42.09 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 18.25 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.004 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.005 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.753 male(s)/female total population: 0.997 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 92.1 deaths/1,000 live births male: 96.27 deaths/1,000 live births female: 87.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 42.98 years male: 43.35 years female: 42.61 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 5.74 children born/woman (2007 est.) 388 MALAWI HIV/AIDS adult prevalence rate- 14.2% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS people living with HIV/ AIDS: 900,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 84,000 (2003 est.) Major Infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorbome diseases: malaria and plague are high risks in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007) Nationality: noun: Malawian(s) adjective: Malawian Ethnic groups: Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuka, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni, Ngonde, Asian, European Religions: Christian 79.9%, Muslim 12.8%, other 3%, none 4.3% (1998 census) Languages: Chichewa 57.2% (official), Chinyanja 12.8%, Chiyao 10.1%, Chitumbuka 9.5%, Chisena 2.7%, Chilomwe 2.4%, Chitonga 1.7%, other 3.6% (1998 census) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 62.7% male: 76.1% female: 49.8% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Malawi conventional short form: Malawi local long form: Dziko la Malawi local short form: Malawi former: British Central African Protectorate, Nyasaland Protectorate, Nyasaland Government type: multiparty democracy Capital: name: Lilongwe geographic coordinates: 13 59 S, 33 44 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 27 districts; Balaka, Blantyre, Chikwawa, Chira- dzulu, Chitipa, Dedza, Dowa, Karonga, Kasungu, Likoma, Lilongwe, Machinga (Kasupe), Mangochi, Mchinji, Mulanje, Mwanza, Mzimba, Ntcheu, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Nsanje, Ntchisi, Phalombe, Rumphi, Salima, Thyolo, Zomba Independence: 6 July 1964 (from UK) National holiday: Independence Day (Republic Day), 6 July (1964) Constitution: 18 May 1994 Legal system: based on English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Appeal; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (since 24 May 2004); note — the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (since 24 May 2004) cabinet: 46-member Cabinet named by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 20 May 2004 (next to be held in May 2009) election results: Bingu wa MUTHARIKA elected president; percent of vote — Bingu wa MUTHARIKA 35.9%, John TEMBO 27.1%, Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA 25.7%, Brown MPIN- GANJIRA 8.7%, Justin MALEWEZI 2.5% Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (193 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 20 May 2004 (next to be held in May 2009) election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — UDF 74, MCP 60, independents 24, RP 16, others 18, vacancies 1 Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Appeal; High Court (chief justice appointed by the president, puisne judges appointed on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission); magistrate’s courts Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Democracy or AFORD; Congress for National Unity or CONU; Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [Bingu wa MUTHARIKA]; Malawi Congress Party or MCP [John TEMBO]; Malawi Democratic Party or MDP [Kampelo KALUA]; Malawi Forum for Unity and Development or MAFUNDE [George MNESA]; Mgwirizano Coalition or MC [Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA] (coali¬ tion of MAFUNDE, MDP, MGODE, NUP, PETRA, PPM, RP); Movement for Genuine Democratic Change or MGODE [Sam Kandodo BANDA]; National Democratic Alliance or NDA [Brown MPINGANJIRA]; National Unity Party or NUP [Harry CHIUME]; People’s Progressive Movement or PPM [Aleke BANDA]; People’s Transformation Movement or PETRA [Kamuzu CHI BAM BO]; Republican Party or RP [Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA]; United Democratic Front or UDF Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (corre¬ spondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO^ UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Hawa NDILOWE chancery: 1156 15th Street, NW, Suite 320, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 721-0270 FAX: [1] (202) 721-0288 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Alan EASTHAM embassy: Area 40, Plot 24, Kenyatta Road mailing address: P. O. Box 30016, Lilongwe 3, Malawi telephone: [265] (1) 773 166 FAX: [265] (1) 770 471 Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green with a radiant, rising, red sun centered in the black band Government— note: no party has a majority in the fractured legislature ECONOMY Economy— overview: Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world’s least developed countries. The economy is predominately agricultural, with about 85% of the popu¬ lation living in rural areas. Agriculture accounts for about one-third of GDP and four-fifths of export revenues. The per¬ formance of the tobacco sector is key to short-term growth as tobacco accounts for more than half of exports. The economy depends on substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF, the World Bank, and individual donor nations. In 2006, Malawi was approved for relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) program. The government faces many challenges, including developing a market economy, improving educational facilities, facing up to environmental problems, dealing with the rapidly growing problem of HIV/AIDS, and satisfying foreign donors that fiscal discipline is being tightened. In 2005, President MUTHARIKA cham¬ pioned an anticorruption campaign. Since 2005 President MUTHARIKA’S government has exhibited improved financial discipline under the guidance of Finance Minister Goodall GONDWE. GDP (purchasing power parity): $8,272 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $2,202 billion (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 8.5% (2006 est.) 389 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK GDP— per capita (PPP): $600 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 35.4% industry: 17.6% services: 47% (2006 est.) Labor force: 4.5 million (2001 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 90% industry and services: 10% (2003 est.) Unemployment rate: NA% Population below poverty line: 53% (2004) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Distribution of family income — Gini index: 50.3 (1997) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 13.9% (2006) Investment (gross fixed): 9.2% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $818.4 million expenditures: $895.9 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 68.4% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: tobacco, sugar- cane, cotton, tea, corn, potatoes, cassava (tapioca), sorghum, pulses, groundnuts, Macadamia nuts; cattle, goats Industries: tobacco, tea, sugar, sawmill products, cement, consumer goods Industrial production growth rate: 6.4% (2006 est.) Electricity — production: 1.293 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 3.3% hydro: 96.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 1.202 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity — imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 5,500 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $186 million (2006 est.) Exports: $513.1 million f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: tobacco 53%, tea, sugar, cotton, coffee, peanuts, wood products, apparel Exports — partners: US 17.8%, South Africa 11.2%, Egypt 7.6%, Germany 6.9%, Netherlands 6.8%, Japan 4.8%, Russia 4-6%, Mozambique 4-3%, UK 4.2% (2005) Imports: $767.9 million f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: food, petro¬ leum products, semimanufactures, con¬ sumer goods, transportation equipment Imports — partners: South Africa 36.3%, Zambia 9%, Zimbabwe 7.6%, Mozambique 7%, India 6.7%, Tanzania 4.8% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $175.5 million (2006 est.) Debt — external: $982.4 million (2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $401.5 mil¬ lion (2001) Currency (code): Malawian kwacha (MWK) Currency code: MWK Exchange rates: Malawian kwachas per US dollar— 135.96 (2006), 108.894 (2005), 108.898 (2004), 97.433 (2003), 76.687 (2002) Fiscal year: 1 July— 30 June COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 102,700 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 429,300 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: system employs open-wire lines, microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone communications stations international: country code — 265; satel¬ lite earth stations — 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Atlantic Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 5 (plus 15 repeater stations), shortwave 2 (plus one shortwave station on standby) (2001) Radios: 2.6 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 1 (2001) Televisions: NA Internet country code: mw Internet hosts: 377 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (2002) Internet users: 52,500 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 42 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 6 over 3,047 m: 1 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 36 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 1 9 14 to 1 ,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 20 (2006) Railways: total: 797 km narrow gauge: 797 km 1.067-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 15,451 km paved: 6,956 km unpaved: 8,495 km (2003) Waterways: 700 km (on Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and Shire River) (2006) Ports and terminals: Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Chilumba H9HE3S2SHSBI Military branches: Malawi Armed Forces: Army (includes Air Wing and Naval Detachment) (2007) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 2,430,514 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 1,226,802 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1.3% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: disputes with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and the mean¬ dering Songwe River remain dormant Background: During the late 18th and 19th centuries, Great Britain established colonies and protectorates in the area of current Malaysia; these were occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945. In 1948, the British-ruled territories on the Malay Peninsula formed the Federation of Malaya, which became independent in 1957. Malaysia was formed in 1963 when the former British colonies of Singapore and the East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak on the northern coast of Borneo joined the Federation. The first several years of the country’s history were marred by Indonesian efforts to control Malaysia, Philippine claims to Sabah, and Singapore’s secession from the Federation in 1965. During the 2 2 -year term of Prime Minister MAHATHIR bin Mohamad (1981— 2003), Malaysia was successful in diversifying its economy from dependence on exports of raw 390 MALAYSIA SPHATIY taLANOS Kota KinaBalu South China Sea Sandakai Lahad Datu Tawau FufehfLttuo* BRUNEI .Lumu KUALA k LUMPUR > ,★ _ #S8refnbaQ S&Oft D«cksoi Sibu Sarawak INDON materials, to expansion in manufac¬ turing, services, and tourism. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southeastern Asia, peninsula bordering Thailand and northern one- third of the island of Borneo, bordering Indonesia, Brunei, and the South China Sea, south of Vietnam Geographic coordinates: 2 30 N, 1 12 30 E Map references: Southeast Asia Area: total: 329,750 sq km land: 328,550 sq km water: 1,200 sq km Area — comparative: slightly larger than New Mexico Land boundaries: total: 2,669 km border countries: Brunei 381 km, Indo¬ nesia 1,782 km, Thailand 506 km Coastline: 4,675 km (Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km, East Malaysia 2,607 km) Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation; specified boundary in the South China Sea Climate: tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (Octo¬ ber to February) monsoons Terrain: coastal plains rising to hills and mountains Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Gunung Kinabalu 4,100 m Natural resources: tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite Land use: arable land: 5.46% permanent crops : 17.54% other: 77% (2005) Irrigated land: 3,650 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: flooding, landslides, forest fires Environment — current issues: air pollu¬ tion from industrial and vehicular emis¬ sions; water pollution from raw sewage; deforestation; smoke/haze from Indonesian forest fires Environment — international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands Geography — note: strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China Sea PEOPLE Population: 24,821,286 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 32.2% (male 4,118,086/ female 3,884,403) 15-64 years: 62.9% (male 7,838,166/ female 7,785,833) 65 years and over: 4-8% (male 526,967/ female 667,831) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 24-4 years male: 23.8 years female: 25 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.759% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 22.65 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 5.05 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population note: does not reflect net flow of an unknown number of illegal immigrants from other countries in the region (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.007 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.789 male(s)/female total population: 1.012 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 16.62 deaths/1,000 live births male: 19.26 deaths/1,000 live births female: 13.8 deaths/ 1,000 1 ive births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.76 years male: 70.05 years female: 75.65 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 3.01 children bom/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.4% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 52,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 2,000 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diar¬ rhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorbome diseases: dengue fever and malaria are high risks in some locations (2007) Nationality: noun: Malaysian(s) adjective: Malaysian Ethnic groups: Malay 50.4%, Chinese 23.7%, indigenous 11%, Indian 7.1%, others 7.8% (2004 est.) Religions: Muslim 60.4%, Buddhist 19.2%, Christian 9.1%, Hindu 6.3%, Confucianism, Taoism, other traditional Chinese religions 2.6%, other or unknown 1.5%, none 0.8% (2000 census) Languages: Bahasa Malaysia (official), English, Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai note: in East Malaysia there are several indigenous languages; most widely spoken are Iban and Kadazan Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 88.7% male: 92% female: 85.4% (2000 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Malaysia local long form: none local short form: Malaysia former: Federation of Malaya Government type: constitutional monarchy note: nominally headed by paramount ruler and a bicameral Parliament con¬ sisting of a nonelected upper house and an elected lower house; all Peninsular Malaysian states have hereditary rulers except Melaka and Pulau Pinang (Penang); those two states along with Sabah and Sarawak in East Malaysia have governors appointed by govern¬ ment; powers of state governments are limited by federal constitution; under 391 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK terms of federation, Sabah and Sarawak retain certain constitutional prerogatives (e.g., right to maintain their own immi¬ gration controls); Sabah holds 25 seats in House of Representatives; Sarawak holds 28 seats in House of Representatives Capital: name: Kuala Lumpur geographic coordinates: 3 ION, 101 42 E time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: Putrajaya is referred to as adminis¬ trative center not capital; Parliament meets in Kuala Lumpur Administrative divisions: 13 states (negeri-negeri, singular — negeri) Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau Pinang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, and Terengganu; and one federal territory (wilayah persekutuan) with three com¬ ponents, city of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan, and Putrajaya Independence: 31 August 1957 (from UK) National holiday: Independence Day/ Malaysia Day, 31 August (1957) Constitution: 31 August 1957; amended 16 September 1963 Legal system: based on English com¬ mon law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court at request of supreme head of the federation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; Islamic law is applied to Muslims in mat¬ ters of family law and religion Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Paramount Ruler Sultan MIZAN Zainal Abidin (since 13 December 2006) head of government : Prime Minister ABDULLAH bin Ahmad Badawi (since 31 October 2003); Deputy Prime Minister Mohamed NAJIB bin Abdul Razak (since 7 January 2004) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the members of Parliament with consent of the para¬ mount ruler elections: paramount ruler elected by and from the hereditary rulers of nine of the states for five-year terms; election last held on 3 November 2006 (next to be held in 2011); prime minister designated from among the members of the House of Representatives; following legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins a plurality of seats in the House of Representatives becomes prime minister election results: Sultan MIZAN Zainal Abidin elected paramount ruler Legislative branch: bicameral Parlia¬ ment or Parlimen consists of the Senate or Dewan Negara (70 seats; 44 appointed by the paramount ruler, 26 elected by the 13 state legislatures); to serve three-year terms and the House of Representatives or Dewan Rakyat (219 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Representatives — last held on 21 March 2004 (next must be held by 2009) election results: House of Repre¬ sentatives — percent of vote by party — BN 91%, DAP 5%, PAS 3%, other 1%; seats by party — BN 199, DAP 12, PAS 6, PKR 1, independent 1 Judicial branch: Federal Court (judges appointed by the paramount ruler on the advice of the prime minister) Political parties and leaders: National Front (Barisan Nasional) or BN (ruling coalition) (consists of the following par¬ ties: Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia Party or PGRM [KOH Tsu Koon— acting]; Liberal Democratic Party (Parti Liberal Demokratik — Sabah) or LDP [LIEW Vui Keong]; Malaysian Chinese Association (Persatuan China Malaysia) or MCA [ONG Ka Ting]; Malaysian Indian Congress (Kongresi India Malaysia) or MIC [S. Sarny VELLU]; Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah or PBRS [Joseph KURUP]; Parti Bersatu Sabah or PBS [Joseph PAIRIN Kitingan]; Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu or PBB [Patinggi Haji Abdul TAIB Mahmud]; Parti Rakyat Sarawak or PRS [James MASING]; Sabah Progressive Party (Parti Progresif Sabah) or SAPP [YONG Teck Lee]; Sarawak United People’s Party (Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sarawak) or SUPP [George CHAN Hong Nam]; United Malays National Organization or UMNO [ABDULLAH bin Ahmad Badawi]; United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organization (Pertubuhan Pasko Momogun Kadazan Dusun Bersatu) or UPKO [Bernard DOMPOK]; People’s Progressive Party (Parti Progresif Penduduk Malaysia) or PPP [M.Keyveas]; Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party or SPDP [William MAWANI]); opposition parties: Alternative Front (Barisan Altematif) or BA (consists of PAS and PKR); Democratic Action Party (Parti Tindakan Demokratik) or DAP [KARPAL Singh]; Islamic Party of Malaysia (Parti Islam se Malaysia) or PAS [Abdul HADI Awang]; People’s Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) or PKR [WAN AZIZAH Wan Ismael]; Sarawak National Party or SNAP [Edwin DUNDANG] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, EAS, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNW'TO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador RAJ MAH binti Hussain chancery: 3516 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 572-9700 FAX: [1] (202) 572-9882 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher J. LAFLEUR embassy: 376 Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur 50440 mailing address: US Embassy Kuala Lumpur, APO AP 96535-8152 telephone: [60] (3) 2168-5000 FAX: [60] (3) 2142-2207 Flag description: 14 equal horizontal stripes of red (top) alternating with white (bottom); there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a yellow crescent and a yellow 14-pointed star; the crescent and the star are tradi¬ tional symbols of Islam; the design was based on the flag of the US ECONOMY Economy — overview: Malaysia, a middle- income country, transformed itself from 1971 through the late 1990s from a pro¬ ducer of raw materials into an emerging multi-sector economy. Growth was almost exclusively driven by exports — particularly of electronics. As a result, Malaysia was hard hit by the global eco¬ nomic downturn and the slump in the information technology (IT) sector in 2001 and 2002. The economy grew 4.9% in 2003, notwithstanding a difficult first half, when external pressures from Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and the Iraq War led to caution in the business community. Growth topped 7% in 2004 and 5% per year in 2005—06. As an oil and gas exporter, Malaysia has profited from higher world energy prices, although the rising cost of domestic gasoline and diesel fuel forced Kuala Lumpur to reduce government subsidies, contributing to higher infla¬ tion. Malaysia “unpegged” the ringgit from the US dollar in 2005 and the cur¬ rency appreciated 6% against the dollar in 2006. Healthy foreign exchange reserves and a small external debt greatly 392 MALAYSIA reduce the risk that Malaysia will experi¬ ence a financial crisis over the near term similar to the one in 1997. The economy remains dependent on continued growth in the US, China, and Japan — top export destinations and key sources of foreign investment. The government presented its five-year national develop¬ ment agenda in April 2006 through the Ninth Malaysia Plan, a comprehensive blueprint for the allocation of the national budget from 2006-10. The plan targets the development of higher value- added manufacturing and an expansion of the services sector. GDP (purchasing power parity): $313.8 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $132.3 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 5.9% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $12,900 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 8.3% industry: 48.1% services: 43.6% (2006 est.) Labor force: 10.73 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 13% industry: 36% services: 51% (2005 est.) Unemployment rate: 3.5% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 5.1% (2002 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.4% highest 10%: 39.2% (2003 est.) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 46.1 (2002) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.8% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 19.9% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $31.63 billion expenditures: $37 billion; including capital expenditures of $9.4 billion (2006 est.) Public debt: 46.7% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: Peninsular Malaysia — rubber, palm oil, cocoa, rice; Sabah — subsistence crops, rubber, timber, coconuts, rice; Sarawak — rubber, pepper, timber Industries: Peninsular Malaysia — rubber and oil palm processing and manufac¬ turing, light manufacturing, electronics, tin mining and smelting, logging, timber processing; Sabah — logging, petroleum production; Sarawak — agriculture pro¬ cessing, petroleum production and refining, logging Industrial production growth rate: 5.8% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 78.24 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 89.5% hydro: 10.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 72.71 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 50 million kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 770,000 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— consumption: 515,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: 230,200 bbl/day (2003) Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Oil— proved reserves: 3.1 billion bbl (2006 est.) Natural gas — production: 62.43 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 32.97 bil¬ lion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 29.46 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 2.124 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $17.86 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $158.7 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: electronic equipment, petroleum and liquefied nat¬ ural gas, wood and wood products, palm oil, rubber, textiles, chemicals Exports— partners: US 19.7%, Singapore 15.6%, Japan 9.3%, China 6.6%, Hong Kong 5.8%, Thailand 5.4% (2005) Imports: $127.3 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — Commodities: electronics, machinery, petroleum products, plastics, vehicles, iron and steel products, chemicals Imports— partners: Japan 14 6%, US 13%, Singapore 11.8%, China 11.6%, Taiwan 5.6%, Thailand 5.3%, South Korea 5%, Germany 4-5% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $82.3 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $57.77 billion (30 June 2006 est.) Currency (code): ringgit (MYR) Currency code: MYR Exchange rates: ringgits per US dollar— 3.6683 (2006), 3.8 (2005), 3.8 (2004), 3.8 (2003), 3.8 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 4 366 million (2005) Telephones — mobile cellular: 19.545 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: modern system; inter¬ national service excellent domestic: good intercity service provided on Peninsular Malaysia mainly by microwave radio relay; adequate inter¬ city microwave radio relay network between Sabah and Sarawak via Brunei; domestic satellite system with 2 earth stations international: country code — 60; subma¬ rine cables to India, Hong Kong, and Singapore; satellite earth stations — 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean) (2001) Radio broadcast stations: AM 35, FM 391, shortwave 15 (2001) Radios: 10.9 million (1999) Television broadcast stations: 88 (mainland Malaysia 51, Sabah 16, and Sarawak 21) (2006) Televisions: 10.8 million (1999) Internet country code: my Internet hosts: 158,650 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 7 (2000) Internet users: 11.016 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 117 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 37 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1 ,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 7 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 80 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 72 (2006) Heliports: 2 (2006) Pipelines: condensate 282 km; gas 5,372 km; oil 1,715 km; oil/gas/water 19 km; refined products 114 km (2006) Railways: total: 1,890 km standard gauge: 57 km 1.435-m gauge (57 km electrified) narrow gauge: 1,833 km 1.000-m gauge (150 km electrified) (2005) Roadways: total: 98,721 km paved: 80,280 km (includes 1,821 km of expressways) unpaved: 18,441 km (2004) Waterways: 7,200 km note: Peninsular Malaysia 3,200 km; Sabah 1,500 km; Sarawak 2,500 km (2005) Merchant marine: total: 312 ships (1000 GRT or over) 5,542,727 GRT/7,544,154 DWT by type: bulk carrier 19, cargo 99, chem¬ ical tanker 38, container 48, liquefied gas 393 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK 27, livestock carrier 1, passenger/cargo 8, petroleum tanker 61, roll on/roll off 5, vehicle carrier 6 foreign- owned: 66 (China 1, Germany 2, Hong Kong 14, Japan 4, South Korea 1, Singapore 44) registered in other countries: 68 (Bahamas 12, Belize 1, Cayman Islands 1, Mongolia 1, Panama 13, Philippines 1, Singapore 35, US 4) (2006) Ports and terminals: Bintulu, Johor, Labuan, Lahad Datu, Lumut, Miri, George Town (Penang), Port Kelang, Tanjung Pelepas Military branches: Malaysian Armed Forces (Angkatan Tentera Malaysia, ATM): Malaysian Army (Tentera Darat Malaysia), Royal Malaysian Navy (Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia, TLDM), Royal Malaysian Air Force (Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia, TUDM) (2006) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2005) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 5,584,231 females age 18-49: 5,510,345 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 4,574,854 females age 18—49: 4,613,321 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 244,418 females age 18-49: 231,896 (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of GDP: 2.03% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: Malaysia has asserted sovereignty over the Spratly Islands together with China, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; while the 2002 “Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea” has eased tensions over the Spratly Islands, it is not the legally binding “code of conduct” sought by some parties; Malaysia was not party to the March 2005 joint accord among the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam on conducting marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands; disputes continue over deliveries of fresh water to Singapore, Singapore’s land reclamation, bridge construction, and maritime boundaries in the Johor and Singapore Straits; in November 2007, the ICJ will hold public hearings in response to the Memorials and Countermemorials filed by the parties in 2003 and 2005 over sovereignty of Pedra Branca Island/Pulau Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge; ICJ awarded Ligitan and Sipadan islands, also claimed by Indonesia and Philippines, to Malaysia but left maritime boundary and sovereignty of Unarang rock in the hydrocarbon-rich Celebes Sea in dispute; separatist violence in Thailand’s pre¬ dominantly Muslim southern provinces prompts measures to close and monitor border with Malaysia to stem terrorist activities; Philippines retains a dormant claim to Malaysia’s Sabah State in northern Borneo; Brunei and Malaysia are still considering international adjudi¬ cation over their disputed offshore and deepwater seabeds, where hydrocarbon exploration was terminated in 2003; Malaysia’s land boundary with Brunei around Limbang is in dispute; piracy remains a problem in the Malacca Strait Refugees and infernally displaced per¬ sons: refugees ( country of origin): 19,153 (Indonesia), 14,208 (Burma) (2006) Trafficking in persons: current situation: Malaysia is a destination and, to a lesser extent, a source and transit country for men and women trafficked for the pur¬ poses of sexual exploitation and forced labor; foreign victims, mostly women and girls from China, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam, are trafficked to Malaysia for commercial sexual exploitation; economic migrants from countries in the region who work as domestic servants or laborers in the con¬ struction and agricultural sectors face exploitative conditions in Malaysia that meet the definition of involuntary servi¬ tude; some Malaysian women, primarily of Chinese ethnicity, are trafficked abroad for sexual exploitation tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Malaysia is placed on Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking, particularly its failure to provide protection for vic¬ tims of trafficking Illicit drugs: drug trafficking prosecuted vigorously and carries severe penalties; heroin still primary drug of abuse, but synthetic drug demand remains strong; continued ecstasy and methampheta- mine producer for domestic users and, to a lesser extent, the regional drug market MALDIVES INTRODUCTION _ Background: The Maldives was long a sultanate, first under Dutch and then under British protection. It became a republic in 1968, three years after inde¬ pendence. Since 1978, President Mau- moon Abdul GAYOOM— currently in his sixth term in office — has dominated the islands’ political scene. Following riots in the capital Male in August 2004, the president and his government pledged to embark upon democratic reforms, including a more representative political system and expanded political freedoms. Progress has been slow, however, and many promised reforms have been delayed indefinitely. Tourism and fishing are being developed on the archipelago. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India Geographic coordinates: 3 15 N, 73 00 E Map references: Asia Area: total: 300 sq km land: 300 sq km water: 0 sq km Area— comparative: about 1.7 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 644 km Maritime Claims: measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August) Terrain: flat, with white sandy beaches Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Wilingili island in the Addu Atoll 2.4 m Natural resources: fish Land use: arable land: 13.33% permanent crops: 30% other: 56.67% (2005) 394 MALDIVES Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise Environment— current issues: deple¬ tion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies; global warming and sea level rise; coral reef bleaching Environment — international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography— note: 1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls (200 inhabited islands, plus 80 islands with tourist resorts); archipelago with strategic loca¬ tion astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean PEOPLE Population: 369,031 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 42.9% (male 81,383/female 76,984) 15-64 years: 54% (male 101,699/female 97,518) 65 years and over: 3.1% (male 5,619/ female 5,828) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 18.1 years male: 18 years female: 18.2 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.732% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 34-2 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 6.88 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.057 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.043 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.964 male(s)/female total population: 1.046 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total : 53.25 deaths/1,000 live births male: 52.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 54.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 64-76 years male: 63.41 years female: 66.19 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 4.78 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: less than 100 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS — deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Maldivian(s) adjective: Maldivian Ethnic groups: South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs Religions: Sunni Muslim Languages: Maldivian Dhivehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from Arabic), English spoken by most government officials Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.3% male: 96.2% female: 96.4% (2000 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Maldives conventional short form: Maldives local long form: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa heal short form: Dhivehi Raajje Government type: republic Capital: name: Male geographic coordinates: 4 10N, 73 31 E time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 19 atolls (atholhu, singular and plural) and the capital city*; Alifu, Baa, Dhaalu, Faafu, Gaafu Alifu, Gaafu Dhaalu, Gnaviyani, Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, Kaafu, Laamu, Lhaviyani, Maale* (Male), Meemu, Noonu, Raa, Seenu, Shaviyani, Thaa, Vaavu Independence: 26 July 1965 (from UK) National holiday: Independence Day, 26 July (1965) Constitution: adopted 1 January 1998 Legal system: based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law pri¬ marily in commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November 1978); note — the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November 1978) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president nominated by the Majlis; nomination must be ratified by a national referendum (at least a 51% approval margin is required); president elected for a five-year term; election last held 17 October 2003 (next to be held in 2008) election results: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM reelected in refer¬ endum held 17 October 2003; percent of popular vote — Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM 90.3% Legislative branch: unicameral People’s Council or Majlis (50 seats; 42 members elected by popular vote, 8 appointed by the president; to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 22 January 2005 (next to be held in 2010) election results: percent of vote — NA; seats — independents 50 Judicial branch: High Court Political parties and leaders: Adhaalath (Justice) Party or AP [Abdul Majeed Abdul BARI]; Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (Maldivian People’s Party) or DRP [Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM]; Islamic Democratic Party or I DP [Omar NASEER]; Maldivian Democratic Party or MDP [Mohamed NASHEED]; note — political parties were allowed to register in June 2005 Political pressure groups and leaders: various unregistered political parties International organization participa¬ tion: AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, 1FC, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamed LATHEEF chancery: 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400E, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 599-6195 FAX: [1] (212) 661-6405 Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Maldives; the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka is accredited to Maldives and makes periodic visits there Flag description: red with a large green rectangle in the center bearing a vertical white crescent; the closed side of the crescent is on the hoist side of the flag ECONOMY . .. .. r Economy — overview: Tourism, Mal¬ dives’ largest industry, accounts for 28% of GDP and more than 60% of the Maldives’ foreign exchange receipts. Over 90% of government tax revenue comes from import duties and tourism- related taxes. Fishing is the second leading sector. Agriculture and manufac¬ turing continue to play a lesser role in the economy, constrained by the limited availability of cultivable land and the shortage of domestic labor. Most staple foods must be imported. Industry, which 395 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK consists mainly of garment production, boat building, and handicrafts, accounts for about 7% of GDP. The Maldivian Government began an economic reform program in 1989 initially by lifting import quotas and opening some exports to the private sector. Subsequently, it has liberalized regulations to allow more for¬ eign investment. Real GDP growth aver- aged over 7.5% per year for more than a decade. In late December 2004, a major tsunami left more than 100 dead, 12,000 displaced, and property damage exceeding $300 million. As a result of the tsunami, the GDP contracted by about 3.6% in 2005. A rebound in tourism, post-tsunami reconstruction, and development of new resorts helped boost GDP by about 18 percent in 2006. The trade deficit has expanded sharply as a result of high oil prices and imports of construction material. Diversifying beyond tourism and fishing is the major challenge facing the government. Over the longer term Maldivian authorities worry about the impact of erosion and possible global warming on their low- lying country; 80% of the area is one meter or less above sea level. GDP (purchasing power parity): $1.25 billion (2002 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $906 mil¬ lion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 18% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $3,900 (2002 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 16% industry: 7% services: 77% (2006 est.) Labor force: 101,300 (2004) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 22% industry: 18% services: 60% (1995) Unemployment rate: NEGL% (2003 est.) Population below poverty line: 21% (2004) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6% (2005 est.) Budget: revenues: $508 million (including foreign grants) expenditures: $671 million (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish Industries: tourism, fish processing, shipping, boat building, coconut pro¬ cessing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand mining Industrial production growth rate: -0.9% (2004 est.) Electricity — production: 149.9 million kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 139.4 mil lion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil — production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — consumption: 7,200 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: NA bbl/day Oil — imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas — production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Exports: $214 million f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: fish Exports— partners: Japan 22.8%, Thailand 22.7%, Sri Lanka 16.4%, UK 12.6%, Singapore 5.8%, Germany 4.8%, France 4-3% (2005) Imports: $832 million f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: petroleum products, ships, foodstuffs, clothing, intermediate and capital goods Imports — partners: Singapore 24.1%, UAE 15.7%, India 11.3%, Malaysia 7.2%, Sri Lanka 5.7%, UK 4.5% (2005) Debt— external: $482 million (2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $27.9 million (2004) Currency (code): rufiyaa (MVR) Currency code: MVR Exchange rates: rufiyaa per US dollar— 12.8 (2006), 12.8 (2005), 12.8 (2004), 12.8 (2003), 12.8 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 32,181 (2006) Telephones— mobile cellular: 271,053 (2006) Telephone system: general assessment: telephone services have improved; each island now has at least 1 public telephone, and there are mobile cellular networks with expanding subscribership domestic: interatoll communication through microwave links; all inhabited islands and resorts are connected with telephone and fax service international: country code — 960; satel¬ lite earth station — 3 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998) Radios: 35,000 (1999) Television broadcast stations: l (2006) Televisions: 10,000(1999) Internet country code: mv Internet hosts: 1,357 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000) Internet users: 19,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 5 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3 ,047 m: 1 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 3 9 14 to 1,523 m: 3 (2006) Roadways: total: 88 km paved roads: 88 km — 60 km in Male; 14 km on Addu Atolis; 14 km on Laamu note: village roads are mainly compacted coral (2006) Merchant marine: total: 17 ships (1000 GRT or over) 67,149 GRT/87,220 DWT by type: cargo 13, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 2 registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Male MILITARY Military branches: National Security Service: Security Branch (ground forces), Air Element, Coast Guard Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age (est.) (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 71,774 females age 18-49: 69,229 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 56,687 females age 18-49: 54,454 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 5.5% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: none Refugees and infernally displaced per¬ sons: IDPs: 10,000 (December 2004 tsunami victims) (2006) 396 INTRODUCTION Background: The Sudanese Republic and Senegal became independent of France in 1960 as the Mali Federation. When Senegal withdrew after only a few months, what formerly made up the Sudanese Republic was renamed Mali. Rule by dictatorship was brought to a close in 1991 by a coup that ushered in democratic government. President Alpha KONARE won Mali’s first demo¬ cratic presidential election in 1992 and was reelected in 1997. In keeping with Mali’s two-term constitutional limit, KONARE stepped down in 2002 and was succeeded by Amadou TOURE. GEOGRAPHY Location: Western Africa, southwest of Algeria Geographic coordinates: 17 00 N, 4 00 W Map references: Africa Area: total: 1.24 million sq km land: 1.22 million sq km water: 20,000 sq km Area-comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Texas Land boundaries: total: 7,243 km border countries: Algeria 1,376 km, Burkina Faso 1,000 km, Guinea 858 km, Cote d’Ivoire 532 km, Mauritania 2,237 km, Niger 821 km, Senegal 419 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime Claims: none (landlocked) Climate: subtropical to arid; hot and dry (February to June); rainy, humid, and mild (June to November); cool and dry (November to February) Terrain: mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand; savanna in south, rugged hills in northeast Elevation extremes: lowest point: Senegal River 23 m highest point: Hombori Tondo 1,155 m Natural resources: gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium, gypsum, granite, hydropower note: bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits are known but not exploited Land use: arable land: 3.76% permanent crops: 0.03% other: 96.21% (2005) Irrigated land: 2,360 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: hot, dust-laden har- mattan haze common during dry seasons; recurring droughts; occasional Niger River flooding Environment— current issues: deforesta¬ tion; soil erosion; desertification; inade¬ quate supplies of potable water; poaching Environment — international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: landlocked; divided into three natural zones: the southern, cultivated Sudanese; the central, semi- arid Sahelian; and the northern, arid Saharan PEOPLE Population: 11,995,402 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 48.2% (male 2,921,914/ female 2,853,976) 15-64 years: 48.8% (male 2,891,494/ female 2,959,142) 65 years and over: 3.1% (male 149,301/ female 219,575) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 15.9 years male: 15.4 years female: 16.3 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.681% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 49.61 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 16.51 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -6.28 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.024 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.977 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.988 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 105.65 deaths/1,000 live births male: 115.29 deaths/1,000 live births female: 95.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 49.51 years male: 47.6 years female: 51.46 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 7.38 children bom/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 1.9% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS — people living with HI V/ AIDS: 140,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 12,000 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorbome disease: malaria is a high risk in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal men¬ ingitis (2007) Nationality: noun: Malian(s) adjective: Malian Ethnic groups: Mande 50% (Bambara, Malinke, Soninke), Peul 17%, Voltaic 12%, Songhai 6%, Tuareg and Moor 10%, other 5% Religions: Muslim 90%, Christian 1%, indigenous beliefs 9% Languages: French (official), Bambara 80%, numerous African languages Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 46.4% male: 53.5% female: 39.6% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Mali conventional short form: Mali local long form: Republique de Mali local short form: Mali former: French Sudan and Sudanese Republic Government type: republic Capital: name: Bamako geographic coordinates: 12 39 N, 8 00 W time difference: UTC 0(5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 8 regions (regions, singular — region); Gao, Kayes, Kidal, Koulikoro, Mopti, Segou, Sikasso, Tombouctou Independence: 22 September 1960 (from France) National holiday: Independence Day, 22 September (1960) 397 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Constitution: adopted 12 January 1992 Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in Con¬ stitutional Court; has not accepted com¬ pulsory 1CJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Amadou Toumani TOURE (since 8 June 2002) head of government: Prime Minister Ousmane Issoufi MAIGA (since 30 April 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 29 April 2007 (next to be held April in 2012); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Amadou Toumani TOURE reelected president; percent of vote — Amadou Toumani TOURE 71.2%, Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA 19.2%, other 9.6% Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (147 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 14 and 28 July 2002 (next to be held in July 2007) election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — Hope 2002 coali¬ tion 66 (including RPM 42, CNID 10, MPR 3, and other 11), ADEMA 51, other 30 Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP (a coalition of 14 political parties including ADEMA and URD formed in December 2006 to support the presidential candi¬ dacy of Amadou TOURE); Alliance for Democracy or ADEMA [Diounconda TRAORE]; Convergence 2007 [Soumeylou Boubeye MAIGA]; Hope 2002 (a coalition of CNID, MPR, RDT, and RPM); National Congress for Democratic Initiative or CNID [Mountaga TALL]; Party for Democracy and Progress or PDP [Me Idrissa TRAORE]; Party for National Renewal or PARENA [Tiebile DRAME]; Patriotic Movement for Renewal or MPR [Choguel MAIGA]; Rally for Democracy and Labor or RDT; Rally for Mali or RPM [Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA]; Sudanese Union/ African Democratic Rally or US/RDA [Mamadou Bamou TOURE]; Union for Democracy and Development or UDD [Moussa Balia COULIBALY]; Union for Republic and Democracy or URD [Soumaila CISSE] Political pressure groups and leaders: Alliance for Democratic Change or ACD; Patriotic Movement of the Ghanda Koye or MPGK; United Movement and Fronts of Azawad or MFUA International organization participa¬ tion: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G- 77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Abdoulaye DIOP chancery: 2130 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-2249, 939-8950 FAX: [1] (202) 332-6603 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Terrence P. MCCULLEY embassy: Rue Rochester NY and Rue Mohamed V, Bamako mailing address: B. P. 34, Bamako telephone: [223] 222-5470 FAX: [223] 222-3712 Flag description: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red; uses the popular pan- African colors of Ethiopia ECONOMY Economy — overview: Mali is among the poorest countries in the world, with 65% of its land area desert or semidesert and with a highly unequal distribution of income. Economic activity is largely con¬ fined to the riverine area irrigated by the Niger. About 10% of the population is nomadic and some 80% of the labor force is engaged in farming and fishing. Industrial activity is concentrated on pro¬ cessing farm commodities. Mali is heavily dependent on foreign aid and vulnerable to fluctuations in world prices for cotton, its main export, along with gold. The gov¬ ernment has continued its successful implementation of an IMF-recommended structural adjustment program that is helping the economy grow, diversify, and attract foreign investment. Mali’s adher¬ ence to economic reform and the 50% devaluation of the CFA franc in January 1994 have pushed up economic growth to a sturdy 5% average in 1996-2006. Worker remittances and external trade routes for the landlocked country have been jeopardized by continued unrest in neighboring Cote d’Ivoire. GDP (purchasing power parity): $14.77 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $5,847 billion (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 5.1% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $1,300 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 45% industry: 17% services: 38% (2001 est.) Labor force: 3.93 million (2001 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 80% industry and services: 20% (2001 est.) Unemployment rate: 14.6% (2001 est.) Population below poverty line: 64% (2001 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.8% highest 10%: 40.4% (1994) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 50.5 (1994) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4 5% (2002 est.) Budget: revenues: $764 million expenditures: $828 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2002 est.) Agriculture— products: cotton, millet, rice, corn, vegetables, peanuts; cattle, sheep, goats Industries: food processing; construc¬ tion; phosphate and gold mining Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity— production: 410 million kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 41.7% hydro: 58.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 381.3 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh; note- recent hydropower developments may be providing electricity to Senegal and Mauritania (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 4,300 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Exports: $323 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) Exports— commodities: cotton, gold, livestock Exports— partners: China 29.4%, Thailand 10.1%, Taiwan 7.8%, Italy 5.3%, Bangladesh 4.5%, France 4-4% (2005) Imports: $1,858 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) 398 MALTA Imports commodities: petroleum, machinery and equipment, construction materials, foodstuff's, textiles Imports— partners: France 13%, Senegal 13%, Cote d’Ivoire 8.4% (2005) Debt— external: $2.8 billion (2002) Economic aid— recipient: $472.1 mil¬ lion (2002) Currency (code): Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note — responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States Currency code: XOF Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar— 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 75,000 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 869,600 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: domestic system unre¬ liable but improving; provides only min¬ imal service domestic: network consists of microwave radio relay, open-wire, and radiotele¬ phone communications stations; expan¬ sion of microwave radio relay in progress international: country code — 223; satel¬ lite earth stations — 2 Intelsat ( 1 Atlantic Ocean, 1 Indian Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM l, FM 28, shortwave 1 (the shortwave station in Bamako has seven frequencies and five transmitters and relays broadcasts for China Radio International) (2001) Radios: 570,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: l (plus repeaters) (2001) Televisions: 45,000 (1997) Internet country code: ml Internet hosts: 278 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 13 (2001) Internet users: 60,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 29 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 20 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1 ,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 8 (2006) Railways: total: 729 km narrow gauge: 729 km 1.000-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 18,709 km paved: 3,368 km unpaved: 15,341 km (2004) Waterways: 1,815 km (2005) Ports and terminals: Koulikoro MILITARY Military branches: Malian Armed Forces: Army, Republic of Mali Air Force (Force Aerienne de la Republique du Mali, FARM), National Guard (2007) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obliga¬ tion — 2 years (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 2,094,432 females age 18-49: 2,027,352 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-4 9: 1,244,176 females age 18-49: 1,226,226 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1.9% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: none Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: refugees (country of origin): 6,165 (Mauritania) (2006) INTRODUCTION Background: Great Britain formally acquired possession of Malta in 1814. The island staunchly supported the UK through both World Wars and remained in the Commonwealth when it became independent in 1964- A decade later Malta became a republic. Since about the mid-1980s, the island has trans¬ formed itself into a freight transshipment point, a financial center, and a tourist destination. Malta became an EU member in May 2004- GEOGRAPHY Location: Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily (Italy) Geographic coordinates: 35 50 N, 14 35 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 316 sq km land: 316 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 196.8 km (does not include 56.01 km for the island of Gozo) Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 25 nm Climate: Mediterranean; mild, rainy winters; hot, dry summers Terrain: mostly low, rocky, flat to dis¬ sected plains; many coastal cliffs Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Ta’Dmejrek 253 m (near Dingli) Natural resources: limestone, salt, arable land Land use: arable land: 31.25% permanent crops: 3.13% other: 65.62% (2005) Irrigated land: 20 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: NA Environment — current issues: very lim¬ ited natural fresh water resources; increasing reliance on desalination Environment — international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change- Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, En¬ dangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: the country com¬ prises an archipelago, with only the three largest islands (Malta, Ghawdex or Gozo, 399 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK and Kemmuna or Comino) being inhab- ited; numerous bays provide good har- bors; Malta and Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the com tinental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil exploration PEOPLE Population: 401,880 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 16.7% (male 34,559/female 32,707) 15-64 years: 69.5% (male 141,265/ female 137,951) 65 years and over: 13.8% (male 23,802/ female 31,596) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 39 years male: 37.6 years female: 40.4 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.413% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 10.28 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 8.19 deaths/1,000 popula- tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 2.04 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.057 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.024 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0. 753 male(s)/female total population: 0.987 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 3.82 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.29 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 79.15 years male: 76.95 years female: 81.47 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.51 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS — people living with HIV/ AIDS: less than 500 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: less than 100 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun; Maltese (singular and plural) adjective: Maltese Ethnic groups: Maltese (descendants of ancient Carthaginians and Phoenicians, with strong elements of Italian and other Mediterranean stock) Religions: Roman Catholic 98% Languages: Maltese (official), English (official) Literacy: definition: age 10 and over can read and write total population: 92.8% male: 92% female: 93.6% (2003 est.) Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Malta conventional short form: Malta local long form: Repubblika ta’ Malta local short form: Malta Government type: republic Capital: name: Valletta geographic coordinates: 35 54N, 1431E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday m October Administrative divisions: none (admin¬ istered directly from Valletta); note- local councils carry out administrative orders Independence: 21 September 1964 (from UK) National holiday: Independence Day, 21 September (1964) Constitution: 1964 constitution; am¬ ended many times Legal system: based on English common law and Roman civil law; accepts com¬ pulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Edward FENECH ADAMI (since 4 April 2004) head of government: Prime Minister Lawrence GONZI (since 23 March 2004) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the presi¬ dent on the advice of the prime minister elections: president elected by the House of Representatives for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 29 March 2004 (next to be held by April 2009); following legislative elec¬ tions, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the presi¬ dent for a five-year term; the deputy prime minister is appointed by the presi¬ dent on the advice of the prime minister election results: Eddie FENECH ADAMI elected president; House of Representatives vote — 33 out of 65 votes Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives (usually 65 seats; mem¬ bers are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve five-year terms; note — additional seats are given to the party with the largest popular vote to ensure a legisla¬ tive majority) elections: last held 12 April 2003 (next to be held by August 2008) election results: percent of vote by party — PN 51.8%, MLP 47.5%, AD 0.7%; seats by party— PN 34, MLP 31 Judicial branch: Constitutional Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister Political parties and leaders: Alter- nativa Demokratika/Alliance for Social Justice or AD [Harry VASSALLO]; Malta Labor Party or MLP [Alfred SANT]; Nationalist Party or PN [Lawrence GONZI] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: Australia Group, C, CE, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PC A, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John LOWELL chancery: 2017 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 462-3611, 3612 FAX: [1] (202) 387-5470 consulate(s) : New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mark Miceli FARRUGUIA embassy: 3rd Floor, Development House, Saint Anne Street, Floriana, VLT 01 mailing address: P. O. Box 535, Valletta, CMR01 telephone: [356] 2561 4000 FAX: [356] 21 243229 Flag description: two equal vertical bands of white (hoist side) and red; in the upper hoist-side corner is a represen¬ tation of the George Cross, edged in red ECONOMY Economy — overview: Maj or resources are limestone, a favorable geographic location, and a productive labor force. Malta produces only about 20% of its food needs, has limited fresh water sup¬ plies, and has few domestic energy sources. The economy is dependent on foreign trade, manufacturing (especially electronics and pharmaceuticals), and tourism. Continued sluggishness in the European economy is holding back exports, tourism, and overall growth. GDP (purchasing power parity): $8,411 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $5,447 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 2.4% (2006 est.) 400 MARSHALL ISLANDS GDP— per capita (PPR): $21,000 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 23% services: 74% (2003 est.) Labor force: 164,000 (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 3% industry: 22% services: 75% (2005 est.) Unemployment rate: 6.8% (2005 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.6% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 25.1% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $2,503 billion expenditures: $2,703 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: potatoes, cauli¬ flower, grapes, wheat, barley, tomatoes, citrus, cut flowers, green peppers; pork, milk, poultry, eggs Industries: tourism, electronics, ship building and repair, construction, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, foot¬ wear, clothing, tobacco Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity— production: 2.291 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 2.13 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 19,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $966.2 mil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $2,425 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports Commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactures Exports— partners: France 15.4%, US 14.4%, Singapore 12.3%, UK 11.3%, Germany 11.2%, Italy 5.1%, Libya 4.2% (2005) Imports: $4,077 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — Commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured and semi-manufactured goods; food, drink, tobacco Imports— partners: Italy 32.3%, UK 11.5%, France 9.6%, Germany 8%, US 5.5%, Singapore 4.1% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $3,065 billion (2006 est.) Debt— external: $188.8 million (2005) Economic aid — recipient: $NA Currency (code): Maltese lira (MTL) Currency code: MTL Exchange rates: Maltese liri per US dollar— 0.37 (2006), 0.34578 (2005), 0.34466 (2004), 0.37723 (2003), 0.43362 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 202,100 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 324,000 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: automatic system sat¬ isfies normal requirements domestic: submarine cable and microwave radio relay between islands international: country code — 356; 2 sub¬ marine cables; satellite earth station — 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 18, shortwave 6 (1999) Radios: 255,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 5 (2006) Televisions: 280,000 (1997) Internet country code: mt Internet hosts: 14,025 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 6 (2002) Internet users: 127,200 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 1 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2006) Roadways: total: 2,227 km paved: 2,014 km unpaved: 213 km (2004) Merchant marine: total. 1,220 ships (1000 GRT or over) 23,917,414 GRT/38,685,924 DWT by type: bulk carrier 434, cargo 344, chemical tanker 105, combination ore/oil 1, container 59, liquefied gas 7, livestock carrier 1, passenger 15, pas¬ senger/cargo 14, petroleum tanker 146, refrigerated cargo 43, roll on/roll off 33, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 16 foreign-owned: 1,162 (Austria 1, Azerbaijan 2, Bangladesh 3, Belgium 10, Bulgaria 13, Canada 18, China 14, Croatia 10, Cyprus 15, Denmark 6, Estonia 4, France 6, Germany 64, Greece 495, Hong Kong 2, Iceland 4, India 1, Iran 14, Israel 23, Italy 29, Japan 1, South Korea 6, Latvia 40, Lebanon 10, Monaco 1, Netherlands 6, Norway 49, Pakistan 1, Poland 27, Portugal 3, Romania 9, Russia 70, Slovenia 3, Spain 6, Sweden 3, Switzerland 21, Syria 7, Taiwan 2, Turkey 123, UAE 5, UK 8, Ukraine 24, US 3) registered in other countries: 8 (Panama 3, Portugal 1, Russia 4) (2006) Ports and terminals: Marsaxlokk, Valletta MILITARY Military branches: Armed Forces of Malta (AFM; includes air and maritime elements) (2005) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 90,651 females age 18-49: 87,047 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 74,525 females age 18-49: 71,333 (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of GDP: 0.7% (2006 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: none Illicit drugs: minor transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Western Europe MARSHALL ISLANDS INTRODUCTION Background: After almost four decades under US administration as the eastern¬ most part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, the Marshall Islands at¬ tained independence in 1986 under a Com¬ pact of Free Association. Compensation claims continue as a result of US nuclear testing on some of the atolls between 1947 and 1962. The Marshall Islands hosts the US Army Kwajalein Atoll (US AKA) Reagan Missile Test Site, a key installation in the US missile defense network. GEOGRAPHY Location: Oceania, two archipelagic island chains of 29 atolls, each made up of many small islets, and five single islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about one- half of the way from Hawaii to Australia 401 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Geographic coordinates: 9 00 N, 168 00 E Map references: Oceania Area: total: 11,854.3 sq km land: 181.3 sq km water: 1 1,673 sq km (note — lagoon waters) note: includes the atolls of Bikini, Enewetak, Kwajalein, Majuro, Rongelap, and Utirik Area — comparative: about the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 370.4 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November; islands border typhoon belt Terrain: low coral limestone and sand islands Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Likiep 10 m Natural resources: coconut products, marine products, deep seabed minerals Land use: arable land : 11.11% permanent crops: 44-44% other: 44-45% (2005) Irrigated land: 0 sq km Natural hazards: infrequent typhoons Environment— current issues: made- quate supplies of potable water; pollution of Majuro lagoon from household waste and discharges from fishing vessels Environment — international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: Bikini and Enewetak are former US nuclear test sites; Kwajalein, the famous World War II bat¬ tleground, is used as a US missile test range; island city of Ebeye is the second largest settlement in the Marshall Islands, after the capital of Majuro, and one of the most densely populated loca¬ tions in the Pacific Population: 61,815 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 38.3% (male 12,061/female 11,622) 15-64 years: 58.9% (male 18,634/female 17,775) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 832/female 891) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 20.7 years male: 20.7 years female: 20.7 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.207% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 32.37 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 4.66 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -5.65 migrants )/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.038 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.048 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.934 male(s)/female total population: 1.041 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 27.3 deaths/1,000 live births male: 30.62 deaths/1,000 live births female: 23.82 deaths/ 1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.61 years male: 68.61 years female: 72.71 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 3 .76 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Marshallese (singular and plural) adjective: Marshallese Ethnic groups: Micronesian Religions: Protestant 54.8%, Assembly of God 25.8%, Roman Catholic 8.4%, Bukot nan Jesus 2.8%, Mormon 2.1%, other Christian 3.6%, other 1%, none 1.5% (1999 census) Languages: Marshallese (official) 98.2%, other languages 1.8% (1999 census) note: English (official), widely spoken as a second language Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.7% male: 93.6% female: 93.7% (1999) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of the Marshall Islands conventional short form: Marshall Islands local long form: Republic of the Marshall Islands local short form: Marshall Islands abbreviation: RMI former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Marshall Islands District Government type: constitutional gov¬ ernment in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 21 October 1986 and the Amended Compact entered into force in May 2004 Capital: name: Majuro geographic coordinates: 7 05 N, 171 08 E time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 33 municipal¬ ities; Ailinginae, Ailinglaplap, Ailuk, Arno, Aur, Bikar, Bikini, Bokak, Ebon, Enewetak, Erikub, Jabat, Jaluit, Jemo, Kili, Kwajalein, Lae, Lib, Likiep, Majuro, Maloelap, Mejit, Mili, Namorik, Namu, Rongelap, Rongrik, Toke, Ujae, Ujelang, Utirik, Wotho, Wotje Independence: 21 October 1986 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship) National holiday: Constitution Day, 1 May (1979) Constitution: 1 May 1979 Legal system: based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Kessai Hesa NOTE (since 5 January 2004); note — the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Kessai Hesa NOTE (since 5 January 2004) cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president from among the members of the legislature elections: president elected by Parliament from among its members for a four-year term; election last held 17 November 2003 (next to be held in November 2007) election results: Kessai Hesa NOTE elected president; percent of Parliament vote — 100% Legislative branch: unicameral legisla¬ ture or Nitijela (33 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 17 November 2003 (next to be held by November 2007) 402 MARSHALL ISLANDS election vesults. percent of vote by psrty — NA; seats by party — independents 33 note: the Council of Chiefs or Ironij is a 12-member body comprised of tribal chiefs that advises on matters affecting customary law and practice Judicial branch: Supreme Court; High Court; Traditional Rights Court Political parties and leaders: tradition¬ ally there have been no formally organ¬ ized political parties; what has existed more closely resembles factions or interest groups because they do not have party headquarters, formal platforms, or party structures; the following two “groupings” have competed in legislative balloting in recent years — Aelon Kein Ad Party [Michael KABUA] and United Democratic Party or UDP [Litokwa TOMEING] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA international organization participa¬ tion: ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA, IFC, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Banny DE BRUM chancery: 2433 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-5414 FAX: [11 (202) 232-3236 consulate(s) general: Honolulu Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Greta N. MORRIS embassy: Oceanside, Mejen Weto, Fong Island, Majuro mailing address: P O. Box 1379, Majuro, Republic of the Marshall Islands 96960- 1379 telephone: [692] 247-4011 FAX: [692] 247-4012 Flag description: blue with two stripes radiating from the lower hoist-side corner — orange (top) and white; there is a white star with four large rays and 20 small rays on the hoist side above the two stripes ECONOMY Economy — overview: US Government assistance is the mainstay of this tiny island economy. Agricultural produc¬ tion, primarily subsistence, is concen¬ trated on small farms; the most important commercial crops are coconuts and breadfruit. Small-scale industry is limited to handicrafts, tuna processing, and copra. The tourist industry, now a small source of foreign exchange employing less than 10% of the labor force, remains the best hope for future added income. The islands have few natural resources, and imports far exceed exports. Under the terms of the Amended Compact of Free Association, the US will provide millions of dollars per year to the Marshall Islands (RMI) through 2023, at which time a Trust Fund made up of US and RMI contribu¬ tions will begin perpetual annual pay¬ outs. Government downsizing, drought, a drop in construction, the decline in tourism, and less income from the renewal of fishing vessel licenses have held GDP growth to an average of 1% over the past decade. GDP (purchasing power parity): $115 million (2001 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $144 mil¬ lion (2005) GDP— real growth rate: 3.5% (2005 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $2,900 (2005 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 31.7% industry: 14.9% services: 53.4% (2004 est.) Labor force: 14,680 (2000) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 21.4% industry: 20.9% services: 57.7% Unemployment rate: 30.9% (2000 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (2005 est.) Budget: revenues: $42 million expenditures: $40 million; including cap¬ ital expenditures of $NA (1999) Agriculture — products: coconuts, toma¬ toes, melons, taro, breadfruit, fruits; pigs, chickens industries: copra, tuna processing, tourism, craft items from seashells, wood, and pearls Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 99% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 1% (solar) Exports: $9.1 million f.o.b. (2000) Exports — commodities: copra cake, coconut oil, handicrafts, fish Exports — partners: US, Japan, Australia, China (2004) Imports: $54.7 million f.o.b. (2000) Imports — commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels, bever¬ ages and tobacco Imports partners: US, Japan, Australia, NZ, Singapore, Fiji, China, Philippines (2004) Debt— external: $86.5 million (FY99/00 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $51.1 million more than $1 billion from the US, 1986-2002 (2004) Currency (code): US dollar (USD) Currency code: USD Exchange rates: the US dollar is used Fiscal year: 1 October— 30 September COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 5,510 (2004) Telephones— mobile cellular: l ,198 (2004) Telephone system: general assessment: digital switching equip¬ ment; modem services include telex, cel¬ lular, internet, international calling, caller ID, and leased data circuits domestic: Majuro Atoll and Ebeye and Kwajalein islands have regular, seven-digit, direct-dial telephones; other islands inter¬ connected by high frequency radiotele¬ phone (used mostly for government purposes) and mini-satellite telephones international: country code — -692; satel¬ lite earth stations — 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); US Government satellite com¬ munications system on Kwajalein (2001) Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (additionally, the US Armed Forces Radio and Television Services (Central Pacific Network) operate one FM and one AM station on Kwajalein) (2005) Radios: NA Television broadcast stations: 2 (both are US military stations; Marshalls Broadcasting Service, a cable company, operates on Majuro) (2005) Televisions: NA Internet country code: mh Internet hosts: 6 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2002) Internet users: 2,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 15 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Roadways: total: 64-5 km paved: 64.5 km note: paved roads on major islands (Majuro, Kwajalein), otherwise stone-, coral-, or laterite-surfaced roads and tracks (2002) 403 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Merchant marine: total: 795 ships (1000 GRT or over) 30,772,611 GRT/50,987,293 DWT by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 178, cargo 53, chemical tanker 133, container 147, liquefied gas 25, passenger 7, petro- leum tanker 234, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 7, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 5 fcrreign-owned: 730 (Australia 2, Bermuda 4, Brazil 1, Canada 6, Chile 1, Croatia 2, Cyprus 15, Denmark 1, Finland 2, Germany 194, Greece 199, Hong Kong 7, Isle of Man 1, Italy 1, Japan 7, South Korea 1, Latvia 7, Monaco 8, Netherlands 1, Norway 65, Russia 1, Saudi Arabia 1, Singapore 6, Slovenia 3, Spain 3, Switzerland 13, Turkey 20, UAE3, UK 12, US 143) registered in other countries: 1 (North Korea 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Majuro MILITARY Military branches: no regular military forces; Marshall Islands Police Manpower available for military serv¬ ice: males age 18-49: 13,465 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 10,792 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18^19: 726 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: NA Military — note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of the US TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: claims US ter¬ ritory of Wake Island MAURITANIA INTRODUCTION Background: Independent from France in 1960, Mauritania annexed the southern third of the former Spanish Sahara (now Western Sahara) in 1976, but relinquished it after three years of raids by the Polisario guerrilla front seeking independence for the territory. Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA seized power in a coup in 1984. Opposition par¬ ties were legalized and a new constitution approved in 1991. Two multiparty presi¬ dential elections since then were widely seen as flawed, but October 2001 legisla¬ tive and municipal elections were gener¬ ally free and open. A bloodless coup in August 2005 deposed President TAYA and ushered in a military council, which declared it would remain in power for up to two years while it created conditions for genuine democratic institutions and organized elections. Accordingly, parlia¬ mentary elections were held in late 2006-early 2007 and presidential elec¬ tions in March 2007. The newly-elected legislature is expected to assume power following the inauguration of the new president in April 2007. The country continues to experience ethnic tensions among its black population and different Moor (Arab-Berber) communities. GEOGRAPHY Location: Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Senegal and Western Sahara Geographic coordinates: 20 00 N, 12 00 w Map references: Africa Area: total: 1,030,700 sq km land: 1,030,400 sq km water: 300 sq km Area — comparative: slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico Land boundaries: total: 5,074 km border countries: Algeria 463 km, Mali 2,237 km, Senegal 813 km, Western Sahara 1,561 km Coastline: 754 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 1 2 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin Climate: desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty Terrain: mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sebkhet Te-n-Dghamcha -5 m highest point: Kediet Ijill 915 m Natural resources: iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil, fish Land use: arable land: 0.2% permanent crops: 0.01% other: 99.79% (2005) Irrigated land: 490 sq km (2002) Natural hazards: hot, dry, dust/sand¬ laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and April; periodic droughts Environment— current issues: over¬ grazing, deforestation, and soil erosion aggravated by drought are contributing to desertification; very limited natural fresh water resources away from the Senegal, which is the only perennial river; locust infestation Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: most of the popula¬ tion concentrated in the cities of Nouakchott and Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in the southern part of the country Population: 3,270,065 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 45.5% (male 744,995/female 741,369) 15-64 years: 52.4% (male 845,272/ female 866,998) 65 years and over: 2.2% (male 28,564/ female 42,867) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 17.1 years male: 16.8 years female: 17.4 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.867% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 40.56 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 11.89 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l ,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.005 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.975 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.666 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 68.07 deaths/1,000 live births 404 MAURITANIA male: 71.07 deaths/1,000 live births female: 64.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 53.51 years male: 51.24 years female: 55.85 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 5.78 children bom/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.6% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 9,500 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: less than 500 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorbome diseases: malaria and Riff Valley fever are high risks in some locations respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2007) Nationality: noun: Mauritanian(s) adjective: Mauritanian Ethnic groups: mixed Moor/black 40%, Moor 30%, black 30% Religions: Muslim 100% Languages: Arabic (official), Pulaar, Soninke, French, Hassaniya, Wolof Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 51.2% male: 59.5% female: 43.4% (2000 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Mauritania conventional short form: Mauritania local long form: A1 Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah local short form: Muritaniyah Government type: republic Capital: name: Nouakchott geographic coordinates: 18 06N, 15 57W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 12 regions (regions, singular — region) and 1 capital district*; Adrar, Assaba, Brakna, Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Gorgol, Guidimaka, Hodh Ech Chargui, Hodh El Gharbi, Inchiri, Nouakchott*, Tagant, Tiris Zemmour, Trarza Independence: 28 November 1960 (from France) National holiday: Independence Day, 28 November (1960) Constitution: 12 July 1991 Legal system: a combination of Islamic law and French civil law Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Sidi Ould Cheikh ABDEL- LAF1I (since 19 April 2007) head of government: Prime Minister Zeine Ould ZEIDANE (since 20 April 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second consecutive term); election last held 11 March 2007 with a runoff between the two leading candidates held on 25 March 2007 (next to be held 2012); prime minister appointed by the president election results: percent of vote — (second round) Sidi Ould Cheikh ABDELLAFil 52.8%, Ahmed Ould DADDAH 47.2% Legislative branch: bicameral legislature consists of the Senate or Majlis al- Shuyukh (56 seats; members elected by municipal leaders to serve six-year terms; a portion of seats up for election every two years) and the National Assembly or Majlis al-Watani (95 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate — last held 21 January and 4 February 2007 (next to be held 2009); National Assembly — last held 19 November and 3 December 2006 (next to be held in 201 1) election results: Senate — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — Al- Mithaq (coalition of independents and parties associated with the former regime) 37, CFCD (coalition of political parties) 15, representatives of the dias¬ pora (yet to be chosen) 3, undecided 1; National Assembly — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party— -Al Mithaq 51 (independents 37, PRDR 7, UDP 3, RDU 3, Alternative (El-Badil) 1), CFCD 41 (RFD 16, UFP 9, APP 6, Centrist Reformists 4, HATEM-PMUC 3, RD 2, PUDS 1), RNDLE 1, UCD 1, FP 1 Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Court of Appeals; lower courts Political parties and leaders: Al- Mithaq (coalition of independents and parties associated with the former regime including Alternative or El-Badil, PRDR, UDP, RDU); Alternative or El- Badil; Centrist Reformists (independent moderate Islamists); Coalition for Forces for Democratic Change or CFCD (coali¬ tion of political parties including APP, Centrist Reformists (independent mod¬ erate Islamists), HATEM-PMUC, PUDS, RD, RFD, UFP); Democratic and Social Republican Party or PRDS; Democratic Renewal or RD; Mauri¬ tanian Party for Unity and Change or HATEM-PMUC; National Rally for Freedom, Democracy and Equality or RNDLE; Popular Front or FP [Ch’bih Ould CHEIKH MALAININE]; Popular Progressive Alliance or APP [Messoud Ould BOULKHEIRp Rally of Demo¬ cratic Forces or RFD [Ahmed Ould DADDAH]; Rally for Democracy and Unity or RDU [Ahmed Ould SIDI BABA]; Republican Party for Demo¬ cracy and Renewal or PRDR [Boullah Ould MOGUEYA] (formerly ruling Democratic and Social Republican Party or PRDS); Socialist and Democratic Unity Party or PUDS; Union for Democracy and Progress or UDP [Naha Mint MOUKNASS1; Union of Demo¬ cratic Centre or UCD; Union of the Forces for Progress or UFP Political pressure groups and leaders: Arab nationalists; Ba’thists; General Confederation of Mauritanian Workers or CGTM [Abdallahi Ould MO- HAMED, secretary general]; Inde¬ pendent Confederation of Mauritanian Workers or CLTM [Samory Ould BEYE]; Islamists; Mauritanian Workers Union or UTM [Mohamed Ely Ould BRAHIM, secretary general] International organization participa¬ tion: ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Tijani Ould Mohamed EL KERIM chancery: 2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 232-5700, 5701 FAX: [1] (202) 319-2623 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d’Affaires Charles H. TWINING embassy: 288 Rue Abdallaye (between Presidency building and Spanish Embassy), Nouakchott mailing address : BP 222, Nouakchott telephone: [222] 525-2660/525-2663 FAX: [222] 525-1592 Flag description: green with a yellow five-pointed star above a yellow, hori¬ zontal crescent; the closed side of the cres¬ cent is down; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam ECONOMY Economy — overview: Half the popula¬ tion still depends on agriculture and live- 405 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK stock for a livelihood, even though many of the nomads and subsistence farmers were forced into the cities by recurrent droughts in the 1970s and 1980s. Mauritania has extensive deposits of iron ore, which account for nearly 40% of total exports. The nation’s coastal waters are among the richest fishing areas in the world, but overexploitation by foreigners threatens this key source of revenue. The country’s first deepwater port opened near Nouakchott in 1986. In the past, drought and economic mismanagement resulted in a buildup of foreign debt, which now stands at more than three times the level of annual exports. In February 2000, Mauritania qualified for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative and in December 2001 received strong support from donor and lending countries at a triennial Consultative Group review. A new invest¬ ment code approved in December 2001 improved the opportunities for direct for¬ eign investment. Ongoing negotiations with the IMF involve problems of eco¬ nomic reforms and fiscal discipline. In 2001, exploratory oil wells in tracts 80 km offshore indicated potential extraction at current world oil prices. Mauritania has an estimated 1 billion barrels of proved reserves. Substantial oil production and exports began in early 2006 and averaged 75,000 barrels per day for the year. Meantime the government emphasizes reduction of poverty, improvement of health and education, and promoting pri¬ vatization of the economy. GDP (purchasing power parity): $8,124 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $1,569 billion (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 141% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $2,600 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 25% industry: 29% services: 46% (2001 est.) Labor force: 786,000 (2001) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 50% industry: 10% services: 40% (2001 est.) Unemployment rate: 20% (2004 est.) Population below poverty line: 40% (2004 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 30.2% (2000) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 39 (2000) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7% (2003 est.) Budget: revenues: $421 million expenditures: $378 million; including capital expenditures of $154 million (2002 est.) Agriculture — products: dates,- millet, sorghum, rice, corn; cattle, sheep Industries: fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum Industrial production growth rate: 2% (2000 est.) Electricity — production: 176.7 million kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 85.9% hydro: 14-1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 1643 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil — production: 75,000 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil— consumption: 24,200 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Oil— proved reserves: l billion bbl (2005) Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: Ocum (1 January 2005 est.) Exports: $784 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) Exports— commodities: iron ore, fish and fish products, gold Exports— partners: Italy 14.9%, Japan 12.2%, France 11.9%, Belgium 8.4%, Germany 8.2%, Cote d’Ivoire 7.1%, Spain 7.1%, Russia 4-9%, Netherlands 4.4% (2005) Imports: $1,124 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) Imports— commodities: machinery and equipment, petroleum products, capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods Imports— partners: France 18.2%, UK 7.2%, US 6.9%, China 6%, Spain 5%, Belgium 4.3% (2005) Debt— external: $2.5 billion (2000) Economic aid— recipient: $305.7 mil¬ lion (2002) Currency (code): ouguiya (MRO) Currency code: MRO Exchange rates: ouguiyas per US dollar— 271.3 (2006), 267.04 (2005), 265.8 (2004), 263.03 (2003), 271.74 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year Telephones— main lines in use: 41,000 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 745,600 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: limited system of cable and open-wire lines, minor microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone communications stations (improvements being made) domestic: mostly cable and open- wire lines; a recently completed domestic satellite telecommunications system links Nouakchott with regional capitals international: country code — 222; satel¬ lite earth stations — 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 2 Arabsat Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 14, shortwave 1 (2001) Radios: 410,000 (2001) Television broadcast stations: l (2002) Televisions: 98,000 (2001) Internet country code: mr Internet hosts: 32 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 5 (2001) Internet users: 14,000 (2005) Transportation Airports: 25 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 17 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Railways: 717 km standard gauge: 717 km 1.435-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 7,660 km paved: 866 km unpaved: 6,794 km (1999) Ports and terminals: Nouadhibou, Nouakchott MILITARY Military branches: Mauritanian Armed Forces: Army, Navy (Marine Mauritanienne; includes naval infantry), Air Force (Force Aerienne Islamique de Mauritanie, FAIM) (2005) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age (est.); conscript service obli¬ gation— 2 years; majority of servicemen believed to be volunteers; service in Air Force and Navy is voluntary (2005) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 606,463 females age i 8 — 49: 607,955 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 1 8—49: 370,513 females age 18-49: 384,269 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 5.5% (2006) 406 MAURITIUS TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara remain dor¬ mant Trafficking in persons: current situation: Mauritania is a source and destination country for children traf¬ ficked for the purpose of forced labor, begging, and domestic servitude; adults and children are subjected to slavery- related practices rooted in ancestral master-slave relationships in isolated parts of the country where a barter economy exists tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Mauritania is placed on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to show evidence of increased efforts to combat trafficking, particularly in the area of law enforcement MAURITIUS Background: Although known to Arab and Malay sailors as early as the 10th century, Mauritius was first explored by the Portuguese in 1505; it was subse¬ quently held by the Dutch, French, and British before independence was attained in 1968. A stable democracy with regular free elections and a positive human rights record, the country has attracted considerable foreign invest¬ ment and has earned one of Africa’s highest per capita incomes. Recent poor weather and declining sugar prices have slowed economic growth, leading to some protests over standards of living in the Creole community. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar Geographic coordinates: 20 17 S, 57 33 E Map references: Political Map of the World Area: total: 2,040 sq km land: 2,030 sq km water: 10 sq km note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon), and Rodrigues Area — comparative: almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 177 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 1 2 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin Climate: tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May) Terrain: small coastal plain rising to dis¬ continuous mountains encircling central plateau Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Piton 828 m Natural resources: arable land, fish Land use: arable land: 49.02% permanent crops: 2.94% other: 48.04% (2005) Irrigated land: 220 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards Environment — current issues: water pollution, degradation of coral reefs Environment— international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Proto¬ col, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: the main island, from which the country derives its name, is of volcanic origin and is almost entirely sur¬ rounded by coral reefs PEOPLE Population: 1,250,882 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 23.5% (male 147,808/female 146,270) 15—64 years: 69.8% (male 436,043/ female 437,441 ) 65 years and over: 6.7% (male 32,475/ female 50,845) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 31.2 years male: 30.3 years female: 32.1 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.798% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 15.26 births/1, 000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 6.88 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -0.4 migrants )/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.011 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.997 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0. 639 male(s)/female total population: 0.971 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 14-14 deaths/1,000 live births male: 16.72 deaths/1,000 live births female: 11.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.88 years male: 68.92 years female: 76.9 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: l .94 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 700 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS — deaths: less than 100 (2001 est.) Nationality: noun: Mauritian(s) adjective: Mauritian Ethnic groups: Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%, Franco-Mauritian 2% Religions: Hindu 48%, Roman Catholic 23.6%, Muslim 16.6%, other Christian 8.6%, other 2.5%, unspecified 0.3%, none 0.4% (2000 census) Languages: Creole 80.5%, Bhojpuri 12.1%, French 3.4%, English (official; spoken by less than 1% of the popula¬ tion), other 3.7%, unspecified 0.3% (2000 census) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 84-4% 407 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK male: 88.4% female: 80.5% (2000 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Mauritius conventional short form: Mauritius local long form: Republic of Mauritius local short form: Mauritius Government type: parliamentary democ¬ racy Capital: name: Port Louis geographic coordinates: 20 10S, 57 30E time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 9 districts and 3 dependencies*; Agalega Islands*, Black River, Cargados Carajos Shoals*, Flacq, Grand Port, Moka, Pamplemousses, Plaines Wilhems, Port Louis, Riviere du Rempart, Rodrigues*, Savanne Independence: 12 March 1968 (from UK) National holiday: Independence Day, 12 March (1968) Constitution: 12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992 Legal system: based on French civil law system with elements of English common law in certain areas; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 7 October 2003); Vice President Abdool Raouf BUNDHUN (since 25 February 2002) head of government: Prime Minister Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM (since 5 July 2005) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president and vice president elected by the National Assembly for five-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 25 February 2002 (next to be held in 2007); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president, responsible to the National Assembly election results: Karl OFFMANN elected president and Raouf BUNDHUN elected vice president; percent of vote by the National Assembly — NA%; note — Karl OFFMANN stepped down on 30 September 2003 Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (70 seats; 62 members elected by popular vote, 8 appointed by the elec¬ tion commission to give representation to various ethnic minorities; to serve five-year terms) elections: last held on 3 July 2005 (next to be held in 2010) election results: percent of vote by party NA; seats by party — AS 38, MSM/ MMM 22, OPR 2; appointed seats — AS 4, MSM/MMM 2, OPR 2 Judicial branch: Supreme Court Political parties and leaders: Alliance Sociale or AS; Hizbullah [Cehl Mohamed FAKEEMEEAH]; Mauritian Labor Party or MLP [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM]; Mauritian Militant Movement or MMM [Paul BERENGER] (in coalition with MSM); Mauritian Social Democrat Party or PMSD [Charles Xavier-Luc DUVAL]; Militant Socialist Movement or MSM (the gov¬ erning party) [Pravind JUGNAUTH]; Rodrigues Movement or MR [Joseph (Nicholas) Von MALLY]; Rodrigues Peoples Organization or OPR [Serge CLAIR] Political pressure groups and leaders: various labor unions International organization participa¬ tion: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Usha JEETAH chancery: 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 441, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 244-1491, 1492 FAX: [1] (202) 966-0983 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John PRICE embassy: 4th Floor, Rogers House, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis mailing address: international mail: P. O. Box 544, Port Louis; US mail: American Embassy, Port Louis, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2450 telephone: [230] 202-4400 FAX: [230] 208-9534 Flag description: four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green '-.-.••v * ECONOMY - Economy — overview: Since independ¬ ence in 1968, Mauritius has developed from a low-income, agriculturally based economy to a middle-income diversified economy with growing industrial, finan¬ cial, and tourist sectors. For most of the period, annual growth has been in the order of 5% to 6%. This remarkable achievement has been reflected in more equitable income distribution, increased life expectancy, lowered infant mortality, and a much-improved infrastructure. Sugarcane is grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area and accounts for 25% of export earnings. The govern¬ ment’s development strategy centers on expanding local financial institutions and building a domestic information telecommunications industry. Mauritius has attracted more than 9,000 offshore entities, many aimed at commerce in India and South Africa, and investment in the banking sector alone has reached over $1 billion. Mauritius, with its strong textile sector, has been well poised to take advantage of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). GDP (purchasing power parity): $17 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $7,175 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 4.9% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $13,700 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 5.1% industry: 25.2% services: 69.7% (2006 est.) Labor force: 555,000 (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture and fishing 14%, construc¬ tion and industry 36%, transportation and communication 7%, trade, restau¬ rants, hotels 16%, finance 3%, other services 24% (1995) Unemployment rate: 9.4% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 10% (2001 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Distribution of family income— Gini index: 37 (1987 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8.9% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 23.6% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $1,475 billion expenditures: $1,854 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 57.9% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: sugarcane, tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses; cattle, goats; fish Industries: food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, clothing, mining, chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical machinery, tourism Industrial production growth rate: 8% (2000 est.) 408 MAYOTTE Electricity— production: 2.107 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 90.8% hydro: 9.2% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 1.96 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: o kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 21,500 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $651 million (2006 est.) Exports: $2,318 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers, molasses Exports— partners: UK 32%, France 17%, US 9.7%, UAE 8.6%, Madagascar 5.7%, Italy 5.7% (2005) Imports: $3,391 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — Commodities: manufactured goods, capital equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals Imports— partners: China 9.8%, South Africa 8.6%, France 7.6%, India 6.9%, Bahrain 5.2%, Finland 4-8%, Germany 4.1% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $1,358 billion (2006 est.) Debt— external: $2,834 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid — recipient: $42 million (1997) Currency (code): Mauritian rupee (MUR) Currency code: MUR Exchange rates: Mauritian rupees per US dollar— 31.656 (2006), 29.496 (2005), 27.499 (2004), 27.902 (2003), 29.962 (2002) Fiscal year: l July — 30 June COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 359,000 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 713,300 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: small system with good service domestic: primarily microwave radio relay trunk system international: country code — 230; satel¬ lite earth station — 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); new microwave link to Reunion; HF radiotelephone links to several countries; fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC/SAFE) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2001) Radios: 420,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 2 (plus several repeaters) (1997) Televisions: 258,000 (1997) Internet country code: mu Internet hosts: 4,997 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000) Internet users: 180,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 6 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 4 914 to 1 ,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Roadways: total: 2,020 km paved: 2,020 km (includes 75 km of expressways) (2005) Merchant marine: total: 6 ships (1000 GRT or over) 22,386 GRT/23,214 DWT by type: bulk carrier 2, passenger/cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 2 foreign-owned: 4 (India 2, Switzerland 2) (2006) Ports and terminals: Port Louis MILITARY Military branches: no regular military forces; National Police Force, Special Mobile Force, National Coast Guard (2007) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 313,271 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 0.3% (2006 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: Mauritius claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK- administered British Indian Ocean Territory), and its former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius; claims French-administered Tromelin Island Illicit drugs: consumer and transship¬ ment point for heroin from South Asia; small amounts of cannabis produced and consumed locally; significant offshore financial industry creates potential for money laundering, but corruption levels are relatively low and the government appears generally to be committed to reg¬ ulating its banking industry MAYOTTE INTRODUCTION Background: Mayotte was ceded to France along with the other islands of the Comoros group in 1843. It was the only island in the archipelago that voted in 1974 to retain its link with France and forego independence. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-half of the way from northern Madagascar to northern Mozambique Geographic coordinates: 12 50 S, 45 10 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 374 sq km land: 374 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 185.2 km Maritime Claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during northeastern mon¬ soon (November to May); dry season is cooler (May to November) Terrain: generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks 409 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Benara 660 m Natural resources: NEGL Land use: arable land : NA% permanent crops: NA% other: NA% Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: cyclones during rainy season Environment— current issues: NA Geography — note: part of Comoro Archipelago; 18 islands PEOPLE Population: 208,783 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 45.8% (male 48,016/female 47,533) 15-64 years: 52.5% (male 59,111/female 50,437) 65 years and over: 1.8% (male 1,864/ female 1,822) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 17.1 years male: 18.1 years female: 16.1 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 3.617% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 40.35 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 7.53 deaths/1,000 popula- tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 3.35 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: atbirth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.172 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.023 male(s)/female total population: 1.092 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 59.51 deaths/1,000 live births male : 65.33 deaths/1,000 live births female: 53.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 62.16 years male: 59.94 years female: 64-45 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 5.69 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS — people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Mahorais (singular and plural) adjective: Mahoran Ethnic groups: NA Religions: Muslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic) 3% Languages: Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French (official language) spoken by 35% of the population Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA male: NA female: NA GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Mayotte conventional short form: Mayotte Dependency status: departmental col¬ lectivity of France Government type: NA Capital: name: Mamoudzou geographic coordinates: 12 47 S, 45 14 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: none (territo¬ rial overseas collectivity of France) Independence: none (territorial over¬ seas collectivity of France) National holiday: Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) Constitution: 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) Legal system: French law Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); repre¬ sented by Prefect Jean-Paul KIHF (since 17 January 2005) head of government: President of the General Council Said Omar OIFI (since 8 April 2004) cabinet : NA elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; president of the General Council elected by the members of the General Council for a six-year term; next election to be held in 2010 Legislative branch: unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms) elections: last held 21 and 28 March 2004 (next to be held in 2007) election results: percent of vote by party — MDM 23.3%, UMP 22.8%, PS 10.2%, MRC 8.9%, FRAP 6.5%, MPM 1.2%, other 27.1%; seats by party — MDM 6, UMP 9, MRC 2, MPM 1, diverse left 1 note: Mayotte elects one member of the French Senate; elections last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held in September 2007); results — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party— NA; Mayotte also elects one member to the French National Assembly; elections last held 16 June 2002 (next to be held in 2007); results— percent of vote by party — UMP-RPR 55.1%, UDF 44.9%; seats by party — UMP-RPR 1 Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Tribunal Superieur d’Appel Political parties and leaders: Democratic Front or FD [Youssouf MOUSSA]; Mahoran Popular Movement or MPM [Ahmed MADI]; Federation of Mahorans or UMP-RPR [Mansour KAMAPv.DINE]; Force of the Rally and the Alliance for Democracy or FRAP; Movement for Department Status Mayotte or MDM [Mouhoutar SAFIM]; Renewed Communist Party of Mayotte or MRC [Omar SIMBA]; Socialist Party or PS [Ibrahim ABUBACAR] (local branch of French Parti Socialiste); Union for French Democracy or UDF [Henri JEAN-BAP- TISTE] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: UPU Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territorial overseas collectivity of France) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territorial overseas collectivity of France) Flag description: unofficial, local flag with the coat of arms of Mayotte cen¬ tered on a white field, above which the name of the island appears in red capital letters; the main elements of the coat of arms, flanked on either side by a sea¬ horse, appear above a scroll with the motto RA HACHIRI (We are Vigilant); the only official flag is the national flag of France ECONOMY Economy — overviow: Economic activity is based primarily on the agricultural sector, including fishing and livestock raising. Mayotte is not self-sufficient and must import a large portion of its food requirements, mainly from France. The economy and future development of the island are heavily dependent on French financial assistance, an important sup¬ plement to GDP. Mayotte’s remote loca¬ tion is an obstacle to the development of tourism. GDP (purchasing power parity): $953.6 million (2005 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): NA GDP— real growth rate: NA% GDP— per capita (PPP): $4,900 (2005 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% 410 MEXICO Labor force: 44,560 (2002) Unemployment rate: 25.4% (2005) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1 7% (2005) Budget: revenues: $420 million expenditures: $394 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005) Agriculture— products: vanilla, ylang- ylang (perfume essence), coffee, copra Industries: newly created lobster and shrimp industry, construction Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity— production: NA kWh Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 0% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% Electricity— consumption: 139.2 mil¬ lion kWh (2005) Exports: $6.5 million f.o.b. (2005) Exports— commodities: ylang-ylang (perfume essence), vanilla, copra, coconuts, coffee, cinnamon Exports— partners: France 43%, Comoros 36%, Reunion 15% (2005) Imports: $341 million f.o.b.; note— excludes petroleum imports (2005) Imports— commodities: food, machinery and equipment, transporta¬ tion equipment, metals, chemicals Imports— partners: France 49%, Seychelles 8.8%, China 4.1%, South Africa 2.8% (2004) Debt— external: $NA Economic aid— recipient: $208 million; note — extensive French financial assis¬ tance (2004) Currency (code): euro (EUR) Currency code: EUR Exchange rates: euros per US dollar — 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 10,000 (2002) Telephones— mobile cellular: 48,100 (2004) Telephone system: general assessment: small system adminis¬ tered by French Department of Posts and Telecommunications domestic: NA international: country code _ 269; microwave radio relay and HF radiotele¬ phone communications to Comoros Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2001) Radios: NA Television broadcast stations: 3 (2001) Televisions: 3,500 (1994) Internet country code: yt Internet hosts: l (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA Internet users: NA TRANSPORTATION Airports: 1 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) Roadways: total: 93 km paved: 72 km unpaved: 21 km Ports and terminals: Dzaoudzi Military— note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of France; a small contingent of French forces is stationed on the island TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: claimed by Comoros INTRODUCTION Background: The site of advanced Amerindian civilizations, Mexico came under Spanish rule for three centuries before achieving independence early in the 19th century. A devaluation of the peso in late 1994 threw Mexico into eco¬ nomic turmoil, triggering the worst reces¬ sion. in over half a century. The nation continues to make an impressive recovery. Ongoing economic and social concerns include low real wages, underemployment for a large segment of the population, inequitable income distribution, and few advancement opportunities for the largely Amerindian population in the impover¬ ished southern states. The elections held in 2000 marked the first time since the 1910 Mexican Revolution that an opposition candidate- — Vicente FOX of the National Action Party (PAN) — defeated the party in government, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). He was suc¬ ceeded in 2006 by another PAN candidate Felipe CALDERON. GEOGRAPHY Location: Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, between Belize and the US and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and the US Geographic coordinates: 23 00 N, 102 00 w Map references: North America Area: total: 1,972,550 sq km land: 1,923,040 sq km water: 49,510 sq km Area — comparative: slightly less than three times the size of Texas Land boundaries: total: 4,353 km border countries: Belize 250 km, Guatemala 962 km, US 3,141 km Coastline: 9,330 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin Climate: varies from tropical to desert Terrain: high, rugged mountains; low coastal plains; high plateaus; desert 411 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Elevation extremes: lowest point: Laguna Salada '10 m highest point: Volcan Pico de Orizaba 5,700 m Natural resources: petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, timber Land use: arable land: 12.66% permanent crops: 1.28% other: 86.06% (2005) Irrigated land: 63,200 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: tsunamis along the Pacific coast, volcanoes and destructive earthquakes in the center and south, and hurricanes on the Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean coasts Environment— current issues: scarcity of hazardous waste disposal facilities; rural to urban migration; natural fresh water resources scarce and polluted in north, inaccessible and poor quality in center and extreme southeast; raw sewage and industrial effluents polluting rivers in urban areas; deforestation; wide- spread erosion; desertification; deterio¬ rating agricultural lands; serious air and water pollution in the national capital and urban centers along US-Mexico border; land subsidence in Valley of Mexico caused by groundwater depletion note: the government considers the lack of clean water and deforestation national security issues Environment — international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography— note: strategic location on southern border of US; corn (maize), one of the world’s major grain crops, is thought to have originated in Mexico PEOPLE Population: 108,700,891 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 30.1% (male 16,696,089/ female 16,011,563) 15-64 years: 64% (male 33,624,812/ female 35,925,372) 65 years and over: 5.9% (male 2,917,563/female 3,525,492) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 25.6 years male: 24-6 years female: 26.6 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.153% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 20.36 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 4.76 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -4 08 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.043 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.936 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.828 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 19.63 deaths/1,000 live births male: 21.54 deaths/ 1,000 live births female: 17.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.63 years male: 72.84 years female: 78.56 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.39 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.3% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 160,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 5,000 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Mexican(s) adjective: Mexican Ethnic groups: mestizo (Amerindian- Spanish) 60%, Amerindian or predomi¬ nantly Amerindian 30%, white 9%, other 1% Religions: Roman Catholic 76.5%, Protestant 6.3% (Pentecostal 1.4%, Jehovah’s Witnesses 1.1%, other 3.8%), other 0.3%, unspecified 13.8%, none 3.1% (2000 census) Languages: Spanish, various Mayan, Nahuatl, and other regional indigenous languages Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91% male: 92.4% female: 89.6% (2004 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: United Mexican States conventional short form: Mexico local long form: Estados Unidos Mexicanos local short form: Mexico Government type: federal republic Capital: name: Mexico (Distrito Federal) geographic coordinates: 19 24 N, 99 09 W time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins first Sunday in April; ends last Sunday in October note: Mexico is divided into four time zones Administrative divisions: 31 states (estados, singular — estado) and 1 federal district* (distrito federal); Aguas- calientes, Baja California, Baja California Sur, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila de Zaragoza, Colima, Distrito Federal*, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Mexico, Michoacan de Ocampo, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca, Puebla, Queretaro de Arteaga, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosi, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz- Llave, Yucatan, Zacatecas Independence: 16 September 1810 (declared); 27 September 1821 (recog¬ nized by Spain) National holiday: Independence Day, 16 September (1810) Constitution: 5 February 1917 Legal system: mixture of US constitu¬ tional theory and civil law system; judi¬ cial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reser¬ vations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory (but not enforced) Executive branch: chief of state: President Felipe de Jesus CALDERON Hinojosa (since 1 December 2006); note— the president is both the chief of state and head of gov¬ ernment head of government: President Felipe de Jesus CALDERON Hinojosa (since 1 December 2006) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the presi¬ dent; note — appointment of attorney general requires consent of the Senate elections: president elected by popular vote for a single six-year term; election last held on 2 July 2006 (next to be held 1 July 2012) election results: Felipe CALDERON elected president; percent of vote — Felipe CALDERON 35.89%, Andres Manuel Lopez OBRADOR 35.31%, Roberto MADRAZO 22.26%, other 6.54% Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congreso de la Union con¬ sists of the Senate or Camara de Senadores (128 seats; 96 members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms, and 32 seats are allocated on the basis of each party’s popular vote) and the Federal Chamber of Deputies or Camara Federal de Diputados (500 seats; 300 members are elected by popular vote; remaining 200 members are allo¬ cated on the basis of each party’s popular vote; to serve three-year terms) elections: Senate — last held 2 July 2006 412 MEXICO for all of the seats (next to be held 1 July 2012); Chamber of Deputies— last held 2 July 2006 (next to be held 5 July 2009) election results: Senate— percent of vote by party— N A; seats by party— PAN 52, PRI 33, PRD 26, PVEM 6, CD 5, PT 5, independent 1; Chamber of Deputies _ percent of vote by party— NA; seats by party — PAN 206, PRD 127, PRI 106 PVEM 17, CD 17, PT 12, other 18 Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice or Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Nacion (justices or ministros are appointed by the president with consent of the Senate) Political parties and leaders: Con¬ vergence for Democracy or CD [Luis MALDONADO Venegas]; Institutional Revolutionary Party or PRI [Beatriz PAREDES]; Labor Party or PT [Alberto ANAYA Gutierrez]; Mexican Green Ecological Party or PVEM [Jorge Emilio GONZALEZ Martinez]; National Action Party (Partido Accion Nacional) or PAN [Manuel ESPINO Barrientos]; New Alliance Party (Partido Nueva Alianza) or PNA [Miguel Angel JIMENEZ Godinez]; Party of the Democratic Revolution (Partido de la Revolucion Democratica) or PRD [Leonel COTA Montano]; Social Democratic and Peasant Alternative Party (Partido Alternativa Social- democrata y Campesina) or Alternativa [Alberto BEGNE Guerra] Political pressure groups and leaders: Broad Progressive Front or FAP; Businessmen’s Coordinating Council or CCE; Confederation of Employers of the Mexican Republic or COPARMEX; Confederation of Industrial Chambers or CONCAMIN; Confederation of Mexican Workers or CTM; Con¬ federation of National Chambers of Commerce or CONCANACO; Coor¬ dinator for Foreign Trade Business Organizations or COECE; Federation of Unions Providing Goods and Services or FESEBES; National Chamber of Transformation Industries or CANAC- INTRA; National Peasant Confed¬ eration or CNC; National Small Business Chamber or CANACOPE; National Syndicate of Education Workers or SNTE; National Union of Workers or UNT; Popular Assembly of the People of Oaxaca or APPO; Roman Catholic Church international organization participa¬ tion: APEC, BCIE, BIS, CAN (observer), CDB, CE (observer), CSN (observer), EBRD, FAO, G-3, G-6, G- 15, G-24, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, NAFTA, NAM (observer), NEA, OAS, OECD, OPANAL, OPCW, PC A, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMOVIC, UN WTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Arturo SARUKHAN Casamitjana chancery: 1911 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: [1] (202) 728-1600 FAX: [1] (202) 728-1698 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, El Paso, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Nogales (Arizona), Omaha, Orlando, Phoenix, Sacramento, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, San Juan (Puerto Rico) consulate(s) : Albuquerque, Brownsville (Texas), Calexico (California), Del Rio (Texas), Detroit, Douglas (Arizona), Eagle Pass (Texas), Fresno (California), Indianapolis (Indiana), Kansas City (Missouri), Laredo (Texas), Las Vegas, McAllen (Texas), Midland (Texas), Oxnard (California), Philadelphia, Portland (Oregon), Presidio (Texas), Raleigh, Saint Paul (Minnesota), Salt Lake City, San Bernardino, Santa Ana (California), Seattle, Tucson, Yuma (Arizona) Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Antonio O. GARZA, Jr. embassy: Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, 06500 Mexico, Distrito Federal mailing address: P. O. Box 9000, Brownsville, TX 78520-9000 telephone: [52] (55) 5080-2000 FAX: [52] (55) 5511-9980 consulate(s) general: Ciudad Juarez, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Tijuana consulate(s) : Hermosillo, Matamoros, Merida, Nogales, Nuevo Laredo Flag description: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red; the coat of arms (an eagle perched on a cactus with a snake in its beak) is centered in the white band ECONOMY Economy — overview: Mexico has a free market economy that recently entered the trillion dollar class. It contains a mixture of modern and outmoded industry and agriculture, increasingly dominated by the private sector. Recent administrations have expanded competi¬ tion in seaports, railroads, telecommuni¬ cations, electricity generation, natural gas distribution, and airports. Per capita income is one-fourth that of the US; income distribution remains highly unequal. Trade with the US and Canada has tripled since the implementation of NAFTA in 1994. Mexico has 12 free trade agreements with over 40 countries including, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, the European Free Trade Area, and Japan, putting more than 90% of trade under free trade agreements. The new Felipe CALDERON administration that took office in December 2006 faces many of the same challenges that former President FOX tried to tackle, including the need to upgrade infrastructure, mod¬ ernize the tax system and labor laws, and allow private investment in the energy sector. CALDERON has stated that his top priorities include reducing poverty and creating jobs. The success of his eco¬ nomic agenda will depend on his ability to garner support from the opposition. GDP (purchasing power parity): $1,149 trillion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $743.5 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 4.8% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $10,700 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 3.9% industry: 25.7% services: 70.5% (2006 est.) Labor force: 38.09 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 18% industry: 24% services: 58% (2003) Unemployment rate: 3.2% plus under¬ employment of perhaps 25% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 40% (2003 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 35.6% (2002) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 54.6 (2000) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3 4% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 20% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $196.5 billion expenditures: $196.2 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 20.7% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: corn, wheat, soybeans, rice, beans, cotton, coffee, fruit, tomatoes; beef, poultry, dairy prod¬ ucts; wood products Industries: food and beverages, tobacco, chemicals, iron and steel, petroleum, 413 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK mining, textiles, clothing, motor vehi¬ cles, consumer durables, tourism Industrial production growth rate: 3.6% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 242.4 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 78.7% hydro: 14.2% nuclear: 4.2% other: 2.9% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 224 6 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 1.203 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 416 million kWh (2004) Oil — production: 3.42 million bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— consumption: 1.97 million bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: 1.863 million bbl/day (2004) Oil— imports: 205,000 bbl/day (2004) Oil— proved reserves: 12.49 billion bbl (2006 est.) Natural gas— production: 41.47 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 50.45 bil¬ lion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 9.831 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 420.5 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $400.1 mil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $248.8 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: manufactured goods, oil and oil products, silver, fruits, vegetables, coffee, cotton Exports— partners: US 85.7%, Canada 2%, Spain 1.4% (2005) Imports: $253.1 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: metalworking machines, steel mill products, agricul¬ tural machinery, electrical equipment, car parts for assembly, repair parts for motor vehicles, aircraft, and aircraft parts Imports— partners: US 53.4%, China 8%, Japan 5.9% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $85.01 billion (2006 est.) Debt— external: $178.3 billion (30 June 2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $1,166 bil¬ lion ( 1995) Currency (COde): Mexican peso (MXN) Currency code: MXN Exchange rates: Mexican pesos per US dollar— 10.899 (2006), 10.898 (2005), 11.286 (2004), 10.789 (2003), 9.656 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 19.512 million (2005) Telephones — mobile cellular: 47.462 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: low telephone density with about 18 main lines per 100 per¬ sons; privatized in December 1990; the opening to competition in January 1997 improved prospects for development, but Telmex remains dominant domestic: adequate telephone service for business and government, but the popula¬ tion is poorly served; mobile subscribers far outnumber fixed-line subscribers; domestic satellite system with 120 earth stations; extensive microwave radio relay network; considerable use of fiber-optic cable and coaxial cable international: country code — 52; satellite earth stations — 32 Intelsat, 2 Solidaridad (giving Mexico improved access to South America, Central America, and much of the US as well as enhancing domestic communications), 1 Panamsat, numerous Inmarsat mobile earth sta¬ tions; linked to Central American Microwave System of trunk connections; high capacity Columbus-2 fiber-optic submarine cable with access to the US, Virgin Islands, Canary Islands, Morocco, Spain, and Italy (2005) Radio broadcasf stafions: AM 850, FM 545, shortwave 15 (2003) Radios: 31 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 236 (plus repeaters) (1997) Televisions: 25.6 million (1997) Internet country code: mx Internet hosts: 3.427 million (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 51 (2000) Internet users: 18.622 million (2005) - TRANSPORTATION Airports: 1,839 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 228 over 3,047 m: 12 2,438 to 3,047 m: 28 1,524 to 2,437 m: 82 914 to 1,523 m: 77 under 914 m: 29 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 1,611 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 68 914 to 1,523 m: 460 under 914 m: 1,081 (2006) Heliports: 1 (2006) Pipelines: gas 22,705 km; liquid petro¬ leum gas 1,875 km; oil 8,688 km; oil/gas/water 228 km; refined products 6,520 km (2006) Railways: total: 17,562 km standard gauge: 17,562 km 1.435-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 235,670 km paved: 116,751 km (includes 6,144 km of expressways) unpaved: 118,919 km (2004) Waterways: 2,900 km (navigable rivers and coastal canals) (2005) Merchant marine: total: 56 ships (1000 CRT or over) 751,607 GRT/1,129,234 DWT by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 6, chemical tanker 6, liquefied gas 4, passenger/cargo 9, petroleum tanker 25, roll on/roll off 4 foreign- owned: 5 (Denmark 2, France 1, Norway 1, UAE 1) registered in other countries: 15 (Belize 1, Flonduras 1, Liberia 1, Panama 5, Portugal 1, Spain 3, Venezuela 3) (2006) Ports and terminals: Altamira, Man¬ zanillo, Morro Redondo, Salina Cruz, Tampico, Topolobampo, Veracruz MILITARY Military branches: Secretariat of National Defense (Secretaria de Defensa Nacional, Sedena): Army (Ejercito), Mexican Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Mexicana, FAM); Secretariat of the Navy (Secretaria de Marina, Semar): Mexican Navy (Armada de Mexico, ARM, includes Naval Air Force (FAN) and Marines) (2007) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript service obligation — 12 months; 16 years of age with consent for voluntary enlistment; conscripts serve only in the Army; Navy and Air Force service is all voluntary (2007) Manpower available for military service: males age f 8 — 49 : 24,488,008 females age 18-49: 26,128,046 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 1 8 — 49 : 19,058,337 females age 18^-9: 21,966,796 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 1,063,233 females age 18-49: 1,043,816 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 0.5% (2006 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: abundant rainfall in recent years along much of the Mexico-US border region has amelio¬ rated periodically strained water-sharing arrangements; the US has intensified 414 MICRONESIA, FEDERATED STATES OF security measures to monitor and control legal and illegal personnel, transport, and commodities across its border with Mexico; Mexico must deal with thou¬ sands of impoverished Guatemalans and other Central Americans who cross the porous border looking for work in Mexico and the United States Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: IDPs: 10,000— 1 2,000 (govern¬ ment’s quashing of Zapatista uprising in 1994 in eastern Chiapas Region) (2006) Trafficking in persons: current situation: Mexico is a source, transit, and destina¬ tion country for persons trafficked for sexual exploitation and labor; while the vast majority of victims are Central Americans trafficked along Mexico’s southern border, other source regions include South America, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe, Africa, and Asia; women and children are trafficked from rural regions to urban centers and tourist areas for sexual exploitation, often through fraudulent offers of employment or through threats of physical violence; the Mexican trafficking problem is often conflated with alien smuggling, and fre¬ quently the same criminal networks are involved; pervasive corruption among state and local law enforcement often impedes investigations tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Mexico remains on the Tier 2 Watch List for the third consecutive year based on future commitments to undertake additional efforts in prosecution, protection, and prevention of trafficking in persons, and the failure of the government to provide critical law enforcement data Illicit drugs: major drug-producing nation; cultivation of opium poppy in 2005 amounted to 3,300 hectares yielding a potential production of 8 metric tons of pure heroin, or 17 metric tons of “black tar” heroin, the dominant form of Mexican heroin in the western United States; marijuana cultivation decreased 3% to 5,600 hectares in 2005 — just two years after a decade-high cultivation peak in 2003 — and yielded a potential production of 10,100 metric tons; government conducts the largest independent illicit-crop eradication pro¬ gram in the world; continues as the pri¬ mary transshipment country for US-bound cocaine from South America, with an estimated 90% of annual cocaine movements towards the US stopping in Mexico; major drug syndicates control majority of drug trafficking throughout the country; producer and distributor of ecstasy; significant money-laundering center; major supplier of heroin and largest foreign supplier of marijuana and methamphetamine to the US market MICRONESIA, FEDERATED STATES OF INTRODUCTION Background: In 1979 the Federated States of Micronesia, a UN Trust Territory under US administration, adopted a constitution. In 1986 inde¬ pendence was attained under a Compact of Free Association with the US, which was amended and renewed in 2004. Present concerns include large-scale unemployment, overfishing, and overde¬ pendence on US aid. GEOGRAPHY Location: Oceania, island group in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quar¬ ters of the way from Hawaii to Indonesia Geographic coordinates: 6 55 N, 158 15 E Map references: Oceania Area: total: 702 sq km land: 702 sq km water: 0 sq km (fresh water only) note: includes Pohnpei (Ponape), Chuuk (Truk) Islands, Yap Islands, and Kosrae (Kosaie) Area — comparative: four times the size of Washington, DC (land area only) Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 6,112 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical; heavy year-round rainfall, especially in the eastern islands; located on southern edge of the typhoon belt with occasionally severe damage Terrain: islands vary geologically from high mountainous islands to low, coral atolls; volcanic outcroppings on Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Chuuk Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Dolohmwar (Totolom) 791 m Natural resources: forests, marine prod¬ ucts, deep-seabed minerals, phosphate Land use: arable land: 5.71% permanent crops : 45.71% other: 48.58% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: typhoons (June to December) Environment — current issues : over¬ fishing, climate change, pollution Environment — international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: four major island groups totaling 607 islands PEOPLE Population: 107,862 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 35.9% (male 19,726/female 19,011) 15-64 years: 61.2% (male 32,891/female 33,071) 65 years and over: 2.9% (male 1,379/ female 1,784) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 21.2 years male: 20.8 years female: 21.7 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: -0.154% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 24.14 births/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 4-66 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -21.02 migrants )/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: NA (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 28.15 deaths/1,000 live births male: 31.08 deaths/1,000 live births female: 25.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.35 years male: 68.52 years female: 72.28 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 3.07 children born/woman (2007 est.) 415 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS — people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS — deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Micronesian(s) adjective: Micronesian; Chuukese, Kosraen(s), Pohnpeian(s), Yapese Ethnic groups: Chuukese 48.8%, Pohnpeian 24-2%, Kosraean 6.2%, Yapese 5.2%, Yap outer islands 4-5%, Asian 1.8%, Polynesian 1.5%, other 6.4%, unknown 1.4% (2000 census) Religions: Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 47%, other 3% Languages: English (official and common language), Trukese, Pohnpeian, Yapese, Kosrean, Ulithian, Woleaian, Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 89% male: 91% female: 88% (1980 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Federated States of Micronesia conventional short form: none local long form: Federated States of Micronesia local short form: none former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Ponape, Truk, and Yap Districts abbreviation: FSM Government type: constitutional gov¬ ernment in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 3 November 1986 and the Amended Compact entered into force May 2004 Capital: name: Palikir geographic coordinates: 655N, 158 08 E time difference: UTC+1 1 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 4 states; Chuuk (Truk), Kosrae (Kosaie), Pohnpei (Ponape), Yap Independence: 3 November 1986 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship) National holiday: Constitution Day, 10 May (1979) Constitution: 10 May 1979 Legal system: based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Emmanuel MORI (since 11 May 2007); Vice President Alik F. AFIK (11 May 2007) note— the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Emmanuel MORI (since 11 May 2007); Vice President Alik F. AFIK (11 May 2007) cabinet: Cabinet includes the vice presi¬ dent and the heads of the eight executive departments elections: president and vice president elected by Congress from among the four senators at large for a four-year term (eli¬ gible for a second term); election last held 11 May 2007 (next to be held May 2011); note — a proposed constitutional amendment to establish popular elec¬ tions for president and vice president failed election results: Emmanuel MORI elected president; percent of Congress vote — NA; Alik F. AFIK elected vice presi¬ dent; percent of Congress vote — NA Legislative branch: unicameral Congress (14 seats; 4 — one elected from each state to serve four-year terms and 10 — elected from single-member dis¬ tricts delineated by population to serve two-year terms; members elected by pop¬ ular vote) elections: last held 6 March 2007 (next to be held in March 2009) election results: percent of vote — NA%; seats — independents 14 Judicial branch: Supreme Court Political parties and leaders: no formal parties International organization participa¬ tion: ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO, WMO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jesse Bibiano MAREHAFAU chancery: 1725 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 223-4383 FAX: [1] (202) 223-4391 consulate(s) general: Honolulu, Tamuning (Guam) Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Suzanne K. HAFE embassy: 101 Upper Pics Road, Kolonia mailing address : P. O. Box 1286, Kolonia, Pohnpei, 96941 telephone: [691] 320-2187 FAX: [691] 320-2186 Flag description: light blue with four white five-pointed stars centered; the stars are arranged in a diamond pattern Economy — overview: Economic activity consists primarily of subsistence farming and fishing. The islands have few min¬ eral deposits worth exploiting, except for high-grade phosphate. The potential for a tourist industry exists, but the remote location, a lack of adequate facilities, and limited air connections hinder develop¬ ment. The Amended Compact of Free Association with the US guarantees the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) millions of dollars in annual aid through 2023, and establishes a Trust Fund into which the US and the FSM make annual contributions in order to provide annual payouts to the FSM in perpetuity after 2023. The country’s medium-term eco¬ nomic outlook appears fragile due not only to the reduction in US assistance but also to the current slow growth of the private sector. GDP (purchasing power parity): $277 million; note — supplemented by grant aid, averaging perhaps $100 million annually (2002 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $232 mil¬ lion (2005) GDP— real growth rate: 0.3% (2005 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $2,300 (2005 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 28.9% industry: 15.2% services: 55.9% (2004 est.) Labor force: 37,410 (2000) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture 0.9%, industry 34-4%, serv¬ ices 64.7% note: two-thirds are government employees (FY05 est.) Unemployment rate: 22% (2000 est.) Population below poverty line: 26.7% (2000) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.2% (2005) Budget: revenues: $127.3 million ($69 million less grants) expenditures: $144-2 million; including capital expenditures of $17.9 million (FY05 est.) Agriculture— products: black pepper, tropical fruits and vegetables, coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca), sakau (kava), betel nuts, sweet potatoes; pigs, chickens; fish Industries: tourism, construction; fish processing, specialized aquaculture; craft items from shell, wood, and pearls Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity— production: 192 million kWh (2002) 416 MOLDOVA Electricity— production by source- NA Electricity— consumption: 178.6 mil¬ lion kWh (2002) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2002) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2002) Current account balance: $34.3 million (FY05 est.) Exports: $14 million (f.o.b.) (2004 est.) Exports— commodities: fish, garments, bananas, black pepper, sakau (kava), betel nut Exports— partners: Japan, US, Guam (2004) Imports: $132.7 million f.o.b. (2004) Imports— commodities: food, manufac¬ tured goods, machinery and equipment, beverages Imports— partners: US, Japan, Hong Kong (2004) Debt— external: $60.8 million (FY05 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $86.3 million note: under terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US pledged $1.3 billion in grant aid during the period 1986-2001; the level of aid has been sub¬ sequently reduced (2004) Currency (code): US dollar (USD) Currency code: USD Exchange rates: the US dollar is used Fiscal year: 1 October — 30 September COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 12,400 (2005) Telephones — mobile cellular: 14,100 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: adequate system domestic: islands interconnected by short¬ wave radiotelephone (used mostly for gov¬ ernment purposes), satellite (Intelsat) ground stations, and some coaxial and fiber¬ optic cable; cellular service available on Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap international: country code — 691; satel¬ lite earth stations — 5 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2002) Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004) Radios: 9,400 (1996) Television broadcast stations: 3 (cable TV also available) (2004) Televisions: 2,800 (1999) Internet country code: .fm Internet hosts: 550 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): l (2000) Internet users: 14,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 6 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006) Roadways: total: 240 km paved: 42 km unpaved: 198 km (1999) Merchant marine: total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,423 GRT/1,551 DWT by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1 (2006) Ports and terminals: Tomil Harbor MILITARY Military branches: no ministry of defense and no standing armed forces; the paramilitary Maritime Wing, a small maritime law enforcement unit, is responsible to the Division of Maritime Surveillance within the Office of the Attorney General (2003) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 23,816 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 18,914 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49.- 1,305 (2005 est.) Military — note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of the US TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international : none Illicit drugs: major consumer of cannabis MOLDOVA INTRODUCTION Background: Formerly part of Romania, Moldova was incorporated into the Soviet Union at the close of World War II. Although independent from the USSR since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan territory east of the Dniester River supporting the Slavic majority population, mostly Ukrainians and Russians, who have proclaimed a “Transnistria” republic. The poorest nation in Europe, Moldova became the first former Soviet state to elect a Communist as its president in 2001. GEOGRAPHY Location: Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania Geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 29 00 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 33,843 sq km land: 33,371 sq km water: 472 sq km Area — comparative: slightly larger than Maryland Land boundaries: total: 1,389 km border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 939 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime Claims: none (landlocked) Climate: moderate winters, warm summers Terrain: rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea Elevation extremes: lowest point: Dniester River 2 m highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m Natural resources: lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone Land use: arable land: 54-52% permanent crops : 8.81% other: 36.67% (2005) Irrigated land: 3,000 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: landslides (57 cases in 1998) Environment — current issues: heavy use of agricultural chemicals, including banned pesticides such as DDT, has con¬ taminated soil and groundwater; exten¬ sive soil erosion from poor farming methods Environment — international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution- Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks and minerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone PEOPLE Population: 4,320,490 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 16.5% (male 365,733/female 347,305) 15-64 years: 72.6% (male 1,520,094/ female 1,616,014) 65 years and over: 10.9% (male 175,113/ female 296,231) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 34 years male: 32.1 years female: 36.1 years (2007 est.) 417 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK UKRAINE OesU Oul CHISINAU. UKRAINE ROMANIA mouths ; o! Ift« thtnubu Black Sea Population growth rate: 0.11% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 10.88 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 10.85 deaths/1,000 popula- tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 4.13 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.053 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.941 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.591 male (s)/fe male total population: 0.912 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 13.88 deaths/1,000 live births male: 15.35 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.2 years male: 66.51 years female: 74-11 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.25 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS — people living with HIV/ AIDS: 5,500 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS — deaths: less than 300 (2001 est.) Nationality: noun: Moldovan(s) adjective: Moldovan Ethnic groups: Moldovan/Romanian 78.2%, Ukrainian 8.4%, Russian 5.8%, Gagauz 4-4%, Bulgarian 1.9%, other 1.3% (2004 census) note: internal disputes with ethnic Slavs in the Transnistrian region Religions: Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5% (2000) Languages: Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian language), Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.1% male: 99.7% female: 98.6% (2005 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Moldova conventional short form: Moldova local long form: Republica Moldova local short form: Moldova former: Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic; Moldovan Soviet Socialist Republic Government type: republic Capital: name: Chisinau (Kishinev) geographic coordinates: 47 00N,2850E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 32 raions (raioane, singular— raionul), 3 munici- palities (municipiul), 1 autonomous ter¬ ritorial unit (unitatea teritoriala autonoma), and 1 territorial unit (uni- tatea teritoriala) raions: Anenii Noi, Basarabeasca, Bri- ceni, Cahul, Cantemir, Calarasi, Causeni, Cimislia, Criuleni, Donduseni, Drochia, Dubasari, Edinet, Falesti, Floresti, Glodeni, Hincesti, Ialoveni, Leova, Nisporeni, Ocnita, Orhei, Rezina, Riscani, Singerei, Soldanesti, Soroca, Stefan- Voda, Straseni, Taraclia, Telenesti, Ungheni municipalities: Balti, Bender, Chisinau autonomous territorial unit: Gagauzia territorial unit: Stinga Nistrului Independence: 27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union) National holiday: Independence Day, 27 August (1991) Constitution: new constitution adopted 29 July 1994, effective 27 August 1994; replaced old Soviet constitution of 1979 Legal system: based on civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews legality of legislative acts and governmental deci¬ sions of resolution; accepts many UN and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) documents Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Vladimir VORONIN (since 4 April 2001) head of government: Prime Minister Vasile TARLEV (since 15 April 2001); First Deputy Prime Minister Zinaida GRE- CIANII (since 10 October 2005) cabinet: Cabinet selected by president, subject to approval of Parliament elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 4 April 2005 (next to be held in 2009); note — prime minister designated by the president upon consultation with Parliament; within 15 days from designation, the prime minister-designate must request a vote of confidence from the Parliament regarding his/her work program and entire cabinet; prime minister designated 15 April 2001; cabinet received a vote of confidence 19 April 2001 election results: Vladimir VORONIN reelected president; parliamentary votes— Vladimir VORONIN 75, Gheorghe DUCA 1; Vasile TARLEV designated prime minister; parliamentary votes of confidence — 75 of 101 Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Parlamentul (101 seats; parties and electoral blocs elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 6 March 2005 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote by party — PCRM 46.1%, Democratic Moldova Bloc 28.4%, PPCD 9.1%, other parties 16.4%; seats by party — PCRM 56, Democratic Moldova Bloc 34, PPCD 1 1 Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (the sole authority for constitutional judicature) Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic People’s Party or PPCD [Iurie ROSC A]; Communist Party of the Republic of Moldova or PCRM [Vladimir VORONIN]; Democratic Party or PD [Dumitru DIACOV]; National Liberal Party or NLP [Vitalia PAVLICENKO]; Our Moldova Alliance or AMN [Serafim URECHEAN]; Party for Social Democracy or PSD [Dumitru BRAGHIS]; Social Liberal Party or PSL [Oleg SEREBRIAN] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: ACCT, BSEC, CE, CEI, CIS, EAEC (observer), EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, 418 MOLDOVA IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UN WTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPoi WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Nicolae CHIRTOACA chancery: 2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 667-1130 FAX: [1] (202) 667-1204 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael D. KIRBY embassy: 103 Mateevici Street, Chisinau MD-2009 mailing address : use embassy street address telephone: [373] (22) 40-8300 FAX: [373] (22) 23-3044 Flag description: same color scheme as Romania — three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; emblem in center of flag is of a Roman eagle of gold outlined in black with a red beak and talons carrying a yellow cross in its beak and a green olive branch in its right talons and a yellow scepter in its left talons; on its breast is a shield divided horizontally red over blue with a stylized ox head, star, rose, and crescent all in black-outlined yellow ECONOMY Economy — overview: Moldova remains one of the poorest countries in Europe despite recent progress from its small economic base. It enjoys a favorable cli¬ mate and good farmland but has no major mineral deposits. As a result, the economy depends heavily on agriculture, featuring fruits, vegetables, wine, and tobacco. Moldova must import almost all of its energy supplies. Moldova’s depend¬ ence on Russian energy was underscored at the end of 2005, when a Russian- owned electrical station in Moldova’s separatist Transnistria region cut off power to Moldova and Russia’s Gazprom cut off natural gas to Moldova in disputes over pricing. The economy achieved 6% or more GDP growth every year from 2000-05, though this was based largely on consumption fueled by remittances received from Moldovans working abroad. Russia’s decision to ban Moldovan wine and agricultural prod¬ ucts, coupled with its decision to double the price Moldova paid for Russian nat¬ ural gas, slowed GDP growth in 2006 and greatly exacerbated Moldova’s economic troubles. Economic reforms have been slow because of corruption and strong political forces backing government con¬ trols; nevertheless, the government’s pri¬ mary goal of EU integration has resulted in some market-oriented progress. The economy remains vulnerable to higher fuel prices, poor agricultural weather, and the skepticism of foreign investors. Also, the presence of an illegal separatist regime in Moldova’s Transnistria region continues to be a drag on the Moldovan economy. GDP (purchasing power parity): $9.07 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $2,574 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 4% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $2,000 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 21.5% industry: 22% services: 56.5% (2006 est.) Labor force: 1.339 million (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 40.7% industry: 12.1% services: 47.2% (2005 est.) Unemployment rate: 7.3%; note— roughly 25% of working age Moldovans are employed abroad (2005 est.) Population below poverty line: 29.5% (2005) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 26.4% (2003) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 33.2 (2003) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 14.1% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 24.8% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $1,318 billion expenditures: $1,335 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 84.5% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: vegetables, fruits, wine, grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, tobacco; beef, milk Industries: sugar, vegetable oil, food pro¬ cessing, agricultural machinery; foundry equipment, refrigerators and freezers, washing machines; hosiery, shoes, textiles Industrial production growth rate: 6.9% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 1.229 billion kWh (2005) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 90.6% hydro: 9.4% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 4.203 billion kWh (2005) Electricity — exports: 130 million kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 2.9 billion kWh (2005) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 14,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 2.17 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 2.17 billion cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $561 million (2006 est.) Exports: $1.02 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: foodstuffs, tex¬ tiles, machinery Exports— partners: Russia 32.9%, Italy 12.7%, Romania 10.6%, Ukraine 9.5%, Belarus 6.7%, Germany 4.5% (2005) Imports: $2.65 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: mineral prod¬ ucts and fuel, machinery and equipment, chemicals, textiles Imports — partners: Ukraine 20.9%, Russia 11.7%, Romania 11.2%, Germany 8.3%, Italy 6.6%, Turkey 4.1% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $680 million (2006 est.) Debt — external: $2,142 billion (30 June 2006 est.) Economic aid — recipient: $6,376 bil¬ lion (2003) Currency (code): Moldovan leu (MDL) Currency code: MDL Exchange rates: lei per US dollar— 13.131 (2006), 12.6 (2005), 12.33 (2004), 13.945 (2003), 13.571 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 929,400 (2005) Telephones — mobile cellular: 1.09 mil¬ lion (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: inadequate, out¬ moded, poor service outside Chisinau; some modernization is under way domestic: depending on location, new subscribers may face long wait for service; 2 private operators of GSM mobile cellular telephone service are operating; GPRS system is being intro¬ duced; license for 1 CDMA mobile tele¬ phone network currently being tendered international: country code — 373; service through Romania and Russia via land- line; satellite earth stations — Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik (2006) Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 29, shortwave NA (2006) 419 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Radios: 3.22 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 40 (2006) Televisions: 1.26 million (1997) Internet country code: md Internet hosts: 58,886 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (1999) Internet users: 406,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 12 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 6 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2006) Pipelines: gas 606 km (2006) Railways: total: 1,138 km broad gauge: 1,124 km 1.520-m gauge standard gauge: 14 km 1.43 5 -m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 12,733 km paved: 10,976 km unpaved: 1,757 km (2004) Waterways: 424 km (on Dniester River) (2005) Merchant marine: total: 7 ships (1000 GRT or over) 13,831 CRT/ 15,003 DWT by type: cargo 7 foreign' owned: 3 (Ukraine 3) (2006) MILITARY Military branches: National Army: Ground Forces, Rapid Reaction Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces (2006) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; national service obligation — 12 months (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 1,066,459 females age 18-49: 1,117,070 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 693,913 females age 18—49: 911,568 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18—49: 43,729 females age 1 8 — 49: 42,354 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 0.4% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES 1 Disputes — international: Moldova and Ukraine operate joint customs posts to monitor the transit of people and com' modities through Moldova’s break-away Transnistria region, which remains under OSCE supervision Illicit drugs: limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for CIS consumption; transshipment point for illicit drugs from Southwest Asia via Central Asia to Russia, Western Europe, and possibly the US; widespread crime and underground economic activity MONACO Background: The Genoese built a fortress on the site of present-day Monaco in 1215. The current ruling Grimaldi family secured control in the late 13th century, and a principality was established in 1338. Economic develop¬ ment was spurred in the late 19th cen¬ tury with a railroad linkup to France and the opening of a casino. Since then, the principality’s mild climate, splendid scenery, and gambling facilities have made Monaco world famous as a tourist and recreation center. GEOGRAPHY Location: Western Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea on the southern coast of France, near the border with Italy Geographic coordinates: 43 44 N, 7 24 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 1.95 sq km land: 1.95 sq km water: 0 sq km Area— comparative: about three times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Land boundaries: total: 4-4 km border countries: France 4-4 km Coastline: 4.1 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm Climate: Mediterranean with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers Terrain: hilly, rugged, rocky Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Mont Agel 140 m Natural resources: none Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (urban area) (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: NA Environment — current issues: NA Environment— international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution- Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Cli¬ mate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography- — note: second-smallest independent state in the world (after Holy See); almost entirely urban PEOPLE Population: 32,671 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 15% (male 2,514/female 2,394) 15-64 years: 62.3% (male 10,047/female 10,312) 65 years and over: 22.7% (male 3,019/ female 4,385) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 45.5 years male: 43.4 years female: 47.4 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.386% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 9.12 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 12.92 deaths/ 1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 7.65 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0. 974 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.688 male(s)/female total population: 0.912 male(s)/female (2007 est.) 420 MONACO Infant mortality rate: total: 5.27 deaths/1,000 live births male: 6.09 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4-4 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 79.82 years male: 75.99 years female: 83.85 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.75 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS — deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Monegasque(s) or Monacan(s) adjective: Monegasque or Monacan Ethnic groups: French 47%, Mone¬ gasque 16%, Italian 16%, other 21% Religions: Roman Catholic 90%, other 10% Languages: French (official), English, Italian, Monegasque Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Principality of Monaco conventional short form: Monaco local long form: Principaute de Monaco local short form: Monaco Government type: constitutional monarchy Capital: name: Monaco geographic coordinates: 43 44 N, 7 25 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: + 1 hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: none; there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are four quarters (quartiers, singular — quartier); Fontvieille, La Condamine, Monaco-Ville, Monte-Carlo Independence: 1419 (beginning of rule by the blouse of Grimaldi) National holiday: National Day (Saint Rainier’s Day), 19 November (1857) Constitution: 17 December 1962 Legal system: based on French law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Prince ALBERT II (since 6 April 2005) head of government: Minister of State Jean-Paul PROUST (since 1 June 2005) cabinet: Council of Government is under the authority of the monarch elections: none; the monarchy is heredi¬ tary; minister of state appointed by the monarch from a list of three French national candidates presented by the French Government Legislative branch: unicameral National Council or Conseil National (24 seats; 16 members elected by list majority system, 8 by proportional repre¬ sentation; to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 9 February 2003 (next to be held February 2008) election results: percent of vote by party — NA%; seats by party — UN AM 21, UND 3 Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Tribunal Supreme (judges appointed by the monarch on the basis of nominations by the National Council) Political parties and leaders: National and Democratic Union or UND [Guy MAGNAN]; Union for Monaco or UPM (including National Union for the Future of Monaco or UN AM) Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: ACCT, CE, FAO, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UN WTO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador to the US and UN Gilles NOGHES chancery: 565 Fifth Avenue, 3rd floor, New York, NY 10017 telephone: (212) 286-0500 FAX: (212) 286-1574 Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Monaco; the US Ambassador to France is accredited to Monaco; the US Consul General in Marseille (France), under the authority of the US ambassador to France, handles routine diplomatic and consular matters concerning Monaco Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar to the flag of Indonesia which is longer and the flag of Poland which is white (top) and red ECONOMY Economy — overview: Monaco, bor¬ dering France on the Mediterranean coast, is a popular resort, attracting tourists to its casino and pleasant cli¬ mate. In 2001, a major construction project extended the pier used by cruise ships in the main harbor. The principality has successfully sought to diversify into services and small, high-value-added, non- polluting industries. The state has no income tax and low business taxes and thrives as a tax haven both for individuals who have established residence and for foreign companies that have set up busi¬ nesses and offices. Fhe state retains monopolies in a number of sectors, including tobacco, the telephone network, and the postal service. Living standards are high, roughly comparable to those in pros¬ perous French metropolitan areas. GDP (purchasing power parity): $976.3 million note: Monaco does not publish national income figures; the estimates are extremely rough (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): NA GDP— real growth rate: 0.9% (2000 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $30,000 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 0% industry: 4-9% services: 95.1% (2005) Labor force: 44,000 note: includes workers from all foreign countries (2005 est.) Unemployment rate: 0% (2005) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.9% (2000) Budget: revenues: $863 million expenditures: $920.6 million; including capital expenditures of $305 million (2005 est.) Agriculture — products: none Industries: tourism, construction, small- scale industrial and consumer products Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity — consumption: NA kWh Electricity— imports: NA kWh, note- electricity supplied by France Exports: $716 .3 million note: full customs integration with France, which collects and rebates Monegasque trade duties; also partici¬ pates in EU market system through cus¬ toms union with France (2005) Imports: $916.1 million note: full customs integration with France, which collects and rebates Monegasque trade duties; also partici¬ pates in EU market system through cus¬ toms union with France (2005) Debt — external: $18 billion (2000 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $NA 421 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Currency (code): euro (EUR) Currency code: EUR Exchange rates: euros per US dollar— 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 33,700 (2002) Telephones— mobile cellular: 19,300 (2002) Telephone system: general assessment: modem automatic telephone system domestic: NA international: country code- — 377; no sateh lite earth stations; connected by cable into the French communications system Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM NA, shortwave 8 (1998) Radios: 34,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 5 (1998) Televisions: 25,000 (1997) Internet country code: me Internet hosts: 12,720 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000) Internet users: 16,000 (2002) TRANSPORTATION Heliports: l (2006) Roadways: total: 50 km paved: 50 km (1999) Merchant marine: registered in other countries: 77 (Bahamas 17, Barbados 1, Bermuda 2, France 1, Georgia 13, Isle of Man 3, Fiberia 10, Malta 1, Marshall Islands 8, Norway 4, Panama 9, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4, Swit- zerland 2, unknown 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Monaco MILITARY Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 6,256 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 4,971 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-4 9: 148 (2005 est.) Military — note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of France; the Palace Guard per¬ forms ceremonial duties (2003) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES , . - ■ >*; . ^ "7- • i Disputes— international: none MONGOLIA : taySSnexMi Ulsangoi Dartian Choyfcafean ULAANBAATAR Bayanhoogoi Saynstand paisndzadgsd INTRODUCTION Background: The Mongols gained fame in the 13 th century when under Chinggis KHAN they conquered a huge Eurasian empire. After his death the empire was divided into several powerful Mongol states, but these broke apart in the 14th century. The Mongols eventually retired to their original steppe homelands and later came under Chinese rule. Mongolia won its independence in 1921 with Soviet backing. A Communist regime was installed in 1924. The ex-Communist Mongolian People’s Revolutionary Party (MPRP) won elections in 1990 and 1992, but was defeated by the Democratic Union Coalition (DUC) in the 1996 par¬ liamentary election. Since then, parlia¬ mentary elections returned the MPRP overwhelmingly to power in 2000 and produced a coalition government in 2004. GEOGRAPHY Location: Northern Asia, between China and Russia Geographic coordinates: 46 00 N, 105 00 E Map references: Asia Area: total: 1,564,116 sq km Area— comparative: slightly smaller than Alaska Land boundaries: total: 8,220 km border countries: China 4,677 km, Russia 3,543 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime Claims: none (landlocked) Climate: desert; continental (large daily and seasonal temperature ranges) Terrain: vast semidesert and desert plains, grassy steppe, mountains in west and southwest; Gobi Desert in south-central Elevation extremes: lowest point: Hoh Nuur 518 m highest point: Nayramadlin Orgil (Huyten Orgil) 4,374 m Natural resources: oil, coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates, tin, nickel, zinc, fluorspar, gold, silver, iron Land use: arable land: 0.76% permanent crops: 0% other: 99.24% (2005) Irrigated land: 840 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: dust storms, grassland and forest fires, drought, and “zud,” which is harsh winter conditions Environment — current issues: limited natural fresh water resources in some areas; the policies of former Communist regimes promoted rapid urbanization and indus¬ trial growth that had negative effects on the environment; the burning of soft coal in power plants and the lack of enforce¬ ment of environmental laws severely pol¬ luted the air in Ulaanbaatar; deforestation, overgrazing, and the converting of virgin land to agricultural production increased soil erosion from wind and rain; desertifi¬ cation and mining activities had a delete¬ rious effect on the environment Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desert¬ ification, Endangered Species, Envi¬ ronmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: landlocked; strategic location between China and Russia PEOPLE : 'c . Population: 2,951,786 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0—14 years: 28.7% (male 432,309/female 415,382) 15-64 years: 67.4% (male 994,186/ female 995,986) 422 MONGOLIA 65 years and over: 3.9% (male 49,517/ female 64,406) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 24-6 years male: 24.2 years female: 24.9 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.486% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 21.07 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 6.21 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.041 male(s)/female 15—64 years: 0.998 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0. 769 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 42.65 deaths/1,000 live births male: 45.86 deaths/1,000 live births female: 39.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 66.99 years male: 64-61 years female: 69.48 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.25 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: less than 500 (2003 est) HIV/AIDS — deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Mongolian(s) adjective: Mongolian Ethnic groups: Mongol (mostly Khalkha) 94.9%, Turkic (mostly Kazakh) 5%, other (including Chinese and Russian) 0.1% (2000) Religions: Buddhist Lamaist 50%, Shamanist and Christian 6%, Muslim 4%, none 40% (2004) Languages: Khalkha Mongol 90%, Turkic, Russian (1999) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.8% male: 98% female: 97.5% (2000 census) ^GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Mongolia local long form: none local short form: Mongol Uls former: Outer Mongolia Government type: mixed parliamen- tary/presidential Capital: name: Ulaanbaatar geographic coordinates: 47 55 N, 106 53 E time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins last Saturday in March; ends last Saturday in September Administrative divisions: 21 provinces (aymguud, singular — aymag) and 1 municipality* (singular — hot); Arhan- gay, Bayanhongor, Bayan-Olgiy, Bulgan, Darhan-Uul, Dornod, Dornogovi, Dund- govi, Dzavhan, Govi-Altay, Govisumber, Hentiy, Hovd, Hovsgol, Omnogovi, Orhon, Ovorhangay, Selenge, Suh- baatar, Tov, Ulaanbaatar*, Uvs Independence: 11 July 1921 (from China) National holiday: Independence Day/ Revolution Day, 11 July (1921) Constitution: 12 February 1992 Legal system: blend of Soviet, German, and US systems that combine “conti¬ nental” or “civil” code and case-prece¬ dent; constitution ambiguous on judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR (since 24 June 2005) head of government: Prime Minister Miegombyn ENKHBOLD (since 25 January 2006); Deputy Prime Minister Mendsaikhan ENKHSAIKHAN (since 28 January 2006) cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the prime minister in consultation with the presi¬ dent and confirmed by the State Great Hural (parliament) elections: presidential candidates nomi¬ nated by political parties represented in State Great Hural and elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 22 May 2005 (next to be held in May 2009); fol¬ lowing legislative elections, leader of majority party or majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by State Great Hural election results: Nambaryn ENKH- BAYAR elected president; percent of vote— Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR 53.44%, Mendsaikhanin ENKHSAIKHAN 20.05%, Bazarsadyn JARGALSA1KHAN 13.92%, Badarchyn ERDENEBAT 12.59%; Mie¬ gombyn ENKHBOLD elected prime min¬ ister by the State Great Hural 56 to 10 Legislative branch: unicameral State Great Hural 76 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms elections: last held 27 June 2004 (next to be held in June 2008) election results: percent of vote by party — MPRP 48.8%, MDC 44.8%, independ¬ ents 3.5%, Republican Party 1.5%, others 1.4%; seats by party— MPRP 36, ^®C 34, others 4; note — 2 seats dis¬ puted and unfilled; following June 2004 election MDC collapsed Judicial branch: Supreme Court (serves as appeals court for people’s and provin¬ cial courts but rarely overturns verdicts of lower courts; judges are nominated by the General Council of Courts and approved by the president) Political parties and leaders: Citizens’ Will Republican Party or CWRP [Sanjaasurengiin OYUN] (also called Civil Courage Republican Party or CCRP); Democratic Party or DP [Tsakhiagiyn ELBEGDORJj; Mother- land-Mongolian New Socialist Demo¬ cratic Party or M-MNSDP [Badarchyn ERDENEBAT]; Mongolian People’s Revolutionary Party or MPRP [Mie¬ gombyn ENKHBOLD]; Mongolian Republican Party or MRP [Bazarsadyn JARGALSAIKHAN]; People’s Party or PP [Lamjav GUN DALAI] note: DP and M-MNSDP formed Motherland-Democracy Coalition (MDC) in 2003 and with CWRP con¬ tested June 2004 elections as single party; MDC’s leadership dissolved coali¬ tion in December 2004 Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: ARF, AsDB, CP, EBRD, FAO, G- 77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, OSCE (partner), SCO (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ravdan BOLD chancery: 2833 M Street NW, Washing¬ ton, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 333-7117 FAX: [1] (202) 298-9227 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mark C. MINTON embassy: Big Ring Road, 11th Micro Region, Ulaanbaatar mailing address: PSC 461, Box 300, FPO AP 96521-0002; P.O. Box 1021, Ulaanbaatar- 13 telephone: [976] (11) 329095 FAX: [976] (11) 320776 Flag description: three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), blue, and red; 423 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK centered on the hoist-side red band in yellow is the national emblem (“soy- ombo” — a columnar arrangement of abstract and geometric representation for fire, sun, moon, earth, water, and the yin-yang symbol) ECONOMY Economy — ovorview: Economic activity in Mongolia has traditionally been based on herding and agriculture. Mongolia has extensive mineral deposits. Copper, coal, molybdenum, tin, tungsten and gold account for a large part of industrial production. Soviet assistance, at its height one-third of GDP, disappeared almost overnight in 1990 and 1991 at the time of the dismantlement of the USSR. The following decade saw Mongolia endure both deep recession due to political inaction and natural dis¬ asters, as well as economic growth because of reform-embracing, free- market economics and extensive privati¬ zation of the formerly state-run economy. Severe winters and summer droughts in 2000-02 resulted in massive livestock die-off and zero or negative GDP growth. This was compounded by falling prices for Mongolia’s primary sector exports and widespread opposition to privatization. Growth was 10.6% in 2004, 5.5% in 2005, and 7.5% in 2006, largely because of high copper prices and new gold pro¬ duction. Mongolia’s economy continues to be heavily influenced by its neighbors. For example, Mongolia purchases 80% of its petroleum products and a substantial amount of electric power from Russia, leaving it vulnerable to price increases. China is Mongolia’s chief export partner and a main source of the “shadow” or “grey” economy. The World Bank and other international financial institutions estimate the grey economy to be at least equal to that of the official economy, but the former’s actual size is difficult to cal¬ culate since the money does not pass through the hands of tax authorities or the banking sector. Remittances from Mongolians working abroad both legally and illegally are sizable, and money laun¬ dering is a growing concern. Mongolia settled its $11 billion debt with Russia at the end of 2003 on favorable terms. Mongolia, which joined the World Trade Organization in 1997, seeks to expand its participation and integration into Asian regional economic and trade regimes. GDP (purchasing power parity): $5,852 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $1.54 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 7.5% according to official estimate (2006 est.) GDP — per capita (PPP): $2,100 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 21.7% industry: 21.9% services: 50.4% (2005) Labor force: 1.577 million (2005) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 39.9% industry: 31.4% services: 28.7% (2005) Unemployment rate: 3.3% (2005) Population below poverty line: 36.1% (2004) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.1% highest 10%: 37% (1995) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 44 (1998) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9.5% (2005 est.) Budget: revenues: $695.3 million expenditures: $634-5 million (2005 est.) Agriculture— products: wheat, barley, vegetables, forage crops; sheep, goats, cattle, camels, horses Industries: construction and construc¬ tion materials; mining (coal, copper, molybdenum, fluorspar, tin, tungsten, and gold); oil; food and beverages; pro¬ cessing of animal products, cashmere and natural fiber manufacturing Industrial production growth rate: 3% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 3.43 billion kWh (2006) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 2.94 billion kWh (2006) Electricity— exports: 15.95 million kWh (2006) Electricity— imports: 125 million kWh (2006) Oil— production: 821.9 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— consumption: 11,220 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil — exports: 821.9 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil — imports: 1 1,210 bbl/day (2005 est.) Natural gas— production: Ocum (2006 est.) Natural gas— consumption: NA cu m Natural gas— exports: 0 cu m (2006 est.) Natural gas — imports: NA Exports: $1,064 billion f.o.b. (2005) Exports — commodities: copper, apparel, livestock, animal products, cashmere, wool, hides, fluorspar, other nonferrous metals Exports— partners: China 48.1%, US 14.2%, Canada 11.6%, UK 8.3%, South Korea 6.2% (2005) Imports: $1,184 billion c.i.f. (2005) Imports — Commodities: machinery and equipment, fuel, cars, food products, industrial consumer goods, chemicals, building materials, sugar, tea Imports — partners: Russia 34.5%, China 27.4%, Japan 7.1%, South Korea 5.3% (2005) Debt— external: $1.38 billion (2005) Economic aid— recipient: $203.35 mil¬ lion (2005) Currency (code): togrog/tugrik (MNT) Currency code: MNT Exchange rates: togrogs/tugriks per US dollar— 1,179.6 (2006), 1,205 (2005), 1,185.3 (2004), 1,146.5 (2003), 1,110.3 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 156,000 (2005) Telephones — mobile cellular: 557,200 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: network is improving with international direct dialing avail¬ able in many areas domestic: very low density of about 6 main lines per 100 persons (roughly 25 per 100 persons including cellular mobile phones); there are 3 wireless providers international: country code — 976; satel¬ lite earth stations — -1 Radio broadcast stations; AM 7, FM 115 (includes 20 National radio broad¬ caster repeaters), shortwave 4 (2006) Radios: 155,900 (1999) Television broadcast stations: 456 (including provincial and low'-power repeaters) (2006) Televisions: 168,800 (1999) Internet country code: mn Internet hosts: 272 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs); 5 (2001) Internet users: 268,300 (2005) Transportation Airports: 44 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 12 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 32 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Heliports: 2 (2006) 424 MONTENEGRO Railways: total: 1,810 km broad gauge: 1,810 km 1.524-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 49,250 km paved: 1,724 km unpaved: 47,526 km (2002) Waterways: 580 km note: only waterway in operation is Lake Hovsgol (135 km); Selenge River (270 km) and Orhon River (175 km) are nav¬ igable but carry little traffic; lakes and rivers freeze in winter, are open from May to September (2004) Merchant marine: total: 61 ships (1000 GRT or over) 319,053 GRT/479,190 DWT by type: bulk carrier 8, cargo 49, pas- senger/cargo 1 , roll on/roll off 3 foreign'owned: 49 (China 4, Japan 1, North Korea 3, Lebanon 1, Malaysia 1, Russia 13, Singapore 10, Syria 1, Thailand 1, UAE 5, Ukraine 1, Vietnam 8) (2006) MILITARY Military branches: Mongolian People’s Army (MPA), Mongolian People’s Air Force (MPAF); there is no navy (2005) Military service age and obligation: 18-25 years of age for compulsory mili¬ tary service; conscript service obliga¬ tion — 12 months in land or air defense forces or police; a small portion of Mongolian land forces (2.5 percent) is comprised of contract soldiers; women cannot be deployed overseas for military7 operations (2006) Manpower available tor military service: males age 18^9: 736,182 females age 18-49: 734,679 (2005 est.) Manpower tit for military service: males age 18-49: 570,435 females age 18-49: 607,918 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-4-9: 34,674 females age 18^19: 34,251 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1.4% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: none MONTENEGRO INTRODUCTION Background: The use of the name Montenegro began in the 15th century when the Crnojevic dynasty began to rule the Serbian principality of Zeta; over subsequent centuries Montenegro was able to maintain its independence from the Ottoman Empire. From the 16th to 19th centuries, Montenegro became a theocracy ruled by a series of bishop princes; in 1852, it was trans¬ formed into a secular principality. After World War I, Montenegro was absorbed by the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, which became the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1929; at the conclusion of World War II, it became a constituent republic of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. When the latter dissolved in 1992, Montenegro federated with Serbia, first as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and, after 2003, in a looser union of Serbia and Montenegro. In May 2006, Montenegro invoked its right under the Constitutional Charter of Serbia and Montenegro to hold a refer¬ endum on independence from the state union. The vote for severing ties with Serbia exceeded 55% — the threshold set by the EU — allowing Montenegro to for¬ mally declare its independence on 3 June 2006. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southeastern Europe, between the Adriatic Sea and Serbia Geographic coordinates: 42 30 N, 19 18 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 14,026 sq km land: 13,812 sq km water: 214 sq km Area — comparative: slightly smaller than Connecticut Land boundaries: total: 625 km border countries: Albania 172 km, Bosnia and Herzegovina 225 km, Croatia 25 km, Serbia 203 km Coastline: 293.5 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: defined by treaty Climate: Mediterranean climate, hot dry summers and autumns and relatively cold winters with heavy snowfalls inland Terrain: highly indented coastline with narrow coastal plain backed by rugged high limestone mountains and plateaus Elevation extremes: lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m highest point: Bobotov Kuk 2,522 m Natural resources: bauxite, hydroelec¬ tricity Land use: arable land: 13.7% permanent crops: 1% other: 85.3% Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: destructive earthquakes Environment — current issues: pollution of coastal waters from sewage outlets, espe¬ cially in tourist-related areas such as Kotor Environment— international agreements: party to: Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ship Pollution Geography — note: strategic location along the Adriatic coast PEOPLE Population: 684,736 (July 2007 est.) Population growth rate: -1% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 11.18 births/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 8.39 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Nationality: noun: Montenegrin(s) adjective: Montenegrin Ethnic groups: Montenegrin 43%, Serbian 32%, Bosniak 8%, Albanian 5%, other (Muslims, Croats, Roma (Gypsy)) 12% Religions: Orthodox, Muslim, Roman Catholic Languages: Serbian (official; Ijekavian dialect), Bosnian, Albanian, Croatian GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Montenegro conventional short form: Montenegro local long form: Republika Crna Cora local short form: Crna Gora former: People’s Republic of Monte¬ negro, Socialist Republic of Montenegro Government type: republic Capital: name: Podgorica (administrative capital) geographic coordinates: 42 26N, 19 16 E 425 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1 hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October note: Cetinje (capital city) Administrative divisions: 21 municipal' ities (opstini, singular — opstina); Andrijevica, Bar, Berane, Bijelo Polje, Budva, Cetinje, Danilovgrad, Herceg Novi, Kolasin, Kotor, Mojkovac, Niksic, Plav, Pluzine, Pljevlja, Podgorica, Rozaje, Savnik, Tivat, Ulcinj, Zabljak Independence: 3 June 2006 (from Serbia and Montenegro) National holiday: National Day, 13 July (1878) Constitution: 12 October 1992 (was approved by the Assembly); note — Montenegro is currently writing a new constitution set to be presented to Parliament in spring 2007 Legal system: based on civil law system Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Filip VUJANOVIC (since 11 May 2003) head of government: Prime Minister Zeljko STURANOVIC (since 13 November 2006) cabinet: Ministries act as cabinet elections: president elected by direct vote for five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 11 May 2003 (next to be held in 2008); prime minister proposed by president, accepted by Assembly election results: Filip VUJANOVIC elected on the third round; Filip VUJANOVIC 63.3%, Miodrag ZIVKOVIC 30.8% Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly (81 seats; members elected by direct vote for four-year terms; changed from 74 seats in 2006) elections: last held 10 September 2006 (next to be held 2010) election results: percent of vote by party — Coalition for European Montenegro 40.6%, Serbian List 15.3%, Coalition SNP-NS-DSS 14.8%, PZP 13.9%, Liberals and Bosniaks 3.8%, other (including Albanian minority parties) 11.6%; seats by party — Coalition for European Montenegro 39, Serbian List 12, Coalition SNP/NS/DSS 11, PZP 11, Liberals and Bosniaks 3, Albanian minority parties 5 Judicial branch: Constitutional Court (five judges with nine-year terms); Supreme Court (judges have life tenure) Political parties and leaders: Albanian Alternative or AA [Vesel SINISHTAJ]; Bosniak Party or BS [Rafet HUSOVIC]; Coalition for European Montenegro or DPS-SDP (bloc) [Milo DUKANOVIC] (includes DPS and SDP); Coalition SNP-NS-DSS (bloc) (includes SNP, NS, and DSS); Democratic League-Party of Democratic Prosperity or SPP [Mehmet BARHDI]; Democratic Party of Socialists or DPS [Milo DJUKANOVIC]; Democratic Serbian Party of Montenegro or DSS [Ranko KADIC]; Democratic Union of Albanians or DU A [Ferhat DIN OS A]; Liberal Party of Montenegro or LP [Miodrag ZIVKOVIC]; Liberals and the Bosniak Party (bloc) [Miodrag ZIVKOVIC] (includes LP and BS); Movement for Changes or PZP [Nebojsa MEDOJEVIC]; Party of Serb Radicals or SSR [Dusko SEKULIC]; People’s Party of Montenegro or NS [Predrag POPOVIC]; People’s Socialist Party or NSS [Emilo LABUDOVIC]; Serbian List (bloc) [Andrija MANDIC] (includes SSR, NSS, and SNS); Serbian People’s Party of Montenegro or SNS [Andrija MANDIC]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Ranko KRIVOKAPIC]; Socialist People’s Party or SNP [Srdjan MILIC] International organization participa¬ tion: CEI, EBRD, LAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICCt, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OPCW, OSCE, PEP, UN, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Miodrag VLAHOVIC chancery: corner of New Hampshire Avenue and 18th Street NW, Washington, DC Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d’Affaires Arlene FERRILL embassy: Ljubljanska bb, 82000 Podgorica, Montenegro mailing address : use embassy street address telephone: [381] 81 225 417 FAX: [381] 81 241 358 Flag description: a red field bordered by a narrow golden-yellow stripe with the Montenegrin coat of arms centered ECONOMY Economy— overview: The republic of Montenegro severed its economy from federal control and from Serbia during the MILOSEVIC era and maintained its own central bank, used the euro instead of the Yugoslav dinar as official currency, collected customs tariffs, and managed its own budget. The dissolution of the loose political union between Serbia and Montenegro in 2006 led to separate membership in several international financial institutions, such as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. On 18 January 2007, Montenegro joined the World Bank and IMF. Montenegro is pursuing its own membership in the World Trade Organization as well as negotiating a Stabilization and Association agreement with the European Union in anticipa¬ tion of eventual membership. Severe unemployment remains a key political and economic problem for this entire region. Montenegro has privatized its large aluminum complex — the dominant industry — as well as most of its financial sector, and has begun to attract foreign direct investment in the tourism sector. GDP (purchasing power parity): $3,443 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $2.27 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: NA% GDP— per capita (PPP): $3,800 (2005 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% Labor force: 259,100 (2004) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 2% industry: 30% services: 68% (2004 est.) Unemployment rate: 27.7% (2005) Population below poverty line: 12.2% (2003) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.4% (2004) Investment (gross fixed): NA% of GDP Budget: revenues: NA expenditures: NA Public debt: NA% of GDP Agriculture— products: grains, tobacco, potatoes, citrus fruits, olives, grapes; sheepherding; commercial fishing negli¬ gible Industries: steelmaking, aluminum, agri¬ cultural processing, consumer goods, tourism Electricity— production: 2.864 billion kWh (2005 est.) Electricity— consumption: 18.6 million kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004) Oil— consumption: 450 bbl/day (2004) Natural gas — consumption: NA cu m Current account balance: $NA Exports: $171.3 million (2003) Exports— partners: Switzerland 83.9%, Italy 6.1%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 1.3% (2003) Imports: $601.7 million (2003) Imports— partners: Greece 10.2%, Italy 10.2%, Germany 9.6%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 9.2% (2003) 426 MONTSERRAT Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: NA Debf— external: $NA Economic aid— recipient: $NA Currency (code): euro (EUR) Exchange rates: euros per US dollar — 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8089 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 177,663 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 543,220 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: modern telecommuni¬ cations system with access to European satellites domestic: GSM wireless service, available through 2 providers with national cov¬ erage, is growing rapidly international: country code — -382 (the old code of 381 used by Serbia and Montenegro will also remain in use until Feb 2007); 2 international switches con¬ nect the national system Radio broadcast stations: 31 (station types NA) (2004) Television broadcast stations: 13 (2004) Internet country code: me Internet users: 50,000 (2004) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 5 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 2 914 to 1 ,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Railways: total: 250 km standard gauge: 250 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified 169 km) (2005) Roadways: total: 7,353 km paved: 4,274 km unpaved: 3,079 km (2005) Merchant marine: total: 4 ships (1000 GRT or over) 9,458 GRT/10,172 DWT by type: cargo 4 registered in other countries: 4 (Bahamas 2, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2) (2006) Ports and terminals: Bar MILITARY ''■v’ i . “ v~~ ' ? :y* Military service age and obligation: compulsory national military service abolished August 2006 Military — note: Montenegrin plans call for the establishment of a fully profes¬ sional armed forces TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: none . • • MONTSERRAT . Set*3'-* 'V . vAh- INTRODUCTION Background: English and Irish colonists from St. Kitts first settled on Montserrat in 1632; the first African slaves arrived three decades later. The British and French fought for possession of the island for most of the 18th century, but it finally was con¬ firmed as a British possession in 1783. The island’s sugar plantation economy was converted to small farm landholdings in the mid 19th century. Much of this island was devastated and two-thirds of the pop¬ ulation fled abroad because of the eruption of the Soufriere Hills Volcano that began on 18 July 1995. Montserrat has endured volcanic activity since, with the last erup¬ tion occurring in July 2003. GEOGRAPHY Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico Geographic coordinates: 16 45 N, 62 12 w Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total: 102 sq km land: 102 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 40 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation Terrain: volcanic island, mostly moun¬ tainous, with small coastal lowland Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: lava dome in English’s Crater (in the Soufriere Hills volcanic complex) estimated at over 930 m (2006) Natural resources: NEGL Land use: arable land: 20% permanent crops: 0% other: 80% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards : severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1995) Environment — current issues: land ero¬ sion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation Geography — note: the island is entirely volcanic in origin and comprised of three major volcanic centers of differing ages Population: 9,538 note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the resumption of vol¬ canic activity in July 1995; some have returned (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 23.5% (male 1,144/female 1,094) 15-64 years: 65.7% (male 2,989/female 3,281) 65 years and over: 10.8% (male 527/ female 503) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 29.3 years male: 28.9 years female: 29.7 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.048% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 17.51 births/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 7.02 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.046 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.911 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.048 male(s)/female total population: 0.955 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 7.03 deaths/1,000 live births 427 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK male: 8.15 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 79 years male: 76.8 years female: 81.31 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.77 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Montserratian(s) adjective: Montserratian Ethnic groups: black, white Religions: Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Christian denominations Languages: English Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 97% male: 97% female: 97% (1970 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Montserrat Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK Government type: NA Capital: name: Plymouth geographic coordinates: 16 44 N, 62 14 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: Plymouth was abandoned in 1997 because of volcanic activity; interim gov¬ ernment buildings have been built at Brades Estate in the Carr’s Bay/Little Bay vicinity at the northwest end of Montserrat Administrative divisions: 3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK) National holiday: Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926) Constitution: effective 19 December 1989 Legal system: English common law and statutory law Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Deborah BARNES-JONES (since 10 May 2004) head of government: Chief Minister Lowell LEWIS (since 2 June 2006) cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, the chief minister, three other ministers, the attorney general, and the finance secretary elections: the monarch is hereditary; gov¬ ernor appointed by the monarch; fol¬ lowing legislative elections, the leader of the majority party usually becomes chief minister Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council (11 seats, 9 popularly elected; members serve five-year terms) note: expanded in 2001 from 7 to 9 elected members with attorney general and financial secretary sitting as ex- officio members elections: last held 31 May 2006 (next to be held by 2011) election results : percent of vote by party — MCAP 36.1%, NPLM 29.4%, MDP 24-4%, independents 10.1%; seats by party— MCAP 4, NPLM 3, MDP 1, independents 1 note: in 2001, the Elections Commission instituted a single constituency/voter-at- large system whereby all eligible voters cast ballots for all nine seats of the Legislative Council Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia, one judge of the Supreme Court is a res¬ ident of the islands and presides over the High Court) Political parties and leaders: Mont serrat Democratic Party or MDP [Lowell LEWIS]; Movement for Change and Prosperity or MCAP [Roselyn CAS- SELL-SEALY]; New People’s Liberation Movement or NPLM [John A. OSBORNE] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: Caricom, CDB, Interpol (subbu- reau), OECS, UPU Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the UK) Flag description: blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Montserratian coat of arms cen¬ tered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms features a woman standing beside a yellow harp with her arm around a black cross ECONOMY Economy — overview: Severe volcanic activity, which began in July 1995, has put a damper on this small, open economy. A catastrophic eruption in June 1997 closed the airports and sea¬ ports, causing further economic and social dislocation. Two-thirds of the 12,000 inhabitants fled the island. Some began to return in 1998, but lack of housing limited the number. The agricul¬ ture sector continued to be affected by the lack of suitable land for farming and the destruction of crops. Prospects for the economy depend largely on develop¬ ments in relation to the volcanic activity and on public sector construction activity. The UK has launched a three- year $122.8 million aid program to help reconstruct the economy. Half of the island is expected to remain uninhabit¬ able for another decade. GDP (purchasing power parity): $29 million (2002 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): NA GDP— real growth rate: -1% (2002 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $3,400 (2002 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 1.2% industry: 23.1% services: 75.7% (1999 est.) Labor force: 4,521 note: lowered by flight of people from volcanic activity (2000 est.) Unemployment rate: 6% (1998 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.6% (2002 est.) Budget: revenues: $31.4 million expenditures: $31.6 million; including capital expenditures of $8.4 million (1997 est.) Agriculture— products: cabbages, car¬ rots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, pep¬ pers; livestock products Industries: tourism, rum, textiles, elec¬ tronic appliances Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity— production: 2 million kWh (2003) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 1.86 million kWh (2003) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2003) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2003) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2003 est.) Oil— consumption: 380 bbl/day (2003 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) 428 MOROCCO Natural gas— consumption: o cu m (2004 est.) Exports: $700,000 (2001) Exports Commodities: electronic com¬ ponents, plastic bags, apparel; hot pep¬ pers, limes, live plants; cattle Exports— partners: US, Antigua and Barbuda (2004) Imports: $17 million (2001) Imports Commodities: machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs, manufactured goods, fuels, lubricants, and related materials Imports— partners: US, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan, Canada (2004) Debt— external: $8.9 million (1997) Economic aid— recipient: Country Policy Plan (2001) is a three-year pro¬ gram for spending $122.8 million in British budgetary assistance (2002 est.) Currency (code): East Caribbean dollar (XCD) Currency code: XCD Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars per US dollar — 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002) note: fixed rate since 1976 Fiscal year: 1 April— 31 March COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: NA Telephones— mobile cellular: 70 (1994) Telephone system: general assessment: modem and fully dig¬ italized domestic: NA international: country code — 1-664 Radio broadcast stations: AM l, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) Radios: 7,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: l (1997) Televisions: 3,000 (1997) Internet country code: ms Internet hosts: 386 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 17 (2000) Internet users: NA TRANSPORTATION Airports: 2 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2006) Roadways: total: 227 km note: volcanic eruptions that began in 1995 destroyed most of the road system (2003) Ports and terminals: Plymouth MILITARY Military branches: no regular military forces; Royal Montserrat Police Force (2005) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 2,298 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 1,899 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-A9-. 84 (2005 est.) Military— note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of the UK TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: none Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe MOROCCO INTRODUCTION Background: In 788, about a century after the Arab conquest of North Africa, successive Moorish dynasties began to rule in Morocco. In the 16th century, the Sa’adi monarchy, particularly under Ahmad AL-MANSUR (1578-1603), repelled foreign invaders and inaugu¬ rated a golden age. In 1860, Spain occu¬ pied northern Morocco and ushered in a half century of trade rivalry among European powers that saw Morocco’s sovereignty steadily erode; in 1912, the French imposed a protectorate over the country. A protracted independence struggle with France ended successfully in 1956. The internationalized city of Tangier and most Spanish possessions were turned over to the new country that same year. Morocco virtually annexed Western Sahara during the late 1970s, but final resolution on the status of the territory remains unresolved. Gradual political reforms in the 1990s resulted in the establishment of a bicameral legisla¬ ture, which first met in 1997. Lower house elections were last held in September 2002, while upper house elec¬ tions were last held in September 2006. GEOGRAPHY Location: Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Western Sahara Geographic coordinates: 32 00 N, 5 00 W Map references: Africa Area: total: 446,550 sq km land: 446,300 sq km water: 250 sq km Area — comparative: slightly larger than California Land boundaries: total: 2,017.9 km border countries: Algeria 1,559 km, Western Sahara 443 km, Spain (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Spain (Melilla) 9.6 km Coastline: 1,835 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation Climate: Mediterranean, becoming more extreme in the interior Terrain: northern coast and interior are mountainous with large areas of bor¬ dering plateaus, intermontane valleys, and rich coastal plains Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sebkha Tah -55 m highest point: Jebel Toubkal 4,165 m Natural resources: phosphates, iron ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt Land use: arable land: 19% permanent crops: 2% other: 79% (2005) Irrigated land: 14,450 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to earthquakes; periodic droughts Environment — current issues: land degradation/desertification (soil erosion resulting from farming of marginal areas, overgrazing, destruction of vegetation); water supplies contaminated by raw sewage; siltation of reservoirs; oil pollu¬ tion of coastal waters Environment — international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, 429 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea Geography— note: strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar PEOPLE Population: 33,757,175 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 31% (male 5,339,730/female 5,140,482) 15-64 years: 63.9% (male 10,750,240/ female 10,815,470) 65 years and over: 5.1% (male 740,686/ female 970,567) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 24.3 years male: 23.8 years female: 24-8 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.528% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 21.64 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 5.54 deaths/1,000 popula- tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0.82 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.039 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.994 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.763 male(s)/female total population: 0.994 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 38.85 deaths/1,000 live births male: 42.56 deaths/1,000 live births female: 34-96 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.22 years male: 68.88 years female: 73.67 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.62 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 15,000 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diar¬ rhea, and hepatitis A vectorborne diseases: may be a significant risk in some locations during the trans¬ mission season (typically April through November) (2007) Nationality: noun: Moroccan(s) adjective: Moroccan Ethnic groups: Arab-Berber 99.1%, other 0.7%, Jewish 0.2% Religions: Muslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish 0.2% Languages: Arabic (official), Berber dialects, French often the language of business, government, and diplomacy Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 52.3% male: 65.7% female: 39.6% (2004 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Morocco conventional short form: Morocco local long form: A1 Mamlakah al Maghribiyah local short form: Al Maghrib Government type: constitutional monarchy Capital: name: Rabat geographic coordinates: 34 02 N, 6 51 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 15 regions; Grand Casablanca, Chaouia-Ouardigha, Doukkala-Abda, Fes-Boulemane, Gharb- Chrarda-Beni Hssen, Guelmim-Es Smara, Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra, Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz, Meknes-Tafilalet, Oriental, Rabat-Sale- Zemmour-Zaer, Souss-Massa-Draa, Tadla- Azilal, Tanger-Tetouan, Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate note: Morocco claims the territory of Western Sahara, the political status of which is considered undetermined by the US Government; portions of the regions Guelmim-Es Smara and Laayoune- Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra as claimed by Morocco lie within Western Sahara; Morocco claims another region, Oued Eddahab-Lagouira, which falls entirely within Western Sahara Independence: 2 March 1956 (from France) National holiday: Throne Day (acces¬ sion of King MOHAMED VI to the throne), 30 July (1999) Constitution: 10 March 1972; revised 4 September 1992, amended (to create bicameral legislature) September 1996 Legal system: based on Islamic law and French and Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of Supreme Court Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal (as of January 2003) Executive branch: chief of state: King MOHAMED VI (since 30 July 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Driss JETTOU (since 9 October 2002) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is heredi¬ tary; prime minister appointed by the monarch following legislative elections Legislative branch: bicameral Parlia¬ ment consists of a Chamber of Counselors (or upper house) (270 seats; members elected indirectly by local councils, professional organizations, and labor syndicates for nine-year terms; one- third of the members are elected every three years) and Chamber of Representatives (or lower house) (325 seats; 295 members elected by multi-seat constituencies and 30 from national lists of women; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms) elections: Chamber of Counselors — last held 6 October 2003 (election moved to 2007); Chamber of Representatives — last held 27 September 2002 (next to be held in 2007) election results: Chamber of Counselors — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party— RNI 42, MDS 33, UC 28, MP 27, PND 21, PI 21, USFP 16, MNP 15, PA 13, FFD 12, other 42; Chamber of Representatives — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — USFP 50, PI 48, PJD 42, RNI 41, MP 27, MNP 18, UC 16, FFD 12, PND 12, PPS 11, UD 10, other 38 Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed on the recommendation of the Supreme Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the monarch) Political parties and leaders: Action Party or PA [Muhammad EL IDRISSI]; Alliance of Liberties or ADL [Ali BELHAJ]; Annahj Addimocrati or Annahj [Abdellah EL HARIF]; Avant Garde Social Democratic Party or PADS [Ahmed BENJELLOUN]; Citizen Forces or FC [Abderrahman LAHJOUJI]; Citizen’s Initiatives for Development [Mohamed BENHAMOU]; Consti¬ tutional Union or UC [Mohamed ABIED]; Democratic and Independence Party or PDI [Abdelwahed MAACH]; Democratic and Social Movement or MDS [Mahmoud ARCHANE]; Demo¬ cratic Forces Front or FFD; Democratic Socialist Party or PSD [Aissa OUAR- DIGHI]; Democratic Union or UD [Bouazza 1KKEN]; Environment and Development Party or PED [Ahmed EL ALAMI]; Front of Democratic Forces or FFD [Thami EL KHYARI]; Istiqlal Party (Independence Party) or PI [Abbas El FASSI] ; Justice and Development Party or PJD [Saad Eddine El OTHMANI]; Moroccan Liberal Party or PML [Mohamed ZIANE]; National Demo- 430 MOROCCO cratic Party or PND [Abdallah KADIRI]; National Ittihadi Congress Party or CNI [Abdelmaj id BOUZOUBAA]; National Popular Movement or MNP [Mahjoubi AHERDANE]; National Rally of Independents or RNI [Ahmed OS¬ MAN]; National Union of Popular Forces or UNFP [Abdellah IBRAHIM]; Parti A1 Ahd or A1 Ahd [Najib EL OUAZZANI]; Party of Progress and Socialism or PPS [Ismail ALAOUI]; Party of Renewal and Equity or PRE [Chakir ACHABAR]; Party of the Unified Socialist Left or GSU [Mohamed Ben Said AIT IDDER]; Popular Movement or MP [Mohand LAENSER]; Popular Movement Union or UMP [Mohamed LAENSER]; Reform and Development Party or PRD [Abderrahmane EL KOUHEN]; Social Center Party or PSC [Lahcen MADIH]; Socialist Union of Popular Forces or USFP [Mohammed El-YAZGHI] Political pressure groups and leaders; Democratic Confederation of Labor or CDT [Noubir AMAOUI]; General Union of Moroccan Workers or UGTM [Abderrazzak AFILAL]; Moroccan Employers Association or CGEM [Hassan CHAMI]; National Labor Union of Morocco or UNMT [Abdelslam MAATI]; Union of Moroccan Workers or UMT [Mahjoub BENSEDDIK] International organization participa¬ tion: ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, EBRD, FAO, G- 77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNOCI, UN WTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Aziz MEK- OUAR chancery: 1601 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 462-7979 FAX: [1] (202) 265-0161 consulate(s) general: New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas T. RILEY embassy: 2 Avenue de Mohamed El Fassi, Rabat mailing address: PSC 74, Box 021, APO AE 09718 telephone: [212] (37) 76 22 65 FAX: [212] (37) 76 56 61 consulate(s) general: Casablanca Flag description: red with a green pen- tacle (five-pointed, linear star) known as Sulayman’s (Solomon’s) seal in the center of the flag; red and green are tra¬ ditional colors in Arab flags, although the use of red is more commonly associ¬ ated with the Arab states of the Persian gulf; design dates to 1912 ECONOMY Economy — overview: Moroccan eco¬ nomic policies brought macroeconomic stability to the country in the early 1990s but have not spurred growth sufficient to reduce unemployment that nears 20% in urban areas. Poverty has increased due to the volatile nature of GDP, Morocco’s continued dependence on foreign energy, and its inability to promote the growth of small and medium size enter¬ prises. However, GDP growth rebounded to 6.7% in 2006 due to high rainfall, which resulted in a strong second har¬ vest. Despite structural adjustment pro¬ grams supported by the IMF, the World Bank, and the Paris Club, the dirham is only fully convertible for current account transactions and Morocco’s financial sector is rudimentary. Moroccan authori¬ ties understand that reducing poverty and providing jobs is key to domestic security and development. In 2004, Moroccan authorities instituted meas¬ ures to boost foreign direct investment and trade by signing a free trade agree¬ ment with the US, which entered into force in January 2006, and sold govern¬ ment shares in the state telecommunica¬ tions company and in the largest state-owned bank. Long-term challenges include preparing the economy for freer trade with the US and European Union, improving education and job prospects for Morocco’s youth, and raising living standards, which the government hopes to achieve by increasing tourist arrivals and boosting competitiveness in textiles. GDP (purchasing power parity): $152.5 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $58.07 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 9.3% (2006 est.) GDP — per capita (PPP): $4,600 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 13.3% industry: 31.2% services: 55.5% (2006 est.) Labor force: 11.25 million (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 40% industry: 15% services: 45% (2003 est.) Unemployment rate: 7.7% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 19% (2005 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 30.9% (1998-99) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 40 (2005 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.8% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 21.7% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $15.85 billion expenditures: $20.39 billion; including capital expenditures of $2.19 billion (2006 est.) Public debt: 70.9% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: barley, wheat, citrus, wine, vegetables, olives; livestock Industries: phosphate rock mining and processing, food processing, leather goods, textiles, construction, tourism Industrial production growth rate: 4% (2004 est.) Electricity— production: 18.48 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 95.4% hydro: 4.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 18.89 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 1.7 billion kWh (2004) Oil — production: 300 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— consumption: 170,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: 0 bbl/day (2000 est.) Oil — imports: 147,800 bbl/day (2000 est.) Oil — proved reserves: 100 million bbl (2006 est.) Natural gas — production: 50 million cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 50 million cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — imports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — proved reserves: 1.218 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $389 million (2006 est.) Exports: $11.72 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: clothing, fish, inorganic chemicals, transistors, crude minerals, fertilizers (including phos¬ phates), petroleum products, fruits, veg¬ etables Exports — partners: France 30.3%, Spain 18%, UK 6.2%, Italy 5.2%, India 4-1% (2005) 431 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Imports: $21.22 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: crude petro- leum, textile fabric, telecommunications equipment, wheat, gas and electricity, transistors, plastics Imports— partners: France 18.2%, Spain 11%, Saudi Arabia 6.8%, Russia 6.8%, Italy 6.1%, China 5.2%, Germany 4.7% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $18.21 billion (2006 est.) Debt— external: $17.9 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: ODA, $706 million (2004) Currency (code): Moroccan dirham (MAD) Currency code: MAD Exchange rates: Moroccan dirhams per US dollar— 8.7722 (2006), 8.865 (2005), 8.868 (2004), 9.574 (2003), 11.021 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 1.341 million (2005) Telephones — mobile cellular: 12.393 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: modern system with all important capabilities; however, den- sity is low with only 4 main lines avaib able for each 100 persons domestic: good system composed of open- wire lines, cables, and microwave radio relay links; Internet available but expen¬ sive; principal switching centers are Casablanca and Rabat; national network nearly 100% digital using fiber-optic links; improved rural service employs microwave radio relay international: country code — 212; 7 sub¬ marine cables; satellite earth stations — 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; microwave radio relay to Gibraltar, Spain, and Western Sahara; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria; participant in Medarabtel; fiber¬ optic cable link from Agadir to Algeria and Tunisia (1998) Radio broadcast stations: AM 27, FM 25, shortwave 6 (1998) Radios: 6.64 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 35 (plus 66 repeaters) (1995) Televisions: 3.1 million (1997) Internet country code: ma Internet hosts: 3,218 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 8 (2000) Internet users: 4.6 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 60 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 26 over 3,047 m: 1 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1 ,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 34 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 11 (2006) Heliports: 1 (2006) Pipelines: gas 715 km; oil 285 km (2006) Railways: total: 1,907 km standard gauge: 1,907 km 1.435-m gauge (1,003 km electrified) (2005) Roadways: total: 57,493 km paved: 32,716 km (includes 507 km of expressways) unpaved: 24,777 km (2004) Merchant marine: total: 41 ships (1000 GRT or over) 382,781 GRT/285,435 DWT by type: cargo 5, chemical tanker 6, con¬ tainer 9, passenger/cargo 13, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 5 foreign' owned: 5 (France 1, Germany 2, Switzerland 1, UK 1) registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Agadir, Casa¬ blanca, Mohammedia, Nador, Safi, Tangier MILITARY Military branches: Royal Armed Forces (Forces Armees Royales, FAR): Royal Moroccan Army (includes Air Defense), Navy (includes Marines), Royal Moroc¬ can Air Force (Force Aerienne Royale Marocaine) (2007) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obliga¬ tion — 18 months (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 7,908,864 females age 18-49: 7,882,879 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 6,484,787 females age 18-49: 6,675,729 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-4-9: 353,377 females age 1 8 — 49 : 341,677 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 5% (2003 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: claims and administers Western Sahara whose sov¬ ereignty remains unresolved— UN- administered cease-fire has remained in effect since September 1991, but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and par¬ ties thus far have rejected all brokered pro¬ posals; Morocco protests Spain’s control over the coastal enclaves of Ceuta, Melilla, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera, the islands of Penon de Alhucemas and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters; discussions have not progressed on a com¬ prehensive maritime delimitation, setting limits on resource exploration and refugee interdiction, since Morocco’s 2002 rejec¬ tion of Spain’s unilateral designation of a median line from the Canary Islands; Morocco serves as one of the primary launching areas of illegal migration into Spain from North Africa Illicit drugs: one of the world’s largest producers of illicit hashish; shipments of hashish mostly directed to Western Europe; transit point for cocaine from South America destined for Western Europe; significant consumer of cannabis MOZAMBIQUE Background: Almost five centuries as a Portuguese colony came to a close with independence in 1975. Large-scale emi¬ gration by whites, economic dependence on South Africa, a severe drought, and a prolonged civil war hindered the country’s development. The ruling Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (FRELIMO) party formally abandoned Marxism in 1989, and a new constitution the fol¬ lowing year provided for multiparty elec¬ tions and a free market economy. A UN -negotiated peace agreement between FRELIMO and rebel Mozambique National Resistance (RENAMO) forces ended the fighting in 1992. In December 2004, Mozambique underwent a delicate transition as Joaquim CFIISSANO stepped down after 18 years in office. His newly elected successor, Armando Emilio GUEBUZA, has promised to continue the sound economic policies that have encouraged toreign investment. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southeastern Africa, bor¬ dering the Mozambique Channel, between South Africa and Tanzania 432 MOZAMBIQUE Geographic coordinates: 18 15 S, 35 00 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 801,590 sq km land: 784,090 sq km water: 17,500 sq km Area — comparative: slightly less than twice the size of California Land boundaries: total: 4,571 km border countries: Malawi 1,569 km, South Africa 491 km, Swaziland 105 km, Tanzania 756 km, Zambia 419 km, Zimbabwe 1,231 km Coastline: 2,470 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical to subtropical Terrain: mostly coastal lowlands, uplands in center, high plateaus in northwest, mountains in west Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Monte Binga 2,436 m Natural resources: coal, titanium, nat¬ ural gas, hydropower, tantalum, graphite Land use: arable land: 5.43% permanent crops: 0.29% other: 94.28% (2005) Irrigated land: 1,180 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: severe droughts; devas¬ tating cyclones and floods in central and southern provinces Environment— current issues: a long civil war and recurrent drought in the hinterlands have resulted in increased migration of the population to urban and coastal areas with adverse environmental consequences; desertification; pollution of surface and coastal waters; elephant poaching for ivory is a problem Environment — international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography— note: the Zambezi flows through the north-central and most fer¬ tile part of the country PEOPLE Population: 20,905,585 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mor¬ tality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the dis¬ tribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected; the 1997 Mozambican census reported a pop¬ ulation of 16,099,246 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 44.7% (male 4,692,126/ female 4,647,960) 15-64 years: 52.5% (male 5,345,618/ female 5,633,511) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 244,886/ female 341,484) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 17.4 years male: 16.9 years female: 17.8 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.803% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 38.54 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 20.51 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.949 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.717 male(s)/female total population: 0.968 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 109.93 deaths/1,000 live births male: 112.81 deaths/1,000 live births female : 106.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 40.9 years male: 41.4 years female: 40.4 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 5.29 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 12.2% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS — people living with HIV/ AIDS: 1.3 million (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 110,000 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorbome diseases: malaria and plague are high risks in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007) Nationality: noun: Mozambican(s) adjective: Mozambican Ethnic groups: African 99.66% (Mak- huwa, Tsonga, Lomwe, Sena, and others), Europeans 0.06%, Euro- Africans 0.2%, Indians 0.08% Religions: Catholic 23.8%, Muslim 17.8%, Zionist Christian 17.5%, other 17.8%, none 23.1% (1997 census) Languages: Emakhuwa 26.1%, Xichan- gana 11.3%, Portuguese 8.8% (official; spoken by 27% of population as a second language), Elomwe 7.6%, Cisena 6.8%, Echuwabo 5.8%, other Mozambican lan¬ guages 32%, other foreign languages 0.3%, unspecified 1.3% (1997 census) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 47.8% male: 63.5% female: 32.7% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Mozambique conventional short form: Mozambique local long form: Republica de Mocambique local short form: Mocambique former: Portuguese East Africa Government type: republic Capital: name: Maputo geographic coordinates: 25 58 S, 32 35 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 10 provinces (provinces, singular — provincia), 1 city (cidade)*; Cabo Delgado, Gaza, Inhambane, Manica, Maputo, Cidade de 433 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Maputo*, Nampula, Niassa, Sofala, Tete, Zamhezia Independence: 25 June 1975 (from Portugal) National holiday: Independence Day, 25 June (1975) Constitution: 30 November 1990 Legal system: based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Armando GUE- BUZA (since 2 February 2005) head of government: Prime Minister Luisa DIOGO (since 17 February 2004) cabinet: Cabinet elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 1-2 December 2004 (next to be held in December 2009); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Armando GUEBUZA elected president; percent of vote — Armando GUEBUZA 63.7%, Afonso DHLAKAMA 31.7% Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica (250 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 1-2 December 2004 (next to be held in December 2009) election results: percent of vote by party — FRELIMO 62%, RENAMO 29.7%, other 8.3%; seats by party — FRELIMO 160, RENAMO 90 Judicial branch: Supreme Court (the court of final appeal; some of its profes¬ sional judges are appointed by the presi¬ dent and some are elected by the Assembly); other courts include an Administrative Court, customs courts, maritime courts, courts marshal, labor courts note: although the constitution provides for a separate Constitutional Court, one has never been established; in its absence the Supreme Court reviews constitu¬ tional cases Political parties and leaders: Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frente de Liberatacao de Mocambique) or FRE- LIMO [Armando Emilio GUEBUZA]; Mozambique National Resistance- Electoral Union (Resistencia Nacional Mocambicana-Uniao Eleitoral) or RENAMO-UE [Afonso DHLAKAMA] Political pressure groups and leaders: Institute for Peace and Democracy (Instituto para Paz e Democracia) or IPADE [Raul DOMINGOS, president]; Etica [Abdul CARIMO Issa, chairman]; Movement for Peace and Citizenship (Movimento para Paz e Cidadania); Mozambican League of Human Rights (Liga Mocambicana dos Direitos Humanos) or LDH [Alice MABOTE, president]; Human Rights and Development (Direitos Humanos e Desenvolvimento) or DHD [Artemisia FRANCO, secretary general] International organization participa¬ tion: ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO (correspon¬ dent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF (observer), OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission : Ambassador Armando PANGUENE chancery: 1990 M Street NW, Suite 570, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 293-7146 FAX: [1] (202) 835-0245 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d’ Affaires James DUDLEY embassy: Avenida Kenneth Kuanda 193, Maputo mailing address : P. O. Box 783, Maputo telephone: [258] (1) 492797 FAX: [258] (1) 490448 Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), black, and yellow with a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; the black band is edged in white; centered in the triangle is a yellow five-pointed star bearing a crossed rifle and hoe in black superimposed on an open white book ECONOMY Economy — overview: At independence in 1975, Mozambique was one of the world’s poorest countries. Socialist mis¬ management and a brutal civil war from 1977-92 exacerbated the situation. In 1987, the government embarked on a series of macroeconomic reforms designed to stabilize the economy. These steps, combined with donor assistance and with political stability since the multi-party elections in 1994, have led to dramatic improvements in the country’s growth rate. Inflation was reduced to single digits during the late 1990s although it returned to double digits in 2000-06. Fiscal reforms, including the introduction of a value- added tax and reform of the customs service, have improved the government’s revenue collection abilities. In spite of these gains, Mozambique remains dependent upon foreign assistance for much of its annual budget, and the majority of the population remains below the poverty line. Subsistence agriculture continues to employ the vast majority of the country’s work force. A substantial trade imbalance persists although the opening of the Mozal aluminum smelter, the country’s largest foreign investment project to date, has increased export earn¬ ings. In late 2005, and after years of nego¬ tiations, the government signed an agreement to gain Portugal’s majority share of the Cahora Bassa Hydro- electricity (HCB) company, a dam that was not transferred to Mozambique at independence because of the ensuing civil war and unpaid debts. More power is needed for additional investment projects in titanium extraction and processing and garment manufacturing that could further close the import/export gap. Mozam¬ bique’s once substantial foreign debt has been reduced through forgiveness and rescheduling under the IMF’s Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) and Enhanced HIPC initiatives, and is now at a manageable level. GDP (purchasing power parity): $29.17 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $6,323 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 7.9% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $1,500 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 21.1% industry: 30.9% services: 48% (2006 est.) Labor force: 9.4 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 81% industry: 6% services: 13% (1997 est.) Unemployment rate: 21% (1997 est.) Population below poverty line: 70% (2001 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 31.7% (1997) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 39.6 (1996-97) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 12.8% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 21.5% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $1,391 billion expenditures: $1,822 billion (2006 est.) Public debt: 23.2% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: cotton, cashew nuts, sugarcane, tea, cassava (tapioca), corn, coconuts, sisal, citrus and tropical fruits, potatoes, sunflowers; beef, poultry 434 MOZAMBIQUE Industries: food, beverages, chemicals (fertilizer, soap, paints), aluminum, petroleum products, textiles, cement, glass, asbestos, tobacco Industrial production growth rate: 3 4% (2000) Electricity— production: 11. 58 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 2.9% hydro: 97.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 9.592 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 8.75 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 7.576 billion kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 11,500 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Oil— proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2002) Natural gas— production: 80 million cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 80 million cu m (2004 est.) Naturai gas— exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — proved reserves: 127.4 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $444.4 mil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $2,429 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: aluminum, prawns, cashews, cotton, sugar, citrus, timber; bulk electricity Exports— partners: Netherlands 59.7%, South Africa 16.2%, Zimbabwe 2.9% (2005) Imports: $2,815 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, chemicals, metal products, foodstuffs, textiles Imports— partners: South Africa 42.9%, Netherlands 11.5%, Portugal 3.6% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $1,353 billion (2006 est.) Debt— external: $2,392 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $632.8 mil¬ lion (2001) Currency (code): metical (MZM) Currency code: MZM Exchange rates: meticais per US dollar— 25.4 (2006), 23,061 (2005), 22,581 (2004), 23,782 (2003), 23,678 (2002) note: in 2006 Mozambique revalued its currency, with 1000 old meticais equal to 1 new meticais Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 69,700 (2004) Telephones— mobile cellular: 1.22 mil lion (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: fair system but not available generally (extremely low den¬ sity with less than 1 main line per 100 persons) domestic: the system consists of open- wire lines and trunk connection by microwave radio relay and tropospheric scatter international: country code — 258; satel¬ lite earth stations — 5 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 13, FM 17, shortwave 11 (2001) Radios: 730,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 1 (2000) Televisions: 67,600 (2000) Internet country code: mz Internet hosts: 6,985 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 11 (2002) Internet users: 138,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 158 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 22 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1 ,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 5 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 136 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1 ,523 m: 34 under 914 m: 87 (2006) Pipelines: gas 918 km; refined products 294 km (2006) Railways: total: 3,123 km narrow gauge: 2,983 km 1.067-m gauge; 140 km 0.762-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 30,400 km paved: 5,685 km unpaved: 24,715 km (1999) Waterways: 460 km (Zambezi River navigable to Tete and along Cahora Bassa Lake) (2002) Merchant marine: total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,964 GRT/5,324 DWT by type: cargo 2 foreign'owned: 2 (Belgium 2) (2006) Ports and terminals: Beira, Maputo, Nacala Military branches: Mozambique Armed Defense Forces (FADM): Mozambique Army, Mozambique Navy (Marinha Mocambique, MM), Mozambique Air Force (Forca Aerea de Mocambique, FAM) (2006) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 3,793,373 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 1,751,223 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 185,314 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 0.8% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: none Illicit drugs: southern African transit point for South Asian hashish and heroin, and South American cocaine probably destined for the European and South African markets; producer of cannabis (for local consumption) and methaqualone (for export to South Africa); corruption and poor regulatory capability makes the banking system vul¬ nerable to money laundering, but the lack of a well-developed financial infra¬ structure limits the country’s utility as a money-laundering center 435 Background: South Africa occupied the German colony of South-West Africa during World War I and administered it as a mandate until after World War II, when it annexed the territory. In 1966 the Marxist South-West Africa People’s Organization (SWAPO) guerrilla group launched a war of independence for the area that was soon named Namibia, but it was not until 1988 that South Africa agreed to end its administration in accor¬ dance with a UN peace plan for the entire region. Namibia won its independ¬ ence in 1990 and has been governed by SWAPO since. Hifikepunye POHAMBA was elected president in November 2004 in a landslide victory replacing Sam NUJOMA who led the country during its first 14 years of self rule. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and South Africa Geographic coordinates: 22 00 S, 17 00 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 825,418 sq km land: 825,418 sq km water: 0 sq km Area— comparative: slightly more than half the size of Alaska Land boundaries: total: 3,936 km border countries: Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa 967 km, Zambia 233 km Coastline: 1,572 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 1 2 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic Terrain: mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in east Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Konigstein 2,606 m Natural resources: diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, silver, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, tungsten, zinc, salt, hydro- power, fish note: suspected deposits of oil, coal, and iron ore Land use: arable land: 0.99% permanent crops: 0.01% other: 99% (2005) Irrigated land: 80 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: prolonged periods of drought Environment — current issues: very lim¬ ited natural fresh water resources; desertifi¬ cation; wildlife poaching; land degradation has led to few conservation areas Environment— international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Re¬ sources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: first country in the world to incorporate the protection of the environment into its constitution; some 14% of the land is protected, including virtually the entire Namib Desert coastal strip PEOPLE Population: 2,055,080 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mor¬ tality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the dis¬ tribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 37.7% (male 390,448/female 383,698) 15-64 years: 58.6% (male 606,239/ female 597,512) 65 years and over: 3.8% (male 34,926/ female 42,257) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 20.2 years male: 20.1 years female: 20.3 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.478% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 23.52 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 19.15 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0.41 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.018 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.015 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.827 male(s)/female total population: 1.008 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 47.23 deaths/1,000 live births male: 51.03 deaths/1,000 live births female: 43.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 43.11 years male: 44.39 years female: 41.79 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2 .94 children bom/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 21.3% (2003 est.) HiV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 210,000 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 16,000 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diar¬ rhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorbome disease: malaria water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007) Nationality: noun: Namibian(s) adjective: Namibian Ethnic groups: black 87.5%, white 6%, mixed 6.5% note: about 50% of the population belong to the Ovambo tribe and 9% to the Kavangos tribe; other ethnic groups includes Herero 7%, Damara 7%, Nama 5%, Caprivian 4%, Bushmen 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5% Religions: Christian 80% to 90% (Lutheran 50% at least), indigenous beliefs 10% to 20% Languages: English 7% (official), Afri¬ kaans common language of most of the population and about 60% of the white population, German 32%, indigenous languages 1% (includes Oshivambo, Herero, Nama) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 85% male: 86.8% female: 83.5% (2001 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Namibia 436 NAMIBIA conventional short form: Namibia local long form: Republic of Namibia local short form: Namibia former: German Southwest Africa, South-West Africa Government type: republic Capital: name: Windhoek geographic coordinates: 2234S, 17 06 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins first Sunday in September; ends first Sunday in April Administrative divisions: 13 regions; Caprivi, Erongo, Hardap, Karas, Kho- mas, Kunene, Ohangwena, Okavango, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa independence: 21 March 1990 (from South African mandate) National holiday: Independence Day, 21 March (1990) Constitution: ratified 9 February 1990, effective 12 March 1990 Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Hifikepunye POHAMBA (since 21 March 2005) head of government: Prime Minister Nahas ANGULA (since 21 March 2005) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the presi¬ dent from among the members of the National Assembly elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 15 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2009) election results: Hifikepunye POHAMBA elected president; percent of vote — Hifikepunye POHAMBA 76.4%, Den ULENGA 7.3%, Katuutire KAURA 5.1%, Kuaima RIRUAKO 4.2%, Justus GAROEB 3.8%, other 3.2% Legislative branch: bicameral legislature consists of the National Council (26 seats; two members are chosen from each regional council to serve six-year terms) and the National Assembly (72 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: National Council — elections for regional councils to determine mem¬ bers of the National Council held 29-30 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2010); National Assembly — last held 15-16 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2009) election results: National Council — per¬ cent of vote by party — SWAPO 89.7%, UDF 4.7%, NUDO 2.8%, DTA 1.9%, other 0.9%; seats by party — SWAPO 24, UDF 1, DTA 1; National Assembly — percent of vote by party— SWAPO 76.1%, COD 7.3%, DTA 5.1%, NUDO 4.2%, UDF 3.6%, RP 1.9%, MAG 0.8%, other 1.0%; seats by party — SWAPO 55, COD 5, DTA 4, NUDO 3, UDF 3, RP 1, MAG 1 note: the National Council is primarily an advisory body Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the rec¬ ommendation of the Judicial Service Commission) Political parties and leaders: Congress of Democrats or COD [Ben UFENGA]; Democratic Turnhalle Alliance of Namibia or DTA [Katuutire KAURA]; Monitor Action Group or MAG (June VIFJOEN]; National Democratic Movement for Change or NamDMC; National Unity Democratic Organiz¬ ation or NUDO [Kuaima RIRUAKO]; Republican Party or RP [Henk MUDGE]; South West Africa National Union or SWANU [Rihupisa KAN- DANDO]; South West Africa People’s Organization or SWAPO [Sam Sha- fishuna NUJOMA]; United Democratic Front or UDF [Justus GAROEB] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IFO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIF, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCF, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Patrick NANDAGO chancery: 1605 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 986-0540 FAX: [1] (202) 986-0443 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joyce BARR embassy: Ausplan Building, 14 Fossen Street, Windhoek mailing address: Private Bag 12029 Ausspannplatz, Windhoek telephone: [264] (61) 221601 FAX: [264] (61) 229792 Flag description: a widq red stripe edged by narrow white stripes divides the flag diagonally from lower hoist corner to upper fly corner; the upper hoist-side tri¬ angle is blue and charged with a yellow, 12-rayed sunburst; the lower fly-side tri¬ angle is green ECONOMY Economy overview: The economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and processing of minerals for export. Mining accounts for 20% of GDP. Rich alluvial diamond deposits make Namibia a pri¬ mary source for gem-quality diamonds. Namibia is the fourth- largest exporter of nonfuel minerals in Africa, the world’s fifth-largest producer of uranium, and the producer of large quantities of lead, zinc, tin, silver, and tungsten. The mining sector employs only about 3% of the population while about half of the population depends on subsistence agri¬ culture for its livelihood. Namibia nor¬ mally imports about 50% of its cereal requirements; in drought years food shortages are a major problem in rural areas. A high per capita GDP, relative to the region, hides the world’s worst inequality of income distribution. The Namibian economy is closely linked to South Africa with the Namibian dollar pegged one-to-one to the South African rand. Privatization of several enterprises in coming years may stimulate long-run foreign investment. Increased fish pro¬ duction and mining of zinc, copper, ura¬ nium, and silver spurred growth in 2003-06. GDP (purchasing power parity): $15.44 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $5,329 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 4.6% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $7,600 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 11.8% industry: 30.2% services: 58.1% (2006 est.) Labor force: 653,000 (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 47% industry: 20% services: 33% (1999 est.) Unemployment rate: 5.3% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: the UNDP’s 2005 Human Development Report indicated that 34.9% of the pop¬ ulation live on $1 per day and 55.8% live on $2 per day Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.5% highest 10%: 64.5% Distribution of family income — Gini index: 70.7 (2003) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 25% of GDP (2006 est.) 437 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Budget: revenues: $2,233 billion expenditures: $2,214 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 31.6% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: millet, sorghum, peanuts, grapes; livestock; fish Industries: meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products; mining (diamonds, lead, zinc, tin, silver, tungsten, uranium, copper) Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity— production: 1.397 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: NA Electricity— consumption: 2.819 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 80 million kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 1.6 billion kWh; note — electricity supplied by South Africa (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 18,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: 12,770 bbl/day (2003) Oil— proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2002) Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 62.3 bib lion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $572 million (2006 est.) Exports: $2,321 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium; cattle, processed fish, karakul skins Exports — partners: South Africa 33.4%, US 4% (2004) Imports: $2,456 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: foodstuffs; petroleum products and fuel, machinery and equipment, chemicals Imports— partners: South Africa 85.2%, US (2004) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $480 million (2006 est.) Debt — external: $887 million (2006 est.) Economic aid — recipient: ODA, $160 million (2000 est.) Currency (code): Namibian dollar (NAD); South African rand (ZAR) Currency code: NAD; ZAR Exchange rates: Namibian dollars per US dollar— 6.7649 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002) Fiscal year: 1 April — 31 March COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 127,900 (2004) Telephones — mobile cellular: 495,000 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: good system; about 6 telephones for each 100 persons domestic: good urban services; fair rural service; microwave radio relay links major towns; connections to other populated places are by open wire; 100% digital international: country code — 264; fiber- optic cable to South Africa, microwave radio relay link to Botswana, direct links to other neighboring countries; con¬ nected to Africa ONE and South African Far East (SAFE) submarine cables through South Africa; satellite earth stations — 4 Intelsat (2002) Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 39, shortwave 4 (2001) Radios: 232,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 8 (plus about 20 repeaters) (1997) Televisions: 60,000 (1997) Internet country code: .na Internet hosts: 3,527 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000) Internet users: 75,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 137 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 21 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 116 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 22 914 to 1,523 m: 72 under 914 m: 20 (2006) Railways: total: 2,382 km narrow gauge: 2,382 km 1.067-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 42,237 km paved: 5,406 km unpaved: 36,831 km (2002) Merchant marine: total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 2,265 GRT/3,605 DWT by type: cargo 1 (2006) Ports and terminals: Luderitz, Walvis Bay MILITARY. Military branches: Namibian Defense Force: Army, Navy, Air Wing (2006) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 441,293 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18^9: 217,118 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 3.7% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: concerns from international experts and local popula¬ tions over the Okavango Delta ecology in Botswana and human displacement scuttled Namibian plans to construct a hydroelectric dam on Popa Falls along the Angola-Namibia border; managed dispute with South Africa over the loca¬ tion of the boundary in the Orange River; Namibia has supported, and in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections to, plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River, thereby de facto recognizing a short, but not clearly delimited, Botswana-Zambia boundary in the river Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: refugees (country of origin ): 11,900 (Angola) (2006) NAURU INTRODUCTION Background: The exact origins of the Nauruans are unclear, since their lan¬ guage does not resemble any other in the Pacific. The island was annexed by Germany in 1888 and its phosphate deposits began to be mined early in the 20th century by a German-British con¬ sortium. Nauru was occupied by Australian forces in World War I and subsequently became a Feague of Nations mandate. After the Second World War — and a brutal occupation by Japan — Nauru became a UN trust terri¬ tory. It achieved its independence in 1968 and joined the UN in 1999 as the world’s smallest independent republic. GEOGRAPHY Location: Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the Marshall Islands Geographic coordinates: 0 32 S, 166 55 E Map references: Oceania Area: total: 21 sq km 438 NAURU land: 21 sq km water: 0 sq km Area— comparative: about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 30 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical with a monsoonal pat¬ tern; rainy season (November to February) Terrain: sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs with phosphate plateau in center Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location along plateau rim 61m Natural resources: phosphates, fish Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: periodic droughts Environment— current issues: limited natural fresh water resources, roof storage tanks collect rainwater, but mostly dependent on a single, aging desalina¬ tion plant; intensive phosphate mining during the past 90 years — mainly by a UK, Australia, and NZ consortium — has left the central 90% of Nauru a waste¬ land and threatens limited remaining land resources Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: Nauru is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean — the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Makatea in French Polynesia; only 53 km south of Equator PEOPLE Population: 13,528 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 36.4% (male 2,508/female 2,410) 15-64 years: 61.6% (male 4,111/female 4,224) 65 years and over: 2% (male 144/female 131) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 21 years male: 20.4 years female: 21.5 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.781% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 24.47 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 6.65 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.041 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.973 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.099 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 9.6 deaths/1,000 live births male: 12.07 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 63.44 years male: 59.85 years female: 67.21 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 3.02 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Nauruan(s) adjective: Nauruan Ethnic groups: Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%, European 8% Religions: Christian (two-thirds Protestant, one-third Roman Catholic) Languages: Nauruan (official; a distinct Pacific Island language), English widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and commercial purposes Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA male: NA female: NA GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Nauru conventional short form: Nauru local long form: Republic of Nauru local short form: Nauru former: Pleasant Island Government type: republic Capital: no official capital; government offices in Yaren District time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 14 districts; Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare, Baiti, Boe, Buada, Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, Yaren Independence: 31 January 1968 (from the Australia-, NZ-, and UK-adminis- tered UN trusteeship) Notional holiday: Independence Day, 31 January (1968) Constitution: 29 January 1968; amended 17 May 1968 (Constitution Day) Legal system: acts of the Nauru Parliament and British common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal and compulsory Executive branch: chief of state: President Ludwig SCOTTY (since 22 June 2004); note — the presi¬ dent is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Ludwig SCOTTY (since 22 June 2004) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the presi¬ dent from among the members of Parliament elections: president elected by Parliament for a three-year term; election last held 23 October 2004 (next to be held in June 2007) election results: Ludwig SCOTTY was unopposed in the parliamentary elec¬ tions for president Legislative branch: unicameral Parlia¬ ment ( 1 8 seats; members elected by pop¬ ular vote to serve three-year terms) elections: last held 23 October 2004 (next to be held not later than 2007) election results: percent of vote — NA; seats — Nauru First Party 3, independents 15 Judicial branch: Supreme Court Political parties and leaders: Demo¬ cratic Party [Kennan ADEANG]; Nauru Party (informal); Nauru First (Naoero Amo) Party; note — loose multiparty system Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Vinci Niel CLODUMAR 439 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK chancery: 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400 D, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 937-0074 FAX: [1] (212) 937-0079 consulate(s) : Agana (Guam) Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Nauru; the US Ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Nauru Flag description: blue with a narrow, horizontal, yellow stripe across the center and a large white 12-pointed star below the stripe on the hoist side; the star indicates the country’s location in relation to the Equator (the yellow stripe) and the 12 points symbolize the 12 original tribes of Nauru ECONOMY Economy — overview: Revenues of this tiny island have traditionally come from exports of phosphates, now significantly depleted. An Australian company in 2005 entered into an agreement intended to exploit remaining supplies. Few other resources exist with most necessities being imported, mainly from Australia, its former occupier and later major source of support. The rehabilitation of mined land and the replacement of income from phos¬ phates are serious long-term problems. In anticipation of the exhaustion of Nauru’s phosphate deposits, substantial amounts of phosphate income were invested in trust funds to help cushion the transition and provide for Nauru’s economic future. As a result of heavy spending from the trust funds, the government faces virtual bank¬ ruptcy. To cut costs the government has frozen wages and reduced overstaffed public service departments. In 2005, the deterioration in housing, hospitals, and other capital plant continued, and the cost to Australia of keeping the government and economy afloat continued to climb. Few comprehensive statistics on the Nauru economy exist, with estimates of Nauru’s GDP varying widely. GDP (purchasing power parity): $60 million (2005 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): NA GDP— real growth rate: NA% GDP— per capita (PPP): $5,000 (2005 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% Labor force — by occupation: note: employed in mining phosphates, public administration, education, and trans¬ portation (1992) Unemployment rate: 90% (2004 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): -3.6% (1993) Budget: revenues: $13.5 million expenditures: $13.5 million (2005) Agriculture — products: coconuts Industries: phosphate mining, offshore hanking, coconut products Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity — production: 30 million kWh (2004) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 27.9 million kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 1,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Exports: $64,000 f.o.b. (2005 est.) Exports— commodities: phosphates Exports— partners: South Africa 63.7%, South Korea 7.6%, Canada 6.6% (2005) Imports: $20 million c.i.f. (2004 est.) Imports — commodities: food, fuel, man¬ ufactures, building materials, machinery Imports— partners: South Korea 43.8%, Australia 36.2%, US 5.9%, Germany 4.3% (2005) Debt— external: $33.3 million (2002) Economic aid— recipient: $20 million mostly from Australia (2005) Currency (code): Australian dollar ( AUD) Currency code: AUD Exchange rates: Australian dollars per US dollar— 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002) Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 1,900 (2002) Telephones— mobile cellular: 1,500 (2002) Telephone system: general assessment: adequate local and international radiotelephone communi¬ cation provided via Australian facilities domestic: NA international: country code — 674; satel¬ lite earth station — 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) Radios: 7,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997) Televisions: 500 (1997) Internet country code: nr Internet hosts: 52 (2006) internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000) Internet users: 300 (2002) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 1 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) Roadways: total: 30 km paved: 24 km unpaved: 6 km (1999 est.) Ports and terminals: Nauru Military branches: no regular military forces; Nauru Police Force (2007) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 2,874 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: NA Military— note: Nauru maintains no defense forces; under an informal agree¬ ment, defense is the responsibility of Australia TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: none ' '^X0:r’0: : X .v NAVASSA ISLAND Background: This uninhabited island was claimed by the US in 1857 for its guano. Mining took place between 1865 and 1898. The lighthouse, built in 1917, was shut down in 1996 and administration of Navassa Island transferred from the Coast Guard to the Department of the Interior. A 1998 sci¬ entific expedition to the island described it as a unique preserve of Caribbean biodiver¬ sity; the following year it became a National Wildlife Refuge and annual scientific expe¬ ditions have continued. GEOGRAPHY Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, 35 miles west of Tiburon Peninsula of Haiti Geographic coordinates: 18 25 N, 75 02 W 440 NEPAL Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total: 5.4 sq km land: 5.4 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 8 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: marine, tropical Terrain: raised coral and limestone plateau, flat to undulating; ringed by ver¬ tical white cliffs (9 to 15 m high) Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on southwest side 77 m Natural resources: guano Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 1 00% (2005) Natural hazards: hurricanes Environment — current issues: NA Geography— note: strategic location 160 km south of the US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; mostly exposed rock with numerous solution holes but with enough grassland to support goat herds; dense stands of fig trees, scattered cactus PEOPLE Population: uninhabited note: transient Haitian fishermen and others camp on the island GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Navassa Island Dependency status: unorganized, unin¬ corporated territory of the US; adminis¬ tered by the Fish and Wildlife Service, US Department of the Interior, from the Caribbean Islands National Wildlife Refuge in Boqueron, Puerto Rico; in September 1996, the Coast Guard ceased operations and maintenance of Navassa Island Light, a 46-meter-tall lighthouse on the southern side of the island; there has also been a private claim advanced against the island Legal system: the laws of the US, where applicable, apply Flag description: the flag of the US is used ECONOMY Economy — overview: Subsistence fishing and commercial trawling occur within refuge waters. TRANSPORTATION Ports and terminals: none; offshore anchorage only MILITARY Military— note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of the US TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: claimed by Haiti, source of subsistence fishing _ NEPAL INTRODUCTION _ Background: In 1951, the Nepalese monarch ended the century-old system of rule by hereditary premiers and insti¬ tuted a cabinet system of government. Reforms in 1990 established a multiparty democracy within the framework of a constitutional monarchy. A Maoist insurgency, launched in 1996, gained traction and threatened to bring down the regime, especially after a negotiated cease-fire between the Maoists and gov¬ ernment forces broke down in August 2003. In 2001, the crown prince massa¬ cred ten members of the royal family, including the king and queen, and then took his own life. In October 2002, the new king dismissed the prime minister and his cabinet for “incompetence” after they dissolved the parliament and were subsequently unable to hold elections because of the ongoing insurgency. While stopping short of reestablishing parliament, the king in June 2004 rein¬ stated the most recently elected prime minister who formed a four-party coali¬ tion government. Citing dissatisfaction with the government’s lack of progress in addressing the Maoist insurgency and corruption, the king in February 2005 dissolved the government, declared a state of emergency, imprisoned party leaders, and assumed power. The king’s government subsequently released party leaders and officially ended the state of emergency in May 2005, but the monarch retained absolute power until April 2006. After nearly three weeks of mass protests organized by the seven- party opposition and the Maoists, the king allowed parliament to reconvene on 28 April 2006. Following the November 2006 peace accord between the govern¬ ment and the Maoists, an interim consti¬ tution was promulgated and the Maoists were allowed to enter parliament in mid- January 2007. Constituent elections are planned for June 2007. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southern Asia, between China and India Geographic coordinates: 28 00 N, 84 00 E Map references: Asia Area: total: 147,181 sq km 441 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK land: 143,181 sq km water: 4,000 sq km Area — comparative: slightly larger than Arkansas Land boundaries: total: 2,926 km border countries: China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime claims: none (landlocked) Climate: varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to subtropical summers and mild winters in south Terrain: Tarai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hill region, rugged Himalayas in north Elevation extremes: lowest point: Kanchan Kalan 70 m highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m Natural resources: quartz, water, timber, hydropower, scenic beauty, small deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore Land use: arable land: 16.07% permanent crops: 0.85% other: 83.08% (2005) Irrigated land: 11,700 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and famine depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer monsoons Environment — current issues: deforesta- tion (overuse of wood for fuel and lack of alternatives); contaminated water (with human and animal wastes, agricultural runoff, and industrial effluents); wildlife conservation; vehicular emissions Environment — international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation Geography — note: landlocked; strategic location between China and India; con¬ tains eight of world’s 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest and Kan- chenjunga — the world’s tallest and third tallest — on the borders with China and India respectively Population: 28,901,790 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 38.3% (male 5,721,720/ female 5,360,391 ) 15-64 years: 57.9% (male 8,597,037/ female 8,134,1 15) 65 years and over: 3.8% (male 528,113/ female 560,414) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 20.5 years male: 20.3 years female: 20.6 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.132% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 30.46 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 9.14 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.067 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.057 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.942 male(s)/female total population: 1.056 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 63.66 deaths/1,000 live births male: 61.87 deaths/1,000 live births female: 65.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 60.56 years male: 60.78 years female: 60.33 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 401 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 0.5% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 61,000 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 3,100 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Nepalese (singular and plural) adjective: Nepalese Ethnic groups: Chhettri 15.5%, Brahman- Hill 12.5%, Magar 7%, Tharu 6.6%, Tamang 5.5%, Newar 5.4%, Muslim 4-2%, Kami 3.9%, Yadav 3.9%, other 32.7%, unspecified 2.8% (2001 census) Religions: Hindu 80.6%, Buddhist 10.7%, Muslim 4-2%, Kirant 3.6%, other 0.9% (2001 census) note: only official Hindu state in the world Languages: Nepali 47.8%, Maithali 12.1%, Bhojpuri 7.4%, Tharu (Dagaura/ Rana) 5.8%, Tamang 5.1%, Newar 3.6%, Magar 3.3%, Awadhi 2.4%, other 10%, unspecified 2.5% (2001 census) note: many in government and business also speak English (2001 est.) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 48.6% male: 62.7% female : 34.9% (2001 census) Country name: conventional long and short form: Nepal local long and short form: Nepal Government type: parliamentary democracy Capital: name: Kathmandu geographic coordinates: 27 43 N, 85 19 E time difference: UTC+5.75 (10.75 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 14 zones (anchal, singular and plural); Bagmati, Bheri, Dhawalagiri, Gandaki, Janakpur, Kamali, Kosi, Lumbini, Mahakali, Mechi, Narayani, Rapti, Sagarmatha, Seti Independence: 1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan SHAH) National holiday: in 2006, Parliament abolished the birthday of King GYA- NENDRA (7 July) and Constitution Day (9 November) as national holidays Constitution: 9 November 1990; the government began working on an interim constitution in May 2006 Legal system: based on Hindu legal con¬ cepts and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Girija Prasad KOIRALA (since 30 April 2006) head of government: Prime Minister Girija Prasad KOIRALA (since 30 April 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers Khadga Prasad OLI (since 2 May 2006) and Amik SHERCHAN since June 2006) cabinet: Cabinet historically appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; note — the prime minister selected the Cabinet in May 2006 in consultation with the political parties elections: following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition historically has been appointed prime minister by the monarch Legislative branch: a 330 seat Interim Parliament was formed on 15 January 2007 following the promulgation of an interim constitution elections: elections are planned for June 2007 election results: Interim Parliament seats by party — NC 85, CPN/M 83, CPN/UML 83, NC/D 48, RPP 9, NSP/AD 5, NWPP 4, People’s Front Nepal (Amik Sherchan Group) 4, People’s Front Nepal (Chitra Bahadur K.C. Group) 3, UFL 3, People’s Front Nepal (Chitra Bahadur Ale Group) 2, NSP 1 Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Sarbochha Adalat (chief justice is appointed by the monarch on recom¬ mendation of the Constitutional Council; the other judges are appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the Judicial Council) 442 NEPAL Political parties and leaders: Com¬ munist Party of Nepal/United Marxist- Leninist or CPN/UML [Madhav Kumar NEPAL]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Pashupati Shumsher RANA] (also called Rastriya Prajantra Party or RPP); Nepal Sadbhavana (Goodwill) Party or NSP — Mandal [Bhadri Prasad MAN- DAL]; Nepal Sadbhavana Party — Ananda Devi [Ananda DEVI]; Nepal Workers and Peasants Party or NWPP [Narayan Man BIJUKCHHE]; Nepali Congress-Democratic [Sher Bahadur DEUBA]; Nepali Congress or NC [Girija Prasad KOIRALA]; People’s Front Nepal (Amik Sherchan Group); People’s Front Nepal (Chitra Bahadur Ale Group); People’s Front Nepal (Chitra Bahadur K.C. Group); Rastriya Janashakti Party or RJP [Surya Bahadur THAPA] (split from RPP in March 2005); Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal (merged with People’s Front Nepal or PFN in 2002); United Leftist Front or UFL [C.P. MAINALI] Political pressure groups and leaders: Maoist guerrilla-based insurgency [Pushpa Kamal DAHAL, also known as PRACHANDA, chairman; Dr. Baburam BHATTARAI]; numerous small, left- leaning student groups in the capital; several small, radical Nepalese anti¬ monarchist groups International organization participa¬ tion: AsDB, BIMSTEC, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) chancery: 2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 667-4550 FAX: [1] (202) 667-5534 consulate(s) general: New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James F. MORIARTY embassy: Panipokhari, Kathmandu mailing address : use embassy street address telephone: J977] (1) 41 IT 179 FAX: [977] (1) 441-9963 Flag description: red with a blue border around the unique shape of two overlap¬ ping right triangles; the smaller, upper triangle bears a white stylized moon and the larger, lower triangle bears a white 12 -pointed sun ECONOMY Economy— overview: Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the world with almost one-third of its population living below the poverty line. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood for three-fourths of the population and accounting for 38% of GDP. Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of agricultural produce including jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain. Security concerns relating to the Maoist conflict have led to a decrease in tourism, a key source of foreign exchange. Nepal has considerable scope for exploiting its potential in hydropower and tourism, areas of recent foreign investment interest. Prospects for foreign trade or investment in other sectors will remain poor, however, because of the small size of the economy, its technological back¬ wardness, its remoteness, its landlocked geographic location, its civil strife, and its susceptibility to natural disaster. GDP (purchasing power parity): $41.18 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $6,948 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 1.9% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $1,500 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 38% industry: 20% services: 42% (FY05/06 est.) Labor force: 11.11 million note: severe lack of skilled labor (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 76% industry: 6% services: 18% (2004 est.) Unemployment rate: 42% (2004 est.) Population below poverty line: 31% (FY03/04) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 39.1% (2003-2004) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 37.7 (FY04/05) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8.6% (November 2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $1,153 billion expenditures: $1,927 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (FY06/07) Agriculture — products: rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, jute, root crops; milk, water buffalo meat Industries: tourism, carpet, textile; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed mills; ciga¬ rettes, cement and brick production Industrial production growth rate: 2 2% (FY05/06) Electricity— production: 2.511 billion kWh (2006) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 8.5% hydro: 91.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 1.96 billion kWh (2006) Electricity— exports: 101 million kWh (2006) Electricity— imports: 266 million kWh (2006) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— consumption: 11,550 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: 11,530 bbl/day (2006 est.) Natural gas— production: Ocum (2006 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2006 est.) Exports: $822 million f.o.b.; note — does not include unrecorded border trade with India (2005 est.) Exports— commodities: carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, grain Exports— partners: India 53.7%, US 17.4%, Germany 7.1% (2005) Imports: $2 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.) Imports— commodities: gold, ma¬ chinery and equipment, petroleum prod¬ ucts, fertilizer Imports— partners: India 47.7%, UAE 11.2%, China 10.8%, Saudi Arabia 4.9%, Kuwait 4.2% (2005) Debt — external: $3.07 billion (March 2006) Economic aid— recipient: $533 million (FY04/05) Currency (code): Nepalese rupee (NPR) Currency code: NPR Exchange rates: Nepalese rupees per US dollar— 72.446 (2006), 72.16 (2005), 73.674 (2004), 76.141 (2003), 77.877 (2002) Fiscal year: 16 July— 15 July COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 448,600 (2005) Telephones — mobile cellular: 248,800 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: poor telephone and telegraph service; fair radiotelephone communication service and mobile cel¬ lular telephone network domestic: NA international: country code — 977; radio¬ telephone communications; microwave landline to India; satellite earth sta¬ tion — 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) 443 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Radio broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2000) Radios: 840,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: l (plus 9 repeaters) (1998) Televisions: 130,000 (1997) Internet country code: np Internet hosts: 17,789 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 6 (2000) Internet users: 175,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 48 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 10 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1 ,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 2 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 38 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1 ,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 29 (2006) Railways: total: 59 km narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 17,380 km paved: 9,886 km unpaved: 7,494 km (2004) MILITARY Military branches: Royal Nepalese Army (includes Royal Nepalese Army Air Service); Nepalese Police Force Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 6,107,091 females age 18-49: 5,744,989 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 4-193 million females age 18-4 9: 3,853,102 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18—49: 308,031 females age 18-49: 286,604 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1.6% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: joint border commission continues to work on con¬ tested sections of boundary with India, including the 400 square kilometer dis¬ pute over the source of the Kalapani River; India has instituted a stricter border regime to restrict transit of Maoist insurgents and illegal cross-border activ¬ ities; approximately 106,000 Bhutanese Lhotshampas (Hindus) have been con¬ fined in refugee camps in southeastern Nepal since 1990 Refugees and infernally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 106,248 (Bhutan), 20,153 (Tibet/China) IDPs: 100,000-200,000 (ongoing con¬ flict between government forces and Maoist rebels; displacement spread across the country) (2006) Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis and hashish for the domestic and inter¬ national drug markets; transit point for opiates from Southeast Asia to the West NETHERLANDS INTRODUCTION Background: The Dutch United Pro¬ vinces declared their independence from Spain in 1579; during the 17th century, they became a leading seafaring and commercial power, with settlements and colonies around the world. After a 20- year French occupation, a Kingdom of the Netherlands was formed in 1815. In 1830 Belgium seceded and formed a sep¬ arate kingdom. The Netherlands remained neutral in World War I, but suffered invasion and occupation by Germany in World War II. A modern, industrialized nation, the Netherlands is also a large exporter of agricultural prod¬ ucts. The country was a founding member of NATO and the EEC (now the EU), and participated in the intro¬ duction of the euro in 1999. GEOGRAPHY Location: Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany Geographic coordinates: 52 30 N, 5 45 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 41,526 sq km land: 33,883 sq km water: 7,643 sq km Area — comparative: slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey Land boundaries: total: 1,027 km border countries: Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km Coastline: 451 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm Climate: temperate; marine; cool sum¬ mers and mild winters Terrain: mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in southeast Elevation extremes: lowest point: Zuidplaspolder -7 m highest point: Vaalserberg 322 m Natural resources: natural gas, petro¬ leum, peat, limestone, salt, sand and gravel, arable land Land use: arable land: 21.96% permanent crops: 0.77% other: 77.27% (2005) Irrigated land: 5,650 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: flooding Environment— current issues: water pollution in the form of heavy metals, organic compounds, and nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates; air pollution from vehicles and refining activities; acid rain Environment— international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution- Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution- Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling Geography— note: located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine, Maas or Meuse, and Schelde) PEOPLE Population: 16,570,613 (July 2007 est.) 444 NETHERLANDS Age structure: 0-14 years: 17.8% (male 1,505,931/ female 1,436,532) 15-64 years: 67.8% (male 5,683,877/ female 5,557,745) 65 years and over: 14-4% (male 1,015,731/ female 1,370,797) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 39.7 years male: 38.9 years female: 40.5 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.464% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 10.7 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 8.69 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 2.63 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.048 male(s)/female 15—64 years: 1.023 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.741 male(s)/female total population: 0.981 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 4.88 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.43 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4-31 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 79.11 years male: 76.52 years female: 81.82 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1 .66 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2001 est.) HiV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 19,000 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: less than 100 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Dutchman (men), Dutchwoman (women) adjective: Dutch Ethnic groups: Dutch 83%, other 17% (of which 9% are non-Westem origin mainly Turks, Moroccans, Antilleans, Surinamese, and Indonesians) (1999 est.) Religions: Roman Catholic 31%, Dutch Reformed 13%, Calvinist 7%, Muslim 5.5%, other 2.5%, none 41% (2002) Languages: Dutch (official), Frisian (official) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of the Netherlands conventional short form: Netherlands local long form: Koninkrijk der Neder- landen local short form: Nederland Government type: constitutional monarchy Capital: name: Amsterdam geographic coordinates: 52 23 N,4 54E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October note: The Hague (seat of government) Administrative divisions: 12 provinces (provincies, singular — provincie); Dren- the, Flevoland, Friesland (Fryslan), Gelderland, Groningen, Limburg, Noord- Brabant (North Brabant), Noord-Holland (North Holland), Overijssel, Utrecht, Zeeland, Zuid-Holland (South Holland) Dependent areas: Aruba, Netherlands Antilles Independence: 23 January 1579 (the northern provinces of the Low Countries conclude the Union of Utrecht breaking with Spain; on 26 July 1581 they for¬ mally declared their independence with an Act of Abjuration; however, it was not until 30 January 1648 and the Peace of Westphalia that Spain recognized this independence) National holiday: Queen’s Day (Birth day of Queen-Mother JULIANA and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX), 30 April ( 1909 and 1980) Constitution: adopted 1815; amended many times, most recently in 2002 Legal system: civil law system incorpo¬ rating French penal theory; constitution does not permit judicial review of acts of the States General; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Queen BEATRIX (since 30 April 1980); Heir Apparent WILLEM- ALEXANDER (born 27 April 1967), son of the monarch head of government: Prime Minister Jan Peter BALKENENDE (since 22 July 2002); Deputy Prime Ministers Wouter BOS (since 22 February 2007) and Laurens Andre ROUVOET (since 22 February 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarchy is heredi¬ tary; following Second Chamber elec¬ tions, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch; deputy prime ministers appointed by the monarch note: there is also a Council of State composed of the monarch, heir apparent, and councilors that provides consulta¬ tions to the cabinet on legislative and administrative policy Legislative branch: bicameral States General or Staten Generaal consists of the First Chamber or Eerste Kamer (75 seats; members indirectly elected by the country’s 12 provincial councils to serve four-year terms) and the Second Chamber or Tweede Kamer (150 seats; members directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: First Chamber — last held 25 May 2003 (next to be held in May 2007); Second Chamber — last held 22 November 2006 (next to be held by early 2011) election results: First Chamber — percent of vote by party — NA%; seats by party — CDA 23, PvdA 19, VVD 15, Green Left Party 5, Socialist Party 4, D66 3, other 6; Second Chamber — percent of vote by party — CDA 26.5%, PvdA 21.2%, Socialist Party 16.6%, VVD 14-6%, Party for Freedom 5.9%, Green Party 4.6%, Christian Union 4-0%, other 6.6%; seats by party— CDA 41, PvdA 33, Socialist Party 25, VVD 22, Party for Freedom 9, Green Party 7, Christian Union 6, other 7 Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Hoge Raad (justices are nominated for life by the monarch) Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Appeal or CDA [Jan Peter BALKENENDE]; Christian Union Party [Andre ROUVOET]; Democrats 66 or D66 [Alexander PECHTOLD]; Green Left Party [Femke HALSEMA]; Labor Party or PvdA [Wouter BOS]; List Pirn Fortuyn [Olaf STUGER]; Party for Freedom or PVV [Geert WILDERS]; Party for the Animals or PvdD [Marianne THIEME]; People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (Liberal) or VVD [Mark RUTTE]; Reformed Political Party of SGP [Bas VAN DER VLIES]; Socialist Party [Jan MAR1- JNISSEN]; plus a few minor parties Political pressure groups and leaders: Netherlands Trade Union Federation or FNV (consisting of a merger of Socialist and Catholic trade unions); Christian Trade Union Federation or CNV; Trade Union Federation of Middle and High Personnel or MHP; Federation of Catholic and Protestant Employers Associations; Interchurch Peace Council or IKV; large multinational firms; the nondenominational Federation of Netherlands Enterprises International organization participa¬ tion: AfDB, Arctic Council (observer), 445 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CBSS (observer), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, I CRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSC, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PC A, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Christiaan Mark Johan KROENER chancery: 4200 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 244-5300 FAX: [1] (202) 362-343 0 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York consulate^ s): Boston Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Roland E. ARNALL embassy: Lange Voorhout 102, 2514 EJ, The Hague mailing address : PSC 71, Box 1000, APO AE 09715 telephone: [31] (70) 310-2209 FAX: [31] (70) 361-4688 consulate(s) general: Amsterdam Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue; sim¬ ilar to the flag of Luxembourg, which uses a lighter blue and is longer; one of the oldest flags in constant use, originating with WILLIAM I, Prince of Orange, in the latter half of the 16th century ECONOMY Economy — overview: The Netherlands has a prosperous and open economy, which depends heavily on foreign trade. The economy is noted for stable indus¬ trial relations, moderate unemployment and inflation, a sizable current account surplus, and an important role as a European transportation hub. Industrial activity is predominantly in food pro¬ cessing, chemicals, petroleum refining, and electrical machinery. A highly mechanized agricultural sector employs no more than 2% of the labor force but provides large surpluses for the food-pro¬ cessing industry and for exports. The Netherlands, along with 11 of its EU partners, began circulating the euro cur¬ rency on 1 January 2002. The country continues to be one of the leading European nations for attracting foreign direct investment. Economic growth slowed considerably in 2001—06, as part of the global economic slowdown, but for the four years before that, annual growth averaged nearly 4%, well above the EU average. GDP (purchasing power parity): $529.1 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $612.7 billion (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 2.9% (2006 est.) GDP — per capita (PPP): $32,100 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 2.1% industry: 23.9% services: 73.9% (2006 est.) Labor force: 7.6 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 2% industry: 19% services: 79% (2004 est.) Unemployment rate: 5.5% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 10.5% (1999) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 22.9% (1999) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 30.9 (2005) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.4% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 19.3% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $304-3 billion expenditures: $306.5 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 50.8% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: grains, potatoes, sugar beets, fruits, vegetables; livestock Industries: agroindustries, metal and engi¬ neering products, electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum, con¬ struction, microelectronics, fishing Industrial production growth rate: 2.3% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 92.7 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 89.9% hydro: 0.1% nuclear: 4.3% other: 5.7% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 102.4 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 5.2 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — imports: 21.4 billion kWh (2004) Oil— production: 95,800 bbl/day (2004) Oil — consumption: 946,700 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: 1.418 million bbl/day (2001) Oil — imports: 2.284 million bbl/day (2001) Oil — proved reserves: 88.06 million bbl (1 January 2002) Natural gas — production: 85.98 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 51.3 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — exports: 53.56 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — imports: 18.85 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 1.756 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $50.17 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $413.8 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs Exports— partners: Germany 24.9%, Belgium 13%, France 9.4%, UK 9.2%, Italy 5.7%, US 4.3%, Spain 4.1% (2005) Imports: $373.8 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs, clothing Imports — partners: Germany 16.6%, Belgium 9.3%, China 8.8%, US 7.6%, UK 5.8%, France 4-7%, Russia 4-4% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $10.24 billion (August 2006 est.) Debt— external: $1,899 trillion (30 June 2006) Economic aid— donor: ODA, $4 billion (2003 est.) Currency (code): euro (EUR) note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by finan¬ cial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries Currency code: EUR Exchange rates: euros per US dollar— 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 7.6 million (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 15.834 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: highly developed and well maintained domestic: extensive fixed-line fiber-optic network; cellular telephone system is one of the largest in Europe with 5 major net¬ work operators utilizing the third genera¬ tion of the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) international: country code — 31; 9 sub- 446 NETHERLANDS ANTILLES marine cables; satellite earth stations — 3 Intelsat ( 1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions) (2004) Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 246, shortwave 3 (2004) Radios: 15.3 million (1996) Television broadcast stations: 21 (plus 26 repeaters) (1995) Televisions: 8.1 million (1997) Internet country code: nl Internet hosts: 8.363 million (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 52 (2000) Internet users: 10.806 million (2004) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 27 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 20 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1 ,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 4 (2006) Heliports: 1 (2006) Pipelines: condensate 81 km; gas 7,229 km; oil 578 km; refined products 716 km (2006) Railways: total: 2,808 km standard gauge: 2,808 km 1.435-m gauge (2,061 km electrified) (2005) Roadways: total: 134,000 km (includes 3,270 km of expressways) (2004) Waterways: 6,183 km (navigable for ships of 50 tons) (2005) Merchant marine: total: 558 ships (1000 GRT or over) 5,042,775 GRT/5,016,265 DWT by type: bulk carrier 29, cargo 345, chem¬ ical tanker 29, container 59, liquefied gas 12, passenger 14, passenger/cargo 14, petroleum tanker 16, refrigerated cargo 19, roll on/roll off 18, specialized tanker 3 foreign'Owned: 157 (Australia 1, Belgium 2, Denmark 9, Finland 13, Germany 56, Ireland 10, Netherlands Antilles 1, Norway 7, Sweden 26, UK 19, US 13) registered in other countries: 222 (Antigua and Barbuda 14, Australia 2, Austria 2, Bahamas 24, Canada 1, Cayman Islands 4, Cyprus 18, Gibraltar 5, Isle of Man 1, Liberia 29, Luxembourg 2, Malta 6, Marshall Islands 1, Netherlands Antilles 54, Norway 3, Panama 21, Philippines 19, Portugal 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 5, Singapore 2, UK 3, US 4, unknown 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Amsterdam, Gro¬ ningen, IJmuiden, Rotterdam, Terneu- zen, Vlissingen, Zaanstad MILITARY Military branches: Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy (in¬ cludes Naval Air Service and Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands Air Force (Koninklijke Luchtmacht, KLu), Royal Military Police, Defense Interservice Command (DICO) (2006) Military service age and obligation: 20 years of age for an all-volunteer force (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 20-49: 3,557,918 females age 20^9: 3,470,377 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 20-49: 2,856,691 females age 20-A 9: 2,786,495 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 99,934 females age 20^9: 95,818 (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of GDP: 1.6% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: none Illicit drugs: major European producer of synthetic drugs, including ecstasy, and cannabis cultivator; important gateway for cocaine, heroin, and hashish entering Europe; major source of US-bound ecstasy; large financial sector vulnerable to money laundering; significant con¬ sumer of ecstasy NETHERLANDS ANTILLES INTRODUCTION Background: Once the center of the Caribbean slave trade, the island of Curacao was hard hit by the abolition of slavery in 1863. Its prosperity (and that of neighboring Aruba) was restored in the early 20th century with the construc¬ tion of oil refineries to service the newly discovered Venezuelan oil fields. The island of Saint Martin is shared with France; its southern portion is named Sint Maarten and is part of the Netherlands Antilles; its northern por¬ tion is called Saint-Martin and is part of Guadeloupe (France). GEOGRAPHY Location: Caribbean, two island groups in the Caribbean Sea — composed of five islands, Curacao and Bonaire located off the coast of Venezuela, and St. Maarten, Saba, and St. Eustatius lie east of the US Virgin Islands Geographic coordinates: 12 15 N, 68 45 W Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total: 960 sq km land: 960 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten (Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin) Area — comparative: more than five times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: total: 15 km border countries: Guadeloupe (Saint- Martin) 15 km Coastline: 364 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm Climate: tropical; ameliorated by north¬ east trade winds Terrain: generally hilly, volcanic interiors Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Scenery 862 m Natural resources: phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only) Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 0% other: 90% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: Curacao and Bonaire are south of Caribbean hurricane belt and are rarely threatened; Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are subject to hurricanes from July to October Environment — current issues: NA Geography — note: the five islands of the Netherlands Antilles are divided geo- 447 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK graphically into the Leeward Islands (northern) group (Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten) and the Windward Islands (southern) group (Bonaire and Curacao) PEOPLE Population: 223,652 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 23.6% (male 27,020/female 25,726) 15-64 years: 67.4% (male 72,449/female 78,259) 65 years and over: 9% (male 8,243/female 11,955) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 33.1 years male: 31.4 years female: 34-8 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.777% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 14.56 births/1, 000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 6.39 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -0.4 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.926 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.929 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 9.63 deaths/ 1,000 live births male: 10.33 deaths/1,000 live births female: 8.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.24 years male: 73.96 years female: 78.65 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1 .99 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HI V/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Dutch Antillean(s) adjective: Dutch Antillean Ethnic groups: mixed black 85%, other 15% (includes Carib Amerindian, white, East Asian) Religions: Roman Catholic 72%, Pentecostal 4.9%, Protestant 3.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.1%, Methodist 2.9%, Jehovah’s Witnesses 1.7%, other Christian 4.2%, Jewish 1.3%, other or unspecified 1.2%, none 5.2% (2001 census) Languages: Papiamento 65.4% (a Spanish -Portuguese -Dutch -English dialect), English 15.9% (widely spoken), Dutch 7.3% (official), Spanish 6.1%, Creole 1.6%, other 1.9%, unspecified 1.8% (2001 census) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.7% male: 96.7% female: 96.8% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Netherlands Antilles local long form: none local short form: Nederlandse Antillen former: Curacao and Dependencies Dependency status: an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 1954; Dutch Govern¬ ment responsible for defense and foreign affairs Government type: parliamentary Capital: name: Willemstad (on Curacao) geographic coordinates: 12 06 N, 68 56 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) note: each island has its own government Independence: none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) National holiday: Queen’s Day (Birth¬ day of Queen-Mother JULIANA and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX), 30 April (1909 and 1980) Constitution: 29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the Netherlands, as amended Legal system: based on Dutch civil law system with some English common law influence Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980); rep¬ resented by Governor General Frits GOEDGEDRAG (since 1 July 2002) head of government: Prime Minister Emily de J0NGH-ELHAGE (since 26 March 2006) cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten (legislature) elections: the monarch is hereditary; gov¬ ernor general appointed by the monarch for a six-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually elected prime minister by the Staten; election last held 27 January 2006 (next to be held by 2010) note: government coalition— PAR, PNP, DP-St. M, UPB, WIPM Saba, DP-St. E Legislative branch: unicameral States or Staten (22 seats, Curacao 14, Bonaire 3, St. Maarten 3, St. Eustatius 1, Saba 1; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 27 January 2006 (next to be held in 2010) election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — PAR 5, MAN 3, FOL 2, Forsa Korsou 2, National Alliance 2, PNP 2, UPB 2, DP-St. E 1, DP-St. M 1, PDB 1, WIPM 1 note: the government is a coalition of several parties Judicial branch: Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed by the monarch) Political parties and leaders: Bonaire: Democratic Party of Bonaire or PDB [Jopi ABRAHAM]; Patriotic Union of Bonaire or UPB [Ramonsito BOOI] Curacao: Ban Vota [Norbert GEORGE]; C-93 [Stanley BROWN]; Democratic Party of Curacao or DP [Errol HER¬ NANDEZ]; E Mayoria [Aurelio PEDRO]; Forsa Korsou [Nelson NAVARRO]; Liste Ni’un Paso Atras [Nelson PIERRE]; Movemiento Patriotiko Korsou [Reginald LAK]; New Antilles Movement or MAN [Charles COOPER]; Partido Akshon Pa Prosperidat I Seguridat [Sonja BERKE- MEYER]; Partido Laboral Krusada Popular or PLKP [Errol COVA]; Party for the Restructured Antilles or PAR [Emily de JONGH-ELHAGE]; People’s National Party or PNP [Ersilia DE LAN- NOOY]; Pidjin [Jasmin PINEDO]; Pueblo Soberano [Herman WIELS]; Workers’ Liberation Front or FOL [Anthony GODETT] Saba: Saba Labor Party [Akilah LEVEN- STONE]; Windward Islands People’s Movement or WIPM [Ray HASSELL] Sint Eustatius: Democratic Party of Sint Eustatius or DP-St. E [Julian WOOD- LEY]; Progressive Labor Party [Clyde VAN PUTTEN]; St. Eustatius Alliance [Ingrid HOUTM AN - WHITFIELD] Sint Maarten: Democratic Party of Sint Maarten or DP-St. M [Sarah WESCOTT- WILLI AMS]; Freedom Slate of National Democratic Party [Theophilus PRIEST]; National Alliance or NA [William MARLIN]; People’s Progressive Alliance or PPA [Gracita ARRINDELL]; St. Maarten People’s Party [Johan LEONARD]; United People’s Labor Party [Bienvenido RICHARDSON] note: political parties are indigenous to each island Political pressure groups and leaders: Unions (AVBO) and Employers Association (VBC) 448 NETHERLANDS ANTILLES International organization participa¬ tion: ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UN WTO (asso¬ ciate), UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO Diplomatic representation in the US: none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands); note — Mr. Jeffrey COR- RION, Minister Plenipotentiary for Aruba at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Consul General Robert E. SORENSON consulate(s) general: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Willemstad, Curacao mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao telephone: [599] (9) 4613066 FAX: [599] (9) 4616489 Flag description: white, with a hori¬ zontal blue stripe in the center superim¬ posed on a vertical red band, also centered; five white, five-pointed stars are arranged in an oval pattern in the center of the blue band; the five stars represent the five main islands of Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten ECONOMY Economy— overview: Tourism, petro¬ leum refining, and offshore finance are the mainstays of this small economy, which is closely tied to the outside world. Although GDP has declined or grown slightly in each of the past eight years, the islands enjoy a high per capita income and a well-devel¬ oped infrastructure compared with other countries in the region. Most of the oil Netherlands Antilles imports for its refineries come from Venezuela. Almost all consumer and capital goods are imported, the US and Mexico being the major sup¬ pliers. Poor soils and inadequate water sup¬ plies hamper the development of agriculture. Budgetary problems hamper reform of the health and pension systems of an aging population. GDP (purchasing power parity): $2.8 billion (2004 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): NA GDP— real growth rate: 1% (2004 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $16,000 (2004 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 15% services: 84% (2000 est.) Labor force: 83,600 (2005) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 1% industry: 20% services: 79% (2005 est.) Unemployment rate: 17% (2002 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.1% (2003 est.) Budget: revenues: $757.9 million expenditures: $949.5 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2004) Agriculture — products: aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit Industries: tourism (Curacao, Sint Maarten, and Bonaire), petroleum refining (Curacao), petroleum transship¬ ment facilities (Curacao and Bonaire), light manufacturing (Curacao) Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity— production: 1.005 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 934 7 mil lion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 70,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Exports: $2,076 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) Exports — commodities: petroleum products Exports— partners: US 29.4%, Panama 14-4%, Mexico 8.8%, Haiti 5.6%, Venezuela 4.9%, Bahamas, The 4-4% (2005) Imports: $4,383 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) Imports — Commodities: crude petro¬ leum, food, manufactures Imports — partners: Venezuela 50.7%, US 20.7%, Italy 4.8%, Netherlands 4.5% (2005) Debt — external: $2.68 billion (2004) Economic aid— recipient: $21.5 million note: IMF provided $61 million in 2000, and the Netherlands continued its sup¬ port with $40 million (2004) Currency (code): Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG) Currency code: ANG Exchange rates: Netherlands Antillean guilders per US dollar — 1.79 (2006), 1.79 (2005), 1.79 (2004), 1.79 (2003), 1.79 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 81 000 (2001) Telephones— mobile cellular: 200,000 (2004) Telephone system: general assessment: generally adequate facilities domestic: extensive interisland micro- wave radio relay links international: country code — 599; subma¬ rine cables — 2; satellite earth stations — 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 0 (2003) Radios: 217,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 3 (there is also a cable service, which supplies programs received from various US satel¬ lite networks and 4 Venezuelan chan¬ nels) (2003) Televisions: 69,000 (1997) Internet country code: an Internet hosts: 19,204 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 6 Internet users: 2,000 (2000) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 5 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Merchant marine: total: 152 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,289,462 GRT/1, 67 1,649 DWT by type: barge carrier 3, bulk carrier 13, cargo 68, chemical tanker 3, container 19, liquefied gas 4, passenger 2, pas- senger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 28, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 3 foreign-owned: 143 (Belgium 4, Cuba 1, Denmark 1, Germany 60, Netherlands 54, Norway 5, Sweden 5, Turkey 9, UK 3, US 1) registered in other countries: 1 (Netherlands 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Bopec Terminal, Fuik Bay, Kralendijk, Willemstad MILITARY Military branches: no regular military forces; National Guard, Police Force (2005) Military service age and obligation: 16 years of age for National Guard recruit¬ ment; no conscription (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 54,200 females age 16-49: 56,868 (2005 est.) 449 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Manpower fit for military service: males age 16-49: 45,273 females age 16-49: 47,166 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-4 9: 1,720 females age 16-49: 1,657 (2005 est.) Military — note: defense is the responsi' hility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: none Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American drugs bound for the US and Europe; money-laundering center NEW CALEDONIA -"Ty: Background: Settled by both Britain and France during the first half of the 19th century, the island was made a French pos¬ session in 1853. It served as a penal colony for four decades after 1864- Agitation for independence during the 1980s and early 1990s ended in the 1998 Noumea Accord, which over a period of 15 to 20 years will transfer an increasing amount of gov¬ erning responsibility from France to New Caledonia. The agreement also commits France to conduct as many as three refer¬ enda between 2013 and 2018, to decide whether New Caledonia should assume full sovereignty and independence. GEOGRAPHY Location: Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia Geographic coordinates: 21 30 S, 165 30 E Map references: Oceania Area: total: 19,060 sq km land: 18,575 sq km water: 485 sq km Area— comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 2,254 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid Terrain: coastal plains with interior mountains Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m Natural resources: nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper Land use: arable land: 0.32% permanent crops : 0.22% other: 99.46% (2005) Irrigated land: 100 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: cyclones, most fre¬ quent from November to March Environment — current issues: erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires Geography — note: consists of the main island of New Caledonia (one of the largest in the Pacific Ocean), the archi¬ pelago of lies Loyaute, and numerous small, sparsely populated islands and atolls PEOPLE Population: 221,943 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 27.9% (male 31,578/female 30,270) 15-64 years: 65.3% (male 72,821/female 72,109) 65 years and over: 6.8% (male 7,047/ female 8,118) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 28.1 years male: 27.7 years female: 28.5 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.203% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 17.75 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 5.72 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New Caledonia (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.043 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.868 male(s)/female total population: 1.009 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 7.42 deaths/1,000 live births male: 8.12 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74-5 years male: 71.52 years female: 77 .63 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2 .25 children bom/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: New Caledonian(s) adjective: New Caledonian Ethnic groups: Melanesian 42.5%, European 37.1%, Wallisian 8.4%, Polynesian 3.8%, Indonesian 3.6%, Vietnamese 1.6%, other 3% Religions: Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10% Languages: French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.2% male: 96.8% female: 95.5% (1996 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies conventional short form: New Caledonia local long form: Territoire des Nouvelle- Caledonie et Dependanc.es local short form: Nouvelle-Caledonie Dependency status: territorial collec¬ tivity of France since 1998 Government type: NA Capital: name: Noumea geographic coordinates: 22 16S, 166 27 E time difference: UTC+ 11(16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: none (over¬ seas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 3 provinces named Province des lies, Province Nord, and Province Sud 450 NEW CALEDONIA Independence: none (overseas territory of France); note a referendum on inde¬ pendence was held in 1998 but did not pass; a new referendum is scheduled for 2014 National holiday: Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) Constitution: 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) Legal system: the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the islands; formerly under French law Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); repre¬ sented by High Commissioner Michel MATHIEU (since 15 July 2005) head of government: President of the Government Marie-Noelle THE- MEREAU (since 10 June 2004) cabinet: Consultative Committee con¬ sists of eight members chosen from leading figures on the island to advise the High Commissioner elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the gov¬ ernment elected by the members of the Territorial Congress for a five-year term (no term limits); note — last election held 29 June 2004 when Marie-Noelle THEMEREAU was elected on the third vote with 8 votes for and 3 abstentions (next to be held in 2009) Legislative branch: unicameral Terr¬ itorial Congress or Congres du territoire (54 seats; members belong to the three Provincial Assemblies or Assemblees Provinciales elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 9 May 2004 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — RPCR-UMP 16, AE 16, UNI-FLNKS 8, UC 7, FN 4, others 3 note: New Caledonia currently holds one seat in the French Senate; by 2010, New Caledonia will gain a second seat in the French Senate; elections last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held not later than September 2007); results — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — UMP 1; New Caledonia also elects two seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held 9 and 16 June 2002 (next to be held in June 2007); results — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — UMP 2 Judicial branch: Court of Appeal or Cour d’ Appel; County Courts; Joint Commerce Tribunal Court; Children’s Court Political parties and leaders: Alliance pour la Caledonie or APLC [Didier LE ROUX]; Caledonian Union or UC; Federation des Comites de Coordination des Independantistes or FCCI [Francois BURCK]; Front National or FN [Guy GEORGE]; Front Uni de Liberation Kanak or FULK [Ernest UNE]; Kanak Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS (includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM); Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE and Elie POIGOUNE]; Rally for Caledonia in the Republic (anti independence) or RPCR- UMP [Jacques LAFLEUR]; The Future Together or AE [Harold MARTIN]; Union Nationale pour l’lndependance or UNI [Paul NEAOUTYINE]; note— may no longer exist, but Paul NEA¬ OUTYINE has since become a president of Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA; Union Progressiste Melanesienne or UPM [Victor TUTUGORO] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: ITUC, PIF (observer), SPC, UPU, WFTU, WMO Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of France) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of France) Flag description: the flag of France is used ECONOMY Economy— overview: New Caledonia has about 25% of the world’s known nickel resources. Only a small amount of the land is suitable for cultivation, and food accounts for about 20% of imports. In addition to nickel, substantial financial support from France — equal to more than 15% of GDP — and tourism are keys to the health of the economy. Substantial new investment in the nickel industry, com¬ bined with the recovery of global nickel prices, brightens the economic outlook for the next several years. GDP (purchasing power parity): $3,158 billion (2003 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $3.3 bil¬ lion (2003 est.) GDP— real growth rate: NA% GDP— per capita (PPP): $15,000 (2003 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 15% industry: 8.8% services: 76.2% (2003) Labor force: 78,990 (2004) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 20% industry: 20% services: 60% (2002) Unemployment rate: 17.1% (2004) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.4% (2000 est.) Budget: revenues: $996 million expenditures: $1,072 billion (2001 est.) Agriculture — products: vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products; fish Industries: nickel mining and smelting Industrial production growth rate: -0.6% (1996) Electricity— production: 1.675 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 76.3% hydro: 23.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 1.558 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 10,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil — imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas — production: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Exports: $1,085 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.) Exports — commodities: ferronickels, nickel ore, fish Exports — partners: Japan 21.1%, France 17.2%, Taiwan 11.3%, South Korea 10%, Spain 8.9%, China 7.2%, Belgium 4.5%, South Africa 4-4% (2005) Imports: $1.78 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.) Imports — Commodities: machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs Imports — partners: France 39.3%, Singapore 17.5%, Australia 13.1%, NZ 5.3% (2005) Debt — external: $79 million (1998 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $525 million annual subsidy from France (2004) Currency (code): Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF) Currency code: XPF Exchange rates: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar — 95.025 (2006), 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003), 126.71 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 55,300 (2005) Telephones — mobile cellular: 134,300 (2005) 451 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: country code — 687; satellite earth station — 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM l, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998) Radios: 107,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 6 (plus 25 repeaters) (1997) Televisions: 52,000 (1997) Internet country code: nc Internet hosts: 13,962 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): l (2000) Internet users: 76,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 25 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 11 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1 ,523 rn: 8 under 914 m: 2 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 6 (2006) Heliports: 6 (2006) Roadways: total: 5,432 km (2000) Merchant marine: total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,566 GRT/2,543 DWT by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1 (2006) Ports and terminals: Noumea MILITARY Military branches: no regular indige- nous military forces; French Armed Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie); Police Force Manpower available for military service: males age i 8 — 49; 50,874 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 40,822 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 1,907 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: NA Military — note: defense is the responsi' bility of France TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by France and Vanuatu NEW ZEALAND Ctamssa Mate *«S Ifermsa* MuM«» not stow. SOUTH PACIFIC SOUTH PACIFIC OCEAN earn* MiTWOOES tswm iso "TSb •m tsuvm Background: The Polynesian Maori reached New Zealand in about A.D. 800. In 1840, their chieftains entered into a compact with Britain, the Treaty of Waitangi, in which they ceded sover¬ eignty to Queen Victoria while retaining territorial rights. In that same year, the British began the first organized colonial settlement. A series of land wars between 1843 and 1872 ended with the defeat of the native peoples. The British colony of New Zealand became an independent dominion in 1907 and supported the UK militarily in both World Wars. New Zealand’s full participation in a number of defense alliances lapsed by the 1980s. In recent years, the government has sought to address longstanding Maori grievances. GEOGRAPHY Location: Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia Geographic coordinates: 41 00 S, 174 00 E Map references: Oceania Area: total: 268,680 sq km land: 268,021 sq km water: NA note: includes Antipodes Islands, Auck¬ land Islands, Bounty Islands, Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands Area — comparative: about the size of Colorado Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 15,134 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin Climate: temperate with sharp regional contrasts Terrain: predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Aoraki-Mount Cook 3,754 m Natural resources: natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold, limestone Land use; arable land: 5.54% permanent crops: 6.92% other: 87.54% (2005) Irrigated land: 2,850 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: earthquakes are com¬ mon, though usually not severe; volcanic activity Environment— current issues: defor¬ estation; soil erosion; native flora and fauna hard-hit by invasive species Environment— international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental Pro¬ tocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Re¬ sources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change- Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, En¬ dangered Species, Environmental Modification, Flazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Antarctic Seals, Marine Life Conservation Geography— note: about 80% of the population lives in cities; Wellington is the southernmost national capital in the world PEOPLE Population: 4,115,771 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 20.8% (male 437,547/female 417,698) 15-64 years: 67.3% (male 1,393,057/ female 1,378,358) 452 NEW ZEALAND 65 years and over: 11.9% (male 214,189/ female 274,922) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 34.2 years male: 33.5 years female: 35 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.95% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 13.61 births/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 7.54 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 3.43 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male (s)/fe male under 15 years: 1.048 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.011 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.779 male(s)/female total population: 0.987 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 5.67 deaths/1,000 live births male: 6.48 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4-82 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.96 years male: 75.97 years female: 82.08 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.79 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 1,400 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS — deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: New Zealander(s) adjective: New Zealand Ethnic groups: European 69.8%, Maori 7.9%, Asian 5.7%, Pacific islander 4-4%, other 0.5%, mixed 7.8%, unspecified 3.8% (2001 census) Religions: Anglican 14-9%, Roman Catholic 12.4%, Presbyterian 10.9%, Methodist 2.9%, Pentecostal 1.7%, Baptist 1.3%, other Christian 9.4%, other 3.3%, unspecified 17.2%, none 26% (2001 census) Languages: English (official), Maori (official), Sign Language (official) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: New Zealand abbreviation: NZ Government type: parliamentary democracy Capital: name: Wellington geographic coordinates: 41 28 S, 174 51 E time difference: UTC+ 12(17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins first Sunday in October; ends third Sunday in March note: New Zealand is divided into two time zones, including Chatham Island Administrative divisions: 16 regions and 1 territory*; Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury, Chatham Islands*, Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, Manawatu-Wanganui, Marlborough, Nelson, Northland, Otago, Southland, Taranaki, Tasman, Waikato, Wellington, West Coast Dependent areas: Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau Independence: 26 September 1907 (from UK) National holiday: Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sover¬ eignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840); ANZAC Day (commemorated as the anniversary of the landing of troops of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps during World War 1 at Gallipoli, Turkey), 25 April (1915) Constitution: consists of a series of legal documents, including certain acts of the UK and New Zealand Parliaments, as well as The Constitution Act 1986, which is the principal formal charter; adopted 1 January 1987, effective 1 January 1987 Legal system: based on English law, with special land legislation and land courts for the Maori; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Anand SATYA- NAND (since 23 August 2006) head of government: Prime Minister Helen CLARK (since 10 December 1999); Deputy Prime Minister Michael CULLEN (since July 2002) cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the recommen¬ dation of the prime minister elections: none; the monarch is heredi¬ tary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the gov¬ ernor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives — commonly called Parliament (120 seats; 69 members elected by popular vote in single-member constituencies including 7 Maori con¬ stituencies, and 51 proportional seats chosen from party lists; to serve three- year terms) elections: last held 17 September 2005 (next to be held not later than 15 November 2008) election results: percent of vote by party — NZLP 41.1%, NP 39.1%, NZFP 5.7%, Green Party 5.3%, Maori 2.1%, UF 2.7%, ACT New Zealand 1.5%, Progressive 1.2%, other 1.3%; seats by party— NZLP 50, NP 48, NZFP 7, Green Party 6, Maori 4, UF 3, ACT New Zealand 2, Progressive 1 note: results of 2005 election saw the total number of seats increase to 121 because the Maori Party won one more electorate seat than its entitlement under the party vote Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; High Court; note — judges appointed by the Governor-General Political parties and leaders: ACT New Zealand [Rodney HIDE]; Green Party [Jeanette FITZSIMONS]; Maori Party [Whatarangi WINIATA]; National Party or NP [John KEY]; New Zealand First Party or NZFP [Winston PETERS]; New Zealand Labor Party or NZLP [Helen CLARK]; Progressive Party [James (Jim) ANDERTON]; United Future or UF [Peter DUNNE] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: ANZUS (US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August 1986), APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, NAM (guest), NSG, OECD, OPCW, PC A, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Roy N. FER¬ GUSON chancery: 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 328-4800 FAX: [1] (202) 667-5227 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William P. McCORMICK embassy: 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington 453 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK mailing address: P. O. Box 1190, Wellington; PSC 467, Box 1, APO AP 965314034 telephone: [64] (4) 462-6000 FAX: [64] (4) 499-0490 consulate(s) general: Auckland Flag description: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant with four red five-pointed stars edged in white centered in the outer half of the flag; the stars represent the Southern Cross constellation Government — note: while not an offi¬ cial symbol, the Kiwi, a small native flightless bird, represents New Zealand ECONOMY Economy — overview: Over the past 20 years the government has transformed New Zealand from an agrarian economy dependent on concessionary British market access to a more industrialized, free market economy that can compete globally. This dynamic growth has boosted real incomes (but left behind many at the bottom of the ladder), broad¬ ened and deepened the technological capabilities of the industrial sector, and contained inflationary pressures. Per capita income has risen for eight consecu¬ tive years and reached $26,000 in 2006 in purchasing power parity terms. Consumer and government spending have driven growth in recent years, and exports picked up in 2006 after struggling for several years. Exports are equal to about 24% of GDP, down from 33 percent of GDP in 2001. Thus far the economy has been resilient, and the Labor Government promises that expenditures on health, education, and pensions will increase pro¬ portionately to output. GDP (purchasing power parity): $106.9 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $98.39 billion (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: i.5% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $26,200 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 4.3% industry: 26.9% services: 68.8% (2006 est.) Labor force: 2.18 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 10% industry: 25% services: 65% (1995) Unemployment rate: 3.8% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA (1991 est.) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 36.2 (1997) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.8% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 22% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $41.51 billion expenditures: $36.99 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 19.9% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: wheat, barley, potatoes, pulses, fruits, vegetables; wool, beef, lamb and mutton, dairy products; fish Industries: food processing, wood and paper products, textiles, machinery, transportation equipment, banking and insurance, tourism, mining Industrial production growth rate: 1.2% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 41. 1 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 31.6% hydro: 57.8% nuclear: 0% other: 10.7% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 38.22 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 27,860 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 150,600 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: 30,220 bbl/day (2001) Oil— imports: 119,700 bbl/day (2001) Oil— proved reserves: 89.62 million bbl ( 1 January 2002) Natural gas— production: 4.35 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 4.349 bil¬ lion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — proved reserves: 33.36 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $7,944 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $23.69 billion (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: dairy products, meat, wood and wood products, fish, machinery Exports— partners: Australia 21.4%, US 14.1%, Japan 10.6%, China 5.1%, UK 4.7% (2005) Imports: $25.23 billion (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: machinery and equipment, vehicles and aircraft, petro¬ leum, electronics, textiles, plastics Imports— partners: Australia 20.9%, US 11%, Japan 11%, China 10.9%, Germany 4.9% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $10 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $47 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid — donor: ODA, NA (2006 est.) Currency (code): New Zealand dollar (NZD) Currency code: NZD Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars per US dollar— 1.5408 (2006), 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002) Fiscal year: 1 April— 31 March note: this is the fiscal year for tax purposes COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 1.8 million (2004) Telephones — mobile cellular: 3.53 mil¬ lion (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: excellent domestic and international systems domestic: NA international: country code — 64; subma¬ rine cables to Australia and Fiji; satellite earth stations — 1 InMarSat (Pacific Ocean), 7 other Radio broadcast stations: AM 124, FM 290, shortwave 4 (1998) Radios: 3.75 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 41 (plus about 700 repeaters) (1997) Televisions: 1.926 million (1997) Internet country code: nz Internet hosts: 1.05 million (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 36 (2000) Internet users: 3.2 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 118 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 45 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 1 1 914 to 1 ,523 m: 27 under 914 m: 4 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 73 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 31 under 914 m: 40 (2006) Pipelines: condensate 224 km; gas 1,693 km; liquid petroleum gas 45 km; oil 280 km; refined products 288 km (2006) Railways: total: 4,128 km narrow gauge: 4,128 km 1.067-m gauge (506 km electrified) (2005) Roadways: total: 92,931 km paved: 59,783 km (includes 171 km of expressways) unpaved: 33,148 km (2003) 454 NICARAGUA Merchant marine: total: 13 ships (1000 GRT or over) 136,361 GRT/124,972 DWT by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 1, pas- senger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 2 foreign-owned: 4 (Australia 2, Germany 1 , Isle of Man 1 ) registered in other countries: 8 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Cook Islands 1, Dominica 4, France 1, UK 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Auckland, Lyttelton, Tauranga, Wellington, Whangarei i Military branches: New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF): New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Navy, Royal New Zealand Air Force (2006) Military service age and obligation: 17 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers cannot be deployed until the age of 18 (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 17-49: 984,700 females age 17-49: 965,170 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 17-49: 809,519 females age 17-49: 802,069 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 29,738 females age 17-49: 28,523 (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of GDP: 1% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: asserts a term torial claim in Antarctica (Ross Dependency) Illicit drugs: significant consumer of amphetamines MILITARY NICARAGUA INTRODUCTION Background: The Pacific coast of Nicaragua was settled as a Spanish colony from Panama in the early 16th century. Independence from Spain was declared in 1821 and the country became an inde- pendent republic in 1838. Britain occu- pied the Caribbean Coast in the first half of the 19th century, but gradually ceded control of the region in subsequent decades. Violent opposition to govern¬ mental manipulation and corruption spread to all classes by 1978 and resulted in a short-lived civil war that brought the Marxist Sandinista guerrillas to power in 1979. Nicaraguan aid to leftist rebels in El Salvador caused the US to sponsor anti- Sandinista contra guerrillas through much of the 1980s. Free elections in 1990, 1996, and 2001, saw the Sandinistas defeated, but voting in 2006 announced the return of former Sandinista President Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra. Nicaragua’s infra¬ structure and economy — hard hit by the earlier civil war and by Hurricane Mitch in 1998 — are slowly being rebuilt. GEOGRAPHY _ Location: Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras Geographic coordinates: 13 00 N, 85 00 W Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total: 129,494 sq km land: 120,254 sq km water: 9,240 sq km Area — comparative: slightly smaller than the state of New York Land boundaries: total: 1,231 km border countries: Costa Rica 309 km, Honduras 922 km Coastline: 910 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: natural prolongation Climate: tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands Terrain: extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central interior moun¬ tains; narrow Pacific coastal plain inter¬ rupted by volcanoes Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mogoton 2,438 m Natural resources: gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish Land use: arable land: 14-81% permanent crops: 1.82% other: 83.37% (2005) Irrigated land: 610 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: destructive earth¬ quakes, volcanoes, landslides; extremely susceptible to hurricanes Environment— current issues: defor¬ estation; soil erosion; water pollution Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification Geography — note: largest country in Central America; contains the largest freshwater body in Central America, Lago de N icaragua PEOPLE Population: 5,675,356 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 35.5% (male 1,025,426/ female 988,148) 15-64 years: 61.3% (male 1,734,153/ female 1,746,574) 65 years and over: 3.2% (male 79,589/ female 101,466) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 21.3 years male: 20.9 years female: 21.7 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.855% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 24.12 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 4-42 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -1.15 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.038 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.993 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.784 male(s)/female total population: 1.001 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 27.14 deaths/1,000 live births male: 30.45 deaths/1,000 live births female: 23.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.92 years male: 68.82 years female: 73.13 years (2007 est.) 455 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Total fertility rate: 2.69 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 6,400 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: less than 500 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Nicaraguan (s) adjective: Nicaraguan Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Amer¬ indian and white) 69%, white 17%, black 9%, Amerindian 5% Religions: Roman Catholic 72.9%, Evangelical 15.1%, Moravian 1.5%, Episcopal 0.1%, other 1.9%, none 8.5% (1995 census) Languages: Spanish 97.5% (official), Miskito 1.7%, other 0.8% (1995 census) note: English and indigenous languages on Atlantic coast Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 67.5% male: 67.2% female: 67.8% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Nicaragua conventional short form: Nicaragua local long form: Republica de Nicaragua local short form: Nicaragua Government type: republic Capital: name: Managua geographic coordinates: 12 09 N, 86 17 W time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 15 depart¬ ments (departamentos, singular — depar- tamento) and 2 autonomous regions* (regiones autonomistas, singular — region autonoma); Atlantico Norte*, Atlantico Sur*, Boaco, Carazo, Chinandega, Chontales, Esteli, Granada, Jinotega, Leon, Madriz, Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, Rio San Juan, Rivas Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain) National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821) Constitution: 9 January 1987; reforms in 1995, 2000, and 2005 Legal system: civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 16 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (since 10 January 2007); Vice President Jaime MORALES Carazo (since 10 January 2007); note — the pres¬ ident is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (since 10 January 2007); Vice President Jaime MORALES Carazo (since 10 January 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term so long as it is not consecu¬ tive); election last held 5 November 2006 (next to be held by November 2011) election results: Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra elected president— 38.07%, Eduardo MONTEALEGRE 29%, Jose RIZO 26.21%, Edmundo JARQUIN 6.44% Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (92 seats; 90 members are elected by propor¬ tional representation and party lists to serve five-year terms; 1 seat for the pre¬ vious president, 1 seat for the runner-up in previous presidential election) elections: last held 5 November 2006 (next to be held by November 2011) election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party— FSLN 38, PLC 25, ALN 23 (22 plus one for presidential candidate Eduardo MONTEALEGRE, runner-up in the 2006 presidential elec¬ tion), MRS 5, APRE 1 (outgoing President Enrique BOLANOS) Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (16 judges elected for five-year terms by the National Assembly) Political parties and leaders: Alliance for the Republic or APRE [Miguel LOPEZ Baldizon]; Central American Unionist Party or PUCA [Blanca ROJAS]; Christian Alternative Party or AC [Orlando TARDENCILLA Espinoza]; Conservative Party or PC [Azalia AVILES Salmeron]; Independent Liberal Party or PLI [Anibal MAR¬ TINEZ Nunez, Pedro REYES Vallejos]; Independent Liberal Party for National Unity or PLIUN [Carlos GUERRA Gallardo]; Liberal Constitutional Party or PLC [Jorge CASTILLO Quant]; Liberal Salvation Movement or MSL [Eliseo NUNEZ Hernandez]; New Liberal Party or PALI [Adolfo GARCIA Esquivel]; Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance or ALN [Eduardo MONTEALEGRE]; Nicaraguan Party of the Christian Path or PCCN [Guillermo OSORNO Molina]; Nicaraguan Resistance Party or PRN [Salvador TALAVERA]; San- dinista National Liberation Front or FSLN [Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra]; Sandinista Renovation Movement or MRS [Dora Maria TELLEZ]; Unity Alliance or AU Political pressure groups and leaders: National Workers Front or FNT is a Sandinista umbrella group of eight labor unions including — Farm Workers Association or ATC, Health Workers Federation or FETASALUD, Heroes and Martyrs Confederation of Professional Associations or CONAPRO, National Association of Educators of Nicaragua or ANDEN, National Union of Employees or UNE, National Union of Farmers and Ranchers or UNAG, Sandinista Workers Central or CST, and Union of Journalists of Nicaragua or UPN; Permanent Congress of Workers or CPT is an umbrella group of four non-Sandinista labor unions including — Autonomous Nicaraguan Workers Central or CTN-A, Confederation of Labor Unification or CUS, Independent General Confed¬ eration of Labor or CGT-I, and Labor Action and Unity Central or CAUS; Nicaraguan Workers’ Central or CTN is an independent labor union; Superior Council of Private Enterprise or COSEP is a confederation of business groups international organization participa¬ tion: BCIE, CACM, FAO, G- 77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (corre¬ spondent), ITU, ITUC, LA.ES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Arturo CRUZ Sequeira, Jr. chancery: 1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6570, [1] (202) 939-6573 FAX: [1] (202) 939-6545 consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Paul A. TRIVELLI embassy: Kilometer 4.5 Carre tera Sur, Managua mailing address: P.O. Box 327 telephone: [505] 266-6010 FAX: [505] 266-3861 Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a triangle encircled by the words REPUB- 456 NICARAGUA LICA DE NICARAGUA on the top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; similar to the flag of El Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SAL- VADOR EN LA AMERICA CEN- TRAL centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X pat¬ tern centered in the white band ECONOMY Economy— overview: Nicaragua has widespread underemployment and the third lowest per capita income in the Western Hemisphere. Distribution of income is one of the most unequal on the globe. While the country has progressed toward macroeconomic stability in the past few years, GDP annual growth has been far too low to meet the country’s needs, forcing the country to rely on international economic assistance to meet fiscal and debt financing obliga¬ tions. Nicaragua qualified in early 2004 for some $4.5 billion in foreign debt reduction under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative and in November 2006 obtained over $800 mil¬ lion in debt relief from the Inter- American Development Bank. In October 2005, Nicaragua ratified the US-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), which will pro¬ vide an opportunity for Nicaragua to attract investment, create jobs, and deepen economic development. Energy shortages, however, are a serious bottle¬ neck to growth. GDP (purchasing power parity): $17.33 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $4 871 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 3.7% (2006 est.) GDP — per capita (PPP): $3,100 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 17.3% industry: 25.8% services: 56.8% (2006 est.) Labor force: 2.261 million (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 29% industry: 19% services: 52% (2006 est.) Unemployment rate: 3.8% plus under¬ employment of 46.5% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 48% (2005) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.2% highest 10%: 45% (2001) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 55.1 (2001) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9.4% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 29.8% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $1.1 billion expenditures: $1.3 billion; including cap¬ ital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 82.7% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: coffee, bananas, sugarcane, cotton, rice, corn, tobacco, sesame, soya, beans; beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy products; shrimp, lobsters Industries: food processing, chemicals, machinery and metal products, textiles, clothing, petroleum refining and distri¬ bution, beverages, footwear, wood Industrial production growth rate: 2.4% (2005 est.) Electricity— production: 2.778 billion kWh (2006) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 83.9% hydro: 7.7% nuclear: 0% other: 8.4% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 2.929 billion kWh (2006) Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2006) Electricity — imports: 69.34 million kWh (2006) Oil — production: 14,300 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— consumption: 25,200 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— exports: 758.9 bbl/day (2004) Oil — imports: 15,560 bbl/day (2005 est.) Natural gas — production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $883 million (2006 est.) Exports: $1,714 billion f.o.b.; note— includes free trade zones (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: coffee, beef, shrimp and lobster, tobacco, sugar, gold, peanuts Exports— partners: US 34 1%, El Salvador 14-3%, Honduras 7.9%, Costa Rica 6.1%, Guatemala 5.2%, Mexico 5.1%, Spain 4.2% (2005) Imports: $3,202 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: consumer goods, machinery and equipment, raw materials, petroleum products Imports — partners: US 20.1%, Venezuela 11.9%, Costa Rica 8.9%, Mexico 8.3%, Guatemala 7%, El Salvador 5.1%, Japan 4-5%, Ecuador 4.2% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $903.5 million (January 2007 est.) Debt — external: $3,763 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $471 million (2006 est.) Currency (code): gold cordoba (NIO) Currency code: NIO Exchange rates: gold cordobas per US dollar— 17.582 (2006), 16.733 (2005), 15.937 (2004), 15.105 (2003), 14.251 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 220,900 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 1.119 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: inadequate system being upgraded by foreign investment domestic: low-capacity microwave radio relay and wire system being expanded; connected to Central American Microwave System international: country code — 505; satel¬ lite earth stations— 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) and 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 63, FM 32, shortwave 1 (1998) Radios: 1.24 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 3 (plus 7 repeaters) (1997) Televisions: 320,000 (1997) Internet country code: ni Internet hosts: 24,452 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (2000) Internet users: 140,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 176 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1 ,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 165 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1 ,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 141 (2006) Pipelines: oil 54 km (2006) Railways: total: 6 km narrow gauge: 6 km 1.067-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 19,036 km paved: 2,299 km unpaved: 16,737 km (2005) Waterways: 2,220 km (including lakes Managua and Nicaragua) (2005) Ports and terminals: Bluefields, Corinto, El Bluff 457 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Military branches: Army (includes Navy, Air Force) (2007) Military service age and obligation: 17 years of age for voluntary military service; tour of duty 18-36 months (2007) Manpower available for military service: males age 17-49: 1,309,970 females age 17-49: 1,315,186 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 17-49: 1,051,425 females age 17-49: 1,129,649 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18—49: 65,170 females age 17-49: 63,133 (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of GDP: 0.6% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: memorials and countermemorials were filed by the par- ties in Nicaragua’s 1999 and 2001 pro¬ ceedings against Honduras and Colombia at the ICJ over the maritime boundary and territorial claims in the western Caribbean Sea, final public hearings are scheduled for 2007; the 1992 ICJ ruling for El Salvador and Honduras advised a tripartite resolution to establish a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca, which considers Honduran access to the Pacific; legal dis¬ pute over navigational rights of San Juan River on border with Costa Rica Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine destined for the US and trans¬ shipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing Agade2 Tahoua Zi rider INTRODUCTION Background: Niger became independent from France in 1960 and experienced single-party and military rule until 1991, when Gen. Ali SAIBOU was forced by public pressure to allow multiparty elec¬ tions, which resulted in a democratic government in 1993. Political infighting brought the government to a standstill and in 1996 led to a coup by Col. Ibrahim BARE. In 1999 PARE was killed in a coup by military officers who promptly restored democratic rule and held elections that brought Mamadou TANDJA to power in December of that year. TANDJA was reelected in 2004. Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world with minimal government services and insufficient funds to develop its resource base. The largely agrarian and subsistence-based economy is fre¬ quently disrupted by extended droughts common to the Sahel region of Africa. GEOGRAPHY LOCafiOll: Western Africa, southeast of Algeria Geographic coordinates: 16 00 N, 8 00 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 1.267 million sq km land: 1,266,700 sq km water: 300 sq km Area — comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Texas Land boundaries: total: 5,697 km border countries: Algeria 956 km, Benin 266 km, Burkina Faso 628 km, Chad 1,175 km, Libya 354 km, Mali 821 km, Nigeria 1,497 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime Claims: none (landlocked) Climate: desert; mostly hot, dry, dusty; tropical in extreme south Terrain: predominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rolling plains in south; hills in north Elevation extremes: lowest point: Niger River 200 m highest point: Mont Bagzane 2,022 m Natural resources: uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates, gold, molybdenum, gypsum, salt, petroleum Land use: arable land: 11.43% permanent crops: 0.01% other: 88.56% (2005) Irrigated land: 730 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: recurring droughts Environment — current issues: over¬ grazing; soil erosion; deforestation; deser¬ tification; wildlife populations (such as elephant, hippopotamus, giraffe, and lion) threatened because of poaching and habitat destruction Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea Geography — note: landlocked; one of the hottest countries in the world; northern four-fifths is desert, southern one-fifth is savanna, suitable for live¬ stock and limited agriculture Population: 12,894,865 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 46.9% (male 3,083,871/ female 2,969,201) 15-64 years: 50.6% (male 3,354,783/ female 3,174,039) 65 years and over: 2.4% (male 155,430/ female 157,541) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 16.5 years male: 16.5 years female: 16.4 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.898% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 50.16 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 20.59 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -0.59 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.039 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.057 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0. 987 male(s)/female total population: 1.047 male(s)/fernale (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 116.83 deaths/1,000 live births male: 120.78 deaths/1,000 live births female: 112.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 44-03 years male: 44.05 years female: 44 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 7.37 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 1.2% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HI V/ AIDS: 70,000 (2003 est.) 458 NIGER HIV/AIDS— deaths: 4,800 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorbome disease: malaria is a high risk in some locations respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2007) Nationality: noun: Nigerien(s) adjective: Nigerien Ethnic groups: Haoussa 55.4%, Djerma Sonrai 21%, Touareg 9.3%, Peuhl 8.5%, Kanouri Manga 4.7%, other 1.2% (2001 census) Religions: Muslim 80%, other (includes indigenous beliefs and Christian) 20% Languages: French (official), Hausa, Djerma Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 28.7% male: 42.9% female: 15.1% (2005 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Niger conventional short form: Niger local long form: Republique du Niger local short form: Niger Government type: republic Capita!: name: Niamey geographic coordinates: 13 3 1 N, 2 07 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 8 regions (regions, singular — region) includes 1 capital district* (communite urbaine); Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi, Niamey*, Tahoua, Tillaberi, Zinder Independence: 3 August 1960 (from France) National holiday: Republic Day, 18 December (1958) Constitution: new constitution adopted 18 July 1999 Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Mamadou TANDJA (since 22 December 1999); note — the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Mamadou TANDJA (since 22 December 1999); Prime Minister Seyni OUMAROU (since 3 June 2007) was appointed by the president and shares some executive responsibilities with the president cabinet: 26-member Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); second round of election last held 4 December 2004 (next to be held December 2009) election results: Mamadou TANDJA reelected president; percent of vote — Mamadou TANDJA 65.5%, Mahamadou ISSOUFOU 34.5% Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly ( 1 13 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 4 December 2004 (next to be held in December 2009) election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — MNSD 47, PNDS 25, CDS 22, RSD 7, RDP 6, AN DP 5, PSDN 1 Judicial branch: State Court or Cour d’Etat; Court of Appeals or Cour d’Appel Political parties and leaders: Democratic and Social Convention- Rahama or CDS-Rahama [Mahamane OUSMANE]; National Movement for a Developing Society-Nassara or MNSD- Nassara [Hama AMADOU]; Niger Social Democratic Party or PSDN; Nigerien Alliance for Democracy and Social Progress-Zaman Lahiya or AN DP- Zaman Lahiya [Moumouni DJER- MAKOYE]; Nigerien Party for Autonomy or PNA-Alouma’a [Sanousi JACKOU]; Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism or PNDS- Tarrayya [Issifou MAHAMADOU]; Nigerien Progressive Party or PPN-RDA [Abdoulaye DIORI]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP-jama’a [Hamid ALGABID]; Social and Democratic Rally or RSD-Gaskiyya [Cheiffou AMADOU] Political pressure groups and leaders: Coalition Against a High Cost of Living [Nouhou ARZIKA] International organization participa¬ tion: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, 1FC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (corre¬ spondent), ITU, ITUC, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Aminata Maiga Djibrilla TOURE chancery: 2204 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-4224 through 4227 FAX: [1] (202)483-3169 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Bernadette M. ALLEN embassy: Rue Des Ambassades, Niamey mailing address: B. P. 11201, Niamey telephone: [227] 73 31 69 FAX: [227] 73 55 60 Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and green with a small orange disk (representing the sun) centered in the white band; similar to the flag of India, which has a blue spoked wheel centered in the white band ECONOMY Economy — overview: Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world, ranking last on the United Nations Development Fund index of human development. It is a landlocked, Sub-Saharan nation, whose economy centers on subsistence crops, livestock, and some of the world’s largest uranium deposits. Drought cycles, desertification, and a 2.9% population growth rate, have undercut the economy. Niger shares a common currency, the CFA franc, and a common central bank, the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO), with seven other members of the West African Monetary Union. In December 2000, Niger qualified for enhanced debt relief under the International Monetary Fund program for Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) and concluded an agreement with the Fund on a Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF). Debt relief provided under the enhanced HIPC ini¬ tiative significantly reduces Niger’s annual debt service obligations, freeing funds for expenditures on basic health care, primary education, HIV/AIDS pre¬ vention, rural infrastructure, and other programs geared at poverty reduction. In December 2005, Niger received 100% multilateral debt relief from the IMF, which translates into the forgiveness of approximately US $86 million in debts to the IMF, excluding the remaining assistance under HIPC. Nearly half of the government’s budget is derived from foreign donor resources. Future growth may be sustained by exploitation of oil, gold, coal, and other mineral resources. 459 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Uranium prices have increased sharply in the last few years. A drought and locust infestation in 2005 led to food shortages for as many as 2.5 million Nigeriens. GDP (purchasing power parity): $12.36 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $3,638 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 3.5% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $1,000 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 39% industry: 17% services: 44% (2001) Labor force: 70,000 salaried workers, 60% of whom are employed in the public sector (2002 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 90% industry: 6% services: 4% Unemployment rate: NA% Population below poverty line: 63% ( 1993 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.8% highest 10%: 35.4% (1995) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 50.5 (1995) inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.2% (2004 est.) Budget: revenues: $320 million (includes $134 million from foreign sources) expenditures: $320 million; including capital expenditures of $178 million (2002 est.) Agriculture — products: cowpeas, cotton, peanuts, millet, sorghum, cassava (tapioca), rice; cattle, sheep, goats, camels, donkeys, horses, poultry Industries: uranium mining, cement, brick, soap, textiles, food processing, chemicals, slaughterhouses Industrial production growth rate: 5.1% (2003 est.) Electricity— production: 232 million kWh (2004) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 415.8 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 200 million kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 5,500 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil — imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas — production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Exports: $222 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) Exports — Commodities: uranium ore, livestock, cowpeas, onions Exports — partners: France 47.9%, Nigeria 21.4%, US 20.3% (2005) Imports: $588 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) Imports — commodities: foodstuffs, machinery, vehicles and parts, petro¬ leum, cereals Imports — partners: France 14.4%, US 10.6%, French Polynesia 7.5%, Nigeria 7.4%, Italy 6.7%, Cote d’Ivoire 5.1%, Belgium 4-6%, Germany 4.5%, China 4.5% (2005) Debt — external: $2.1 billion (2003 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $453.3 mil¬ lion (2003) Currency (code); Communaute Finan¬ cier Africaine franc (XOF); note — responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States (BCEAO) Currency code: XOF Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar— 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 24,000 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 299,900 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: small system of wire, radio telephone communications, and microwave radio relay links concen¬ trated in the southwestern area of Niger domestic: wire, radiotelephone communi¬ cations, and microwave radio relay; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations and 1 planned international: country code — 227; satel¬ lite earth stations — 2 Intelsat ( 1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 6, shortwave 4 (2001) Radios: 680,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 3 (plus 7 repeaters) (2002) Televisions: 125,000 (1997) Internet country code: ne Internet hosts: 189 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2002) Internet users: 24,000 (2005) Airports: 28 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 5 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 19 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 2 (2006) Roadways: total: 14,565 km paved: 3,641 km unpaved: 10,924 km (2004) Waterways: 300 km (the Niger, the only major river, is navigable to Gaya between September and March) (2005) Ports and terminals: none MILITARY Military branches: Nigerien Armed Forces (Forces Armees Nigeriennes, FAN): Army, Niger Air Force (2007) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation — 2 years (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 1 8 — 49 : 2,367,828 females age 18-4 9: 2,217,568 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 1,349,863 females age 18-49: 1,256,569 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 129,045 females age 18^-9: 121,230 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1.3% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: Libya claims about 25,000 sq km in a currently dor¬ mant dispute in the Tommo region; much of Benin-Niger boundary, including tripoint with Nigeria, remains undemarcated; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission’s admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty which also includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundaries 460 NIGERIA INTRODUCTION Background: British influence and con¬ trol over what would become Nigeria grew through the 19th century. A series of constitutions after World War II granted Nigeria greater autonomy; inde¬ pendence came in 1960. Following nearly 16 years of military rule, a new constitution was adopted in 1999, and a peaceful transition to civilian govern¬ ment was completed. The government faces the daunting task of reforming a petroleum-based economy, whose rev¬ enues have been squandered through corruption and mismanagement, and institutionalizing democracy. In addi¬ tion, the defusing longstanding ethnic and religious tensions are a priority if Nigeria is to build a sound foundation for economic growth and political stability. Although the April 2003 elections were marred by some irregularities, Nigeria is currently experiencing its longest period of civilian rule since independence. General elections in April 2007 were considered significantly flawed by Nigerian and international observers but they marked the first civilian-to-civilian transfer of power in the country’s history. President Umaru Musa YAR’ADUA took office on 29 May 2007. GEOGRAPHY Location: Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin and Cameroon Geographic coordinates: 10 00 N, 8 00 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 923,768 sq km land: 910,768 sq km water: 13,000 sq km Area — comparative: slightly more than twice the size of California Land boundaries: total: 4,047 km border countries: Benin 773 km, Cam¬ eroon 1,690 km, Chad 87 km, Niger 1,497 km Coastline: 853 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation Climate: varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in north Terrain: southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus; mountains in southeast, plains in north Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Chappal Waddi 2,419 m Natural resources: natural gas, petro¬ leum, tin, iron ore, coal, limestone, nio¬ bium, lead, zinc, arable land Land use: arable land: 33.02% permanent crops: 3.14% Other: 63.84% (2005) Irrigated land: 2,820 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: periodic droughts; flooding Environment — current issues: soil degradation; rapid deforestation; urban air and water pollution; desertification; oil pollution — water, air, and soil; has suffered serious damage from oil spills; loss of arable land; rapid urbanization Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: the Niger enters the country in the northwest and flows southward through tropical rain forests and swamps to its delta in the Gulf of Guinea PEOPLE Population: 135,031,164 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mor¬ tality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the dis¬ tribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 42.2% (male 28,726,380/ female 28,301,729) 15-64 years: 54.7% (male 37,543,678/ female 36,277,038) 65 years and over: 3.1% (male 1,987,521/ female 2,194,818) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 18.7 years male: 18.8 years female: 18.6 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.379% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 40.2 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 16.68 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0.26 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.015 male(s)/female 15—64 years: 1.035 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.906 male(s)/female total population: 1.022 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 95.52 deaths/1,000 live births male: 102.44 deaths/1,000 live births female: 88.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 47.44 years male: 46.83 years female: 48.07 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 5.45 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 5.4% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 3.6 million (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 310,000 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorbome disease: malaria respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: one of the most highly endemic areas for Lassa fever note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2007) Nationality: noun: Nigerian(s) adjective: Nigerian 461 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Ethnic groups: Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, is composed of more than 250 ethnic groups; the following are the most populous and politically influ- ential: Hausa and Fulani 29%, Yoruba 21%, Igbo (Ibo) 18%, Ijaw 10%, Kanuri 4%, Ibibio 3.5%, Tiv 2.5% Religions: Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10% Languages: English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 68% male: 75.7% female: 60.6% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Federal Republic of Nigeria conventional short form: Nigeria Government type: federal republic Capital: name: Abuja geographic coordinates: 9 12N,7 11E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 36 states and 1 territory*; Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Federal Capital Territory*, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nassarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara Independence: 1 October 1960 (from UK) National holiday: Independence Day (National Day), 1 October (1960) Constitution: new constitution adopted 5 May 1999; effective 29 May 1999 Legal system: based on English common law, Islamic law (in 12 northern states), and traditional law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Umaru Musa YAR’ADUA (since 29 May 2007); note — the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Umaru Musa YAR’ADUA (since 29 May 2007) cabinet: Federal Executive Council elections: president is elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 21 April 2007 (next to be held in April 2011) election results: Umaru Musa YAR’ADUA elected president; percent of vote — official results not yet posted as of May 2007 Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (109 seats, 3 from each state plus 1 from Abuja; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and House of Representatives (360 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate — last held 21 April 2007 (next to be held in April 2011); House of Representatives — last held 21 April 2007 (next to be held in April 2011) election results: Senate — percent of vote by party — official results not yet posted as of May 2007; House of Representatives — percent of vote by party — official results not yet posted as of May 2007 Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges appointed by the President); Federal Court of Appeal (judges are appointed by the federal government on the advice of the Advisory Judicial Committee) Political parties and leaders: Action Congress or AC [Bisi AKANDE]; Advanced Congress of Democrats or ACD [Alex ANIELO]; Alliance for Democracy or AD [Mojisoluwa AKIN- FENWA]; All Nigeria Peoples’ Party or ANPP [Alh Modu SHERIF]; All Progressives Grand Alliance or APGA [Victor C. UMEH]; Democratic People’s Party or DPP [Umara AHMED]; Fresh Democratic Party [Chris OKOTIE]; Movement for the Restoration and Defense of Democracy or MRDD [Mohammed Gambo JIMETA]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Aliyu Habu FARI]; Peoples Democratic Party or PDP [Dr. Ahmadu ALI]; Peoples Redemption Party or PRP [Abdulkadir Balarabe MUSA]; Peoples Salvation Party or PSP [Lawal MAITU- RARE]; United Nigeria Peoples Party or UNPP [disputed leadership] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, ONUB, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Professor George A. OBIOZOR chancery: 3519 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 986-8400 FAX: [1] (202) 775-1385 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John CAMPBELL embassy: 7 Mambilla Drive, Abuja mailing address : P. O. Box 554, Lagos telephone: [234] (9) 523- 0916/0906/5857/2235/2205 FAX: [234] (9) 523-0353 Flag description: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green ECONOMY Economy — overview: Oil-rich Nigeria, long hobbled by political instability, cor¬ ruption, inadequate infrastructure, and poor macroeconomic management, is undertaking some reforms under a new reform-minded administration. Nigeria’s former military rulers failed to diversify the economy away from its overdepen¬ dence on the capital-intensive oil sector, which provides 20% of GDP, 95% of for¬ eign exchange earnings, and about 65% of budgetary revenues. The largely sub¬ sistence agricultural sector has failed to keep up with rapid population growth — Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country — and the country, once a large net exporter of food, now must import food. Following the signing of an IMF stand-by agreement in August 2000, Nigeria received a debt-restructuring deal from the Paris Club and a $1 billion credit from the IMF, both contingent on economic reforms. Nigeria pulled out of its IMF program in April 2002, after failing to meet spending and exchange rate targets, making it ineligible for addi¬ tional debt forgiveness from the Paris Club. In the last year the government has begun showing the political will to implement the market-oriented reforms urged by the IMF, such as to modernize the banking system, to curb inflation by blocking excessive wage demands, and to resolve regional disputes over the distri¬ bution of earnings from the oil industry. In 2003, the government began deregu¬ lating fuel prices, announced the privati¬ zation of the country’s four oil refineries, and instituted the National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy, a domestically designed and run program modeled on the IMF’s Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility for fiscal and mone¬ tary management. In November 2005, Abuja won Paris Club approval for a debt — relief deal that eliminated $18 bil¬ lion of debt in exchange for $12 billion 462 NIGERIA in payments — a total package worth $30 billion of Nigeria’s total $37 billion external debt. The deal requires Nigeria to be subject to stringent IMF reviews. GDP rose strongly in 2006, based largely on increased oil exports and high global crude prices. GDP (purchasing power parity): $191.4 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $83.36 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 5.3% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $1,500 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 17.3% industry: 53.2% services: 29.5% (2006 est.) Labor force: 48.99 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 70% industry: 10% services: 20% (1999 est.) Unemployment rate: 5.8% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 60% (2000 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 40.8% (1996-97) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 50.6 (1996-97) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10.5% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 26.4% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $17.86 billion expenditures: $19.05 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 10.4% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: cocoa, peanuts, palm oil, corn, rice, sorghum, millet, cas¬ sava (tapioca), yams, rubber; cattle, sheep, goats, pigs; timber; fish Industries: crude oil, coal, tin, columbite; palm oil, peanuts, cotton, rubber, wood; hides and skins, textiles, cement and other construction mate¬ rials, food products, footwear, chemicals, fertilizer, printing, ceramics, steel, small commercial ship construction and repair Industrial production growth rate: - 1.6% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 19.06 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 61.9% hydro: 38.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 17.71 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 20 million kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 2.451 million bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— consumption: 290,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Oil— proved reserves: 36.25 billion bbl (2006 est.) Natural gas— production: 21.8 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 9.21 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 12.59 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — proved reserves: 4.984 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $12.59 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $59.01 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: petroleum and petroleum products 95%, cocoa, rubber Exports— partners: US 52.5%, Spain 8.2%, Brazil 6.1% (2005) Imports: $25.1 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: machinery, chemicals, transport equipment, manu¬ factured goods, food and live animals Imports— partners: China 10.4%, US 7.3%, UK 6.7%, Netherlands 6%, France 5.9%, Brazil 4.3%, Germany 4.2% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $42.97 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $6,278 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid — recipient: $250 million (1998) Currency (code): naira (NGN) Currency code: NGN Exchange rates: nairas per US dollar — 127.38 (2006), 132.59 (2005), 132.89 (2004), 129.22 (2003), 120.58 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 1.223 million (2005) Telephones — mobile cellular: 21.571 million (2006) Telephone system: general assessment: expansion and mod¬ ernization of the fixed-line telephone network has been slow due to faltering efforts at privatization domestic: the addition of a second fixed- line provider in 2002 resulted in faster growth of this service; wireless telephony has grown rapidly, in part responding to the shortcomings of the fixed-line net¬ work; 4 wireless (GSM) service providers operate nationally; the combined growth resulted in a sharp increase in teledensity reported to be over 18% in March 2006 international: country code — 234; satel¬ lite earth stations — 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC) pro¬ vides connectivity to Europe and Asia Radio broadcast stations: AM 83, FM 36, shortwave 11 (2001) Radios: 23.5 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 3 (the government controls 2 of the broad¬ casting stations and 15 repeater stations) (2001) Televisions: 6.9 million (1997) Internet country code: ng Internet hosts: 1,549 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 11 (2000) Internet users: 5 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 69 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 36 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 12 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1 ,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 2 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 33 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1 ,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 18 (2006) Heliports: 1 (2006) Pipelines: condensate 126 km; gas 2,812 km; liquid petroleum gas 125 km; oil 4,278 km; refined products 3,517 km (2006) Railways: total: 3,505 km narrow gauge: 3,505 km 1.067-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 194,394 km paved: 60,068 km unpaved: 134,326 km (1999) Waterways: 8,600 km (Niger and Benue rivers and smaller rivers and creeks) (2005) Merchant marine: total: 52 ships (1000 GRT or over) 277,709 GRT/475,414 DWT by type: cargo 6, chemical tanker 5, com¬ bination ore/oil 1, liquefied gas 1, pas- senger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 36, specialized tanker 2 foreign'owned: 4 (Norway 1, Pakistan 1, Singapore 1, Spain 1) registered in other countries: 28 (Bahamas 2, Bermuda 11, Cambodia 2, Comoros 2, Panama 7, Poland 1, Seychelles 1, unknown 2) (2006) Ports and terminals: Bonny Inshore Terminal, Calabar, Lagos, Port Harcourt 463 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK MILITARY Military branches: Nigerian Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force (2007) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2006) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 26,802,678 females age 18-49: 25,668,446 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age i 8 — 49 : 15,052,914 females age 18-49: 13,860,806 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 1,353,180 females age 1 8 — 49: 1,329,267 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1.5% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: Joint Border Commission with Cameroon reviewed 2002 ICJ ruling on the entire boundary and bilaterally resolved differences, including June 2006 Greentree Agree- ment that immediately cedes sovereignty of the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon with a phase-out of Nigerian control within two years while resolving patriation issues; the ICJ ruled on an equidistance settlement of Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-N igeria maritime boundary in the Gulf of Guinea, but imprecisely defined coordinates in the ICJ decision and a sovereignty dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an island at the mouth of the Ntem River all contribute to the delay in imple¬ mentation; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission’s admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty which also includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-N igeria boundaries Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 6,051 (Liberia) IDPs: undetermined (communal vio¬ lence between Christians and Muslims since President OBASANJO’s election in 1999; displacement is mostly short¬ term) (2006) Illicit drugs: a transit point for heroin and cocaine intended for European, East Asian, and North American markets; consumer of amphetamines; safe haven for Nigerian narco traffickers operating worldwide; major money-laundering center; massive corruption and criminal activity; Nigeria has improved some anti-money-laundering controls, resulting in its removal from the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF’s) Noncooperative Countries and Territories List in June 2006; Nigeria’s anti-money-laundering regime continues to be monitored by FATF NIUE Background: Niue’s remoteness, as well as cultural and linguistic differences between its Polynesian inhabitants and those of the rest of the Cook Islands, have caused it to be separately adminis¬ tered. The population of the island con¬ tinues to drop (from a peak of 5,200 in 1966 to an estimated 1,492 in 2007), with substantial emigration to New Zealand, 2,400 km to the southwest. GEOGRAPHY Location: Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Tonga Geographic coordinates: 19 02 S, 169 52 W Map references: Oceania Area: total: 260 sq km land: 260 sq km water: 0 sq km Area— comparative: 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 64 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical; modified by southeast trade winds Terrain: steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location near Mutalau settlement 68 m Natural resources: fish, arable land Land use: arable land: 11.54% permanent crops : 15.38% other: 73.08% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: typhoons Environment— current issues: increasing attention to conservationist practices to counter loss of soil fertility from tradi¬ tional slash and burn agriculture Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography— note: one of world’s largest coral islands PEOPLE Population: 1,492 note: based on data for 2000 and 2001, which indicate a declining population trend that is assumed to continue (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA Population growth rate: -0.032% (2007 est.) Birth rate: NA Death rate: NA Net migration rate: NA Sex ratio: NA Infant mortality rate: total: NA male: NA female: NA Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA male: NA female: NA Total fertility rate: NA HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS — people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS — deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Niuean(s) adjective: Niuean Ethnic groups: Niuen 78.2%, Pacific islander 10.2%, European 4.5%, mixed 3.9%, Asian 0.2%, unspecified 3% (2001 census) 464 NIUE Religions: Ekalesia Niue (Niuean Church a Protestant church closely related to the London Missionary Society) 61.1%, Latter-Day Saints 8.8%, Roman Catholic 7.2%, Jehovah’s Witnesses 2.4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.4%, other 8.4%, unspecified 8.7%, none 1.9% (2001 census) Languages: Niuean, a Polynesian lan¬ guage closely related to Tongan and Samoan; English Literacy: definition: NA total population: 95% male: NA female: NA GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Niue former: Savage Island Dependency status: self-governing in free association with New Zealand since 1974; Niue fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsi¬ bility for external affairs and defense; however, these responsibilities confer no rights of control and are only exercised at the request of the Government of Niue Government type: self-governing parlia¬ mentary democracy Capital: name: Alofi geographic coordinates: 1901 S, 169 55W time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: none; note— there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 14 villages at the second order Independence: on 19 October 1974, Niue became a self-governing parliamen¬ tary government in free association with New Zealand National holiday: Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sover¬ eignty over New Zealand), 6 Lebruary (1840) Constitution: 19 October 1974 (Niue Constitution Act) Legal system: English common law; note — Niue is self-governing, with the power to make its own laws Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General of New Zealand Anand SA.TYANAND (since 23 August 2006); the UK and New Zealand are represented by New Zealand High Commissioner John BRYAN (since May 2000) head of government: Premier Young VIVIAN (since 1 May 2002) cabinet: Cabinet consists of the premier and three ministers elections: the monarch is hereditary; pre¬ mier elected by the Legislative Assembly for a three-year term; election last held 12 May 2005 (next to be held in May 2008) election results: Young VIVIAN reelected premier; percent of Legislative Assembly vote — Young VIVIAN 85%, O’Love JACOBSEN 15% Legislative branch: unicameral Legis¬ lative Assembly (20 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three- year terms; six elected from a common roll and 14 are village representatives) elections: last held 30 April 2005 (next to be held in April 2008) election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — NA Judicial branch: Supreme Court of New Zealand; High Court of Niue Political parties and leaders: Alliance of Independents or AI; Niue People’s Action Party or NPP [Young VIVIAN] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: ACP, FAO, IFAD, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO Diplomatic representation in the US: none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand) Flag description: yellow with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the flag of the UK bears five yellow five- pointed stars — a large one on a blue disk in the center and a smaller one on each arm of the bold red cross ECONOMY Economy — overview: The economy suf¬ fers from the typical Pacific island prob¬ lems of geographic isolation, few resources, and a small population. Gov¬ ernment expenditures regularly exceed revenues, and the shortfall is made up by critically needed grants from New Zealand that are used to pay wages to public employees. Niue has cut govern¬ ment expenditures by reducing the public service by almost half. The agri¬ cultural sector consists mainly of subsis¬ tence gardening, although some cash crops are grown for export. Industry con¬ sists primarily of small factories to process passion fruit, lime oil, honey, and coconut cream. The sale of postage stamps to foreign collectors is an impor¬ tant source of revenue. The island in recent years has suffered a serious loss of population because of emigration to New Zealand. Efforts to increase GDP include the promotion of tourism and a financial services industry, although the International Banking Repeal Act of 2002 resulted in the termination of all offshore banking licenses. Economic aid from New Zealand in 2002 was about US$2 million. Niue suffered a devas¬ tating typhoon in January 2004, which decimated nascent economic programs. While in the process of rebuilding, Niue has been dependent on foreign aid. GDP (purchasing power parity): $7.6 million (2000 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $10.01 million (2003) GDP— real growth rate: 6.2% (2003 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $5,800 (2003 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 23.5% industry: 26.9% services: 49.5% (2003) Labor force: 663 (2001) Labor force— by occupation: note: most work on family plantations; paid work exists only in government service, small industry, and the Niue Development Board Unemployment rate: 12% (2001) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4% (2005) Budget: revenues: $15.07 million expenditures: $16.33 million; including capital expenditures of $123,700 (FY04/05) Agriculture — products: coconuts, pas¬ sion fruit, honey, limes, taro, yams, cas¬ sava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; pigs, poultry, beef cattle Industries: tourism, handicrafts, food processing Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity — production: 3 million kWh (2004) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 2.79 million kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity — imports: 0 kWh (2004) 465 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Oil — production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — consumption: 20 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Exports: $201,400 (2004) Exports — Commodities: canned coconut cream, copra, honey, vanilla, passion fruit products, pawpaws, root crops, limes, footballs, stamps, handicrafts Exports — partners: New Zealand mainly, Fiji, Cook Islands, Australia (2004) Imports: $9,038 million (2004) Imports— commodities: food, live ani¬ mals, manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, lubricants, chemicals, drugs Imports — partners: New Zealand mainly, Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Australia, US (2004) Debt— external: $418,000 (2002 est.) Economic aid — recipient: $2.6 million from New Zealand (2002) Currency (code): New Zealand dollar (NZD) Currency code: NZD Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars per US dollar— 1.5408 (2006), 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002) Fiscal year: 1 April— 31 March COMMUNICATIONS - ... Telephones— main lines in use: 1,100 (2002 est.) Telephones— mobile cellular: 400 (2002) Telephone system: domestic: single-line telephone system connects all villages on island international: country code — 683 (2001) Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) Radios: 1,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997) Televisions: NA Internet country code: nu Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000) Internet users: 900 (2002) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 1 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) Roadways: total: 234 km paved: 86 km unpaved: 148 km (2001) Ports and terminals: none; offshore anchorage only Military branches: no regular indige¬ nous military forces; Police Force Military — note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of New Zealand TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES . . - Disputes— international: none NORFOLK ISLAND INTRODUCTION Background: Two British attempts at establishing the island as a penal colony (1788-1814 and 1825-55) were ulti¬ mately abandoned. In 1856, the island was resettled by Pitcairn Islanders, descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian companions. Location: Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia Geographic coordinates: 29 02 S, 167 57 E Map references: Oceania Area: total: 34.6 sq km land: 34.6 sq km water: 0 sq km Area— comparative: about 0.2 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 32 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm Climate: subtropical; mild, little sea¬ sonal temperature variation Terrain: volcanic formation with mostly rolling plains Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Bates 319 m Natural resources: fish Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: typhoons (especially May to July) Environment — current issues: NA Geography — note: most of the 32 km coastline consists of almost inaccessible cliffs, but the land slopes down to the sea in one small southern area on Sydney Bay, where the capital of Kingston is sit¬ uated PEOPLE •' fi'./y N>* Population: 2,114 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 20.2% 15-64 years: 63.9% 65 years and over: 15.9% (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.006% (2007 est.) Birth rate: N A Death rate: NA Net migration rate: NA Sex ratio: NA Infant mortality rate: total: NA male: NA female: NA Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA male: NA female: NA Total fertility rate: NA HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS — people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS — deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Norfolk Islander(s) adjective: Norfolk Islander(s) Ethnic groups: descendants of the Bounty mutineers, Australian, New Zealander, Polynesian Religions: Anglican 34.9%, Roman Catholic 11.7%, Uniting Church in Australia 11.2%, Seventh-Day Ad¬ ventist 2.8%, Australian Christian 2.4%, Jehovah’s Witness 0.9%, other 2.7%, unspecified 15.2%, none 18.1% (2001 census) 466 northern Mariana islands Languages: English (official), Norfolk a mixture of 18th century English and ancient Tahitian Literacy: NA GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Territory of Norfolk Island conventional short form: Norfolk Island Dependency status: self governing terri¬ tory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of Trans¬ port and Regional Services Government type: NA Capital: name: Kingston geographic coordinates: 29 03 S, 167 58 E time difference: UTC+11.5 (16.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: none (terri¬ tory of Australia) Independence: none (territory of Australia) National holiday: Bounty Day (com¬ memorates the arrival of Pitcairn Islanders), 8 June (1856) Constitution: Norfolk Island Act of 1979, as amended in 2005 Legal system: based on the laws of Australia, local ordinances and acts; English common law applies in matters not covered by either Australian or Norfolk Island law Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by the Australian governor general head of government: Administrator Grant TAMBLING (since 1 November 2003) cabinet: Executive Council is made up of four of the nine members of the Legislative Assembly; the council devises government policy and acts as an advisor to the administrator elections: none; the monarch is heredi¬ tary; administrator appointed by the gov¬ ernor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia Legislative branch: unicameral Legis¬ lative Assembly (9 seats; members elected by electors who have nine equal votes each but only four votes can be given to any one candidate; to serve three-year terms) elections: last held 20 October 2004 (next to be held by December 2007 ) election results: seats — independents 9 (note — no political parties) Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Petty Sessions Political parties and leaders: none Political pressure groups and leaders: none International organization participa¬ tion: UPU Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of Australia) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of Australia) Flag description: three vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green with a large green Norfolk Island pine tree centered in the slightly wider white band '% ECONOMY Economy — overview: Tourism, the pri¬ mary economic activity, has steadily increased over the years and has brought a level of prosperity unusual among inhabitants of the Pacific islands. The agricultural sector has become self-suffi¬ cient in the production of beef, poultry, and eggs. GDP (purchasing power parity): $NA Labor force: NA Labor force — by occupation: agriculture : 10% industry and services: 90% Unemployment rate: 0% Budget: revenues: $4-6 million expenditures: $4-8 million; including cap¬ ital expenditures of $2 million (FY99/00) Agriculture— products: Norfolk Island pine seed, Kentia palm seed, cereals, veg¬ etables, fruit; cattle, poultry Industries: tourism, light industry, ready mixed concrete Electricity— production: NA kWh Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 0% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2002) Electricity— consumption: NA kWh Exports: $1.5 million f.o.b. (FY91/92) Exports — Commodities: postage stamps, seeds of the Norfolk Island pine and Kentia palm, small quantities of avocados Exports — partners: Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe (2004) Imports: $17.9 million c.i.f. (FY91/92) Imports — commodities: NA Imports — partners: Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe (2004) Debt — external: $NA Economic aid— recipient: $NA Currency (code): Australian dollar (AUD) Currency code: AUD Exchange rates: Australian dollars per US dollar— 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002) Fiscal year: 1 July— 30 J une COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 2,532; note — a mix of analog (2500) and digital (32) circuits (2004) Telephones— mobile cellular: 0, note- proposed cellular service disallowed in August 2002 island referendum (2002) Telephone system: general assessment: adequate domestic: free local calls international: country code — 672; under¬ sea coaxial cable links with Australia, New Zealand, and Canada; satellite earth station Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2005) Radios: 2,500 (1996) Television broadcast stations: 1 (local programming station plus 2 repeaters that air Australian programs by satellite) (2005) Televisions: 1,200 (1996) Internet country code: nf Internet hosts: 100 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000) Internet users: 700 (2002 est.) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 1 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) Roadways: total: 80 km paved: 53 km unpaved: 27 km (2002) Ports and terminals: none; loading jet¬ ties at Kingston and Cascade Military — note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of Australia TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: none NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS INTRODUCTION Background: Under US administration as part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific, the people of the Northern Mariana Islands decided in the 1970s not to seek independence but instead to forge closer links with the US. Negotiations for territorial status began in 1972. A covenant to establish a com¬ monwealth in political union with the US was approved in 1975, and came into force on 24 March 1976. A new govern¬ ment and constitution went into effect in 1978. 467 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK GEOGRAPHY Location: Oceania, islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines Geographic coordinates: 15 12 N, 145 45 E Map references: Oceania Area: total: 477 sq km land: 477 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian Area— comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 1,482 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 1 2 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical marine; moderated by northeast trade winds, little seasonal temperature variation; dry season December to June, rainy season July to October Terrain: southern islands are limestone with level terraces and fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Agrihan 965 m Natural resources: arable land, fish Land use: arable land: 13.04% permanent crops: 4.35% Other: 82.61% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August to November) Environment— current issues: contami¬ nation of groundwater on Saipan may contribute to disease; clean-up of land¬ fill; protection of endangered species conflicts with development Geography — note: strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean PEOPLE Population: 84,546 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 18.9% (male 8,354/female 7,612) 15-64 years: 79.5% (male 27,334/female 39,860) 65 years and over: 1.6% (male 717/female 669) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 29.7 years male: 31.8 years female: 28.7 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.461% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 19.27 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 2.29 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 7.64 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.097 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.686 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.072 male(s)/female total population: 0.756 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 6.85 deaths/1,000 live births male: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.29 years male: 73.7 years female: 79.05 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.21 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: NA (US citizens) adjective: NA Ethnic groups: Asian 56.3%, Pacific islander 36.3%, Caucasian 1.8%, other 0.8%, mixed 4.8% (2000 census) Religions: Christian (Roman Catholic majority, although traditional beliefs and taboos may still be found) Languages: Philippine languages 24-4%, Chinese 23.4%, Chamorro 22.4%, English 10.8%, other Pacific island lan¬ guages 9.5%, other 9.6% (2000 census) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 97% female: 96% (1980 est.) Country name: conventional long form: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands conventional short form: Northern Mariana Islands abbreviation: CNMI former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Mariana Islands District Dependency status: commonwealth in political union with the US; federal funds to the Commonwealth adminis¬ tered by the US Department of the Interior, Office of Insular Affairs Government type: commonwealth; self- governing with locally elected governor, lieutenant governor, and legislature Capital: name: Saipan geographic coordinates: 15 12N, 145 45 E time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: none (com¬ monwealth in political union with the US); there are no first-order administra¬ tive divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are four munici¬ palities at the second order: Northern Islands, Rota, Saipan, Tinian Independence: none (commonwealth in political union with the US) National holiday: Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978) Constitution: Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands effective 1 January 1978; Covenant Agreement fully effective 4 November 1986 Legal system: based on US system, except for customs, wages, immigration laws, and taxation Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elec¬ tions Executive branch: chief of state : President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001) head of government: Governor Benigno R. FITIAL (since 9 January 2006); Lieutenant Governor Timothy P. VIL¬ LAGOMEZ (since 9 January 2006) cabinet: the cabinet consists of the heads of the 10 principal departments under the executive branch who are appointed by the governor with the advice and con¬ sent of the Senate; other members include Special Assistants to the gov¬ ernor and office heads appointed by and reporting directly to the governor elections: under the US Constitution, res¬ idents of unincorporated territories, such as the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; gov¬ ernor and lieutenant governor elected on 468 NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS the same ticket by popular vote for four- year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 5 November 2005 (next to be held in November 2009) election results: Benigno R. FITIAL elected governor in a four-way race; per¬ cent of vote — Benigno R. FITIAL 28.07%, Heinz HOFSCHNEIDER 27-34%, Juan BABAUTA 26.6%, Froilan TENORIO 17.99% Legislative branch: bicameral Legis¬ lature consists of the Senate (9 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year staggered terms) and the House of Representatives (18 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms) elections: Senate — last held 5 November 2005 (next to be held in November 2009); House of Representatives — last held 5 November 2005 (next to be held in November 2007) election results: Senate — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — Covenant Party 3, Republican Party 3, Democratic Party 2, independent 1; House of Representatives — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — Covenant Party 7, Republican Party 7, Democratic Party 2, independent 2 note: the Northern Mariana Islands does not have a nonvoting delegate in the US Congress; instead, it has an elected offi¬ cial or “resident representative” in Washington, DC; seats by party — Republican Party 1 (Pedro A. TENORIO) Judicial branch: Commonwealth Supreme Court; Superior Court; Federal District Court Political parties and leaders: Covenant Party [Benigno R. FITIAL]; Democratic Party [Dr. Carlos S. CAMACHO]; Republican Party [Juan S. REYES] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA international organization participa¬ tion: Interpol (subbureau), SPC, UPU Flag description: blue, with a white, five-pointed star superimposed on the gray silhouette of a latte stone (a tradi¬ tional foundation stone used in building) in the center, surrounded by a wreath ECONOMY Economy — overview: The economy benefits substantially from financial assistance from the US. The rate of funding has declined as locally generated government revenues have grown. The key tourist industry employs about 50% of the work force and accounts for roughly one-fourth of GDP. Japanese tourists predominate. Annual tourist entries have exceeded one-half million in recent years, but financial difficulties in Japan have caused a temporary slow¬ down. The agricultural sector is made up of cattle ranches and small farms pro¬ ducing coconuts, breadfruit, tomatoes, and melons. Garment production is by far the most important industry with the employment of 17,500 mostly Chinese workers and sizable shipments to the US under duty and quota exemptions. GDP (purchasing power parity): $9 00 million note: GDP estimate includes US subsidy (2000 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $633.4 million (2000) GDP— real growth rate: NA% GDP— per capita (PPP): $12,500 (2000 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% Labor force: 44,470 total indigenous labor force; 2,699 unemployed; 28,717 foreign workers (2000) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% Unemployment rate: 3.9% (2001) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): -0.8% (2000) Budget: revenues: $193 million expenditures: $223 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (FY01/02 est.) Agriculture — products: coconuts, fruits, vegetables; cattle Industries: tourism, construction, gar¬ ments, handicrafts Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity— production: NA kWh Electricity— consumption: NA kWh Electricity — exports: 0 kWh Electricity — imports: 0 kWh Exports: $NA Exports — Commodities: garments Exports— partners: US (2004) Imports: $214-4 million (2001) Imports — commodities: food, construc¬ tion equipment and materials, petroleum products Imports — partners: US, Japan (2004) Debt — external: $NA Economic aid — recipient: extensive funding from US Currency (code): US dollar (USD) Currency code: USD Exchange rates: the US dollar is used Fiscal year: 1 October— 30 September COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 21,000 (2000) Telephones— mobile cellular: 20,500 (2004) Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: country code — 1-670; satel¬ lite earth stations — 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM l, FM 6, shortwave 1 (2005) Radios: NA Television broadcast stations: l (on Saipan; in addition, 2 cable services on Saipan provide varied programming from satellite networks) (2006) Televisions: NA Internet country code: .mp Internet hosts: 20 (2005) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): l (2001) Internet users: 10,000 (2003) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 5 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Heliports: 1 (2006) Roadways: total: 536 km (2004) Ports and terminals: Saipan, Tinian MILITARY Military — note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of the US TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: none 469 NORWAY Background: Two centuries of Viking raids into Europe tapered off following the adoption of Christianity by King Olav TRYGGVASON in 994. Conversion of the Norwegian kingdom occurred over the next several decades. In 1397, Norway was absorbed into a union with Denmark that lasted more than four centuries. In 1814, Norwegians resisted the cession of their country to Sweden and adopted a new constitution. Sweden then invaded Norway but agreed to let Norway keep iis constitution in return for accepting the union under a Swedish king. Rising nationalism throughout the 19th century led to a 1905 referendum granting Norway inde¬ pendence. Although Norway remained neutral in World War I, it suffered heavy losses to its shipping. Norway proclaimed its neutrality at the outset of World War II, but was nonetheless occupied for five years by Nazi Germany (1940-45). In 1949, neutrality was abandoned and Norway became a member of NATO. Discovery of oil and gas in adjacent waters in the late 1960s boosted Norway’s economic fortunes. The cur¬ rent focus is on containing spending on the extensive welfare system and plan¬ ning for the time when petroleum reserves are depleted. In referenda held in 1972 and 1994, Norway rejected joining the EU. GEOGRAPHY Location: Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Sweden Geographic coordinates: 62 00 N, 10 00 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 323,802 sq km land: 307,442 sq km water: 16,360 sq km Area — comparative: slightly larger than New Mexico Land boundaries: total: 2,542 km border countries: Finland 727 km, Sweden 1,619 km, Russia 196 km Coastline: 25,148 km (includes main¬ land 2,650 km, as well as long fjords, numerous small islands, and minor indentations 22,498 km; length of island coastlines 58,133 km) Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 10 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm Climate: temperate along coast, modi¬ fied by North Atlantic Current; colder interior with increased precipitation and colder summers; rainy year-round on west coast Terrain: glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented by fjords; arctic tundra in north Elevation extremes: lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m highest point: Galdhopiggen 2,469 m Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, titanium, pyrites, nickel, fish, timber, hydropower Land use: arable land: 2.7% permanent crops: 0% other: 97.3% (2005) Irrigated land: 1,270 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: rockslides, avalanches Environment— current issues: water pollu¬ tion; acid rain damaging forests and adversely affecting lakes, threatening fish stocks; air pollution from vehicle emissions Environment — international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution- Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution- Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: about two-thirds mountains; some 50,000 islands off its much indented coastline; strategic loca¬ tion adjacent to sea lanes and air routes in North Atlantic; one of most rugged and longest coastlines in the world PEOPLE Population: 4,627,926 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 19% (male 450,612/female 430,126) 15-64 years: 66.1% (male 1,552,473/ female 1,507,638) 65 years and over: 14-8% (male 291,659/ female 395,418) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 38.7 years male: 37.9 years female: 39.6 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.363% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 11.27 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 9.37 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 1.72 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.048 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0. 738 male(s)/female total population: 0.984 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 3.64 deaths/1,000 live births male: 3.99 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 79.67 years male: 77.04 years female: 82.46 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.78 children born/woman (2007 est.) 470 NORWAY HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS — people living with KIV/ AIDS: 2,100 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS — deaths: less than 100 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Norwegian(s) adjective: Norwegian Ethnic groups: Norwegian, Sami 20,000 Religions: Church of Norway 85.7%, Pentecostal 1%, Roman Catholic 1%, other Christian 2.4%, Muslim 1.8%, other 8.1% (2004) Languages: Bokmal Norwegian (official), Nynorsk Norwegian (official), small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities; note — Sami is official in six municipalities Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Norway conventional short form: Norway local long form: Kongeriket Norge local short form: Norge Government type: constitutional monarchy Capital: name: Oslo geographic coordinates: 5955N, 10 45 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 19 counties (fylker, singular — fylke); Akershus, Aust-Agder, Buskerud, Finnmark, Hedmark, Hordaland, More og Romsdal, Nordland, Nord-Trondelag, Oppland, Oslo, Ostfold, Rogaland, Sogn og Fjordane, Sor-Trondelag, Telemark, Troms, Vest-Agder, Vestfold Dependent areas: Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard Independence: 7 June 1905 (Norway declared the union with Sweden dis¬ solved); 26 October 1905 (Sweden agreed to the repeal of the union) National holiday: Constitution Day, 17 May (1814) Constitution: 17 May 1814; amended many times Legal system: mixture of customary law, civil law system, and common law tradi¬ tions; Supreme Court renders advisory opinions to legislature when asked; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991); Heir Apparent Crown Prince HAAKON MAGNUS, son of the monarch (born 20 July 1973) head of government: Prime Minister Jens STOLTENBERG (since 17 October 2005) cabinet: State Council appointed by the monarch with the approval of parlia¬ ment elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following parliamentary elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch with the approval of the parliament Legislative branch: modified unicameral Parliament or Storting (169 seats; mem¬ bers are elected by popular vote by pro¬ portional representation to serve four-year terms); note — in 2009 the number of seats will change to 165 elections: last held 12 September 2005 (next to be held in September 2009) election results: percent of vote by party — Labor Party 32.7%, Progress Party 22.1%, Conservative Party 14-1%, Socialist Left Party 8.8%, Christian People’s Party 6.8%, Center Party 6.5%, Liberal Party 5.9%, Red Electoral Alliance 1.2%, other 1.9%; seats by party — Labor Party 61, Progress Party 38, Conservative Party 23, Socialist Left Party 15, Christian People’s Party 11, Center Party 11, Liberal Party 10 note: for certain purposes, the parliament divides itself into two chambers and elects one-fourth of its membership in the Lagting and three-fourths of its mem¬ bership in the Odelsting Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Hoyesterett (justices appointed by the monarch) Political parties and leaders: Center Party [Aslaug Marie HAG A]; Christian People’s Party [Dagfinn HOYBRATEN]; Coastal Party [Roy WAAGE]; Con¬ servative Party [Erna SOLBERG]; Labor Party [Jens STOLTENBERG]; Liberal Party [Lars SPONHEIM]; Progress Party [Siv JENSEN]; Red Electoral Alliance [Torstein DAHLE]; Socialist Left Party [Kristin HALVORSEN] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: AfDB, Arctic Council, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, ESA, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Knut VOLLEBAEK chancery: 2720 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-6000 FAX: [1] (202) 337-0870 consulate(s) general: Houston, Minneapolis, New York, San Francisco Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Benson K. WHITNEY embassy: Henrik Ibsens gate 48, 0244 Oslo; note — the embassy will move to Huseby in the near future mailing address: PSC 69, Box 1000, APO AE 09707 telephone: [47] (22) 44 85 50 FAX: [47] (22) 44 33 63,56 27 51 Flag description: red with a blue cross outlined in white that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) Economy— overview: The Norwegian economy is a prosperous bastion of wel¬ fare capitalism, featuring a combination of free market activity and government intervention. The government controls key areas, such as the vital petroleum sector, through large-scale state enter¬ prises. The country is richly endowed with natural resources — petroleum, hydropower, fish, forests, and minerals — and is highly dependent on its oil pro¬ duction and international oil prices, with oil and gas accounting for one-third of exports. Only Saudi Arabia and Russia export more oil than Norway. Norway opted to stay out of the EU during a ref¬ erendum in November 1994; nonethe¬ less, as a member of the European Economic Area, it contributes sizably to the EU budget. The government has moved ahead with privatization. Although Norwegian oil production peaked in 2000, natural gas production is still rising. Norwegians realize that once their gas production peaks they will eventually face declining oil and gas rev¬ enues; accordingly, Norway has been saving its oil-and-gas-boosted budget sur¬ pluses in a Government Petroleum Fund, which is invested abroad and now is valued at more than $250 billion. After 471 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK lackluster growth of less than 1% in 2002-03, GDP growth picked up to 3-4% in 2004-06. Norway’s economy remains buoyant. Domestic economic activity is, and will continue to be, the main driver of growth, supported by high consumer con- fidence and strong investment spending in the offshore oil and gas sector, GDP (purchasing power parity): $213.6 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $264.4 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 4.6% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $46,300 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 2.3% industry: 41-4% services: 56.3% (2006 est.) Labor force: 2.42 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 4% industry: 22% services: 74% (1995) Unemployment rate: 3.5% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.1% highest 10%: 21.8% (1995) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 25.8 (2000) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.3% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 19.1% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $195.8 billion expenditures: $133.1 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 44.8% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: barley, wheat, potatoes; pork, beef, veal, milk; fish Industries: petroleum and gas, food pro- cessing, shipbuilding, pulp and paper products, metals, chemicals, timber, mining, textiles, fishing Industrial production growth rate: 1.8% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 108.9 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 0.4% hydro: 99.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0.4% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 112.8 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 3.8 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — imports: 15.3 billion kWh (2004) Oil — production: 3.22 million bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil — consumption: 244,300 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: 3.466 million bbl/day (2001) Oil — imports: 88,870 bbl/day (2001) Oil — proved reserves: 9.859 billion bbl (1 January 2002) Natural gas— production: 83.49 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 8.09 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — exports: 75.4 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 2.085 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $63.33 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $122.6 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — Commodities: petroleum and petroleum products, machinery and equipment, metals, chemicals, ships, fish Exports— partners: UK 25.5%, Gen many 12.6%, Netherlands 9.9%, France 9.1%, US 6.7%, Sweden 6.5% (2005) Imports: $59.9 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, foodstuffs Imports— partners: Sweden 14.6%, Germany 13.6%, Denmark 7.3%, UK 6.8%, China 5.5%, US 5%, France 4% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $49.62 billion (August 2006 est.) Debt — external: $350.3 billion; note — Norway is a net external creditor (30 June 2006) Economic aid— donor: ODA, $1.4 bil- lion (1998) Currency (code): Norwegian krone (NOK) Currency code: NOK Exchange rates: Norwegian kroner per US dollar— 6.4117 (2006), 6.4425 (2005), 6.7408 (2004), 7.0802 (2003), 7.9838 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 2.129 million (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 4.755 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: modern in all respects; one of the most advanced telecommuni- cations networks in Europe domestic: Norway has a domestic sateb lite system; moreover, the prevalence of rural areas encourages the wide use of cellular mobile systems instead of fixed' wire systems international: country code — 47; 2 buried coaxial cable systems; 4 coaxial subma¬ rine cables; satellite earth stations — NA Eutelsat, NA Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note — Norway shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden) (1999) Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM at least 650, shortwave 1 (1998) Radios: 4.03 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 360 (plus 2,729 repeaters) (1995) Televisions: 2.03 million (1997) Internet country code: no Internet hosts: 1.364 million (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 13 (2000) Internet users: 3.14 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 99 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 61 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 12 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 29 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 32 914 to 1 ,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 26 (2006) Heliports: 1 (2006) Pipelines; condensate 508 km; gas 5,910 km; oil 2,557 km; oil/gas/water 746 km (2006) Railways: total: 4,077 km standard gauge: 4,077 km 1.435-m gauge (2,680 km electrified) (2005) Roadways: total: 92,513 km paved: 71,832 km (includes 664 km of expressways) unpaved: 20,681 km (2005) Waterways: 1,577 km (2002) Merchant marine: total: 724 ships (1000 GRT or over) 14,472,103 GRT/20,245,353 DWT by type: bulk carrier 67, cargo 153, chem¬ ical tanker 150, container 2, liquefied gas 79, passenger/cargo 121, petroleum tanker 75, refrigerated cargo 9, roll on/roll off 19, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 47 foreign-owned: 168 (China 3, Cyprus 2, Denmark 32, Estonia 1, Finland 4, Greece 1, Hong Kong 55, Iceland 4, Italy 4, Japan 1, Lithuania 1, Monaco 4, Netherlands 3, Poland 2, Saudi Arabia 3, Sweden 28, UAE 1, UK 6, US 13) registered in other countries: 861 (Antigua and Barbuda 11, Australia 1, Bahamas 259, Barbados 29, Belize 2, Bermuda 5, Brazil 2, Cambodia 1, Canada 1, Cayman 472 NORWAY Islands 2, China 1, Comoros 1, Cook Islands 1, Cyprus 16, Denmark 3, Dominica 1, Ecuador 1, Estonia 2, Faroe Islands 4, Finland 1, France 1, French Southern and Antarctic Lands 12, Gibraltar 18, Hong Kong 26, Indonesia 1, Isle of Man 27, Liberia 38, Libya 1, Malta 49, Marshall Islands 65, Mexico 1, Netherlands 7, Netherlands Antilles 5, Nigeria 1, Panama 66, Philippines 3, Portugal 4, Russia 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 16, Singapore 90, Spain 7, Sweden 7, Thailand 30, Tonga 1, UK 36, US 2, unknown 2) (2006) Ports and terminals: Borg Havn, Bergen, Mo i Rana, Molde, Mongstad, Narvik, Oslo, Sture MILITARY Military branches: Norwegian Army (Haeren), Royal Norwegian Navy (Kongelige Norske Sjoeforsvaret, RNoN; includes Coastal Rangers and Coast Guard (Kystvakt)), Royal Norwegian Air Force (Kongelige Norske Luft- forsvaret, RNoAF), Home Guard (Hei- mevernet, HV) (2006) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age in wartime; 17 years of age for male volunteers; 18 years of age for women; 16 years of age for vol¬ unteers to the Home Guard; conscript service obligation — 12 months (2004) . Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 1,014,592 females age 18-4 9: 982,734 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-4 9: 827,016 females age 18-49: 801,358 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 29,179 females age 1 8 — 49 : 28,023 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1.9% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: Norway asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Queen Maud Land and its continental shelf); despite dialogue, Russia and Norway continue to dispute their mar¬ itime limits in the Barents Sea and Russia’s fishing rights beyond Svalbard’s territorial limits within the Svalbard Treaty zone 473 Background: The inhabitants of the area of Oman have long prospered on Indian Ocean trade. In the late 18th century, a newly established sultanate in Muscat signed the first in a series of friendship treaties with Britain. Over time, Oman’s dependence on British political and mili¬ tary advisors increased, but it never became a British colony. In 1970, QABOOS bin Said al-Said overthrew the restrictive rule of his father; he has ruled as sultan ever since. His extensive modern¬ ization program has opened the country to the outside world while preserving the longstanding close ties with the UK. Oman’s moderate, independent foreign policy has sought to maintain good rela¬ tions with all Middle Eastern countries. GEOGRAPHY Location: Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf, between Yemen and UAE Geographic coordinates: 21 00 N, 57 00 E Map references: Middle East Area: total: 212,460 sq km land: 212,460 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: slightly smaller than Kansas Land boundaries: total: 1,374 km border countries: Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km Coastline: 2,092 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south Terrain: central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south Elevation extremes: lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m highest point: Jabal Shams 2,980 m Natural resources: petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas Land use: arable land: 0.12% permanent crops : 0.14% other: 99.74% (2005) Irrigated land: 720 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in interior; periodic droughts Environment— current issues: rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; very limited natural fresh water resources Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: strategic location on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil PEOPLE ' Population: 3,204,897 note: includes 577,293 non-nationals (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 42.7% (male 698,461/female 670,793) 15-64 years: 54.6% (male 1,026,686/ female 723,712) 65 years and over: 2.7% (male 47,534/ female 37,711) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 18.9 years male: 21.5 years female: 16.5 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 3.234% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 35.76 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 3.78 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0.36 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.041 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.419 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.26 male(s)/female total population: 1.238 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 18.28 deaths/1,000 live births male: 20.96 deaths/1,000 live births female: 15.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.62 years male: 71.37 years female: 75.99 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 5.7 children bom/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 1,300 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Omani (s) adjective: Omani Ethnic groups: Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi), African Religions: Ibadhi Muslim 75%, other (includes Sunni Muslim, Shi’a Muslim, Hindu) 25% Languages: Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects Literacy: definition: NA total population: 81.4% male: 86.8% female: 73.5% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT - - ' • ' ; - Country name: conventional long form: Sultanate of Oman conventional short form: Oman local long form: Saltanat Uman local short form: Uman former: Muscat and Oman Government type: monarchy Capital: name: Muscat geographic coordinates: 23 37 N, 58 35 E time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 5 regions (manatiq, singular — mintaqat) and 4 governorates* (muhafazat, singular — muhafazat) Ad Dakhiliyah, A1 Batinah, A1 Buraymi*, Al Wusta, Ash Sharqiyah, Az Zahirah, Masqat*, Musandam*, Zufar (Dhofar)* Independence: 1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese) National holiday: Birthday of Sultan QABOOS, 18 November (1940) Constitution: none; note — on 6 Novem¬ ber 1996, Sultan QABOOS issued a royal decree promulgating a basic law considered by the government to be a constitution which, among other things, 474 OMAN clarifies the royal succession, provides for a prime minister, bars ministers from holding interests in companies doing busi- ness with the government, establishes a bicameral legislature, and guarantees basic civil liberties for Omani citizens Legal system: based on English common law and Islamic law; ultimate appeal to the monarch; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal; note — members of the military and seem rity forces are not allowed to vote Executive branch: chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said abSaid (sultan since 23 July 1970 and prime minister since 23 July 1972); note — the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said abSaid (sultan since 23 July 1970 and prime minister since 23 July 1972) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary Legislative branch: bicameral Majlis Oman consists of Majlis al-Dawla (or upper chamber) (58 seats; members appointed by the monarch; has advisory powers only) and Majlis al-Shura (or lower chamber) (84 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms; body has some limited power to propose legislation, but otherwise has only advisory powers) elections: last held 4 October 2003 (next to be held in October 2007) election results: NA Judicial branch: Supreme Court note: the nascent civil court system, administered by region, has judges who practice secular and Shari’a law Political parties and leaders: none Political pressure groups and leaders: none International organization participa¬ tion: ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G- 77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IHO, IFO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, FAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WOO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Hunaina bint Sultan bin Ahmad al-MUGHAIRI chancery: 2535 Belmont Road, NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 387-1980 through 1981, 1988 FAX: [1] (202) 745-4933 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Gary A. GRAPPO embassy: Jameat A’Duwal A1 Arabiya Street, A1 Khuwair area, Muscat mailing address: P. O. Box 202, PC. 115, Madinat Sultan Qaboos, Muscat telephone: [968] 24-698989 FAX: [968] 24-699771 Flag description: three horizontal bands of white, red, and green of equal width with a broad, vertical, red band on the hoist side; the national emblem (a khanjar dagger in its sheath superim¬ posed on two crossed swords in scab¬ bards) in white is centered near the top of the vertical band ECONOMY Economy — overview: Oman is a middle- income economy in the Middle East with notable oil and gas resources, a substan¬ tial trade surplus, and low inflation. Sustained high oil prices in recent years have helped build Oman’s budget and trade surpluses and foreign reserves. Oman joined the World Trade Organization in November 2000 and continues to liberalize its markets. It rat¬ ified a free trade agreement with the US in September 2006 and, through the Gulf Cooperation Council, seeks similar agreements with the EU, China and Japan. To reduce unemployment and limit dependence on foreign labor, the government is encouraging the replace¬ ment of foreign expatriate workers with local workers. Oman actively seeks pri¬ vate foreign investors, especially in the industrial, information technology, tourism, and higher education fields. Industrial development plans focus on gas resources, metal manufacturing, petrochemicals, and international trans¬ shipment ports. GDP (purchasing power parity): $44.53 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $27.25 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 6.6% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $14,400 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 2.6% industry: 38.8% services: 58.7% (2006 est.) Labor force: 920,000 (2002 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% Unemployment rate: 15% (2004 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 14.2% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $14.33 billion expenditures: $12.81 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 4.5% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables; camels, cattle; fish Industries: crude oil production and refining, natural and liquefied natural gas (ENG) production; construction, cement, copper, steel, chemicals, optic fiber Industrial production growth rate: 5.9% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 14.33 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 13.33 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity — imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 740,000 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil— consumption: 60,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: 721,000 bbl/day (2004) Oil — imports: NA bbl/day Oil — proved reserves: 4.7 billion bbl (2006 est.) Natural gas — production: 17.2 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 6.77 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — exports: 10.43 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — imports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — proved reserves: 829.1 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $7,097 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $24-73 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: petroleum, reexports, fish, metals, textiles Exports — partners: China 21.6%, South Korea 19.4%, Japan 14-2%, Thailand 12.6%, UAE 7.1%, Taiwan 4.1% (2005) Imports: $10.29 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — Commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, livestock, lubricants Imports — partners: UAE 22.4%, Japan 15.8%, UK 7.7%, US 6.7%, Germany 5.8%, India 4.2%. (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $4-908 billion (2006 est.) 475 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Debt — external: $4,259 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $76.4 million (1995) Currency (code): Omani rial (OMR) Currency code: OMR Exchange rates: Omani rials per US dollar— 0.3845 (2006), 0.3845 (2005), 0.3845 (2004), 0.3845 (2003), 0.3845 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 265,200 (2005) Telephones — mobile cellular: 1.333 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: modem system con¬ sisting of open-wire, microwave, and radiotelephone communication stations; limited coaxial cable domestic: open- wire, microwave, radio¬ telephone communications, and a dom¬ estic satellite system with 8 earth stations international: country code — 968; satel¬ lite earth stations — 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999) Radios: 1.4 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 13 (plus 25 repeaters) (1999) Televisions: 1.6 million (1997) Internet country code: om Internet hosts: 3,555 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000) Internet users: 245,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 137 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 6 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 131 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 52 914 to 1 ,523 m: 35 under 914 m: 35 (2006) Heliports: 1 (2006) Pipelines: gas 4,072 km; oil 3,405 km (2006) Roadways: total: 34,965 km paved: 9,673 km (includes 550 km of expressways) unpaved: 25,292 km (2001) Merchant marine: total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 10,797 GRT/5,040 DWT by type: passenger 1 registered in other countries: 2 (Kazakhstan 2) (2006) Ports and terminals: Mina’ Qabus, Salalah MILITARY Military branches: Royal Omani Armed Forces: Royal Army of Oman, Royal Navy of Oman, Royal Air Force of Oman (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al- Sultanat Oman, RAFO) (2006) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 1 8 — 49; 719,871 females age 1 8 — 49: 508,621 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 581,444 females age 18-49: 435,107 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-4 9: 26,391 females age 18-49: 25,466 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 11.4% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: boundary agreement reportedly signed and ratified with UAE in 2003 for entire border, including Oman’s Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah exclave, but details of the alignment have not been made public Trafficking in persons: current situation: Oman is a destination country for men and women primarily from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India who migrate will¬ ingly, but may subsequently become vic¬ tims of trafficking when subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude as domestic workers and laborers; there have been occasional reports that expa¬ triate children engaged in camel racing may transit or reside in Omani territory tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Oman is placed on the Tier 2 Watch List because of a lack of evidence of increasing efforts to combat severe forms of trafficking in persons in 2005 476 Background: The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the world’s five oceans (fol¬ lowed by the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, and Arctic Ocean). Strategically important access waterways include the La Perouse, Tsugaru, Tsushima, Taiwan, Singapore, and Torres Straits. The decision by the International Hydrographic Organiza¬ tion in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Pacific Ocean south of 60 degrees south. GEOGRAPHY Location: body of water between the Southern Ocean, Asia, Australia, and the Western Hemisphere Geographic coordinates: 0 00 N, 160 00 w Map references: Political Map of the World Area: total: 155.557 million sq km note: includes Bali Sea, Bering Sea, Bering Strait, Coral Sea, East China Sea, Gulf of Alaska, Gulf of Tonkin, Philippine Sea, Sea of Japan, Sea of Okhotsk, South China Sea, Tasman Sea, and other tributary water bodies Area — comparative: about 15 times the size of the US; covers about 28% of the global surface; larger than the total land area of the world Coastline: 135,663 km Climate: planetary air pressure systems and resultant wind patterns exhibit remarkable uniformity in the south and east; trade winds and westerly winds are well-developed patterns, modified by seasonal fluctuations; tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico from June to October and affect Mexico and Central America; continental influ¬ ences cause climatic uniformity to be much less pronounced in the eastern and western regions at the same latitude in the North Pacific Ocean; the western Pacific is monsoonal — a rainy season occurs during the summer months, when moisture-laden winds blow from the ocean over the land, and a dry season during the winter months, when dry winds blow from the Asian landmass back to the ocean; tropical cyclones (typhoons) may strike southeast and east Asia from May to December Terrain: surface currents in the northern Pacific are dominated by a clockwise, warm-water gyre (broad circular system of currents) and in the southern Pacific by a counterclockwise, cool-water gyre; in the northern Pacific, sea ice forms in the Bering Sea and Sea of Okhotsk in winter; in the southern Pacific, sea ice from Antarctica reaches its northern¬ most extent in October; the ocean floor in the eastern Pacific is dominated by the East Pacific Rise, while the western Pacific is dissected by deep trenches, including the Mariana Trench, which is the world’s deepest Elevation extremes: lowest point: Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench -10,924 m highest point: sea level 0 m Natural resources: oil and gas fields, polymetallic nodules, sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, fish Natural hazards: surrounded by a zone of violent volcanic and earthquake activity sometimes referred to as the “Pacific Ring of Fire”; subject to tropical cyclones (typhoons) in southeast and east Asia from May to December (most frequent from July to October); tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico and strike Central America and Mexico from June to October (most common in August and September); cyclical El Nino/La Nina phenomenon occurs in the equatorial Pacific, influ¬ encing weather in the Western Hemisphere and the western Pacific; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme north from October to May; persistent fog in the northern Pacific can be a maritime hazard from June to December Environment— current issues: endan¬ gered marine species include the dugong, sea lion, sea otter, seals, turtles, and whales; oil pollution in Philippine Sea and South China Sea Geography — note: the major choke- points are the Bering Strait, Panama Canal, Luzon Strait, and the Singapore Strait; the Equator divides the Pacific Ocean into the North Pacific Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean; dotted with low coral islands and rugged volcanic islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean ECONOMY Economy — overview: The Pacific Ocean is a major contributor to the world economy and particularly to those nations its waters directly touch. It pro¬ vides low-cost sea transportation between East and West, extensive fishing grounds, offshore oil and gas fields, min¬ erals, and sand and gravel for the con¬ struction industry. In 1996, over 60% of the world’s fish catch came from the Pacific Ocean. Exploitation of offshore oil and gas reserves is playing an ever- increasing role in the energy supplies of the US, Australia, NZ, China, and Peru. The high cost of recovering offshore oil and gas, combined with the wide swings in world prices for oil since 1985, has led to fluctuations in new drillings. TRANSPORTATION Ports and terminals: Bangkok (Thailand), Hong Kong (China), Kao- hsiung (Taiwan), Los Angeles (US), Manila (Philippines), Pusan (South Korea), San Francisco (US), Seattle (US), Shanghai (China), Singapore, Sydney (Australia), Vladivostok (Russia), Wellington (NZ), Yokohama (Japan) Transportation — note: Inside Passage offers protected waters from southeast Alaska to Puget Sound (Washington state) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: some mar¬ itime disputes (see littoral states) PAKISTAN INTRODUCTION Background: The separation in 1947 of British India into the Muslim state of Pakistan (with two sections West and East) and largely Hindu India was never satisfactorily resolved, and India and Pakistan fought two wars — in 1947-48 and 1965 — over the disputed Kashmir territory. A third war between these countries in 1971 — in which India capi¬ talized on Islamabad’s marginalization of 477 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Bengalis in Pakistani politics— resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. In response to Indian nuclear weapons testing, Pakistan conducted its own tests in 1998. The dis- pute over the state of Kashmir is ongoing, but discussions and confidence- building measures have led to decreased tensions since 2002. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India on the east and Iran and Afghanistan on the west and China in the north Geographic coordinates: 30 00 N, 70 00 E Map references: Asia Area: total: 803,940 sq km land: 778,720 sq km water: 25,220 sq km Area— comparative: slightly less than twice the size of California Land boundaries: total: 6,774 km border countries: Afghanistan 2,430 km, China 523 km, India 2,912 km, Iran 909 km Coastline: 1,046 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin Climate: mostly hot, dry desert; tem¬ perate in northwest; arctic in north Terrain: flat Indus plain in east; moun¬ tains in north and northwest; Balo- chistan plateau in west Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: K2 (Mt. Godwin- Austen) 8,611 m Natural resources: land, extensive nat¬ ural gas reserves, limited petroleum, poor quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, lime¬ stone Land use: arable land: 24-44% permanent crops: 0.84% other: 74-72% (2005) Irrigated land: 182,300 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August) Environment — current issues: water pollution from raw sewage, industrial wastes, and agricultural runoff; limited natural fresh water resources; a majority of the population does not have access to potable water; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation Geography — note: controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasion routes between Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent PEOPLE Population: 164,741,924 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 36.9% (male 31,264,576/ female 29,507,174) 15-64 years: 58.8% (male 49,592,033/ female 47,327,161) 65 years and over: 4.3% (male 3,342,65 0/ female 3,708,330) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 20.9 years male: 20.7 years female: 21 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.828% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 27.52 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 8 deaths/1 ,000 population (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -1.24 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.048 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.901 male(s)/female total population: 1.045 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 68.84 deaths/1,000 live births male: 68.94 deaths/ 1,000 live births female: 68.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 63.75 years male: 62.73 years female: 64.83 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 3 .71 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 74,000 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 4,900 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diar¬ rhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, ma¬ laria, and cutaneous leishmaniasis are high risks depending on location animal contact disease: rabies note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2007) Nationality: noun: Pakistani(s) adjective: Pakistani Ethnic groups: Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtun (Pathan), Baloch, Muhajir (immigrants from India at the time of partition and their descendants) Religions: Muslim 97% (Sunni 77%, Shi’a 20%), other (includes Christian and Hindu) 3% Languages: Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Siraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashtu 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Baiochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%, English (official; lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries), Burushaski and other 8% Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 49.9% male: 63% female: 36% (2005 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Pakistan conventional short form: Pakistan local long form: Jamhuryat Islami Pakistan local short form: Pakistan former: West Pakistan Government type: federal republic Capital: name: Islamabad geographic coordinates: 3342N,73 10E time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 4 provinces, 1 territory*, and 1 capital territory**; 478 PAKISTAN Balochistan, Federally Administered Tribal Areas*, Islamabad Capital Terri¬ tory**, North-West Frontier Province, Punjab, Sindh note, the Pakistani-administered portion of the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region consists of two administrative entities: Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas Independence: 14 August 1947 (from UK) National holiday: Republic Day, 23 March (1956) Constitution: 12 April 1973; suspended 5 July 1977, restored with amendments 30 December 1985; suspended 15 October 1999, restored in stages in 2002; amended 3 1 December 2003 Legal system: based on English common law with provisions to accom¬ modate Pakistan’s status as an Islamic state; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdic¬ tion, with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; joint electorates and reserved parliamentary seats for women and non-Muslims Executive branch: chief of state: President General Pervez MUSHARRAF (since 20 June 2001) note: following a military takeover on 12 October 1999, Chief of Army Staff and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, General Pervez MUSHARRAF, suspended Pakistan’s constitution and assumed the additional title of Chief Executive; on 12 May 2000, Pakistan’s Supreme Court unani¬ mously validated the October 1999 coup and granted MUSHARRAF executive and legislative authority for three years from the coup date; on 20 June 2001, MUSHARRAF named himself as presi¬ dent and was sworn in replacing Mohammad Rafiq TARAR; in a refer¬ endum held on 30 April 2002, MUSHARRAF’s presidency was extended by five more years; on 1 January 2004, MUSHARRAF won a vote of confidence in the Senate, National Assembly, and four provincial assemblies head of government: Prime Minister Shaukat AZIZ (since 28 August 2004) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister elections: the president is elected by an electoral college drawn from the national parliament and provincial assemblies for a five-year term; note — Musharraf was last sworn in as President in November 2002; the prime minister is selected by the National Assembly (next elections to be held in late 2007) election results: AZIZ elected by the National Assembly on 27 August 2004 Legislative branch: bicameral Parlia¬ ment or Majlis-e-Shoora consists of the Senate (100 seats; members indirectly elected by provincial assemblies and the territories’ representatives in the National Assembly to serve six-year terms; one half are elected every three years) and the National Assembly (342 seats; 272 members elected by popular vote; 60 seats reserved for women; 10 seats reserved for non-Muslims; to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate — last held in March 2006 (next to be held in March 2009); National Assembly — last held 10 October 2002 (next to be held in 2007) election results: Senate results — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — PML 39, MMA 18, PPPP 9, MQM 6, PML/N 4, PkMAP 3, PPP/S 3, ANP 2, BNP/A 1, BNP/M 1, JWP 1, PML/F 1, independents 12; National Assembly results — percent of votes by party — NA; seats by party — PML/Q 126, PPPP 81, MMA 63, PML/N 19, MQM 17, NA 16, PML/F 5, PML/J 3, PPP/S 2, BNP/A 1, JWP 1, PAT 1, PkMAP 1, PML/Z 1, PTI 1 , independents 4 Judicial branch: Supreme Court (jus¬ tices appointed by the president); Federal Islamic or Shari’a Court Political parties and leaders: Awami National Party or ANP [Asfandyar Wali KHAN]; Balochistan National Party/Hayee Group or BNP/H [Dr. Hayee BALUCH]; Baluch National Party/Awami or BNP/A [Moheem Khan BALOCH]; Baluch National Party- Mengal or BNP/M [Sardar Ataullah MENGAL]; Jamhoori Watan Party or JWP; Jamiat-al-Hadith or JAH [Sajid MIR]; Jamiat-i-Islami or JI [Qazi Hussain AHMED]; Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, Fazlur Rehman faction or JUI/F [Fazlur REHMAN]; Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, Sami ul-HAQ faction or JUI/S [Sami ul- HAQ]; Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan or JUP [Shah Faridul HAQ]; Muttahida Majlis- e-Amal or MMA [Qazi Hussain AHMED]; Muttahida Qaumi Movement, or MQM [Altaf HUSSAIN]; National Alliance or NA [Ghulam Mustapha JATOI] (merged with PML); Pakhtun Khwa Milli Awami Party or PkMAP [Mahmood Khan ACHAKZAI]; Pakistan Awami Tehrik or PAT [Tahir ul QADRI]; Pakistan Muslim League, Functional Group or PML/F [Pir PAGARO]; Pakistan Muslim League, Nawaz Sharif faction or PML/N [Nawaz SHARIF]; Pakistan Muslim League or PML [Chaudhry Shujaat HUSSAIN]; note — as of May 2004, the PML/Q changed its name to PML and absorbed the PML/J, PML/Z, and NA; Pakistan People’s Party or PPP/S (Aftab Ahmed Khan SHERPAO]; Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians or PPPP [Benazir BHUTTOl; Pakistan Tehrik-e- Insaaf or PTI [Imran KHAN]; Tehnk-i- Islami [Allama Sajid NAQVI] note: political alliances in Pakistan can shift frequently Political pressure groups and leaders: military remains most important polit¬ ical force; ulema (clergy), landowners, industrialists, and small merchants also influential International organization participa¬ tion: ARF, AsDB, C (reinstated 2004), CP, ECO, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, 1TUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, SCO (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mahmud Ali DURRANI chancery: 3517 International Court, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 243-6500 FAX: [1] (202) 686-1544 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Sunnyvale (California) Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d’affaires Peter W. BODDE embassy: Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad mailing address: P. O. Box 1048, Unit 62200, APO AE 09812-2200 telephone: [92] (51) 208-0000 FAX: [92] (51) 2276427 consulate(s) general: Karachi consulate(s) : Lahore, Peshawar Flag description: green with a vertical white band (symbolizing the role of reli¬ gious minorities) on the hoist side; a large white crescent and star are centered in the green field; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam ECONOMY Economy — overview: Pakistan, an impoverished and underdeveloped country, has suffered from decades of internal political disputes, low levels of foreign investment, and a costly, ongoing confrontation with neighboring India. However, IMF-approved government 479 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK policies, bolstered by generous foreign assistance and renewed access to global markets since 2001, have generated solid macroeconomic recovery the last five years. The government has made sub¬ stantial macroeconomic reforms since 2000, most notably privatizing the banking sector. Poverty levels have decreased by 10% since 2001, and Islamabad has steadily raised develop¬ ment spending in recent years, including a 52% real increase in the budget alloca¬ tion for development in FY07, a neces¬ sary step toward reversing the broad underdevelopment of its social sector. The fiscal deficit — the result of chroni¬ cally low tax collection and increased spending, including reconstruction costs from the October 2005 earthquake— appears manageable for now. GDP growth, spurred by gains in the industrial and service sectors, remained in the 6-8% range in 2004-06. Inflation remains the biggest threat to the economy, jumping to more than 9% in 2005 before easing to 7.9% in 2006. The central bank is pursuing tighter monetary policy — raising interest rates in 2006 — - while trying to preserve growth. Foreign exchange reserves are bolstered by steady worker remittances, but a growing cur¬ rent account deficit — driven by a widening trade gap as import growth out¬ strips export expansion — could draw down reserves and dampen GDP growth in the medium term. GDP (purchasing power parity): $437.5 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $124 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 6.6% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $2,600 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 22% industry: 26% services: 52% (2006 est.) Labor force: 48.29 million note: extensive export of labor, mostly to the Middle East, and use of child labor (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 42% industry: 20% services: 38% (2004 est.) Unemployment rate: 6.5% plus substan¬ tial underemployment (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 24% (FY05/06 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4-1% highest 10%: 27.6% (FY96/97) Distribution of family income — Gmi index: 41 (FY98/99) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.9% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 15.6% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $20.55 billion expenditures: $25.65 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 55% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; milk, beef, mutton, eggs Industries: textiles and apparel, food processing, pharmaceuticals, construc¬ tion materials, paper products, fertilizer, shrimp Industrial production growth rate: 6% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 80.24 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 68.8% hydro: 28.2% nuclear: 3% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 74.62 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 63,000 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— consumption: 324,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Oil— proved reserves: 358.9 million bbl (2006 est.) Natural gas— production: 27.4 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 27.4 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 759.7 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $5,486 bil lion (2006 est.) Exports: $19.24 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: textiles (gar¬ ments, bed linen, cotton cloth, yarn), rice, leather goods, sports goods, chemi¬ cals, manufactures, carpets and rugs Exports— partners: US 24.8%, UAE 7.8%, Afghanistan 6.6%, UK 5.7%, Germany 4.5% (2005) Imports: $26.79 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: petroleum, petroleum products, machinery, plastics, transportation equipment, edible oils, paper and paperboard, iron and steel, tea Imports— partners: Saudi Arabia 11.1%, UAE 10.3%, China 9.2%, Japan 6.4%, US 6%, Kuwait 5%, Germany 4.5% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $13.29 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $42.38 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid — recipient: $2.4 billion (FY01/02) Currency (code): Pakistani rupee (PKR) Currency code: PKR Exchange rates: Pakistani rupees per US dollar— 60.35 (2006), 59.515 (2005), 58.258 (2004), 57.752 (2003), 59.724 (2002) Fiscal year: 1 July— 30 June COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 5,162,798 (2006) Telephones— mobile cellular: 48,289,136 (2006) Telephone system: general assessment: the telecom infra¬ structure is improving dramatically with foreign and domestic investments into fixed-line and mobile networks; mobile cellular subscribership has skyrocketed, approaching 50 million in late 2006, up from only about 300,000 in 2000; fiber systems are being constructed throughout the country to aid in network growth; main line availability has risen only marginally over the same period and there are still difficulties getting main line service to rural areas. domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable, cellular, and satellite networks international: country code — 92; satellite earth stations — 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); 3 opera¬ tional international gateway exchanges (1 at Karachi and 2 at Islamabad); microwave radio relay to neighboring countries (2006) Radio broadcast stations: AM 31, FM 68, shortwave NA (2006) Radios: 13.5 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 20 (5 state-run channels and 15 privately- owned satellite channels) (2006) Televisions: 3.1 million (1997) Internet country code: pk Internet hosts: 72,765 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 30 (2000) Internet users: 10.5 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 139 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 91 over 3,047 m: 14 2,438 to 3,047 m: 21 1,524 to 2,437 m: 33 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 8 (2006) 480 PALAU Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 48 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 23 (2006) Heliports: 18 (2006) Pipelines: gas 10,257 km; oil 2,001 km (2006) Railways: total: 8,163 km broad gauge: 7,718 km 1.676-m gauge (293 km electrified) narrow gauge: 445 km 1.000-m gauge (2004) Roadways: total: 258,340 km paved: 167,146 km (includes 711 km of expressways) unpaved: 91,194 km (2004) Merchant marine: total: 16 ships (1000 GRT or over) 397,740 GRT/657,656 DWT by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 10, con- tainer 1 , petroleum tanker 4 registered in other countries: 11 (Comoros 2, North Korea 3, Malta 1, Nigeria 1, Panama 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Karachi, Port Muhammad Bin Qasim MILITARY Military branches: Army (includes National Guard), Navy (includes Marines and Maritime Security Agency), Pakistan Air Force (Pakistan Fiza’ya) (2007) Military service age and obligation: 16 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers cannot be deployed for combat until age of 18; the Pakistani Air Force and Pakistani Navy have inducted their first female pilots and sailors (2006) Manpower available for military service: males age 16—19: 39,028,014 females age 16-49: 36,779,584 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16—19: 29,428,747 females age 16-49: 28,391,887 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-4 9: 1,969,055 females age 16-49: 1,849,254 (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of GDP: 3.2% (2006 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: various talks and confidence-building measures cau¬ tiously have begun to defuse tensions over Kashmir, particularly since the October 2005 earthquake in the region; Kashmir nevertheless remains the site of the world’s largest and most militarized territorial dispute with portions under the de facto administration of China (Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and Kashmir), and Pakistan (Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas); UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) has maintained a small group of peacekeepers since 1949; India does not recognize Pakistan’s ceding his¬ toric Kashmir lands to China in 1964; India and Pakistan have maintained their 2004 cease fire in Kashmir and ini¬ tiated discussions on defusing the armed stand-off in the Siachen glacier region; Pakistan protests India’s fencing the highly militarized Line of Control and construction of the Baglihar Dam on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir, which is part of the larger dispute on water sharing of the Indus River and its tributaries; to defuse tensions and pre¬ pare for discussions on a maritime boundary, India and Pakistan seek tech¬ nical resolution of the disputed boundary in Sir Creek estuary at the mouth of the Rann of Kutch in the Arabian Sea; Pakistani maps continue to show the Junagadh claim in India’s Gujarat State; by 2005, Pakistan, with UN assistance, repatriated 2.3 million Afghan refugees leaving slightly more than a million, many of whom remain at their own choosing; Pakistan has proposed and Afghanistan protests construction of a fence and laying of mines along portions of their porous border; Pakistan has sent troops into remote tribal areas to mon¬ itor and control the border with Afghanistan and to stem terrorist or other illegal activities Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 1,084,208 (Afghanistan) IDPs: undetermined (government strikes on Islamic militants in South Waziristan), 34,000 (October 2005 earthquake; most of those displaced returned to their home villages in the spring of 2006) (2006) Illicit drugs: opium poppy cultivation estimated to be 800 hectares in 2005 yielding a potential production of 4 metric tons of pure heroin; federal and provincial authorities continue to con¬ duct anti-poppy campaigns that force eradication — fines and arrests will take place if the ban on poppy cultivation is not observed; key transit point for Afghan drugs, including heroin, opium, morphine, and hashish, bound for Western markets, the Gulf States, and Africa; financial crimes related to drug trafficking, terrorism, corruption, and smuggling remain problems PALAU INTRODUCTION Background: After three decades as part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific under US administration, this westernmost cluster of the Caroline Islands opted for independ¬ ence in 1978 rather than join the Federated States of Micronesia. A Compact of Free Association with the US was approved in 1986, but not ratified until 1993. It entered into force the following year, when the islands gained independence. GEOGRAPHY Location: Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean, southeast of the Philippines Geographic coordinates: 7 30 N, 134 30 E Map references: Oceania Area: total: 458 sq km land: 458 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 1,519 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November 481 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Terrain: varying geologically from the high, mountainous main island of Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier reefs Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Ngerchelchuus 242 m Natural resources: forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products, deep- seabed minerals Land use: arable land: 8.7% permanent crops: 4-35% other: 86.95% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: typhoons (June to December) Environment — current issues: made- quate facilities for disposal of solid waste; threats to the marine ecosystem from sand and coral dredging, illegal fishing practices, and overfishing Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography— note: westernmost archi- pelago in the Caroline chain, consists of six island groups totaling more than 300 islands; includes World War II battle- ground of Beliliou (Peleliu) and world- famous rock islands PEOPLE Population: 20,842 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 26% (male 2,796/female 2,633) 15-64 years: 69.2% (male 7,767/female 6,665) 65 years and over: 4.7% (male 465/female 516) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 32 years male: 33 years female: 31 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.233% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 17.7 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 6.77 deaths/ 1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 1.39 migrants )/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.062 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.165 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.901 male(s)/female total population: 1.124 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 14.07 deaths/1,000 live births male: 15.78 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.71 years male: 67.54 years female: 74.06 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.46 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HI V/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Palauan(s) adjective: Palauan Ethnic groups: Palauan (Micronesian with Malayan and Melanesian admixtures) 69.9%, Filipino 15.3%, Chinese 4.9%, other Asian 2.4%, white 1.9%, Carolinian 1.4%, other Micronesian 1.1%, other or unspecified 3.2% (2000 census) Religions: Roman Catholic 41.6%, Protestant 23.3%, Modekngei 8.8% (indigenous to Palau), Seventh-Day Adventist 5.3%, Jehovah’s Witness 0.9%, Latter-Day Saints 0.6%, other 3.1%, unspecified or none 16.4% (2000 census) Languages: Palauan 64.7% official in all islands except Sonsoral (Sonsoralese and English are official), Tobi (Tobi and English are official), and Angaur (Angaur, Japanese, and English are offi¬ cial), Filipino 13.5%, English 9.4%, Chinese 5.7%, Carolinian 1.5%, Japanese 1.5%, other Asian 2.3%, other languages 1.5% (2000 census) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92% male: 93% female: 90% (1980 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Palau conventional short form: Palau local long form: Beluu er a Belau local short form: Belau former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Palau District Government type: constitutional gov¬ ernment in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 1 October 1994 Capital: name: Melekeok geographic coordinates: 7 29 N, 134 38 E time difference: UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 16 states; Aimeliik, Airai, Angaur, Hatohobei, Kayangel, Koror, Melekeok, Ngaraard, Ngarchelong, Ngardmau, Ngatpang, Ngchesar, Ngeremlengui, Ngiwal, Peleliu, Sonsorol Independence: 1 October 1994 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship) National holiday: Constitution Day, 9 July (1979) Constitution: 1 January 1981 Legal system: based on Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. (since 19 January 2001); Vice President Camsek CHIN (since 1 January 2005); note — the presi¬ dent is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. (since 19 January 2001); Vice President Camsek CHIN (since 1 January 2005) cabinet: NA elections: president and vice president elected on separate tickets by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2008) election results: Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. reelected president; percent of vote — Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. 64%, Polycarp BASILIUS 33%; Elias Camsek CHIN elected vice president; percent of vote — Elias Camsek CHIN 70%, Sandra PIERANTOZZI 29% Legislative branch: bicameral Parlia¬ ment or Olbiil Era Kelulau (OEK) con¬ sists of the Senate (9 seats; members elected by popular vote on a population basis to serve four- year terms) and the House of Delegates (16 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate — last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2008); House of Delegates— last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2008) election results: Senate — percent of vote — NA; seats — independents 9; House of Delegates — percent of vote — NA; seats — independents 16 Judicial branch: Supreme Court; National Court; Court of Common Pleas Political parties and leaders: none Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: ACP, AsDB, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC, IPU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, 482 panama Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD UNESCO, WHO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Hersev KYOTA chancery: 1700 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: [1] (202) 452-6814 FAX: [1] (202) 452-6281 consulate(s) general: Honolulu consulate(s): Tamuning (Guam) Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: US ambassador to the Philippines is accredited to Palau embassy: Koror (no street address) mailing address: P. O. Box 6028, Republic of Palau 96940 telephone: [680] 488-292 0, 2990 FAX: [680] 488-2911 Flag description: light blue with a large yellow disk (representing the moon) shifted slightly to the hoist side ECONOMY Economy— overview: The economy consists primarily of tourism, subsistence agriculture, and fishing. The government is the major employer of the work force, relying heavily on financial assistance from the US. Business and tourist arrivals numbered 63,000 in 2003. The popula¬ tion enjoys a per capita income roughly 50% higher than that of the Philippines and much of Micronesia. Long-run prospects for the key tourist sector have been greatly bolstered by the expansion of air travel in the Pacific, the rising pros¬ perity of leading East Asian countries, and the willingness of foreigners to finance infrastructure development. GDP (purchasing power parity): $124 5 million NOTE: includes US subsidy (2004 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $145 mil lion (2005) GDP— real growth rate: 5.5% (2005 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $7,600 (2005 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 6.2% industry: 12% services: 81.8% (2003) Labor force: 9,777 (2005) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 20% industry: NA% services: NA% (1990) Unemployment rate: 4.2% (2005 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.7% (2005 est.) Budget: revenues: $72.07 million expenditures: $72.43 million; including capital expenditures of $12.98 million (FY04/05 est.) Agriculture — products: coconuts, copra, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; fish Industries: tourism, craft items (from shell, wood, pearls), construction, gar¬ ment making Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity — production by source: NA Current account balance: $15.09 mil¬ lion (FY03/04) Exports: $5,882 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) Exports — commodities: shellfish, tuna, copra, garments Exports— partners: US, Japan, Singapore (2004) Imports: $107.3 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) Imports — Commodities: machinery and equipment, fuels, metals; foodstuffs Imports— partners: US, Singapore, Japan, South Korea (2004) Debt— external: $0 (FY99/00) Economic aid— recipient: $19.6 million; note — the Compact of Free Association with the US, entered into after the end of the UN trusteeship on 1 October 1994, provides Palau with up to $700 million in US aid over 15 years in return for fur¬ nishing military facilities (2004) Currency (code): US dollar (USD) Currency code: USD Exchange rates: the US dollar is used Fiscal year: 1 October — 30 September COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 6,700 (2002) Telephones — mobile cellular: 1,000(2002) Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: country code — 680; satellite earth station — 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001) Radios: 12,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: l (cable) (2005) Televisions: 11,000 (1997) internet country code: pW Internet hosts: 3 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): l (2002) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 3 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2006) Roadways: total: 61 km paved: 36 km unpaved: 25 km Ports and terminals: Koror Military branches: no regular military forces; Palau National Police (2006) Manpower available for military ser¬ vice: males age 18-49: 5,694 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-4 9: 4,087 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 142 (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of GDP: NA Military — note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of the US; under a Compact of Free Association between Palau and the US, the US military is granted access to the islands for 50 years, but no military forces are stationed there (2005) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: maritime delineation negotiations continue with Philippines, Indonesia PANAMA £ INTRODUCTION Bockg round: Explored and settled by the Spanish in the 16th century, Panama broke with Spain in 1821 and joined a union of Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador — named the Republic of Gran Colombia. When the latter dissolved in 1830, Panama remained part of Colom¬ bia. With US backing, Panama seceded from Colombia in 1903 and promptly signed a treaty with the US allowing for the construction of a canal and US sov¬ ereignty over a strip of land on either side of the structure (the Panama Canal Zone). The Panama Canal was built by the US Army Corps of Engineers between 1904 and 1914- In 1977, an agreement was signed for the complete transfer of the Canal from the US to Panama by the end of the century. Certain portions of the Zone and increasing responsibility over the Canal were turned over in the subsequent decades. With US help, dictator Manuel NORIEGA was deposed in 1989. The entire Panama Canal, the area sup- 483 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Boeasdoi CSawrr Car»af Mcm&MoK OetAS at fi&HLAii A Palma Yavtra n fflm OCEAN NORTH 4»w porting the Canal, and remaining US military bases were transferred to Panama by the end of 1999. In October 2006, Panamanians approved an ambi- tious plan to expand the Canal. The project, which is to begin in 2007 and could double the Canal’s capacity, is expected to be completed in 2014-15. GEOGRAPHY Location: Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica Geographic coordinates: 9 00 N, 80 00 W Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total: 78,200 sq km land: 75,990 sq km water: 2,210 sq km Area— comparative: slightly smaller than South Carolina Land boundaries: total: 555 km border countries: Colombia 225 km, Costa Rica 330 km Coastline: 2,490 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or edge of continental margin Climate: tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to January), short dry season (January to May) Terrain: interior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, upland plains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Volcan Barn 3,475 m Natural resources: copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower Land use: arable land: 7-26% permanent crops : 1.95% other: 90.79% (2005) Irrigated land: 430 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area Environment — current issues: water pollution from agricultural runoff threatens fishery resources; deforestation of tropical rain forest; land degradation and soil erosion threatens siltation of Panama Canal; air pollution in urban areas; mining threatens natural resources Environment — international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation Geography — note: strategic location on eastern end of isthmus forming land bridge connecting North and South America; controls Panama Canal that links North Atlantic Ocean via Caribbean Sea with North Pacific Ocean PEOPLE Population: 3,242,173 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 30% (male 496,195/female 476,508) 15-64 years: 63.6% (male 1,044,139/ female 1,016,805) 65 years and over: 6.4% (male 97,365/ female 111,161) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 26.4 years male: 26 years female: 26.7 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.564% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 21.45 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 5.44 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -0.37 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.041 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.027 male(s)/female 65 years and over : 0.876 male(s)/female total population: 1.021 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 15.96 deaths/1,000 live births male: 17.33 deaths/1,000 live births female: 14.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.19 years male: 72.69 years female: 77.8 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.66 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.9% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 16,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: less than 500 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Panamanian(s) adjective: Panamanian Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 70%, Am¬ erindian and mixed (West Indian) 14%, white 10%, Amerindian 6% Religions: Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15% Languages: Spanish (official), English 14%; note — many Panamanians bilingual Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91.9% male: 92.5% female: 91.2% (2000 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Panama conventional short form: Panama local long form: Republica de Panama local short form: Panama Government type: constitutional democracy Capital: name: Panama geographic coordinates: 858N, 7932 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 9 provinces (provinces, singular — provincia) and 1 territory* (comarca); Bocas del Toro, Chiriqui, Code, Colon, Darien, Herrera, Los Santos, Panama, San Bias* (Kuna Yala), and Veraguas Independence: 3 November 1903 (from Colombia; became independent from Spain 28 November 1821) 484 PANAMA National holiday: Independence Day, 3 November (1903) Constitution: 11 October 1972; major reforms adopted 1978, 1983, 1994 and 2004 Legal system: based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Justice; accepts compul¬ sory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory Executive branch: chief of state: President Martin TOR- RIJOS Espino (since 1 September 2004); First Vice President Samuel LEWIS Navarro (since 1 September 2004); Second Vice President Ruben AROSE- MENA Valdes (since 1 September 2004); note — the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Martin TORRIJOS Espino (since 1 September 2004); First Vice President Samuel LEWIS Navarro (since 1 September 2004); Second Vice President Ruben AROSEMENA Valdes (since 1 September 2004) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms (eligible for two more terms); election last held 2 May 2004 (next to be held on 3 May 2009); note — beginning in 2009, Panama will have only one vice president. election results: Martin TORRIJOS Espino elected president; percent of vote — Martin TORRIJOS Espino 47.5%, Guillermo ENDARA Galimany 30.6%, Jose Miguel ALEMAN 17%, Ricardo MARTINELLI 4.9% note: government coalition— PRD (Democratic Revolutionary Party), PP (Popular Party) Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (78 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note — in 2009, the number of seats will change to 71 elections: last held 2 May 2004 (next to be held 3 May 2009) election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — PRD 41, PA 17, PS 9, MOLIRENA 4, CD 3, PLN 3, PP 1 note: legislators from outlying rural dis¬ tricts are chosen on a plurality basis while districts located in more populous towns and cities elect multiple legislators by means of a proportion-based formula Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (nine judges appointed for 10-year terms); five superior courts; three courts of appeal Political parties and leaders: Demo¬ cratic Change or CD [Ricardo MAR- TINELLI]; Democratic Revolutionary Party or PRD [Hugo GU1RAUD]; Liberal Party or PLN [Joaquin F. Franco VASQUEZ]; Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement or MOLIRENA [Gisela CHUNG]; Panamenista Party or PA [Juan Carlos VARELA] (formerly the Amulfista Party); Patriotic Union Party or PUP [Jose Raul MULINO and Anibal GALINDO]; Popular Party or PP [Rene ORILLAC] (formerly Christian Democratic Party or PDC); Solidarity Party or PS Political pressure groups and leaders: Chamber of Commerce; National Civic Crusade; National Council of Organized Workers or CONATO; National Council of Private Enterprise or CONEP; National Union of Con¬ struction and Similar Workers (SUN- TRACS); Panamanian Association of Business Executives or APEDE; Panamanian Industrialists Society or SIP; Workers Confederation of the Republic of Panama or CTRP International organization participa¬ tion: CAN (observer), CSN (observer), FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UN WTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Federico HUMBERT Arias chancery: 2862 McGill Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-1407 FAX: [1] (202) 483-8416 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Tampa Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William A. EATON embassy: Avenida Balboa and Calle 37, Apartado Postal 0816-02561, Zona 5, Panama City 5 mailing address: American Embassy Panama, Unit 0945, APO AA 34002 telephone: [507] 207-7000 FAX: [507] 2274964 Flag description: divided into four, equal rectangles; the top quadrants are white (hoist side) with a blue five- pointed star in the center and plain red; the bottom quadrants are plain blue (hoist side) and white with a red five- pointed star in the center ECONOMY Economy— overview: Panama’s dollar¬ ized economy rests primarily on a well- developed services sector that accounts for three-fourths of GDP. Services include operating the Panama Canal, banking, the Colon Free Zone, insurance, container ports, flagship registry, and tourism. A slump in the Colon Free Zone and agricultural exports, the global slow¬ down, and the withdrawal of US military forces held back economic growth in 2000-03; growth picked up in 2004-06 led by export-oriented services and a con¬ struction boom stimulated by tax incen¬ tives. The government has implemented tax reforms, as well as social security reforms, and backs regional trade agree¬ ments and development of tourism. Unemployment remains high. In October 2006, voters passed a referendum to expand the Panama Canal to accom¬ modate ships that are now too large to transverse the transoceanic crossway. Not a CAFTA signatory, Panama in December 2006 independently negoti¬ ated a free trade agreement with the US, which, when implemented, will help pro¬ mote the country’s economic growth. GDP (purchasing power parity): $26.04 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $16.47 billion (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 8.1% (2006 est.) GDP — per capita (PPP): $8,200 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 7.2% industry: 16.4% services: 76.4% (2006 est.) Labor force: 1.441 million note: shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled labor (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 20.8% industry: 18% services: 61.2% (1995 est.) Unemployment rate: 8.8% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 37% (1999 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.2% highest 10%: 35.7% (1997) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 56.4 (2000) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.6% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 17.5% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $4-157 billion expenditures: $4-489 billion; including capital expenditures of $471 million (2006 est.) 485 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Public debt: 61.3% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane, vegetables; live' stock; shrimp Industries: construction, brewing, ce- ment and other construction materials, sugar milling Industrial production growth rate: 3% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 7.545 billion kWh (2004) V Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 37% hydro: 61.3% nuclear: 0% other: 1.7% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 6.888 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 207 million kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 78 million kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 79,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $467 million (2006 est.) Exports: $8,087 billion f.o.b.; note — includes the Colon Free Zone (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: bananas, shrimp, sugar, coffee, clothing Exports— partners: US 44.9%, Spain 8.9%, Sweden 5.6%, Netherlands 4.9%, Costa Rica 4% (2005) Imports: $9 .365 billion f.o.b. (includes the Colon Free Zone) (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods, chemicals Imports— partners: US 27.5%, Netherlands Antilles 11.4%, Costa Rica 4.7%, Japan 4.5% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $1,236 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $9,993 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $197.1 mil lion ( 1995) Currency (code): balboa (PAB); US dollar (USD) Currency code: PAB; USD Exchange rates: balboas per US dollar— 1 (2006), 1 (2005), 1 (2004), 1 (2003), 1 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS yVV Telephones— main lines in use: 440,100 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 1.352 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: domestic and interna¬ tional facilities well developed domestic: NA international: country code — 507; 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth stations — 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to the Central American Microwave System Radio broadcast stations: AM 101, FM 134, shortwave 0 (1998) Radios: 815,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 38 (including repeaters) (1998) Televisions: 510,000 (1997) Internet country code: pa Internet hosts: 7,149 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 6 (2000) Internet users: 300,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 117 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 53 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 28 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 64 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 53 (2006) Railways: total: 355 km standard gauge: 77 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 278 km 0.914-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 1 1,643 km paved: 4,028 km unpaved: 7,615 km (2000) Waterways: 800 km (includes 82 km Panama Canal) (2005) Merchant marine: total: 5,473 ships (1000 GRT or over) 146,511,342 GRT/2 19,940,567 DWT by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 1,776, cargo 992, chemical tanker 476, combination ore/oil 2, container 663, liquefied gas 193, livestock carrier 7, pas¬ senger 49, passenger/cargo 77, petroleum tanker 518, refrigerated cargo 299, roll on/roll off 123, specialized tanker 23, vehicle carrier 274 foreign-owned: 4,922 (Anguilla 1, Argentina 9, Australia 3, Bahamas, The 2, Belgium II, Bermuda 1, Bulgaria 1, Canada 4, Chile 9, China 420, Colombia 5, Croatia 5, Cuba 11, Cyprus 14, Denmark 34, Egypt 16, Estonia 3, France 15, Gabon 1, Germany 35, Greece 524, Hong Kong 169, India 19, Indonesia 50, Iran 4, Ireland 2, Israel 6, Italy 15, Japan 2007, Jordan 13, South Korea 291, Kuwait 2, Latvia 3, Lebanon 2, Lithuania 5, Malaysia 13, Maldives 1, Malta 3, Mexico 5, Monaco 9, Morocco 1, Netherlands 21, Nigeria 7, Norway 66, Pakistan 3, Peru 15, Philippines 13, Poland 15, Portugal 10, Qatar 1, Romania 9, Russia 7, Saudi Arabia 8, Singapore 67, South Africa 3, Spain 53, Sri Lanka 5, Sudan 1, Sweden 5, Switzerland 226, Syria 18, Taiwan 308, Thailand 9, Trinidad and Tobago 1, Turkey 42, UAE 105, UK 37, Ukraine 8, US 94, Venezuela 14, Vietnam 4, Yemen 3) registered in other countries: 1 (Venezuela 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Balboa, Colon, Cristobal MILITARY V Military branches: an amendment to the Constitution abolished the armed forces, but there are security forces (Panamanian Public Forces or PPF includes the Panamanian National Police, National Maritime Service, and National Air Service) Manpower available for military service: males age 1 8 — 49 : 751,065 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service; males age 18-49: 591,604 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-A9: 29,724 Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1% (2006) Military— note: on 10 February 1990, the government of then President ENDARA abolished Panama’s military and reformed the security apparatus by creating the Panamanian Public Forces; in October 1994, Panama’s Legislative Assembly approved a constitutional amendment prohibiting the creation of a standing military force, but allowing the temporary establishment of special police units to counter acts of “external aggression” TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia operate within the remote border region with Panama Illicit drugs: major cocaine transship¬ ment point and primary money-laun¬ dering center for narcotics revenue; money-laundering activity is especially heavy in the Colon Free Zone; offshore financial center; negligible signs of coca cultivation; monitoring of financial transactions is improving; official corrup¬ tion remains a major problem 486 INTRODUCTION Background: The eastern half of the island of New Guinea — second largest in the world — was divided between Germany (north) and the UK (south) in 1885. The latter area was transferred to Australia in 1902, which occupied the northern portion during World War I and continued to administer the com- bined areas until independence in 1975. A nine-year secessionist revolt on the island of Bougainville ended in 1997 after claiming some 20,000 lives. GEOGRAPHY Location: Oceania, group of islands including the eastern half of the island of New Guinea between the Coral Sea and the South Pacific Ocean, east of Indonesia Geographic coordinates: 6 00 S, 147 00 E Map references: Oceania Area: total: 462,840 sq km land: 452,860 sq km water: 9,980 sq km Area — comparative: slightly larger than California Land boundaries: total: 820 km border countries: Indonesia 820 km Coastline: 5,152 km Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical; northwest monsoon (December to March), southeast mon¬ soon (May to October); slight seasonal temperature variation Terrain: mostly mountains with coastal lowlands and rolling foothills Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Wilhelm 4,509 m Natural resources: gold, copper, silver, natural gas, timber, oil, fisheries Land use: arable land: 0.49% permanent crops : 1.4% other: 98.11% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: active volcanism; situ¬ ated along the Pacific “Ring of Fire”; the country is subject to frequent and some¬ times severe earthquakes; mud slides; tsunamis Environment— current issues: rain forest subject to deforestation as a result of growing commercial demand for trop¬ ical timber; pollution from mining proj¬ ects; severe drought Environment — international agreements: party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change- Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, En¬ dangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements • Geography — note: shares island of New Guinea with Indonesia; one of world’s largest swamps along southwest coast PEOPLE Population: 5,795,887 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 37.6% (male 1,107,568/ female 1,070,594) 15-64 years: 58.5% (male 1,745,385/ female 1,643,830) 65 years and over: 3.9% (male 106,487/ female 122,023) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 21.4 years male: 21.5 years female: 21.2 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.163% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 28.76 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 7.14 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.035 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.062 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.873 male(s)/female total population: 1.043 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 48.46 deaths/ 1,000 live births male: 52.52 deaths/1,000 1 ive births female: 44.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 65.62 years male: 63.41 years female: 67.95 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 3.79 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.6% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 60,000 (2005 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 600 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorbome diseases: dengue fever and malaria are high risks in some locations (2007) Nationality: noun: Papua New Guinean(s) adjective: Papua New Guinean Ethnic groups: Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, Polynesian Religions: Roman Catholic 22%, Lutheran 16%, Presbyterian/Metho- dist/London Missionary Society 8%, Anglican 5%, Evangelical Alliance 4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1%, other Protestant 10%, indigenous beliefs 34% Languages: Melanesian Pidgin serves as the lingua franca, English spoken by 1%— 2%, Motu spoken in Papua region note: 820 indigenous languages spoken (over one-tenth of the world’s total) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 57.3% male: 63.4% female: 50.9% (2000 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Independent State of Papua New Guinea conventional short form: Papua New Guinea local short form: Papuaniugini former: Territory of Papua and New Guinea abbreviation: PNG Government type: constitutional parlia¬ mentary democracy Capital: name: Port Moresby 487 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK geographic coordinates: 930S, 147 10E time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 20 provinces; Bougainville, Central, Chimbu, Eastern Highlands, East New Britain, East Sepik, Enga, Gulf, Madang, Manus, Milne Bay, Morobe, National Capital, New Ireland, Northern, Sandaun, Southern Highlands, Western, Western Highlands, West New Britain Independence: 16 September 1975 (from the Australian-administered UN trusteeship) National holiday: Independence Day, 16 September (1975) Constitution: 16 September 1975 Legal system: based on English common law Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by governor general Sir Paulius MATANE (since 29 June 2004) head of government: Prime Minister Sir Michael SOMARE (since 2 August 2002); deputy prime minister Don POYLE (since 5 July 2006) cabinet: National Executive Council appointed by governor general on recom¬ mendation of prime minister elections: none; monarch is hereditary; governor general nominated by parlia¬ ment and appointed by chief of state; fol¬ lowing legislative elections, leader of majority party or leader of majority coali¬ tion usually is appointed prime minister by governor general Legislative branch: unicameral National Parliament — sometimes referred to as the House of Assembly (109 seats, 89 filled from open electorates and 20 from provincial electorates; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 15-29 June 2002 and April and May 2003; completed in May 2003 (voting in the Southern Highlands was not completed during the June 2002 election period); next to be held not later than June 2007 election results: percent of vote by party — National Alliance 18%, URP 13%, PDM 12%, PPP 8%, Pangu 6%, PAP 5%, PLP 4%, other 34%; seats by party — National Alliance 19, URP 14, PDM 13, PPP 8, PANGU 6, PAP 5, PLP 4, other 40 note: association with political parties is fluid Judicial branch: Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by the governor general on the proposal of the National Executive Council after consultation with the minister responsible for justice; other judges are appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission) Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Party [Dr. Banare BUN]; Melanesian Alliance Party or MAP [Sir Moi AVEL]; National Alliance Party or NA [Michael SOMARE]; National Party; Papua and Niugini Union Party or PANGU [Rabbie NAMALIU]; Papua New Guinea First Party [Cecilking DORUBA]; Papua New Guinea Labor Party [Bob DANAYA]; Papua New Guinea Party or PNGP [Sir Mekere MORAUTA] (was People’s Democratic Movement or PDM); People’s Action Party or PAP [Moses MALADINA]; People’s Labor Party or PLP [Ekis ROPENU]; People’s National Congress or PNC [Peter O’NEILL]; People’s Progress Party or PPP [Byron CHAN]; Pipol First Party [Luther WENGE]; United Party [Bire KIMASOPA]; United Resources Party or URP [Tim NEVILLE] (2007) Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: ACP, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (observer), C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO (correspon¬ dent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PIE, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Evan Jeremy PAKI chancery: 1779 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 805, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 745-3680 FAX: [1] (202) 745-3679 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Leslie V. ROWE embassy: Douglas Street, Port Moresby, N.C.D. mailing address: 4240 Port Moresby PI, US Department of State, Washington DC 20521-4240 telephone: [675] 321-1455 FAX: [675] 321-3423 Flag description: divided diagonally from upper hoist-side comer; the upper triangle is red with a soaring yellow bird of para¬ dise centered; the lower triangle is black with five, white, five-pointed stars of the Southern Cross constellation centered ECONOMY Economy— overview: Papua New Guinea is richly endowed with natural resources, but exploitation has been ham¬ pered by rugged terrain and the high cost of developing infrastructure. Agriculture provides a subsistence livelihood for 85% of the population. Mineral deposits, including oil, copper, and gold, account for nearly two-thirds of export earnings. The government of Prime Minister SOMARE has expended much of its energy remaining in power and should be the first government in decades to serve a full five-year term. The government also brought stability to the national budget, largely through expenditure control; how¬ ever, it has relaxed spending constraints in 2006 and 2007 as elections approach. Numerous challenges still face the gov¬ ernment including regaining investor confidence, restoring integrity to state institutions, promoting economic effi¬ ciency by privatizing moribund state insti¬ tutions, and balancing relations with Australia, its former colonial ruler. Other socio-cultural challenges could upend the economy including a worsening HIV/Aids epidemic and chronic law and order and land tenure issues. Australia annually supplies $240 million in aid, which accounts for nearly 20% of the national budget. GDP (purchasing power parity): $15.41 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $4,167 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 3.7% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $2,700 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 35.7% industry: 37.1% services: 27.2% (2006 est.) Labor force: 3.477 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 85% industry: NA% services: NA% Unemployment rate: 2% up to 80% in urban areas (2004) Population below poverty line: 37% (2002 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.7% highest 10%: 40.5% (1996) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 50.9 (1996) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 19.2% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $2,155 billion expenditures: $2,166 billion; including capital expenditures of $344 million (2006 est.) 488 PARACEL ISLANDS Public debt: 53.7% of GDP (2006 est ) Agriculture— products: coffee, cocoa, copra, palm kernels, tea, sugar, rubber, sweet potatoes, fruit, vegetables, vanilla; shell fish, poultry, pork Industries: copra crushing, palm oil pro¬ cessing, plywood production, wood chip production; mining of gold, silver, and copper; crude oil production, petroleum refining; construction, tourism Industrial production growth rate- NA% Electricity— production: 3.358 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 54.1% hydro: 45.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 3.123 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 50,000 bbl/day (January 2006 est.) Oil— consumption: 18,000 bbl/day (January 2006 est.) Oil — exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Oil— proved reserves: 170 million bbl (2006 est.) Natural gas— production: 140 million cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 140 million cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 345.5 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $661 million (2006 est.) Exports: $4-096 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: oil, gold, copper ore, logs, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, crayfish, prawns Exports— partners: Australia 28.8%, Japan 8.6%, China 5.4% (2005) Imports: $1,686 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, fuels, chemicals Imports— partners: Australia 54 7%, Singapore 13.4%, Japan 4.3%, Malaysia 4.2% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $1,099 billion (2006 est.) Debt— external: $1,801 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $NA Currency (code): kina (PGK) Currency code: PGK Exchange rates: kma per US dollar— 3.0643 (2006), 3.08 (2005), 3.2225 (2004), 3.5635 (2003), 3.8952 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 62,000 (2002) Telephones— mobile cellular: 26,000 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: services are adequate; facilities provide radiotelephone and telegraph, coastal radio, aeronautical radio, and international radio communi¬ cation services domestic: mostly radiotelephone international: country code — 675; subma¬ rine cables to Australia and Guam; satel¬ lite earth station — 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); international radio communica¬ tion service Radio broadcast stations: AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 28 (1998) Radios: 410,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 3 (all in the Port Moresby area; stations at Mt. Hagen, Goroka, Lae, and Rabaul are planned) (2004) Televisions: 59,841 (1999) Internet country code: pg Internet hosts: 1,573 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (2000) Internet users: 170,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 582 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 21 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 561 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1 ,523 m: 62 under 914 m: 488 (2006) Heliports: 2 (2006) Pipelines: oil 264 km (2006) Roadways: total: 19,600 km paved: 686 km unpaved: 18,914 km (1999) Waterways: 10,940 km (2003) Merchant marine: total: 24 ships (1000 GRT or over) 55,532 GRT/72,240 DWT by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 18, pas¬ senger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1 foreigri'owned: 6 (UK 6) (2006) Ports and terminals: Kimbe, Lae, Rabaul MILITARY Military branches: Papua New Guinea Defense Force (includes Maritime Operations Element, Air Operations Element) (2007) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 1,264,728 females age 18^19: 1,167,188 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 1 8 — 49: 902,432 females age 18-49: 894,759 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1.4% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: relies on assis¬ tance from Australia to keep out illegal cross-border activities from primarily Indonesia, including goods smuggling, illegal narcotics trafficking, and squatters and secessionists Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: refugees (country of origin): 9,991 (Indonesia) (2006) Illicit drugs: major consumer of cannabis PARACEL ISLANDS INTRODUCTION Background: The Paracel Islands are sur¬ rounded by productive fishing grounds and by potential oil and gas reserves. In 1932, French Indochina annexed the islands and set up a weather station on Pattle Island; maintenance was con¬ tinued by its successor, Vietnam. China has occupied the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops seized a South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands. The islands are claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southeastern Asia, group of small islands and reefs in the South China Sea, about one-third of the way from central Vietnam to the northern Philippines Geographic coordinates: 16 30 N, 1 12 00 E Map references: Southeast Asia Area: total: NA sq km land: NA sq km water: 0 sq km 489 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Area — comparative: NA Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 518 km Maritime claims: NA Climate: tropical Terrain: mostly low and flat Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m INTRODUCTION # Background: In the disastrous War of the Triple Alliance ( 1865-70)— between Paraguay and Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay — Paraguay lost two-thirds of all adult males and much of its territory. It stagnated economically for the next half century. In the Chaco War of 1932-35, large, economically important areas were won from Bolivia. The 3 5 -year military dictatorship of Alfredo STROESSNER was overthrown in 1989, and, despite a marked increase in political infighting in recent years, relatively free and regular presidential elections have been held since then. GEOGRAPHY Location: Central South America, northeast of Argentina highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m Natural resources: none Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 1 00% (2005) Irrigated land: 0 sq km Natural hazards: typhoons Environment— current issues: NA Geography — note: composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs divided into the northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent Group PEOPLE Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Paracel Islands PARAGUAY Geographic coordinates: 23 00 S, 58 00 W Map references: South America Area: total: 406,750 sq km land: 397,300 sq km water: 9,450 sq km Area— comparative: slightly smaller than California Land boundaries: total: 3,995 km border countries: Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,365 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime Claims: none (landlocked) Climate: subtropical to temperate; sub¬ stantial rainfall in the eastern portions, becoming semiarid in the far west Terrain: grassy plains and wooded hills east of Rio Paraguay; Gran Chaco region west of Rio Paraguay mostly low, marshy plain near the river, and dry forest and thorny scrub elsewhere Elevation extremes: lowest point: junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m highest point: Cerro Pero (Cerro Tres Kandu) 842 m Natural resources: hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone Land use: arable land: 7.47% permanent crops: 0.24% other: 92.29% (2005) Irrigated land: 670 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: local flooding in south¬ east (early September to June); poorly ECONOMY Economy — overview: China announced plans in 1997 to open the islands for tourism. TRANSPORTATION Airports: 1 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m:, 1 (2006) Ports and terminals: small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island being expanded MILITARY Military — note: occupied by China TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: occupied by China, also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam drained plains may become boggy (early October to June) Environment — current issues: defor¬ estation; water pollution; inadequate means for waste disposal pose health risks for many urban residents; loss of wet¬ lands Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography— note: landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil; population concentrated in southern part of country PEOPLE Population: 6,669,086 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 37.2% (male 1,262,408/ female 1,220,809) 15-64 years: 57.7% (male 1,933,559/ female 1,915,033) 65 years and over: 5.1% (male 155,660/ female 181,617) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 21.6 years male: 21.3 years female: 21.8 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.416% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 28.77 births/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) 490 PARAGUAY Death rate: 4.54 deaths/1,000 popula- tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -0.08 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.034 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.857 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total : 26.45 deaths/1,000 live births male: 30.73 deaths/1,000 live births female: 21.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.34 years male: 72.78 years female: 78.02 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 3.84 children bom/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.5% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 15,000 (1999 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 600 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Paraguayan(s) adjective: Paraguayan Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Spanish and Amerindian) 95%, other 5% Religions: Roman Catholic 89.6%, Protestant 6.2%, other Christian 1.1%, other or unspecified 1.9%, none 1.1% (2002 census) Languages: Spanish (official), Guarani (official) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94% male: 94-9% female: 93% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Paraguay conventional short form: Paraguay local long form: Republica del Paraguay local short form: Paraguay Government type: constitutional republic Capital: name: Asuncion geographic coordinates: 25 16 S, 57 40 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 17 depart¬ ments (departamentos, singular — depar- tamento) and 1 capital city*; Alto Paraguay, Alto Parana, Amambay, Asuncion*, Boqueron, Caaguazu, Caazapa, Canindeyu, Central, Concep¬ cion, Cordillera, Guaira, Itapua, Misiones, Neembucu, Paraguari, Presi- dente Hayes, San Pedro Independence: 14 May 1811 (from Spain) National holiday: Independence Day, 14 May 1811 (observed 15 May) Constitution: promulgated 20 June 1992 Legal system: based on Argentine codes, Roman law, and French codes; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court of Justice; accepts com¬ pulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 75 Executive branch: chief of state: President Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS (since 15 August 2003); Vice President Luis CAS- TIGLIONI Joria (since 15 August 2003); note — the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS (since 15 August 2003); Vice President Luis CAS- TIGLIONI Joria (since 15 August 2003) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 27 April 2003 (next to be held in April 2008) election results: Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS elected president; percent of vote — Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS 37.1%, Julio Cesar Ramon FRANCO Gomez 23.9%, Pedro Nicolas Maraa FADUL Niella 21.3%, Guillermo SANCHEZ Guffanti 13.5%, other 4.2% Legislative branch: bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (45 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (80 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Chamber of Senators — last held 27 April 2003 (next to be held in April 2008); Chamber of Deputies — last held 27 April 2003 (next to be held in April 2008) election results: Chamber of Senators — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — ANR 16, PLRA 12, UNACE 7, PQ 7, PPS 2, PEN 1; Chamber of Deputies — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — ANR 37, PLRA 21, UNACE 10, PQ 10, PPS 2 Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges appointed on the proposal of the Council of Magistrates or Consejo de la Magistratura) Political parties and leaders: Asociacion Nacional Republicana — Colorado Party or ANR [Jose A. ALDERETE]; Movimiento Union Naci¬ onal de Ciudadanos Eticos or UN ACE [Enrique GONZALEZ Quintana]; Patria Querida (Beloved Fatherland Party) or PQ [Pedro Nicolas Maraa FADUL Niella]; Parttdo Encuentro Nacional or PEN [Luis TORALES Kennedy]; Partido Liberal Radical Autentico or PLRA [Bias LLANO]; Partido Pais Solidario or PPS [Carlos Alberto FILIZZOLA Pallares] note: Nicanor DUARTE FRUTOS on leave as party leader of the Colorado Party or ANR while serving as President of Paraguay; Lino Cesar OVIEDO Silva, leader of UN ACE, is currently serving a ten-year prison term Political pressure groups and leaders: Ahorristas Estafados or AE; National Coordinating Board of Campesino Organizations or MCNOC [Luis AGUAYO]; National Federation of Campesinos or FNC [Odilon ESPIN- OLA]; National Workers Central or CNT [Secretary General Juan TOR- RALES]; Paraguayan Workers Confed¬ eration or CPT; Roman Catholic Church; Unitary Workers Central or CUT [Jorge Guzman ALVARENGA Malgarejo] International organization participa¬ tion: CAN (associate), CSN, FAO, G- 77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, 1PU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James SPALDING Hellmers chancery: 2400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-6960 through 6962 FAX: [1] (202) 234-4508 consulate(s) general: Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York Diplomatic representation from the US: Ambassador James C. CASON embassy: 1776 Avenida Mariscal Lopez, Casilla Postal 402, Asuncion mailing address: Unit 4711, APO AA 34036-0001 telephone: [595] (21) 213-715 FAX: [595] (21)213-728 Flag description: three equal, horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue with 491 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK an emblem centered in the white band; unusual flag in that the emblem is dif¬ ferent on each side; the obverse (hoist side at the left) bears the national coat of arms (a yellow five-pointed star within a green wreath capped by the words REPUBL1CA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles); the reverse (hoist side at the right) bears the seal of the treasury (a yellow lion below a red Cap of Liberty and the words Paz y Justicia (Peace and Justice) capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles) ECONOMY Economy— overview: Landlocked Paraguay has a market economy marked by a large informal sector. This sector features both reexport of imported con- sumer goods to neighboring countries, as well as the activities of thousands of microenterprises and urban street ven¬ dors. Because of the importance of the informal sector, accurate economic measures are difficult to obtain. A large percentage of the population derives its living from agricultural activity, often on a subsistence basis. On a per capita basis, real income has stagnated at 1980 levels. Most observers attribute Paraguay’s poor economic performance to political uncertainty, corruption, lack of progress on structural reform, substantial internal and external debt, and deficient infra¬ structure. Aided by a firmer exchange rate and perhaps a greater confidence in the economic policy of the DUARTE FRUTOS administration, the economy rebounded between 2003 and 2006, posting modest growth each year. GDP (purchasing power parity): $31.26 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $7,754 billion (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 4% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $4,800 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 22.4% industry: 18.4% services: 59.2% (2006 est.) Labor force: 2.742 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 45% industry: NA% services: NA% Unemployment rate: 9.4% (2005 est.) Population below poverty line: 32% (2005 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.5% highest 10%: 43.8% (1998) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 56.8 (1999) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 12.5% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 19.3% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $1,773 billion expenditures: $1,733 billion; including capital expenditures of $700 million (2006 est.) Public debt: 31.3% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: cotton, sugar¬ cane, soybeans, corn, wheat, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), fruits, vegetables; beef, pork, eggs, milk; timber Industries: sugar, cement, textiles, bev¬ erages, wood products, steel, metallurgic, electric power Industrial production growth rate: 0% (2000 est.) Electricity — production: 51.77 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 0% hydro: 99.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0.1% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 3.133 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 45.01 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — consumption: 27,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $300 million (2006 est.) Exports: $1.69 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.) Exports— commodities: soybeans, feed, cotton, meat, edible oils, electricity, wood, leather Exports— partners: Uruguay 28.4%, Brazil 19.3%, Argentina 6.4%, Russia 6%, China 4.1% (2005) Imports: $4.5 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: road vehicles, consumer goods, tobacco, petroleum products, electrical machinery Imports— partners: Brazil 27.2%, China 20.5%, Argentina 19.7%, US 5.3%, Switzerland 4.2% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $1,543 billion (2006 est.) Debt— external: $3,722 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $NA Currency (code): guarani (PYG) Currency code: PYG Exchange rates: guarani per US dollar— 5,672.8 (2006), 6,178 (2005), 5,974.6 (2004), 6,424.3 (2003), 5,716.3 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 320,300 (2005) Telephones — mobile cellular: 1.887 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: meager telephone service; principal switching center is in Asuncion domestic: fair microwave radio relay net¬ work international: country code — 595; satel¬ lite earth station — 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 46, FM 27, shortwave 6 (3 inactive) (1998) Radios: 925,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 5 (2003) Televisions: 990,000 (2001) Internet country code: py Internet hosts: 13,178 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 4 (2000) Internet users: 200,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 881 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 12 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 869 1,524 to 2,437 m: 26 914 to 1,523 m: 325 under 914 m: 518 (2006) Railways: total: 36 km standard gauge: 36 km 1.43 5 -m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 29,500 km paved: 14,986 km unpaved: 14,514 km (1999) Waterways: 3,100 km (2005) Merchant marine: total: 21 ships (1000 GRT or over) 34,749 GRT/39,280 DWT by type: cargo 15, livestock carrier 1, pas¬ senger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 3 (Argentina 3) registered in other countries : 1 (Ecuador 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Asuncion, Villeta, San Antonio, Encarnacion MILITARY Military branches: Army, National Navy (Armada Nacional, includes Naval 492 PERU Aviation, Marine Corps, General Naval Prefecture), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Paraguay, FAP) (2006) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obliga¬ tion — 12 months for Army, 24 months for Navy (2006) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 1,345,022 females age 18-49: 1,342,725 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 1,109,166 females age 18-4 9: 1,135,046 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-4 9: 63,058 females age 18-49: 62,217 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1% (2006 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil- Paraguay borders is locus of money laun¬ dering, smuggling, arms and illegal narcotics trafficking, and fundraising for extremist organizations Illicit drugs: major illicit producer of cannabis, most or all of which is con¬ sumed in Brazil, Argentina, and Chile; transshipment country for Andean cocaine headed for Brazil, other Southern Cone markets, and Europe; corruption and some money-laundering activity, especially in the Tri-Border Area; weak anti-money-laundering laws and enforcement INTRODUCTION Background: Ancient Peru was the seat of several prominent Andean civiliza¬ tions, most notably that of the Incas whose empire was captured by the Spanish conquistadors in 1533. Peruvian independence was declared in 1821, and remaining Spanish forces defeated in 1824- After a dozen years of military rule, Peru returned to democratic leadership in 1980, but experienced economic prob¬ lems and the growth of a violent insur¬ gency. President Alberto FUJIMORPs election in 1990 ushered in a decade that saw a dramatic turnaround in the economy and significant progress in cur¬ tailing guerrilla activity. Nevertheless, the president’s increasing reliance on authoritarian measures and an economic slump in the late 1990s generated mounting dissatisfaction with his regime, which led to his ouster in 2000. A care¬ taker government oversaw new elections in the spring of 2001, which ushered in Alejandro TOLEDO as the new head of government — Peru’s first democratically elected president of Native American ethnicity. The presidential election of 2006 saw the return of Alan GARCIA who, after a disappointing presidential term from 1985 to 1990, returned to the presidency with promises to improve social conditions and maintain fiscal responsibility. GEOGRAPHY Location: Western South America, bor¬ dering the South Pacific Ocean, between Chile and Ecuador Geographic coordinates: 10 00 S, 76 00 W Map references: South America Area: total: 1,285,220 sq km land: 1.28 million sq km water: 5,220 sq km Area — comparative: slightly smaller than Alaska Land boundaries: total: 7,461 km border countries: Bolivia 1,075 km, Brazil 2,995 km, Chile 171 km, Colombia 1,800 km, Ecuador 1,420 km Coastline: 2,414 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm Climate: varies from tropical in east to dry desert in west; temperate to frigid in Andes Terrain: western coastal plain (costa), high and rugged Andes in center (sierra), eastern lowland jungle of Amazon Basin (selva) Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Nevado Huascaran 6,768 m Natural resources: copper, silver, gold, petroleum, timber, fish, iron ore, coal, phosphate, potash, hydropower, natural gas Land use: arable land: 2.88% permanent crops: 0.47% other: 96.65% (2005) Irrigated land: 12,000 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic activity Environment— current issues: defor¬ estation (some the result of illegal log¬ ging); overgrazing of the slopes of the costa and sierra leading to soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in Lima; pollution of rivers and coastal waters from municipal and mining wastes Environment— international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental Pro¬ tocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Re¬ sources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change- Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, En¬ dangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: shares control of Lago Titicaca, world’s highest navigable lake, with Bolivia; a remote slope of Nevado Mismi, a 5,316 m peak, is the ultimate source of the Amazon River PEOPLE Population: 28,674,757 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0—14 years: 30.3% (male 4,427,080/ female 4,271,390) 15—64 years: 64-2% (male 9,267,642/ female 9,150,816) 65 years and over: 5.4% (male 734,533/ female 823,296) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 25.5 years male: 25.2 years female: 25.8 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.289% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 20.09 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 6.21 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -0.99 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 493 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK under 15 years: 1.036 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.013 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.892 male(s)/female total population: 1.013 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 29.96 deaths/1,000 live births male: 32.47 deaths/1,000 live births female: 27.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.14 years male: 68.33 years female: 72.04 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2 .46 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.5% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 82,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 4,200 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Peruvian(s) adjective: Peruvian Ethnic groups: Amerindian 45%, mes¬ tizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 37%, white 15%, black, Japanese, Chinese, and other 3% Religions: Roman Catholic 81%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.4%, other Christian 0.7%, other 0.6%, unspecified or none 16.3% (2003 est.) Languages: Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara, and a large number of minor Amazonian languages Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 87.7% male: 93.5% female: 82.1% (2004 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Peru conventional short form: Peru local long form: Republica del Peru local short form: Peru Government type: constitutional republic Capital: name: Lima geographic coordinates: 12 03 S, 77 03 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 25 regions (regiones, singular — region) and 1 province* (provincia); Amazonas, Ancash, Apurimac, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Callao, Cusco, Huancavelica, Huanuco, lea, Junin, La Libertad, Lambayeque, Lima, Lima*, Loreto, Madre de Dios, Moquegua, Pasco, Piura, Puno, San Martin, Tacna, Tumbes, Ucayali Independence: 28 July 1821 (from Spain) National holiday: Independence Day, 28 July (1821) Constitution: 29 December 1993 Legal system: based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory until the age of 70; note — for the first time in recent elections, members of the military and national police were eligible to vote in the 2006 elections Executive branch: chief of state: President Alan GARCIA Perez (since 28 July 2006); First Vice President Luis GIAMPIETRI Rojas; Second Vice President Lourdes MEN¬ DOZA del Solar (since 28 July 2006); note — the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Alan GARCIA Perez (since 28 July 2006); First Vice President Luis GIAMPIETRI Rojas; Second Vice President Lourdes MENDOZA del Solar (since 28 July 2006) note: Prime Minister Jorge DEL CASTILLO Galvez (since 28 August 2006) does not exercise executive power; this power is in the hands of the presi¬ dent cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); presidential and congres¬ sional elections held 9 April 2006 with runoff election held 4 June 2006; next to be held in April 2011 election results: Alan GARCIA elected president in runoff election; percent of vote — Alan GARCIA 52.5%, Ollanta HUMALA Tasso 47.5% Legislative branch: unicameral Congress of the Republic of Peru or Congreso de la Republica del Peru (120 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 9 April 2006 (next to be held in April 2011) election results: percent of vote by party — UPP 21.2%, PAP 20.6%, UN 15.3%, AF 13.1%, FC 7.1%, PP 4.1%, RN 4.0%, other 14.6%; seats by party — LJPP 45, PAP 36, UN 17, AF 13, FC 5, PP 2, RN 2 Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges are appointed by the National Council of the Judiciary) Political parties and leaders: Alliance For Progress (Alianza Para El Progreso) [Cesar ACUNA Peralta]; Alliance For The Future (Alianza Por El Futuro) or AF [Martha CHAVEZ Cossio] (a coali¬ tion of pro-FUJIMORI parties including Cambio 90, Nueva Mayoria, and Si Cumple); Centrist Front (Frente Del Centro) or FC [Drago KISIC] (a coali¬ tion of Accion Popular, Somos Peru, and Coordinadora Nacional de Independ- ientes); Independent Moralizing Front (Frente Independiente Moralizador) or FIM [Fernando OLIVERA Vega]; Nationalist Party Uniting Peru (Partido Nacionalista Uniendo al Peru) or UPP [Ollanta HUMALA Tasso] (a coalition of Union for Peru (UPP) and Peruvian Nationalist Party (PNP)); National Restoration (Restauracion Nacional) or RN [Humberto LAY Sun]; National Unity (Unidad Nacional) or UN [Lourdes FLORES Nano]; Peru Possible (Peru Posible) or PP [David WAIS- MAN]; Peruvian Aprista Party (Partido Aprista Peruano) or PAP [Alan GARCIA] (also referred to by its original name Alianza Popular Revolucionaria Americana or APRA) Political pressure groups and leaders: leftist guerrilla groups include Shining Path [Abimael GUZMAN Reynoso (imprisoned), Gabriel MACARIO (top leader at-large)]; Tupac Amaru Revo¬ lutionary Movement or MRTA [Victor POLAY (imprisoned), Hugo AVAL- LENEDA Valdez (top leader at-large)] International organization participa¬ tion: APEC, CAN, CSN, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (corre¬ spondent), ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUS- TAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCT¬ AD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Felipe ORTIZ de Zevallos chancery: 1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 833-9860 through 9869 FAX: [1] (202) 659-8124 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Denver, Hartford, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Paterson (New Jersey), San Francisco, Washington, DC Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador J. Curtis STRUBLE embassy: Avenida La Encalada, Cuadra 17s/n, Surco, Lima 33 mailing address: P. O. Box 1995, Lima 1; 494 PERU American Embassy (Lima), APO AA 34031-5000 telephone: [51] (1) 434 -3000 FAX: [51] (1) 618-2397 Flog description: three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), white, and red with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a shield bearing a vicuna, cinchona tree (the source of quinine), and a yellow cor¬ nucopia spilling out gold coins, all framed by a green wreath ECONOMY Economy— overview: Peru’s economy reflects its varied geography — an arid coastal region, the Andes further inland, and tropical lands bordering Colombia and Brazil. Abundant mineral resources are found in the mountainous areas, and Peru’s coastal waters provide excellent fishing grounds. However, overdepen¬ dence on minerals and metals subjects the economy to fluctuations in world prices, and a lack of infrastructure deters trade and investment. After several years of inconsistent economic performance, the Peruvian economy grew by more than 4% per year during the period 2002-06, with a stable exchange rate and low inflation. Risk premiums on Peruvian bonds on secondary markets reached historically low levels in late 2004, reflecting investor optimism regarding the government’s prudent fiscal policies and openness to trade and investment. Despite the strong macro- economic performance, underemploy¬ ment and poverty have stayed persistently high. Economic growth con¬ tinues to be driven by exports of min¬ erals, textiles, and agricultural products, and by expectations for the Camisea nat¬ ural gas megaproject and for other prom¬ ising energy projects. Upon taking office, President GARCIA announced Sierra Exportadora, a program aimed at pro¬ moting economic growth in Peru’s southern and central highlands. GDP (purchasing power parity): $186.6 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $77.14 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 8% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $6,600 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 8.5% industry: 26.4% services: 65% (2006 est.) Labor force: 9.21 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 9% industry: 18% services: 73% (2001) Unemployment rate: 7.2% in metropol¬ itan Lima; widespread underemployment (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 54% (2003 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.8% highest 10%: 37.2% (2000) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 49.8 (2000) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.1% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 20.3% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $25.5 billion expenditures: $25.18 billion; including capital expenditures of $1.8 billion for general government, but excluding pri¬ vate enterprises (2006 est.) Public debt: 33.8% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: asparagus, coffee, cotton, sugarcane, rice, potatoes, corn, plantains, grapes, oranges, coca; poultry, beef, dairy products; fish, guinea pigs Industries: mining and refining of min¬ erals; steel, metal fabrication; petroleum extraction and refining, natural gas; fishing and fish processing, textiles, clothing, food processing Industrial production growth rate: 7% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 23.99 billion kWh (2004 est.) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 14-5% hydro: 84.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0.8% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 22.31 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 120,000 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil — consumption: 156,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: 49,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — imports: NA bbl/day Oil — proved reserves: 370 million bbl (2006 est.) Natural gas— production: 860 million cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 860 million cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — proved reserves: 246.8 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $1,515 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $22.69 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports commodities: copper, gold, zinc, crude petroleum and petroleum products, coffee, potatoes, asparagus, tex¬ tiles, guinea pigs Exports— partners: US 31.1%, China 10.8%, Chile 6.6%, Canada 5.9%, Switzerland 4.6% (2005) Imports: $15.38 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports commodifies: petroleum and petroleum products, plastics, machinery, vehicles, iron and steel, wheat, paper Imports— partners: US 18.2%, China 8.5%, Brazil 8%, Ecuador 7.4%, Colombia 6.1%, Argentina 5.1%, Chile 5.1%, Venezuela 4-1% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $17.04 billion (2006 est.) Debt— external: $27.93 billion (30 June 2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $491 million (2002) Currency (code): nuevo sol (PEN) Currency code: PEN Exchange rates: nuevo sol per US dollar — 3.2742 (2006), 3.2958 (2005), 3.4132 (2004), 3.4785 (2003), 3.5165 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 2.25 million (2005) Telephones — mobile cellular: 5.583 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: adequate for most requirements domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system and a domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations international: country code — 51; satellite earth stations — 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); Pan American submarine cable Radio broadcast stations: AM 472, FM 198, shortwave 189 (1999) Radios: 6.65 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 13 (plus 112 repeaters) (1997) Televisions: 3.06 million (1997) Internet country code: pe Internet hosts: 269,981 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 10 (2000) Internet users: 4.6 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 268 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 54 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 20 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 3 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 214 495 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 26 914 to 1 ,523 m: 63 under 914 m: 124 (2006) Heliports: 1 (2006) Pipelines: gas 983 km; gas/liquid petro¬ leum gas 61 km; liquid natural gas 106 km; liquid petroleum gas 517 km; oil 1,754 km; refined products 13 km (2006) Railways: total: 3,462 km standard gauge : 2,962 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 500 km 0.9 1 4- m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 78,829 km paved: 11,351 km (includes 276 km of expressways) unpaved: 67,478 km (2004) Waterways: 8,808 km note: 8,600 km of navigable tributaries of Amazon system and 208 km of Lago Titicaca (2005) Merchant marine: total: 4 ships (1000 GRT or over) 38,954 GRT/62,255 DWT by type: cargo 3, petroleum tanker 1 foreign ajwned: 1 (US 1) registered in other countries: 15 (Panama 15) (2006) Ports and terminals: Callao, Iquitos, Matarani, Pucallpa, Yurimaguas; note — Iquitos, Pucallpa, and Yurimaguas are on the upper reaches of the Amazon and its tributaries MILITARY Military branches: Peruvian Army (Ejercito Peruano), Peruvian Navy (Marina de Guerra del Peru; includes naval air, naval infantry, and coast guard), Peruvian Air Force (Fuerza Aerea del Peru, FAP) (2007) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service (1999) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-4 9: 6,647,874 females age 18—49: 6,544,408 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 4,938,417 females age 18—49: 5,278,511 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18—49: 277,105 females age 18-49: 269,799 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1.5% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: Chile and Ecuador rejected Peru’s November 2005 unilateral legislation to shift the axis of their joint treaty-defined maritime boundaries along the parallels of' latitude to equidistance lines which favor Peru; organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia have penetrated Peru’s shared border; Peru rejects Bolivia’s claim to restore maritime access through a sover¬ eign corridor through Chile along the Peruvian border Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: IDPs: 60,000 (civil war from 1980-2000; most IDPs are indigenous peasants in Andean and Amazonian regions) (2005) Trafficking in persons: current situation: Peru is primarily a source country for women and children trafficked internally for the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced domestic labor; most victims are girls and young women moved inter¬ nally from rural to urban areas, or from city to city, and lured or coerced into prostitution in nightclubs, bars, and brothels; Peruvians have also been traf¬ ficked for sexual exploitation to Spain, Japan, the United States, and Venezuela; the government acknowledges that sex tourism occurs, particularly in the Amazon region of the country tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Peru is placed on the Tier 2 Watch List for failure to show evidence of increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking in 2005 Illicit drugs: until 1996 the world’s largest coca leaf producer, Peru is now the world’s second largest producer of coca leaf, though it lags far behind Colombia; cultivation of coca in Peru rose 25% to 34,000 hectares in 2005; much of the cocaine base is shipped to neighboring Colombia for processing into cocaine, while finished cocaine is shipped out from Pacific ports to the international drug market; increasing amounts of base and finished cocaine, however, are being moved to Brazil and Bolivia for use in the Southern Cone or transshipped to Europe and Africa INTRODUCTION Background: The Philippine Islands became a Spanish colony during the 16th century; they were ceded to the US in 1898 following the Spanish-American War. In 1935 the Philippines became a self-governing commonwealth. Manuel QUEZON was elected president and was tasked with preparing the country for independence after a 10-year transition. In 1942 the islands fell under Japanese occupation during WWII, and US forces and Filipinos fought together during 1944-45 to regain control. On 4 July 1946 the Republic of the Philippines attained its independence. The 20-year rule of Ferdinand MARCOS ended in 1986, when a “people power” movement in Manila (“EDSA 1”) forced him into exile and installed Corazon AQUINO as president. Her presidency was hampered by several coup attempts, which pre¬ PHILIPPINES vented a return to full political stability and economic development. Fidel RAMOS was elected president in 1992 and his administration was marked by greater stability and progress on eco¬ nomic reforms. In 1992, the US closed its last military bases on the islands. Joseph ESTRADA was elected president in 1998, but was succeeded by his vice- president, Gloria MACAPAGAL- ARROYO, in January 2001 after ESTRADA’s stormy impeachment trial on corruption charges broke down and another “people power” movement (“EDSA 2”) demanded his resignation. MACAPAGAL- ARROYO was elected to a six-year term as president in May 2004. The Philippine Government faces threats from three terrorist groups on the US Government’s Foreign Terrorist Organization list, but in 2006 and 2007 scored some major successes in capturing or killing key wanted terrorists. Decades of Muslim insurgency in the southern Philippines have led to a peace accord with one group and an ongoing cease-fire and peace talks with another. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southeastern Asia, archi¬ pelago between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, east of Vietnam Geographic coordinates: 13 00 N, 122 00 E Map references: Southeast Asia Area: total: 300,000 sq km land: 298,170 sq km water: 1,830 sq km Area — comparative: slightly larger than Arizona Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 36,289 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: irregular polygon ex¬ tending up to 100 nm from coastline as 496 PHILIPPINES defined by 1898 treaty; since late 1970s has also claimed polygonal-shaped area in South China Sea up to 285 nm in breadth exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: to depth of exploitation Climate: tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April); south¬ west monsoon (May to October) Terrain: mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal lowlands Elevation extremes: lowest point: Philippine Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Apo 2,954 m Natural resources: timber, petroleum, nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt, copper Land use: arable land: 19% permanent crops: 16.67% other: 64.33% (2005) Irrigated land: 15,500 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: astride typhoon belt, usually affected by 15 and struck by five to six cyclonic storms per year; land¬ slides; active volcanoes; destructive earthquakes; tsunamis Environment— current issues: uncon¬ trolled deforestation especially in water¬ shed areas; soil erosion; air and water pollution in major urban centers; coral reef degradation; increasing pollution of coastal mangrove swamps that are impor¬ tant fish breeding grounds Environment — international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Pro¬ tection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution- Persistent Organic Pollutants Geography — note: the Philippine archi¬ pelago is made up of 7,107 islands; favor¬ ably located in relation to many of Southeast Asia’s main water bodies: the South China Sea, Philippine Sea, Sulu Sea, Celebes Sea, and Luzon Strait PEOPLE Population: 91,077,287 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 34-5% (male 16,043,257/ female 15,415,334) 15-64 years: 61.3% (male 27,849,584/ female 28,008,293) 65 years and over: 4.1% (male 1,631,866/ female 2,128,953) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 22.7 years male: 22.2 years female: 23.3 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.764% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 24-48 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 5.36 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -1.48 migrants )/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.041 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.994 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.767 male(s)/female total population: 0.999 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 22.12 deaths/1,000 live births male: 24-85 deaths/1,000 live births female: 19.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.51 years male: 67.61 years female: 73.55 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 3.05 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 9,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: less than 500 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diar¬ rhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorbome diseases: dengue fever and malaria are high risks in some locations animal contact disease: rabies (2007) Nationality: noun: Lilipino(s) adjective: Philippine Ethnic groups: Tagalog 28.1%, Cebuano 13.1%, Ilocano 9%, Bisaya/Binisaya 7.6%, Hiligaynon Ilonggo 7.5%, Bikol 6%, Waray 3.4%, other 25.3% (2000 census) Religions: Roman Catholic 80.9%, Muslim 5%, Evangelical 2.8%, Iglesia ni Kristo 2.3%, Aglipayan 2%, other Christian 4.5%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.6%, none 0.1% (2000 census) Languages: Lilipino (official; based on Tagalog) and English (official); eight major dialects— Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinan Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.6% male: 92.5% female: 92.7% (2000 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of the Philippines conventional short form: Philippines local long form: Republika ng Pilipinas local short form: Pilipinas Government type: republic Capital: name: Manila geographic coordinates: 14 35 N, 121 00 E time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 79 provinces and 117 chartered cities provinces: Abra, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Aklan, Albay, Antique, Apayao, Aurora, Basilan, Bataan, Batanes, Batangas, Biliran, Benguet, Bohol, Bukidnon, Bulacan, Cagayan, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Camiguin, Capiz, Catanduanes, Cavite, Cebu, Compostela, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Eastern Samar, Guimaras, Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Iloilo, Isabela, Kalinga, Laguna, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, La Union, Leyte, Maguindanao, Marinduque, Masbate, Mindoro Occidental, Mindoro Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Mountain Province, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, North Cotabato, Northern Samar, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, 497 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Palawan, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Quezon, Quirino, Rizal, Romblon, Samar, Sarangani, Siquijor, Sorsogon, South Cotabato, Southern Leyte, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Tarlac, Tawi-Tawi, Zambales, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay chartered cities: Alaminos, Angeles, Antipolo, Bacolod, Bago, Baguio, Bais, Balanga, Batangas, Bayawan, Bislig, Butuan, Cabanatuan, Cadiz, Cagayan de Oro, Calamba, Calapan, Calbayog, Candon, Canlaon, Cauayan, Cavite, Cebu, Cotabato, Dagupan, Danao, Dapitan, Davao, Digos, Dipolog, Dumaguete, Escalante, Gapan, General Santos, Gingoog, Himamaylan, Iligan, Iloilo, Isabela, Iriga, Kabankalan, Kalookan, Kidapawan, Koronadal, La Carlota, Laoag, Lapu-Lapu, Las Pinas, Legazpi, Ligao, Lipa, Lucena, Maasin, Makati, Malabon, Malaybalay, Malolos, Mandaluyong, Mandaue, Manila, Marawi, Markina, Masbate, Muntinlupa, Munoz, Naga, Olongapo, Ormoc, Oroquieta, Ozamis, Pagadian, Palayan, Panabo, Paranaque, Pasay, Pasig, Passi, Puerto Princesa, Quezon, Roxas, Sagay, Samal, San Carlos (in Negros Occidental), San Carlos (in Pangasinan), San Fernando (in La Union), San Fernando (in Pampanga), San Jose, San Jose del Monte, San Pablo, Santa Rosa, Santiago, Silay, Sipalay, Sorsogon, Surigao, Tabaco, Tacloban, Tacurong, Tagaytay, Tagbilaran, Taguig, Tagum, Talisay (in Cebu), Talisay (in Negros Oriental), Tanauan, Tangub, Tanjay, Tarlac, Toledo, Tuguegarao, Trece Martires, Urdaneta, Valencia, Valenzuela, Victorias, Vigan, Zamboanga Independence: 12 June 1898 (from Spain) National holiday: Independence Day, 12 June (1898); note — 12 June 1898 was date of declaration of independence from Spain; 4 July 1946 was date of independ¬ ence from US Constitution: 2 February 1987, effective 11 February 1987 Legal system: based on Spanish and Anglo-American law; accepts compul¬ sory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Gloria MACA- PAG AL- ARROYO (since 20 January 2001); note — president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 20 January 2001) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the presi¬ dent with consent of Commission of Appointments elections: president and vice president (Manuel “Noli” DE CASTRO) elected on separate tickets by popular vote for a single six-year term; election last held on 10 May 2004 (next to be held in May 2010) election results: Gloria MACAPAGAL- ARROYO elected president; percent of vote — Gloria MACAPAGAL- ARROYO 40%, Fernando POE 37%, three others 23% Legislative branch: bicameral Congress or Kongreso consists of the Senate or Senado (24 seats — one-half elected every three years; members elected at large by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Kapulungan Ng Mga Kinatawan (212 members representing districts plus 24 sectoral party-list members; members elected by popular vote to serve three- year terms; note — the Constitution pro¬ hibits the House of Representatives from having more than 250 members) elections: Senate— last held on 14 May 2007 (next to be held in May 2010); House of Representatives — elections last held on 14 May 2007 (next to be held in May 2010) election results: note— information from May 2004 election (results of May 2007 election have not been released); Senate — percent of vote by party — Lakas 30%, LP 13%, KNP 13%, inde¬ pendents 17%, others 27%; seats by party — Lakas 7, LP 3, KNP (coalition) 3, independents 4, others 6; note — there are 23 rather than 24 sitting senators because one senator was elected vice president; House of Representatives — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — Lakas 93, NPC 53, LP 34, LDP 11, others 20; party-listers 24 Judicial branch: Supreme Court (15 jus¬ tices are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Judicial and Bar Council and serve until 70 years of age); Court of Appeals; Sandigan-bayan (special court for hearing corruption cases of government officials) Political parties and leaders: Kabalikat Ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi) [Ronaldo PUNO]; Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (Coalition of United Filipinos) or KNP (LDP, PDP-Laban, and PMP par¬ ties); Laban Ng Demokratikong Pilipino (Struggle of Filipino Democrats) or LDP [Edgardo ANGARA]; Lakas Ng Edsa (National Union of Christian Demo¬ crats) or Lakas [Jose DE VENECIA]; Liberal Party or LP [Franklin DRILON/Eli QUINTO]; Nacionalista [Manuel VILLAR]; National People’s Coalition or NPC [Frisco SAN JUAN]; PDP-Laban [Aquilino PIMENTEL]; People’s Reform Party [Miriam Defensor SANTIAGO]; PROMDI [Emilio OSMENA]; Pwersa Ng Masang Pilipino (Party of the Philippine Masses) or PMP [Joseph ESTRADA]; Reporma [Renato DE VILLA] Political pressure groups and leaders: AKBAYAN [Etta ROSALES, Mario AGUJA, and Risa HONTIVEROS- BARAQUIEL]; ALAGAD [Rodante MARROLITA]; ALIF [Acmad TOMA- WIS]; An Waray [Horencio NOEL]; Anak Mindanao [Mujiv HATAMIN]; ANAKPAWIS [Crispin BELTRAN and Rafael MARIANO]; APEC [Ernesto PABLO, Edgar VALDEZ]; Association of Philippine Electric Cooperatives (APEC) [Edgar VALDEZ, Ernesto PABLO, and Sunny Rose MADAMBA]; AVE [Eulogio MAGS AYS AY]; Bayan Muna [Satur OCAMPO, Joel VIRA- DOR, and Teodoro CASINO, Jr.]; BUHAY [Rene VELARDE and Hans Christian SENERES]; BUTIL [Benjamin CRUZ]; CIBAC [Emmanuel Joel VIL¬ LANUEVA]; COOP-NATCO [Guiller¬ mo CUA]; GABRIELA [Liza MAZA]; Partido Ng Manggagawa [Renato MAG- TUBO]; Veterans Federation of the Philippines [Ernesto GIDAYA] International organization participa¬ tion: APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, CP, EAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS (observer), ONUB, OPCW, PIF (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Willy C. GAA chancery: 1600 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 467-9300 FAX: [1] (202) 328-7614 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands), Tamuning (Guam) Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Kristie A. KENNEY embassy: 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Ermita 1000, Manila mailing address: PSC 500, FPO AP 96515-1000 telephone: [63] (2) 528-6300 FAX: [63] (2) 522-4361 Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of blue (top; representing peace 498 PHILIPPINES and justice) and red (representing courage); a white equilateral triangle based on the hoist side represents equality; the center of the triangle dis¬ plays a yellow sun with eight primary rays, each representing one of the first eight provinces that sought independ¬ ence from Spain; each corner of the tri¬ angle contains a small, yellow, five-pointed star representing the three major geographical divisions of the country: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao; the design of the flag dates to 1897; in wartime the flag is flown upside down with the red band at the top ECONOMY Economy— overview: The Philippines was less severely affected by the Asian financial crisis of 1998 than its neigh¬ bors, aided in part by its high level of annual remittances from overseas workers, no sustained runup in asset prices, and more moderate debt, prior to the crisis. From a 0.6% decline in 1998, GDP expanded by 2.4% in 1999, and 4-4% in 2000, but slowed to 3.2% in 2001 in the context of a global economic slowdown, an export slump, and political and security concerns. Average GDP growth accelerated to about 5% between 2002 and 2006 reflecting the continued resilience of the service sector, and improved exports and agricultural output. Nonetheless, it will take a higher, sustained growth path to make appreciable progress in the alleviation of poverty given the Philippines’ high annual population growth rate and unequal distribution of income. The Philippines also faces higher oil prices, higher interest rates on its dollar borrow¬ ings, and higher inflation. Fiscal con¬ straints limit Manila’s ability to finance infrastructure and social spending. The Philippines’ consistently large budget deficit has produced a high debt level, and this situation has forced Manila to spend a large portion of the national gov¬ ernment budget on debt service. Large unprofitable public enterprises, espe¬ cially in the energy sector, contribute to the government’s debt because of slow progress on privatization. Credit rating agencies have at times expressed concern about the Philippines’ ability to service the debt, though central bank reserves appear adequate and large remittance inflows appear stable. The implementa¬ tion of the expanded Value Added Tax (VAT) in November 2005 boosted confi¬ dence in the government’s fiscal capacity and helped to strengthen the peso, making it East Asia’s best performing currency in 2005-06. Investors and credit rating institutions will continue to look for effective implementation of the new VAT and continued improvement in the government’s overall fiscal capacity in the coming year. GDP (purchasing power parity): $449.8 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $116.9 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 5.4% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $5,000 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 14.2% industry: 32.1% services: 53.7% (2006 est.) Labor force: 35.79 million (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 36% industry: 15% services: 49% (2004 est.) Unemployment rate: 7.9% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 40% (2001 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 31.1% (2003) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 46.1 (2003) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.2% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 14.6% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $19.53 billion expenditures: $20.74 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 61.6% of GDP (October 2006 est.) Agriculture — products: sugarcane, coco¬ nuts, rice, corn, bananas, cassavas, pine¬ apples, mangoes; pork, eggs, beef; fish Industries: electronics assembly, gar¬ ments, footwear, pharmaceuticals, chem¬ icals, wood products, food processing, petroleum refining, fishing Industrial production growth rate: 4 8% (2006 est.) Electricity — production: 56.57 billion kWh (2005) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 55.6% hydro: 17.5% nuclear: 0% other: 26.9% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 49.75 billion kWh (2005) Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2005) Electricity — imports: 0 kWh (2005) Oil — production: 25,320 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — consumption: 342,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: 0 bbl/day (2001) Oil— imports: 312,000 bbl/day (2003) Oil— proved reserves: 152 million bbl (31 December 2006) Natural gas— production: 2.9 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 2.9 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 106.8 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $4 9 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $47.2 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — Commodities: semiconductors and electronic products, transport equip¬ ment, garments, copper products, petro¬ leum products, coconut oil, fruits Exports— partners: US 18%, Japan 17.5%, China 9.9%, Netherlands 9.8%, Hong Kong 8.1%, Singapore 6.6%, Malaysia 6%, Taiwan 4.6% (2005) Imports: $51.6 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: electronic products, mineral fuels, machinery and transport equipment, iron and steel, tex¬ tile fabrics, grains, chemicals, plastic Imports— partners: US 19.2%, Japan 17%, Singapore 7.9%, Taiwan 7.5%, China 6.3%, South Korea 4.8%, Saudi Arabia 4-6%, Hong Kong 4-1% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $22.97 billion (2006 est.) Debt— external: $54.06 billion (September 2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: ODA, $532.4 million in commitments (2005) Currency (code): Philippine peso (PHP) Currency code: PHP Exchange rates: Philippine pesos per US dollar— 51.246 (2006), 55.086 (2005), 56.04 (2004), 54.203 (2003), 51.604 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 3.438 million (2004) Telephones — mobile cellular: 32.81 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: good international radiotelephone and submarine cable services; domestic and inter-island service adequate domestic: domestic satellite system with 11 earth stations; cellular communica¬ tions now dominate the industry with roughly 10 mobile cellular subscribers for every fixed-line subscriber international: country code — 63; 11 inter¬ national gateways; submarine cables to 499 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Hong Kong, Guam, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan, Brunei, and Malaysia among others (2006) Radio broadcast stations: AM 375, FM 596, shortwave 4 (each shortwave sta- tion operates on multiple frequencies in the language of the target audience) (2006) Radios: 11.5 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 233 (plus 1,480 CATV networks) (2006) Televisions: 3.7 million (1997) Internet country code: ph Internet hosts: 111,262 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 33 (2000) Internet users: 7.82 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 256 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 83 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 26 914 to 1 ,523 m: 36 under 914 m: 10 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 173 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 69 under 914 m: 99 (2006) Heliports: 2 (2006) Pipelines: gas 565 km; oil 135 km; refined products 105 km (2006) Railways: total: 897 km narrow gauge: 897 km 1.067'tn gauge (492 km are in operation) (2005) Roadways: total: 200,037 km paved: 19,804 km unpaved: 180,233 km (2003) Waterways: 3,219 km (limited to vessels with draft less than 1.5 m) (2005) Merchant marine: total: 403 ships (1000 GRT or over) 4,661,285 GRT/6,426,183 DWT by type: bulk carrier 82, cargo 115, chem¬ ical tanker 13, container 6, liquefied gas 5, livestock carrier 17, passenger 9, pas- senger/cargo 73, petroleum tanker 42, refrigerated cargo 15, roll on/roll off 13, vehicle carrier 13 foreign' owned: 66 (Greece 5, Hong Kong 3, Japan 26, Malaysia 1, Netherlands 19, Norway 3, UAE 1, US 8) registered in other countries: 41 (Australia 1, Bahamas 1, Cambodia 1, Cayman Islands 1, Comoros 1, Cyprus 1, Hong Kong 16, Indonesia 1, Panama 13, Singapore 5) (2006) Ports and terminals: Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Iligan, Iloilo, Manila, Surigao MILITARY Military branches: Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP): Army, Navy (includes Marine Corps), Philippine Air Force (Hukbomg Himpapawid ng Pilipinas) (2006) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 20,131,179 females age 18-49: 20,009,526 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 15,170,096 females age 18-49: 16,931,191 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 907,542 females age 18-49: 878,712 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 0.9% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: Philippines claims sovereignty over certain of the Spratly Islands, known locally as the Kalayaan (Freedom) Islands, also claimed by China, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam; the 2002 “Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea,” has eased tensions in the Spratly Islands but falls short of a legally binding “code of conduct” desired by several of the disputants; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine seismic activi¬ ties in the Spratly Islands; Philippines retains a dormant claim to Malaysia’s Sabah State in northern Borneo based on the Sultanate of Sulu’s granting the Philippines Government power of attorney to pursue a sovereignty claim on his behalf; maritime delimitation negoti¬ ations continue with Palau Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: IDPs: 60,000 (fighting between government troops and MILF and Abu Sayyaf groups) (2006) Illicit drugs: domestic methampheta- mine production has been a growing problem in recent years despite govern¬ ment crackdowns; major consumer of amphetamines; longstanding marijuana producer mainly in rural areas where Manila’s control is limited PITCAIRN ISLANDS INTRODUCTION Background: Pitcairn Island was discov¬ ered in 1767 by the British and settled in 1790 by the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian companions. Pitcairn was the first Pacific island to become a British colony (in 1838) and today remains the last vestige of that empire in the South Pacific. Outmigration, primarily to New Zealand, has thinned the population from a peak of 233 in 1937 to less than 50 today. GEOGRAPHY Location: Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about midway between Peru and New Zealand Geographic coordinates: 25 04 S, 130 06 W Map references: Oceania Area: total: 47 sq km land: 47 sq km water: 0 sq km Area— comparative: about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 51 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical; hot and humid; modi¬ fied by southeast trade winds; rainy season (November to March) Terrain: rugged volcanic formation; rocky coastline with cliffs Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Pawala Valley Ridge 347 m Natural resources: miro trees (used for handicrafts), fish note: manganese, iron, copper, gold, silver, and zinc have been discovered off¬ shore 500 PITCAIRN ISLANDS Land use: arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% other: NA% Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: typhoons (especially November to March) Environment— current issues: defor¬ estation (only a small portion of the orig¬ inal forest remains because of burning and clearing for settlement) Geography— note: Britain’s most iso¬ lated dependency; only the larger island of Pitcairn is inhabited but it has no port or natural harbor; supplies must be trans¬ ported by rowed longboat from larger ships stationed offshore PEOPLE Population: 48 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA Population growth rate: 0% (2007 est.) Birth rate: NA Death rate: NA Net migration rate: NA Sex ratio: NA Infant mortality rate: total: NA male: NA female: NA Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA male: NA female: NA Total fertility rate: NA HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Pitcairn Islander(s) adjective: Pitcairn Islander Ethnic groups: descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian wives Religions: Seventh-Day Adventist 100% Languages: English (official), Pit- cairnese (mixture of an 18th century English dialect and a Tahitian dialect) Literacy: NA GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands conventional short form: Pitcairn Islands Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK Government type: NA Capital: name: Adamstown geographic coordinates: 25 04 S, 130 05 W time difference: UTC-9 (4 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: none (over¬ seas territory of the UK) Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK) National holiday: Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926) Constitution: 30 November 1838; reformed 1904 with additional reforms in 1940; further refined by the Local Government Ordinance of 1964 Legal system: local island by-laws Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal with three years residency Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by UK High Commissioner to New Zealand and Governor (nonresident) of the Pitcairn Islands George FERGUSSON (since April 2006); Commissioner (non¬ resident) Leslie JAQUES (since September 2003) serves as liaison between the governor and the Island Council head of government: Governor George FERGUSSON (since April 2006); Mayor and Chairman of the Island Council Jay WARREN (since 15 December 2004) cabinet: NA elections: the monarchy is hereditary; governor and commissioner appointed by the monarch; island mayor elected by popular vote for a three-year term; elec¬ tion last held December 2004 (next to be held in December 2007) election results: Jay WARREN elected mayor and chairman of the Island Council Legislative branch: unicameral Island Council (10 seats; 5 members elected by popular vote, 1 nominated by the 5 elected members, 2 appointed by the governor including 1 seat for the Island Secretary, the Island Mayor, and a com¬ missioner liaising between the governor and council; elected members serve one- year terms) elections: last held 24 December 2006 (next to be held in December 2007) election results: percent of vote — NA; seats — all independents Judicial branch: Magistrate’s Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Judicial Officers are appointed by the Governor Political parties and leaders: none Political pressure groups and leaders: none International organization participa¬ tion: SPC, UPU Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the UK) Flag description: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Pitcairn Islander coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms is yellow, green, and light blue with a shield featuring a yellow anchor ECONOMY Economy — overview: The inhabitants of this tiny isolated economy exist on fishing, subsistence farming, handicrafts, and postage stamps. The fertile soil of the val¬ leys produces a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, including citrus, sugarcane, watermelons, bananas, yams, and beans. Bartering is an important part of the economy. The major sources of revenue are the sale of postage stamps to collectors and the sale of handicrafts to passing ships. In October 2004, more than one-quarter of Pitcairn’s small labor force was arrested, putting the economy in a bind, since their services were required as lighter crew to load or unload passing ships. GDP (purchasing power parity): $NA Labor force: 15 able-bodied men (2004) Labor force — by occupation: note: no business community in the usual sense; some public works; subsistence farming and fishing Budget: revenues: $746,000 expenditures: $1,028 million; including cap¬ ital expenditures of $NA (FY04/05 est.) Agriculture — products: honey; wide variety of fruits and vegetables; goats, chickens, fish Industries: postage stamps, handicrafts, beekeeping, honey Electricity— production: NA kWh; note— electric power is provided by a small diesel-powered generator Exports: $NA Exports — Commodities: fruits, vegeta¬ bles, curios, stamps Imports: $NA Imports — commodities: fuel oil, machinery, building materials, flour, sugar, other foodstuffs Economic aid — recipient: $3,465 mil¬ lion (2004) Currency (code): New Zealand dollar (NZD) Currency code: NZD Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars per US dollar — 1.5408 (2006), 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002) Fiscal year: 1 April— 31 March COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 1 (there are 17 telephones on one party line); (2004) 501 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Telephone system: general assessment: satellite phone services domestic: domestic communication via radio (CB) international: country code — 872; satel- lite earth station — 1 (Inmarsat) Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (15 Ham radio operators (VP6)) (2004) Radios: NA Televisions: NA Internet country code: pn Internet hosts: 8 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA Internet users: NA TRANSPORTATION Roadways: total: 6 km unpaved: 6 km (dirt roads) Ports and terminals: Adamstown (on Bounty Bay) _ MILITARY Military — note: defense is the response bility of the UK _ TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international : none POLAND BMystok, Poznart WARSAW /bela. Radon, frocfaw Rzeszdw. INTRODUCTION Background: Poland is an ancient nation that was conceived near the middle of the 10th century. Its golden age occurred in the 16th century. During the fol¬ lowing century, the strengthening of the gentry and internal disorders weakened the nation. In a series of agreements between 1772 and 1795, Russia, Prussia, and Austria partitioned Poland amongst themselves. Poland regained its inde¬ pendence in 1918 only to be overrun by Germany and the Soviet Union in World War II. It became a Soviet satel¬ lite state following the war, but its gov¬ ernment was comparatively tolerant and progressive. Labor turmoil in 1980 led to the formation of the independent trade union “Solidarity” tkiat over time became a political force and by 1990 had swept parliamentary elections and the presidency. A “shock therapy” program during the early 1990s enabled the country to transform its economy into one of the most robust in Central Europe, but Poland still faces the lin¬ gering challenges of high unemploy¬ ment, underdeveloped and dilapidated infrastructure, and a poor rural under¬ class. Solidarity suffered a major defeat in the 2001 parliamentary elections when it failed to elect a single deputy to the lower house of Parliament, and the new leaders of the Solidarity Trade Union subsequently pledged to reduce the Trade Union’s political role. Poland joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004. With its transformation to a democratic, market-oriented country largely completed, Poland is an increas¬ ingly active member of Euro-Atlantic organizations. GEOGRAPHY Location: Central Europe, east of Germany Geographic coordinates: 52 00 N, 20 00 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 312,685 sq km land: 304,465 sq km water: 8,220 sq km Area— comparative: slightly smaller than New Mexico Land boundaries: total: 3,056 km border countries: Belarus 416 km, Czech Republic 790 km, Germany 467 km, Lithuania 103 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 210 km, Slovakia 541 km, Ukraine 529 km Coastline: 491 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: defined by inter¬ national treaties Climate: temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with frequent precipitation; mild summers with fre¬ quent showers and thundershowers Terrain: mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border Elevation extremes: lowest point: near Raczki Elblaskie -2 m highest point: Rysy 2,499 m Natural resources: coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber, arable land Land use: arable land: 40.25% permanent crops: 1% other: 58.75% (2005) Irrigated land: 1,000 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: flooding Environment — current issues: situation has improved since 1989 due to decline in heavy industry and increased environ¬ mental concern by post-Communist gov¬ ernments; air pollution nonetheless remains serious because of sulfur dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants, and the resulting acid rain has caused forest damage; water pollution from industrial and municipal sources is also a problem, as is disposal of hazardous wastes; pollution levels should continue to decrease as indus¬ trial establishments bring their facilities up to EU code, but at substantial cost to busi¬ ness and the government Environment— international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic- Environmental Protocol, Antarctic- Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change- Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution- Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution- Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94 Geography— note: historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain people Population: 38,518,241 (July 2007 est ) Age structure: 0-14 years: 15.5% (male 3,070,388/ female 2,906,121) 15-64 years : 71,1% (male 13,639,012/ female 13,761,154) 65 years and over: 13.3% (male 1 ,964,429/ female 3,177,137) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 37.3 years male: 35.4 years female : 39.3 years (2007 est ) Population growth rote: -0.046% (2007 est.) ' 502 POLAND Birth rate. 9.94 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 9.94 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -0.46 migram(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.057 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.991 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.618 male(s)/female total population: 0.941 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 7.07 deaths/1,000 live births male: 7.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.3 deaths/ 1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.19 years male: 71.18 years female: 79.44 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.26 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.1%; note — no country specific models provided (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 14,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 100 (2001 est.) Nationality: noun: Pole(s) adjective: Polish Ethnic groups: Polish 96.7%, German 0.4%, Belarusian 0.1%, Ukrainian 0.1%, other and unspecified 2.7% (2002 census) Religions: Roman Catholic 89.8% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Ortho¬ dox 1.3%, Protestant 0.3%, other 0.3%, unspecified 8.3% (2002) Languages: Polish 97.8%, other and unspecified 2.2% (2002 census) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.8% male: 99.8% female: 99.7% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Poland conventional short form: Poland local long form: Rzeczpospolita Polska local short form: Polska Government type: republic Capital: name: Warsaw geographic coordinates: 52 15N, 2100E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 16 provinces ( woj ewodztwa, singular — woj ewodztwo ) ; Dolnoslaskie woj ewodztwo, Kujawsko- Pomorskie woj ewodztwo, Lodzkie wojew- odztwo, Lubelskie woj ewodztwo, Lubuskie wojewodztwo, Malopolskie wojewodztwo, Mazowieckie wojewodztwo, Opolskie wojewodztwo, Podkarpackie wojewodztwo, Podlaskie wojewodztwo, Pomorskie wojew- odztwo, Slaskie wojewodztwo, Swietokrzyskie wojewodztwo, Warminsko- Mazurskie wojewodztwo, Wielkopolskie wojewodztwo, Zachodniopomorskie woje- wodztwo Independence: 11 November 1918 (republic proclaimed) National holiday: Constitution Day, 3 May (1791) Constitution: adopted by the National Assembly 2 April 1997; passed by national referendum 25 May 1997; effec¬ tive 17 October 1997 Legal system: mixture of Continental (Napoleonic) civil law and holdover Communist legal theory; changes being gradually introduced as part of broader democratization process; limited judicial review of legislative acts, but rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal are final; court decisions can be appealed to the European Court of Justice in Strasbourg; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations SuffragG: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Lech KACZYNSKI (since 23 December 2005) head of government: Prime Minister Jaroslaw KACZYNSKI (since 10 July 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers Roman GIERTYCH (5 May 2006), Zyta GILOWSKA (22 September 2006), Andrzej LEPPER (16 October 2006), Przemyslaw GOSIEWSKI (8 May 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the prime minister and the Sejm; the prime minister proposes, the president appoints, and the Sejm approves the Council of Ministers elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 9 and 23 October 2005 (next to be held in the fall 2010); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the Sejm election results: Lech KACZYNSKI elected president; percent of popular vote — Lech KACZYNSKI 54%, Donald Tusk 46% Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly or Zgromadzenie Narodowe consists of the Senate or Senat (upper house) (100 seats; members are elected by a majority vote on a provincial basis to serve four-year terms), and the Sejm (lower house) (460 seats; members are elected under a complex system of pro¬ portional representation to serve four- year terms); the designation of National Assembly is only used on those rare occa¬ sions when the two houses meet jointly elections: Senate — last held 25 September 2005 (next to be held by September 2009); Sejm elections last held 25 September 2005 (next to be held by September 2009) election results: Senate — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — PiS 49, PO 34, LPR 7, SO 3, PSL 2, independ¬ ents 5; Sejm — percent of vote by party — PiS 27%, PO 24.1%, SO 11.4%, SLD 11.3%, LPR 8%, PSL 7%, other 11.2%; seats by party — PiS 155, PO 133, SO 56, SLD 55, LPR 34, PSL 25, German minorities 2 note: two seats are assigned to ethnic minority parties in the Sejm only Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the National Council of the Judiciary for an indefinite period); Constitutional Tribunal (judges are chosen by the Sejm for nine-year terms) Political parties and leaders: Catholic- National Movement or RKN [Antoni MACIEREWICZ]; Civic Platform or PO [Donald TUSK]; Conservative Peasants Party or SKL [Artur BALASZ]; Democratic Left Alliance or SLD [Wojciech OLEJNICZAK]; Democratic Party or PD [Janusz ONYSZKIEWICZ]; Dom Ojczysty (Fatherland Home); German Minority of Lower Silesia or MNSO [Henryk KROLL]; Law and Justice or PiS [Jaroslaw KACZYNSKI]; League of Polish Families or LPR [Roman GIERTYCH]; Peasant-Demo¬ cratic Party or PLD [Roman JAG IE- LINSKI]; Polish Accord or PP [Jan LOPUSZANSKI]; Polish Peasant Party or PSL [Waldemar PAWLAK]; Ruch Patriotyczny or RP [Jan OLSZEWSKI]; Samoobrona or SO [Andrzej LEPPER]; Social Democratic Party of Poland or SDPL [Marek BOROWSKI]; Social Movement or RS [Krzysztof PIESIE- WICZ]; Union of Labor or UP [Andrzej SPYCHALSKI] Political pressure groups and leaders: All Poland Trade Union Alliance or OPZZ (trade union) [Jan GUZ]; Roman Catholic Church [Cardinal Jozef GLEMP]; Solidarity Trade Union [Janusz SNIADEK] International organization participa¬ tion: ACCT (observer), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CE, CE1, CERN, 503 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PC A, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Janusz REITER chancery: 2640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 234-3800 through 3802 FAX: [1] (202) 328-6271 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Victor ASHE embassy: Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31 00- 540 Warsaw mailing address: American Embassy Warsaw, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5010 (pouch) telephone: [48] (22) 504-2000 FAX: [48] (22) 504-2688 consulate(s) general: Krakow Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; similar to the flags of Indonesia and Monaco which are red (top) and white ECONOMY Economy — overview: Poland has stead¬ fastly pursued a policy of economic liber¬ alization since 1990 and today stands out as a success story among transition economies. In 2006, GDP grew 5.3%, based on rising private consumption, a 16.7% jump in investment, and bur¬ geoning exports. Poland today has a thriving private sector which created more than 300,000 new jobs during 2006 alone. GDP per capita roughly equals that of the three Baltic states. Consumer price inflation — at 1.3% in 2006 — remains among the lowest in the EU. Since 2004, EU membership and access to EU structural funds has provided a major boost to the economy. Inflows of direct foreign investment exceeded $10 billion in 2006 alone — and more than $100 billion since 1990 — with major investments being announced by foreign firms in computer, consumer electronics, and automobile component production. In early 2006, Poland reached agreement with its EU partners that will permit it to benefit from EU funds totaling nearly $80 billion during 2007-13. Since 2002, even though the zloty appreciated 30%, Poland’s exports more than doubled. Despite Poland’s successes, more remains to be done. Unemployment, which stood at 15% in December 2006, is still the highest in the EU. An inefficient com¬ mercial court system, a rigid labor code, bureaucratic red tape, and persistent cor¬ ruption keep the private sector from per¬ forming to its potential. Agriculture is handicapped by inefficient small farms and inadequate investment. Restruc¬ turing and privatization of the remaining state-owned industries, especially “sensi¬ tive sectors” such as coal, oil refining, railroads, and energy transmission and generation, have stalled due to concerns about loss of control over critical national assets and lay-offs. Reforms in health care, education, the pension system, and state administration have failed so far to reduce the government budget deficit, which was roughly 2.7 percent of GDP in 2006. Further progress in public finance depends mainly on reducing losses in Polish state enter¬ prises, restraining entitlements, and overhauling the tax code. The previous Socialist-led government introduced a package of social and administrative spending cuts to reduce public spending by about $17 billion through 2007, but full implementation of the plan was trumped by election-year politics in 2005. The right-wing Law and Justice party won parliamentary elections in September 2005, and Lech KACZYNSKI won the presidential elec¬ tion in October, running on a state- interventionist fiscal and monetary platform. The new government has pro¬ ceeded cautiously on economic matters, however, retaining, for example, the cor¬ porate income tax cuts initiated by the previous administration and indicating its intention to reduce the top personal income tax rate. GDP (purchasing power parity): $552.4 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $337 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 5.8% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $14,300 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 4-8% industry: 31.2% services: 64% (2006 est.) Labor force: 17.26 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 16.1% industry: 29% services: 54.9% (2002) Unemployment rate: 14.9% (November 2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 17% (2003 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.1% highest 10%: 26.7% (2002) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 34.1 (2002) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.3% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 19.2% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $62 billion expenditures: $71.25 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 49% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: potatoes, fruits, vegetables, wheat; poultry, eggs, pork, dairy Industries: machine building, iron and steel, coal mining, chemicals, ship¬ building, food processing, glass, bever¬ ages, textiles Industrial production growth rate: 10.2% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 143.5 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 98.1% hydro: 1.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0.4% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 124.1 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 14.6 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 5.3 billion kWh (2004) Oil— production: 35,880 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 445,700 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: 53,000 bbl/day (2001) Oil— imports: 413,700 bbl/day (2001) Oil— proved reserves: 142.4 million bbl (December 2004) Natural gas— production: 5.957 billion cu m (2004) Natural gas — consumption: 15.67 bil¬ lion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 46 million cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas-imports: 9.963 billion cu m (2004 est.) U cu m U January 2005 est.) wurresd account balance: $4,548 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) FYnnrtS' $U0'7 bllU°n f’ab* (2006 est.) Exports commodities: machinery anc transport equipment 37.8%, interme¬ diate manufactured goods 23.7%, miscel- 504 PORTUGAL laneous manufactured goods 17.1%, food and live animals 7.6% (2003) Exports— partners: Germany 28.2%, France 6.2%, Italy 6.1%, UK 5.6%’ Czech Republic 4.6%, Russia 4.4%, Netherlands 4.2% (2005) Imports: $113.2 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports Commodities: machinery and transport equipment 38%, intermediate manufactured goods 21%, chemicals 14.8%, minerals, fuels, lubricants, and related materials 9.1% (2003) Imports — partners: Germany 29.6%, Russia 8.7%, Italy 6.6%, Netherlands 5.9%, France 5.7% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $49.69 billion (2006 est.) Debt— external: $147.3 billion (30 June 2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $13.9 billion in available EU structural adjustment and cohesion funds (2004-06) Currency (code): zloty (PLN) Currency code: PLN Exchange rates: zlotych per US dollar— 3.1032 (2006), 3.2355 (2005), 3.6576 (2004), 3.8891 (2003), 4.08 (2002) note: zlotych is the plural form of zloty Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 11.803 million (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 29.166 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: modernization of the telecommunications network has accel¬ erated with market based competition finalized in 2003; fixed-line service, dominated by the former state-owned company, is dwarfed by the growth in wireless telephony domestic: wireless service, available since 1993 (GSM service available since 1996) and provided by three nation-wide networks, has grown rapidly in response to the weak fixed-line coverage; third generation UMTS service available in urban areas; cellular coverage is generally good with more gaps in the east; fixed- line service is growing slowly and still lags in rural areas international: country code — 48; interna¬ tional direct dialing with automated exchanges; satellite earth station — 1 with access to Intelsat, Eutelsat, Inmarsat, and Intersputnik (2002) Radio broadcast stations: AM 14, FM 777, shortwave 1 (1998) Radios: 20.2 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 40 (2006) Televisions: 13.05 million (1997) Internet country code: pi Internet hosts: 358,476 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 19 (2000) Internet users: 10.6 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 122 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 83 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 29 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 40 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 2 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 39 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 21 (2006) Heliports: 3 (2006) Pipelines: gas 13,552 km; oil 1,384 km; refined products 777 km (2006) Railways: total: 23,072 km broad gauge: 629 km 1.524-m gauge standard gauge : 22,443 km 1.435-m gauge (20,555 km operational; 1 1,910 km elec¬ trified) (2005) Roadways: total: 423,997 km paved: 295,356 km (includes 484 km of expressways) unpaved: 128,641 km (2004) Waterways: 3,997 km (navigable rivers and canals) (2005) Merchant marine: total: 11 ships (1000 GRT or over) 55,701 GRT/45,082 DWT by type: cargo 6, chemical tanker 2, pas- senger/cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1, vehicle carrier 1 foreign'oumed: 1 (Nigeria 1) registered in other countries: 106 (Antigua and Barbuda 3, Bahamas 15, Belize 2, Cyprus 20, Liberia 14, Malta 27, Norway 2, Panama 15, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Slovakia 2, Vanuatu 5) (2006) Ports and terminals: Gdansk, Gdynia, Swinoujscie, Szczecin MILITARY Military branches: Armed Forces of the Polish Republic (Sily Zbrojne Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej, SZRP): Land Forces (includes Navy (Marynarka Wojenna, MW)), Polish Air Force (Sily Powietrzne Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej, SPRP) (2006) Military service age and obligation: 17 years of age for compulsory military service after January 1st of the year of 18th birthday; 17 years of age for volun¬ tary military service; in 2005, Poland plans to shorten the length of conscript service obligation from 12 to 9 months; by 2008, plans call for at least 60% of mil¬ itary personnel to be volunteers; only sol¬ diers who have completed their conscript service are allowed to volunteer for pro¬ fessional service; as of April 2004, women are only allowed to serve as officers and noncommissioned officers (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 17-49: 9,681,703 females age 17-49: 9,480,641 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 17-49: 7,739,472 females age 7 7 — 49: 7,859,165 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 275,446 females age 17-49: 265,164 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1.71% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: as a member state that forms part of the EU’s external border, Poland must implement the strict Schengen border rules to restrict illegal immigration and trade along its eastern borders with Belarus and Ukraine Illicit drugs: despite diligent counternar¬ cotics measures and international infor¬ mation sharing on cross-border crimes, a major illicit producer of synthetic drugs for the international market; minor transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and Latin American cocaine to Western Europe PORTUGAL INTRODUCTION Background: Following its heyday as a world power during the 15th and 16th centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation during the Napoleonic Wars, and the independ¬ ence in 1822 of Brazil as a colony. A 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy; for most of the next six decades, repressive governments ran the country. In 1974, a left-wing military coup installed broad democratic reforms. The following year, Portugal granted independence to all of its African colonies. Portugal is a founding member of NATO and entered the EC (now the EU) in 1986. 505 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Jj*xoes 1 Porto 'Avelro .Vteau .Covitia .Coimbra Catoas a Rainha irrero Portimto GEOGRAPHY Location: Southwestern Europe, bor¬ dering the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Spain Geographic coordinates: 39 30 N, 8 00 W Map references: Europe Area: total: 92,391 sq km land: 91,951 sq km water: 440 sq km note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands Area — comparative: slightly smaller than Indiana Land boundaries: total: 1,214 km border countries: Spain 1,214 km Coastline: 1,793 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation Climate: maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and drier in south Terrain: mountainous north of the Tagus River, rolling plains in south Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Ponta do Pico (Pico or Pico Alto) on Ilha do Pico in the Azores 2,351 m Natural resources: fish, forests (cork), iron ore, copper, zinc, tin, tungsten, silver, gold, uranium, marble, clay, gypsum, salt, arable land, hydropower Land use: arable land: 17.29% permanent crops : 7.84% other: 74.87% (2005) Irrigated land: 6,500 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: Azores subject to severe earthquakes Environment— current issues: soil ero¬ sion; air pollution caused by industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution, especially in coastal areas Environment— international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change- Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, En¬ dangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution- Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution- Volatile Organic Compounds, Environmental Modification Geography — note: Azores and Madeira Islands occupy strategic locations along western sea approaches to Strait of Gibraltar PEOPLE Population: 10,642,836 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 16.5% (male 914,480/female 837,525) 15-64 years: 66.3% (male 3,501,206/ female 3,551,706) 65 years and over: 17.3% (male 757,220/ female 1,080,699) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 38.8 years male: 36.7 years female: 41 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.334% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 10.59 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 10.56 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 3.31 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.092 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.986 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.701 male(s)/female total population: 0.946 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 4-92 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.38 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4-42 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.87 years male: 74-6 years female: 81.36 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.48 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 0.4% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 22,000 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: less than 1,000 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Portuguese (singular and plural) adjective: Portuguese Ethnic groups: homogeneous Mediter¬ ranean stock; citizens of black African descent who immigrated to mainland during decolonization number less than 100,000; since 1990 East Europeans have entered Portugal Religions: Roman Catholic 84.5%, other Christian 2.2%, other 0.3%, unknown 9%, none 3.9% (2001 census) Languages: Portuguese (official), Mirandese (official — but locally used) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.3% male: 95.5% female: 91.3% (2003 est.) Country name: conventional long form: Portuguese Republic conventional short form: Portugal local long form: Republica Portuguese local short form: Portugal Government type: parliamentary democracy Capital: name: Lisbon P Hours ahead ol Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 18 districts (distritos, singular— -distrito) and 2 autonomous regions* (regioes auto¬ nomas, singular— regiao autonoma); i veiro, Acores (Azores)*, Beja, Braga, ^raganca, Castelo Branco, Coimbra, (U,h' ,Guarda- Leiria, Lisboa (Lisbon), Madeira*, Portalegre, Porto wX7;^ubal ^ Independence.- 1143 (Kingdom of Portugal recognized); 5 October 1910 (republic proclaimed) P™h10dTP°;tUga,DaV(DaVof ortuga!), 10 june (;580). note_alsQ 506 PORTUGAL called Camoes Day, the day that revered national poet Luis de Camoes (1524-80) died Constitution: adopted 2 April 1976; effective 25 April 1976; revised many times Legal system: civil law system; the Constitutional Tribunal reviews the con¬ stitutionality of legislation; accepts com¬ pulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Anibal CAVACO SILVA (since 9 March 2006) head of government: Prime Minister Jose SOCRATES Carvalho Pinto de Sousa (since 12 March 2005) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister note: there is also a Council of State that acts as a consultative body to the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 22 January 2006 (next to be held in January 2011); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president election results: Anibal CAVACO SILVA elected president; percent of vote — Anibal CAVACO SILVA 50.6%, Manuel ALEGRE 20.7%, Mario Alberto Nobre Lopes SOARES 14.3%, Jeronimo DE SOUSA 8.5%, Franciso LOUCA 5.3% Legislative branch: unicameral Assem¬ bly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica (230 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 20 February 2005 (next to be held in February 2009) election results: percent of vote by party — PS 45.1%, PSD 28.7%, CDU 7.6%, PP 7.3%, BE 6.4%, other 4-9%; seats by party— PS 121, PSD 75, CDU 14, PP 12, BE 8 Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal de Justica (judges appointed for life by the Conselho Superior da Magistratura) Political parties and leaders: Green Ecologist Party or PEV [Heloisa Augusta Baiao de Brito APOLONIAj; Popular Party or PP [Paulo PORTAS]; Portuguese Communist Party or PCP [Jeronimo DE SOUSAj; Portuguese Socialist Party or PS [Jose SOCRATES Carvalho Pinto de Sousa]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Luis Manuel Goncalves Marques MENDES]; The Left Bloc or BE [Franciso Anacleto LOUCA]; Unitarian Democratic Coalition or CDU [Jeronimo DE SOUSA] (includes PEV and PCP) Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, PC A, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UN WTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joao DE VALLERA chancery: 2012 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 350-5400 FAX: [1] (202) 462-3726 consulate(s) general: Boston, New York, Newark (New Jersey), San Francisco consulate(s) : New Bedford (Massa¬ chusetts), Providence (Rhode Island) Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Alfred J. HOFFMAN Jr. embassy: Avenida das Forcas Armadas, 1600-081 Lisbon mailing address: Apartado 43033, 1601- 301 Lisboa; PSC 83, APO AE 09726 telephone: [351] (21) 727-3300 FAX: [351] (21) 726-9109 consulate(s): Ponta Delgada (Azores) Flag description: two vertical bands of green (hoist side, two-fifths) and red (three-fifths) with the Portuguese coat of arms centered on the dividing line ECONOMY Economy — overview: Portugal has become a diversified and increasingly service-based economy since joining the European Community in 1986. Over the past two decades, successive govern¬ ments have privatized many state-con¬ trolled firms and liberalized key areas of the economy, including the financial and telecommunications sectors. The country qualified for the European Monetary Union (EMU) in 1998 and began circulating the euro on 1 January 2002 along with 11 other EU member economies. Economic growth had been above the EU average for much of the 1990s, but fell back in 2001-06. GDP per capita stands at roughly two-thirds of the EU-25 average. A poor educational system, in particular, has been an obstacle to greater productivity and growth. Portugal has been increasingly overshadowed by lower-cost producers in Central Europe and Asia as a target for foreign direct investment. The budget deficit surged to an all-time high of 6% of GDP in 2005 but was reduced to 4.6% in 2006. The government faces tough choices in its attempts to boost Portugal’s economic competitiveness while keeping the budget deficit within the eurozone’s 3%-of-GDP ceiling. GDP (purchasing power parity): $210.1 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $176.8 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 1.3% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $19,800 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 6.6% industry: 28.6% services: 64.9% (2006 est.) Labor force: 5.58 million (2006) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 10% industry: 30% services: 60% (2001 est.) Unemployment rate: 7.6% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.1% highest 10%: 28.4% (1995 est.) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 38.5 (1997) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 20.9% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $83.89 billion expenditures: $93.09 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 67.4% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: grain, potatoes, tomatoes, olives, grapes; sheep, cattle, goats, swine, poultry, dairy products; fish Industries: textiles and footwear; wood pulp, paper, and cork; metals and metal¬ working; oil refining; chemicals; fish can¬ ning; rubber and plastic products; ceramics; electronics and communications equipment; rail transportation equipment; aerospace equipment; ship construction and refurbishment; wine; tourism industrial production growth rate: 0.9% (2006 est.) Electricity — production: 42.52 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 64-5% hydro: 31.3% nuclear: 0% other: 4-1% (2001) 507 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Electricity — consumption: 46.05 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 2.1 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 8.6 billion kWh (2004) Oil— production: NA bbl/day Oil — consumption: 332,000 bbl/day (2004) Oil — exports: 35,400 bbl/day (2003) Oil— imports: 106,200 bbl/day (2003) Natural gas— production: 0 cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 4 297 bib lion cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas— exports: 0 cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas — imports: 4 46 billion cu m (2005 est.) Current account balance: $16.75 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $46.77 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: clothing and footwear, machinery, chemicals, cork and paper products, hides Exports— partners: Spain 25.9%, France 13.1%, Germany 11.9%, UK 8%, US 5.4%, Italy 4.3% (2005) Imports: $67.74 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — Commodities: machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, petro¬ leum, textiles, agricultural products Imports— partners: Spain 29%, Ger¬ many 13.4%, France 8.5%, Italy 5.2%, Netherlands 4.3%, UK 4-2% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $9.88 billion (December 2006 est.) Debt— external: $272.2 billion (30 September 2006 est.) Economic aid— donor: ODA, $271 mil¬ lion (1995) Currency (code): euro (EUR) note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by finan¬ cial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countres Currency code: EUR Exchange rates: euros per US dollar— 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 4 234 million (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 11.448 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: Portugal’s telephone system has achieved a state-of-the-art network with broadband, high-speed capabilities domestic: integrated network of coaxial cables, open-wire, microwave radio relay, and domestic satellite earth stations international: country code — 351; 6 sub¬ marine cables; satellite earth stations 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to Azores; note — an earth station for Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region) is planned (1998) Radio broadcast stations: AM 47, FM 172 (many are repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998) Radios: 3.02 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 62 (plus 166 repeaters; includes Azores and Madeira Islands) (1995) Televisions: 3.31 million (1997) internet country code: pt Internet hosts: 845,980 (2005) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 16 (2000) Internet users: 7.783 million (2006) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 66 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 43 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 11 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 23 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 22 (2006) Pipelines: gas 1,099 km; oil 8 km; refined products 174 km (2006) Railways: total: 2,850 km broad gauge: 2,576 km 1.668-m gauge (623 km electrified) narrow gauge: 274 km 1.000-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 78,470 km paved: 67,484 km (includes 2,002 km of expressways) unpaved: 10,986 km (2004) Waterways: 210 km (on Douro River from Porto) (2003) Merchant marine: total: 111 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,077,300 GRT/ 1,363, 43 5 DWT by type: bulk carrier 11, cargo 27, chem¬ ical tanker 15, container 7, liquefied gas 11, passenger 9, passenger/cargo 10, petroleum tanker 8, roll on/roll off 4, vehicle carrier 9 foreign'owned: 82 (Australia 1, Belgium 8, Cyprus 1, Denmark 4, Germany 17, Greece 4, Italy 12, Japan 9, Malta 1, Mexico 1, Netherlands 1, Norway 4, Spain 15, Switzerland 3, US 1) registered in other countries: 16 (Cyprus 2, Flong Kong 1, Malta 3, Panama 10) (2006) Ports and terminals: Leixoes, Lisbon, Setubal, Sines MILITARY _ _ Military branches: Army, Navy (Marinha Portuguesa; includes Marine Corps), Air Force (Forca Aerea Portu- guesa, FAP), National Republican Guard (Guarda Nacional Republicana) (2005) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; compulsory military service ended in 2004; women serve in the armed forces, on naval ships since 1993, but are prohibited from serving in some combatant specialties (2005) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 2,435,042 females age 18-49: 2,405,816 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18^9: 1,952,819 females age 18-49: 1,977,264 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 67,189 females age 18-49: 60,626 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 2.3% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes international: Portugal does not recognize Spanish sovereignty over the territory of Olivenza based on a dif¬ ference of interpretation of the 1815 Congress of Vienna and the 1801 Treaty of Badajoz Illicit drugs: seizing record amounts of Latin American cocaine destined for Europe; a European gateway for Southwest Asian heroin; transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Europe; con¬ sumer of Southwest Asian heroin INTRODUCTION Background: Populated for centuries by aboriginal peoples, the island was claimed by the Spanish Crown in 1493 following COLUMBUS’ second voyage to the Americas. In 1898, after 400 years of colonial rule that saw the indigenous population nearly exterminated and African slave labor introduced, Puerto Rico was ceded to the US as a result of the Spanish- American War. Puerto 508 PUERTO RICO Aguadila 8ayam NOR «£»• «? . ./ . ' • _ . ! HBH ■ Hwjuw «W~ Caribbean Sea Ricans were granted US citizenship in 1917. Popularly-elected governors have served since 1948. In 1952, a constitU' tion was enacted providing for internal self government. In plebiscites held in 1967, 1993, and 1998, voters chose not to alter the existing political status. GEOGRAPHY Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic Geographic coordinates: 18 15 N, 66 30 W Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total: 13,790 sq km land: 8,870 sq km water: 4,921 sq km Area — comparative: slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 501 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical marine, mild; little sea¬ sonal temperature variation Terrain: mostly mountains with coastal plain belt in north; mountains precipi¬ tous to sea on west coast; sandy beaches along most coastal areas Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Cerro de Punta 1,339 m Natural resources: some copper and nickel; potential for onshore and off¬ shore oil Land use: arable land: 3.69% permanent crops: 5.59% other: 90.72% (2005) Irrigated land: 400 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: periodic droughts; hur¬ ricanes Environment — current issues: erosion; occasional drought causing water short¬ ages Geography — note: important location along the Mona Passage — a key shipping lane to the Panama Canal; San Juan is one of the biggest and best natural har¬ bors in the Caribbean; many small rivers and high central mountains ensure land is well watered; south coast relatively dry; fertile coastal plain belt in north PEOPLE Population: 3,944,259 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 21% (male 422,635/female 403,887) 15-64 years: 65.9% (male 1,247,314/ female 1,352,139) 65 years and over: 13.1% (male 223,508/ female 294,776) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 35.1 years male: 33.4 years female: 36.8 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.393% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 12.79 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 7.78 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -1.09 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.046 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.922 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.758 male(s)/female total population: 0.923 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 7.81 deaths/1,000 live births male: 8.71 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.54 years male: 74-6 years female: 82.67 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.77 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 7,397 (1997) HIV/AIDS — deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Puerto Rican(s) (US citizens) adjective: Puerto Rican Ethnic groups: white (mostly Spanish origin) 80.5%, black 8%, Amerindian 0.4%, Asian 0.2%, mixed and other 10.9% Religions: Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant and other 15% Languages: Spanish, English Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94.1% male: 93.9% female: 94-4% (2002 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico conventional short form: Puerto Rico Dependency status: unincorporated, organized territory of the US with com¬ monwealth status; policy relations between Puerto Rico and the US con¬ ducted under the jurisdiction of the Office of the President Government type: commonwealth Capital: name: San Juan geographic coordinates: 18 28 N, 66 07 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: none (terri¬ tory of the US with commonwealth status); there are no first-order adminis¬ trative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 78 munici¬ palities (municipios, singular — municipio) at the second order; Adjuntas, Aguada, Aguadilla, Aguas Buenas, Aibonito, Anasco, Arecibo, Arroyo, Barceloneta, Barranquitas, Bayamon, Cabo Rojo, Caguas, Camuy, Canovanas, Carolina, Catano, Cayey, Ceiba, Ciales, Cidra, Coamo, Comerio, Corozal, Culebra, Dorado, Fajardo, Florida, Guanica, Guayama, Guayanilla, Guaynabo, Gurabo, Hatillo, Hormi- gueros, Humacao, Isabela, Jayuya, Juana Diaz, Juncos, Lajas, Fares, Las Marias, Las Piedras, Loiza, Luquillo, Manati, Maricao, Maunabo, Mayaguez, Moca, Morovis, Naguabo, Naranjito, Orocovis, Patillas, Penuelas, Ponce, Quebradillas, Rincon, Rio Grande, Sabana Grande, Salinas, San German, San Juan, San Lorenzo, San Sebastian, Santa Isabel, Toa Alta, Toa Baja, Trujillo Alto, Utuado, Vega Alta, Vega Baja, Vieques, Villalba, Yabucoa, Yauco 509 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Independence: none (territory of the US with commonwealth status) National holiday: US Independence Day, 4 July (1776); Puerto Rico Constitution Day, 25 July (1952) Constitution: ratified 3 March 1952; approved by US Congress 3 July 1952; effective 25 July 1952 Legal system: based on Spanish civil code and within the US Federal system of justice Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; island residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections Executive branch: chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001) head of government: Governor Anibal ACEVEDO- VILA (since 2 January 2005) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the gov¬ ernor with the consent of the legislature elections: under the US Constitution, res¬ idents of unincorporated territories, such as Puerto Rico, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; gov¬ ernor elected by popular vote for a four- year term (no term limits); election last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2008) election results: Anibal ACEVEDO- VILA elected governor; percent of vote — 48.4% Legislative branch: bicameral Legis¬ lative Assembly consists of the Senate (at least 27 seats — currently 29; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives (51 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate — last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008); House of Representatives — last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2008) election results: Senate — percent of vote by party— PNP 43.4%, PPD 40.3%, PIP 9.4%; seats by party — PNP 17, PPD 9, PIP 1; House of Representatives— per¬ cent of vote by party — PNP 46.3%, PPD 43.1%, PIP 9.7%; seats by party — PNP 32, PPD 18, PIP 1 note: Puerto Rico elects, by popular vote, a resident commissioner to serve a four- year term as a nonvoting representative in the US House of Representatives; aside from not voting on the House floor, he enjoys all the rights of a member of Congress; elections last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2008); results— percent of vote by party — PNP 48.6%, other 5 1 .4%; seats by party — PNP 1 Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Appellate Court; Court of First Instance composed of two sections: a Superior Court and a Municipal Court (justices for all these courts appointed by the gov¬ ernor with the consent of the Senate) Political parties and leaders: National Democratic Party [Roberto PRATS]; National Republican Party of Puerto Rico [Dr. Tiody FERRE]; New Pro¬ gressive Party or PNP [Pedro ROS- SELLO] (pro-US statehood); Popular Democratic Party or PPD [Anibal ACEVEDO- VILA] (pro-commonwealth); Puerto Rican Independence Party or PIP [Ruben BERRIOS Martinez] (pro-inde¬ pendence) Political pressure groups and leaders: Boricua Popular Army or EPB (a revolu¬ tionary group also known as Los Macheteros); note — the following rad¬ ical groups are considered dormant by Federal law enforcement: Armed Forces for National Liberation or FALN, Armed Forces of Popular Resistance, Volunteers of the Puerto Rican Revolution International organization participa¬ tion: Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ITUC, UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCL, WFTU Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of the US with common¬ wealth status) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of the US with common¬ wealth status) Flag description: five equal horizontal bands of red (top and bottom) alter¬ nating with white; a blue isosceles tri¬ angle based on the hoist side bears a large, white, five-pointed star in the center; design initially influenced by the US flag, but similar to the Cuban flag, with the colors of the bands and triangle reversed ECONOMY Economy— overview: Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies in the Caribbean region. A diverse indus¬ trial sector has far surpassed agriculture as the primary locus of economic activity and income. Encouraged by duty-free access to the US and by tax incentives, US firms have invested heavily in Puerto Rico since the 1950s. US minimum wage laws apply. Sugar production has lost out to dairy production and other livestock products as the main source of income in the agricultural sector. Tourism has tradi¬ tionally been an important source of income, with estimated arrivals of nearly 5 million tourists in 2004. Growth fell off in 2001-03, largely due to the slowdown in the US economy, recovered in 2004-05, but declined again in 2006. GDP (purchasing power parity): $75.82 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): NA (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 0.5% (2006 est.) GDP — per capita (PPP): $19,300 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 45% services: 54% (2002 est.) Labor force: 1.3 million (2000) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 3% industry: 20% services: 77% (2000 est.) Unemployment rate: 12% (2002) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.5% (2003 est.) Budget: revenues: $6.7 billion expenditures: $9.6 billion; including cap¬ ital expenditures of $NA (FY99/00) Agriculture— products: sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains, bananas; livestock products, chickens Industries: pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products, tourism Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity— production: 24.14 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 99.2% hydro: 0.8% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 22.45 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 721.8 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 234,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 680 million cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) (2004 est.) Exports: $46.9 billion f.o.b. (2001) Exports-commodities: chemicals, elec- trorncs, apparel, canned tuna, rum, bev- erage concentrates, medical equipment 510 PUERTO RICO Exports— partners: US 90.3%, UK 1.6%, Netherlands 1.4%, Dominican Republic 1.4% (2004) Imports: $29.1 billion c.i.f. (2001) Imports — commodities: chemicals, machinery and equipment, clothing, food, fish, petroleum products Imports— partners: US 55.0%, Ireland 23.7%, Japan 5.4% (2004) Debt— external: $NA Economic aid— recipient: $NA Currency (code): US dollar (USD) Currency code: USD Exchange rates: the US dollar is used Fiscal year: 1 July— 30 June COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 1.112 million (2004) Telephones— mobile cellular: 2.682 million (2004) Telephone system: general assessment: modern system inte¬ grated with that of the US by high- capacity submarine cable and Intelsat with high-speed data capability domestic: digital telephone system; cel¬ lular telephone service international: country code — 1-787, 939; satellite earth station — 1 Intelsat; sub¬ marine cable to US Radio broadcast stations: AM 74, FM 53, shortwave 0 (2005) Radios: 2.7 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 32 (2006) Televisions: 1.021 million (1997) Internet country code: pr Internet hosts: 404 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 76 (2000) Internet users: 1 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 30 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 17 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 5 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 13 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 10 (2006) Railways: total: 96 km narrow gauge: 96 km 1.000-mgauge (2005) Roadways: total: 25,735 km paved: 24,353 km (includes 427 km of expressways) unpaved: 1,382 km (2005) Merchant marine: total: 3 ships (1000 GRT or over) 77,177 GRT/50,138 DWT by type: roll on/roll off 3 foreign'Owned: 3 (US 3) registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Las Mareas, Mayaguez, San Juan MILITARY Military branches: no regular indige¬ nous military forces; paramilitary National Guard, Police Force Military — note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of the US TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: increasing numbers of illegal migrants from the Dominican Republic cross the Mona Passage to Puerto Rico each year looking for work 511 INTRODUCTION Background: Ruled by the al-Thani family since the mid- 1800s, Qatar trans¬ formed itself from a poor British protec¬ torate noted mainly for pearling into an independent state with significant oil and natural gas revenues. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Qatari economy was crippled by a continuous siphoning off of petroleum revenues by the amir, who had ruled the country since 1972. His son, the current Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa al-Thani, over¬ threw him in a bloodless coup in 1995. In 2001, Qatar resolved its longstanding border disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Oil and natural gas rev¬ enues enable Qatar to have one of the highest per capita incomes in the world. GEOGRAPHY Location: Middle East, peninsula bor¬ dering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia Geographic coordinates: 25 30 N, 51 15 E Map references: Middle East Area: total: 1 1,437 sq km land: 1 1,437 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: slightly smaller than Connecticut QATAR Land boundaries: total: 60 km border countries: Saudi Arabia 60 km Coastline: 563 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: as determined by bilateral agreements or the median line Climate: arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers Terrain: mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Qurayn Abu al Bawl 103 m Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, fish Land use: arable land: 1.64% permanent crops: 0.27% other: 98.09% (2005) Irrigated land: 130 sq km (2002) Natural hazards: haze, dust storms, sandstorms common Environment — current issues: limited natural fresh water resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, De¬ sertification, Endangered Species, Haz¬ ardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petro¬ leum deposits PEOPLE Population: 907,229 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0—14 years: 23.1% (male 106,853/female 102,713) 15-64 years: 72.9% (male 455,631/ female 206,099) 65 years and over: 4% (male 26,689/ female 9,244) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 31.9 years male: 37.3 years female: 23.1 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.386% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 15.56 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 4.82 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 13.12 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15—64 years: 2.211 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 2.887 male(s)/female total population: 1.852 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 17.46 deaths/1,000 live births male: 20.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 14.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.14 years male: 71.6 years female: 76.82 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.75 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 0.09% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Qatari(s) adjective: Qatari Ethnic groups: Arab 40%, Indian 18%, Pakistani 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14% Religions: Muslim 77.5%, Christian 8.5%, other 14% (2004 census) Languages: Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 89% male: 89.1% female: 88.6% (2004 census) ; GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: State of Qatar conventional short form: Qatar local long form: Dawlat Qatar local short form: Qatar note, closest approximation of the native pronunciation falls between cutter and gutter, but not like guitar Government type: emirate Capital: name: Doha geographic coordinates: 25 17 N, 51 32 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 10 municipal¬ ities (baladiyat, singular— baladiyah); Ad Dawhah, Al Ghuwayriyah, Al Jumayliyah, Al Khawr, Al Wakrah, Ar ayyan, Jarayan al Batinah, Madinat ash Shamal, Umm Sa’id, Umm Salal "dependence: 3 September 1971 (from ocpiemoer U9/1 ) Constitution: ratified by public re, endum on 29 April 2003, endorsed 512 QATAR the amir on 8 June 2004, effective on 9 June 2005 Legal system: discretionary system of law controlled by the amir, although civil codes are being implemented; Islamic law dominates family and per¬ sonal matters Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa al-Thani (since 27 June 1995 when, as crown prince, he ousted his father, Amir KHALIFA bin Hamad al-Thani, in a bloodless coup); Crown Prince TAMIM bin Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, fourth son of the monarch (selected Heir Apparent by the monarch on 5 August 2003); note — Amir HAMAD also holds the positions of Minister of Defense and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces head of government: Prime Minister HAMAD bin Jasim bin Jabir al-Thani (since 3 April 2007); Deputy Prime Minister Abdallah bin Hamad al- ATI YAH (since 3 April 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary note: in April 2003, Qatar held nation¬ wide elections for a 29-member Central Municipal Council (CMC), which has consultative powers aimed at improving the provision of municipal services; the first election for the CMC was held in March 1999 Legislative branch: unicameral Ad¬ visory Council or Majlis al-Shura (35 seats; members appointed) note: no legislative elections have been held since 1970 when there were partial elections to the body; Council members have had their terms extended every four years since; the new constitution, which came into force on 9 June 2005, provides for a 45-member Consultative Council, or Majlis al-Shura; the public would elect two-thirds of the Majlis al-Shura; the amir would appoint the remaining members; preparations are underway to conduct elections to the Majlis al-Shura in late 2007 Judicial branch: Courts of First Instance, Appeal, and Cassation; note — the Amir appoints all judges — based on the recommendation of the Supreme Judiciary Council — for renewable three- year terms Political parties and leaders: none Political pressure groups and leaders: none International organization participa¬ tion: ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (tem¬ porary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UN WTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) chancery: 2555 M Street NW, Washing¬ ton, DC 20037 telephone: [ 1 ] (202) 274-1600 and 274- 1603 FAX: [11 (202) 237-0061 consulate (s) general: Houston Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Chase UNTERMEYER embassy: Al-Luqta District, 22 February Road, Doha mailing address: P. O. Box 2399, Doha telephone: [9741 488 4101 FAX: [974] 488 4176 Flag description: maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist side ECONOMY Economy — overview: Oil and gas account for more than 60% of GDP, roughly 85% of export earnings, and 70% of government revenues. Oil and gas have made Qatar one of the world’s faster growing and higher per-capita income countries — in 2006 per-capita income equaled that of the EU. Sustained high oil prices and increased natural gas exports in recent years have helped build Qatar’s budget and trade surpluses and foreign reserves. Proved oil reserves of more than 15 billion barrels should ensure continued output at cur¬ rent levels for 23 years. Qatar’s proved reserves of natural gas exceed 25 trillion cubic meters, more than 5% of the world total and third largest in the world. Qatar has permitted substantial foreign investment in the development of its gas fields during the last decade and is expected to become the world’s top liq¬ uefied natural gas (LNG) exporter in 2007. Qatar is also trying to attract for¬ eign investment in the development of its non-energy projects by further liberal¬ izing the economy. GDP (purchasing power parity): $26.37 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $30.76 billion (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 7.1% (2006 est.) ^ GDP— per capita (PPP): $29,800 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 0.1% industry: 77.2% services: 22.6% ( 2006 est.) Labor force: 508,000 (2006 est.) Unemployment rate: 3.2% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.2% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 33.2% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $22.51 billion expenditures: $16.89 billion; including capital expenditures of $2.2 billion (2006 est.) Public debt: 23.6% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: fruits, vegeta¬ bles; poultry, dairy products, beef; fish Industries: crude oil production and refining, ammonia, fertilizers, petro¬ chemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement, commercial ship repair Industrial production growth rate: 10% (2003 est.) Electricity— production: 12.4 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 11.53 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 790,500 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— consumption: 80,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil — imports: NA bbl/day Oil — proved reserves: 15.2 billion bbl (2006 est.) Natural gas — production: 39.17 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 15.11 bil¬ lion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — exports: 24.06 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — imports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — proved reserves: 25.77 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $12.51 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $33.25 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: liquefied nat¬ ural gas (LNG), petroleum products, fer¬ tilizers, steel Exports — partners: Japan 36.9%, South Korea 19.4%, Singapore 8.2% (2005) Imports: $12.36 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) 513 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Imports — Commodities: machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals Imports — partners: France 11.4%, Japan 10.4%, US 10.3%, Germany 8.3%, Saudi Arabia 7.2%, UK 6.9%, Italy 6.5%, South Korea 5.5%, UAE 4-8% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $5,755 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $25.7 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid — recipient: $NA Currency (code): Qatari rial (QAR) Currency code: QAR Exchange rates: Qatari rials per US dollar— 3.64 (2006), 3.64 (2005), 3.64 (2004), 3.64 (2003), 3.64 (2002) Fiscal year: 1 April— 31 March COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 205,400 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 854,900 (2006) Telephone system: general assessment: modern system cen¬ tered in Doha domestic: NA international: country code — 974; tropos¬ pheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE; submarine cable to Bahrain and UAE; satellite earth stations — 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat Radio broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1998) Radios: 256,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus 3 repeaters) (2001) Televisions: 230,000 (1997) Internet country code: qa Internet hosts: 301 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000) Internet users: 219,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 5 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 2 914 to 1 ,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Heliports: 1 (2006) Pipelines: condensate 319 km; conden¬ sate/gas 209 km; gas 1,024 km; liquid petroleum gas 87 km; oil 844 km (2006) Roadways: total: 1,230 km paved: 1,107 km unpaved: 123 km (1999) Merchant marine: total: 23 ships (1000 GRT or over) 750,669 GRT/1,177,673 DWT by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 3, con¬ tainer 8, liquefied gas 2, petroleum tanker 7, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-oumed: 8 (Kuwait 7, US 1) registered in other countries: 4 (Honduras 1, Liberia 2, Panama 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Doha MILITARY Military branches: Qatari Amiri Land Force (QALF), Qatari Amiri Navy (QAN), Qatari Amiri Air Force (QAAF) (2007) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; land forces enlisted personnel are largely unprofessional foreign nationals (2005) Manpower available for military service: males age 18—49: 302,873 females age 18-49: 137,856 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18—49: 238,566 females age 18-49: 116,595 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18—49: 7,851 females age 18—49: 7,040 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 10% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: none Trafficking in persons: current situation: Qatar is a destination country for men and women from South and Southeast Asia who migrate willingly, but are sub¬ sequently trafficked into involuntary servitude as domestic workers and laborers; the problem of trafficking of foreign children as camel jockeys was thoroughly addressed by government action in 2005, but independent confir¬ mation of the problem’s complete elimi¬ nation is not yet available tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Qatar has made noticeable progress in rescuing and repatriating child camel jockeys, estab¬ lishing a shelter for abused domestic workers, and creating hotlines to register complaints; however, Qatar is placed on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide sufficient evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons in 2005, particularly with regard to labor exploitation 514 ROMANIA INTRODUCTION Background: The principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia — for centuries under the suzerainty of the Turkish Ottoman Empire — secured their autonomy in 1856; they united in 1859 and a few years later adopted the new name of Romania. The country gained recognition of its independence in 1878. It joined the Allied Powers in World War I and acquired new territories — most notably Transylvania — following the con¬ flict. In 1940, Romania allied with the Axis powers and participated in the 1941 German invasion of the USSR. Three years later, overrun by the Soviets, Romania signed an armistice. The post¬ war Soviet occupation led to the forma¬ tion of a Communist “people’s republic” in 1947 and the abdication of the king. The decades-long rule of dictator Nicolae CEAUSESCU, who took power in 1965, and his Securitate police state became increasingly oppressive and draconian through the 1980s. CEAUSESCU was overthrown and executed in late 1989. Former Communists dominated the gov¬ ernment until 1996 when they were swept from power. Romania joined NATO in 2004 and the EU in 2007. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southeastern Europe, bor¬ dering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Ukraine Geographic coordinates: 46 00 N, 25 00 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 237,500 sq km land: 230,340 sq km water: 7,160 sq km Area— comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon Land boundaries: total: 2,508 km border countries: Bulgaria 608 km, Hungary 443 km, Moldova 450 km, Serbia 476 km, Ukraine (north) 362 km, Ukraine (east) 169 km Coastline: 225 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation Climate: temperate; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow and fog; sunny sum¬ mers with frequent showers and thunder¬ storms Terrain: central Transylvanian Basin is separated from the Plain of Moldavia on the east by the Carpathian Mountains and separated from the Walachian Plain on the south by the Transylvanian Alps Elevation extremes: lowest point: Black Sea 0 m highest point: Moldoveanu 2,544 m Natural resources: petroleum (reserves declining), timber, natural gas, coal, iron ore, salt, arable land, hydropower Land use: arable land: 39.49% permanent crops: 1.92% other: 58.59% (2005) Irrigated land: 30,770 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: earthquakes, most severe in south and southwest; geologic structure and climate promote landslides Environment — current issues: soil ero¬ sion and degradation; water pollution; air pollution in south from industrial effluents; contamination of Danube delta wetlands Environment— international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution- Persistent Organic Pollutants, Antarctic- Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: controls most easily traversable land route between the Balkans, Moldova, and Ukraine PEOPLE Population: 22,276,056 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 15.6% (male 1,787,334/ female 1,696,270) 15-64 years: 69.6% (male 7,721,160/ female 7,793,063) 65 years and over: 14-7% (male 1,344,673/ female 1,933,556) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 36.9 years male: 35.5 years female: 38.2 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: -0.127% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 10.67 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 11.81 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -0.13 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.054 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.991 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.695 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 24-6 deaths/1,000 live births male: 27.71 deaths/1,000 live births female: 21.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.91 years male: 68.41 years female: 75.62 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.38 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS — people living with HIV/ AIDS: 6,500 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 350 (2001 est.) Nationality: noun: Romanian(s) adjective: Romanian Ethnic groups: Romanian 89.5%, Hungarian 6.6%, Roma 2.5%, Ukrainian 0.3%, German 0.3%, Russian 0.2%, Turkish 0.2%, other 0.4% (2002 census) Religions: Eastern Orthodox (including all sub-denominations) 86.8%, Pro¬ testant (various denominations in¬ cluding Reformate and Pentecostal) 7.5%, Roman Catholic 4.7%, other (mostly Muslim) and unspecified 0.9%, none 0.1% (2002 census) Languages: Romanian 91% (official), Hungarian 6.7%, Romany (Gypsy) 1.1%, other 1.2% Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.3% male: 98.4% female: 96.3% (2002 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Romania 515 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK local long form: none local short form: Romania Government type: republic Capital: name: Bucharest geographic coordinates: 44 26 N, 26 06 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 41 counties (judete, singular — judet) and 1 munici- pality* (municipiu); Alba, Arad, Arges, Bacau, Bihor, Bistrita-Nasaud, Botosani, Braila, Brasov, Bucuresti (Bucharest)*, Buzau, Calarasi, Caras-Severin, Cluj, Constanta, Covasna, Dimbovita, Dolj, Galati, Gorj, Giurgiu, Harghita, Hunedoara, Ialomita, Iasi, Ilfov, Maramures, Mehedinti, Mures, Neamt, Olt, Prahova, Salaj, Satu Mare, Sibiu, Suceava, Teleorman, Timis, Tulcea, Vaslui, Vilcea, Vrancea Independence: 9 May 1877 (independ- ence proclaimed from the Ottoman Empire; independence recognized 13 July 1878 by the Treaty of Berlin); 26 March 1881 (kingdom proclaimed); 30 December 1947 (republic proclaimed) National holiday: Unification Day (of Romania and Transylvania), 1 December (1918) Constitution: 8 December 1991; revision effective 29 October 2003 Legal system: former mixture of civil law system and communist legal theory; is now based on the constitution of France’s Fifth Republic Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Traian BASESCU (since 20 December 2004); note — President Traian BASESCU was suspended by vote of parliament on 19 April 2007, but resumed his duties on 23 May 2007 after a popular referendum confirmed that his impeachment should not stand head of government: Prime Minister Calin Popescu-TARICEANU (since 29 December 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 28 November 2004 with runoff between the top two candidates held 12 December 2004 (next to be held in November- December 2009); prime minister appointed by the president with the con¬ sent of the Parliament election results: percent of vote — Traian BASESCU 51.23%, Adrian NASTASE 48.77% Legislative branch: bicameral Parlia¬ ment or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat (137 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional repre¬ sentation basis to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camera Deputatilor (332 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate — last held 28 Novem¬ ber 2004 (next expected to be held in November 2008); Chamber of Deputies — last held 28 November 2004 (next expected to be held November 2008) election results: Senate — percent of vote by alliance/party — PSD-PUR 37.1%, PNL-PD 31.8%, PRM 13.6%, UDMR 6.2%, other 11.3%; seats by party — PSD 44, PNL 30, PD 20, PRM 20, PC 11, UDMR 10, independents 2; Chamber of Deputies — percent of vote by alliance/party — PSD-PUR 36.8%, PNL- PD 31.5%, PRM 13%, UDMR 6.2%, other 12.5%; seats by party — PSD 111, PNL 66, PD 45, PRM 34, UDMR 22, PC 20, ex-PPvM (Ciontu Group) 12, PIN (GUSA Group) 3, independent 1, ethnic minorities 18 Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (comprised of 11 judges appointed for three-year terms by the president in consultation with the Superior Council of Magistrates, which is comprised of the minister of justice, the prosecutor general, two civil society representatives appointed by the Senate, and 14 judges and prosecutors elected by their peers); a separate body, the Constitutional Court, validates elections and makes decisions regarding the con¬ stitutionality of laws, treaties, ordi¬ nances, and internal rules of the Parliament; it is comprised of nine mem¬ bers serving nine-year terms, with three members each appointed by the presi¬ dent, the Senate, and the Chamber of Deputies Political parties and leaders: Con¬ servative Party or PC [Dan VOI- CULESCU] (formerly Humanist Party or PUR); Democratic Party or PD [Emil BOC]; Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania or UDMR [Bela MARKO]; National Liberal Party or PNL [Calin Popescu-TARICEANU]; Romania Mare Party (Greater Romania Party) or PRM [Corneliu Vadim TUDOR); Social Democratic Party or PSD [Mircea Dan GEOANAj (formerly Party of Social Democracy in Romania or PDSR) Political pressure groups and leaders: various human rights and professional associations International organization participa¬ tion: ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ESA (cooperating state), EU (new member), FAO, G-9, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAI A (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PC A, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d’Affaires Daniela GITMAN chancery: 1607 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-4846, 4848, 4851, 4852 FAX: [1] (202) 232-4748 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Nicholas F. TAUBMAN embassy: Strada Tudor Arghezi 7-9, Bucharest mailing address: pouch: American Embassy Bucharest, US Department of State, 5260 Bucharest Place, Washington, DC 20521-5260 (pouch) telephone: [40] (21) 200-3300 FAX: [40] (21) 200-3442 information office: Cluj-Napoca Flag description: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; the national coat of arms that used to be centered in the yellow band has been removed; now similar to the flag of Chad, also resembles the flags of Andorra and Moldova Economy— overview: Romania began the transition from Communism in 1989 with a largely obsolete industrial base and a pattern of output unsuited to the country s needs. The country emerged in 2000 from a punishing three-year reces¬ sion thanks to strong demand in EU export markets. Despite the global slow¬ down in 2001-02, strong domestic activity m construction, agriculture, and consumption have kept GDP growth above 4%. However, macroeconomic gams have only recently started to spur creation of a middle class and address Romania s widespread poverty, while corruption and red tape continue to aan leap t ie business environment. Romanian government confidence in 516 ROMANIA continuing disinflation was underscored by its currency revaluation in 2005, making 10,000 “old” lei equal 1 “new” leu. The economy grew at 6.4% in 2006, the strongest growth in the last decade. Romania joined the European Union on 1 January 2007, and the IMF has praised the country’s recent reform efforts in preparation for EU accession. GDP (purchasing power parity): $202.2 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $80.11 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 7.7% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $9,100 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 10.1% industry: 34.7% services: 55.2% (2006 est.) Labor force: 9.33 million (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 31.6% industry: 30.7% services: 37.7% (2004) Unemployment rate: 6.1% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 25% (2005 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.4% highest 10%: 27.6% (2003) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 28.8 (2003) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.8% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 25% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $36.89 billion expenditures: $39.1 billion; including capital expenditures of $2.2 billion (2006 est.) Public debt: 21.4% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: wheat, com, barley, sugar beets, sunflower seed, pota¬ toes, grapes; eggs, sheep Industries: textiles and footwear, light machinery and auto assembly, mining, timber, construction materials, metal¬ lurgy, chemicals, food processing, petro¬ leum refining. Industrial production growth rate: 5.7% (2006 est.) Electricity — production: 54.53 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 62.5% hydro: 27.6% nuclear: 9.9% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 49.62 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 3.7 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — imports: 2.6 billion kWh (2004) Oil — production: 119,000 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil — consumption: 212,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil — imports: 163,000 bbl/day (2004) Oil — proved reserves: 500 million bbl (yearend 2004) Natural gas — production: 11.8 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 18 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — imports: 6.2 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 300 bil- lion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $12.45 bil lion (2006 est.) Exports: $33 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: textiles and footwear, metals and metal products, machinery and equipment, minerals and fuels, chemicals, agricultural products Exports — partners: Italy 19.4%, Germany 14%, Turkey 7.9%, France 7.4%, UK 5.5%, Hungary 4.1%, US 4.1% (2005) Imports: $46.48 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — Commodities: machinery and equipment, fuels and minerals, chemi¬ cals, textile and products, basic metals, agricultural products Imports — partners: Italy 15.5%, Germany 14%, Russia 8.3%, France 6.8%, Turkey 4.9%, China 4.1% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $27.88 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $42.76 billion (2006 est.) Currency (code): “new” leu (RON) was introduced in 2005; “old” leu (ROE) was phased out in 2006; note — because of currency revaluation, 10,000 ROE = 1 RON Currency code: ROL Exchange rates: lei per US dollar — 2.809 (2006), 3 (2005), 3 (2004), 3 (2003), 3 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS 0 Telephones— main lines in use: 4.391 million (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 13.354 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: rapidly improving domestic and international service, espe¬ cially in wireless telephony domestic: 90% of telephone network is automatic; liberalization in 2003 is trans¬ forming telecommunications; there has been 20% growth in fixed lines with a penetration rate of 58% of households; nation-wide wireless service is growing even faster with 4 major providers and a penetration rate of 32% international: country code — 40; satellite earth stations — 10; digital, international, direct-dial exchanges operate in Bucharest (2005) Radio broadcast stations: AM 40, FM 202, shortwave 3 (1998) Radios: 7.2 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 48 (plus 392 repeaters) (1995) Televisions: 5.25 million (1997) Internet country code: ro Internet hosts: 57,470 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 38 (2000) Internet users: 4.94 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 61 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 25 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 36 I, 524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 23 (2006) Heliports: 1 (2006) Pipelines: gas 3,508 km; oil 2,427 km (2006) Railways: total: 1 1,385 km standard gauge: 10,898 km 1.435-m gauge (3,888 km electrified) broad gauge: 60 km 1.524-m gauge narrow gauge: 427 km 0.760-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 198,817 km paved: 60,043 km (includes 228 km of expressways) unpaved: 138,774 km (2004) Waterways: 1,731 km note: includes 1,075 km on Danube River, 524 km on secondary branches, and 132 km on canals (2005) Merchant marine: total: 23 ships (1000 GRT or over) 198,767 GRT/246,732 DWT by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 15, pas¬ senger 1, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 1 foreign'owned: 1 (Italy 1) registered in other countries: 48 (Georgia II, North Korea 11, Malta 9, Panama 9, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Syria 3, unknown 4) (2006) Ports and terminals: Braila, Constanta, Galati, Tulcea 517 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Military branches: Land Forces, Naval Forces, Romanian Air Force (Fortele Aeriene Romane, FAR), Special Operations (2006) Military service age and obligation: all military inductees (including women) are volunteers who contract for an initial 5 -year term of service; subsequent volun¬ tary service contracts are for successive 3-year terms until the age of 36; min¬ imum age for voluntary military service is 18 (2006) Manpower available for military service: males age 20-49: 5,061,984 females age 20-49: 4,975,427 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 20-49: 3,932,579 females age 20—49: 4,076,288 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 172,093 females age 20-49: 165,547 (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of GDP: 2.47% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: the ICJ gave Ukraine until December 2006 to reply, and Romania until June 2007 to issue a rejoinder, in their dispute submitted in 2004 over Ukrainian-administered Zmiyinyy/Serpilor (Snake) Island and Black Sea maritime boundary delimita¬ tion; Romania also opposes Ukraine’s reopening of a navigation canal from the Danube border through Ukraine to the Black Sea Illicit drugs: major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin transiting the Balkan route and small amounts of Latin American cocaine bound for Western Europe; although not a significant finan¬ cial center, role as a narcotics conduit leaves it vulnerable to laundering, which occurs via the banking system, currency exchange houses, and casinos RUSSIA Ufitws csk#. Vofofiw* Saratov, Wrabarevel I INTRODUCTION Background: Founded in the 12th cen¬ tury, the Principality of Muscovy, was able to emerge from over 200 years of Mongol domination ( 1 3th— 1 5th cen¬ turies) and to gradually conquer and absorb surrounding principalities. In the early 17th century, a new Romanov Dynasty continued this policy of expan¬ sion across Siberia to the Pacific. Under PETER I (ruled 1682-1725), hegemony was extended to the Baltic Sea and the country was renamed the Russian Empire. During the 19th century, more territorial acquisitions were made in Europe and Asia. Defeat in the Russo- Japanese War of 1904-05 contributed to the Revolution of 1905, which resulted in the formation of a parliament and other reforms. Repeated devastating defeats of the Russian army in World War I led to widespread rioting in the major cities of the Russian Empire and to the overthrow in 1917 of the imperial household. The Communists under Vladimir LENIN seized power soon after and formed the USSR. The brutal rule of Iosif STALIN (1928-53) strengthened Communist rule and Russian dominance of the Soviet Union at a cost of tens of millions of lives. The Soviet economy and society stagnated in the following decades until General Secretary Mikhail GOR¬ BACHEV (1985—91) introduced glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restruc¬ turing) in an attempt to modernize Communism, but his initiatives inadver¬ tently released forces that by December 1991 splintered the USSR into Russia and 14 other independent republics. Since then, Russia has struggled in its efforts to build a democratic political system and market economy to replace the social, political, and economic controls of the Communist period. Wide some progress has been made on the economic front, and Russia’s management of its windfall oil wealth has improved its financial standing, recent years have seen a recen- tralization of power under Vladimir PUTIN and democratic institutions remain weak. Russia has severely disabled the Chechen rebel movement, although sporadic violence still occurs throughout the North Caucasus. GEOGRAPHY Location: Northern Asia (the area west of the Urals is considered part of Europe), bordering the Arctic Ocean, between Europe and the North Pacific Ocean Geographic coordinates: 60 00 N, 100 00 E Map references: Asia Area: total: 17,075,200 sq km land: 16,995,800 sq km water: 79,400 sq km Area — comparative: approximately 1.8 times the size of the US Land boundaries: total: 20,096.5 km border countries: Azerbaijan 284 km, Belarus 959 km, China (southeast) 3,605 km, China (south) 40 km, Estonia 294 km, Finland 1,340 km, Georgia 723 km, Kazakhstan 6,846 km, North Korea 19 km, Latvia 217 km, Lithuania (Kaliningrad Oblast) 280.5 km, Mongolia 3,485 km, Norway 196 km, Poland (Kaliningrad Oblast) 232 km, Ukraine 1,576 km Coastline: 37,653 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation Lmuugn numid continental u much of European Russia; subarctic it Siberia to tundra climate in the pola north; winters vary from cool alon; Black Sea coast to frigid in Siberia; sum mers vary from warm in the steppes tc cool along Arctic coast Terrain: broad plain with low hills wes ° Um S; Vast coniferous forest anc 518 RUSSIA tundra in Siberia; uplands and moun¬ tains along southern border regions Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m highest point: Gora El’brus 5,633 m Natural resources: wide natural resource base including major deposits of oil, natural gas, coal, and many strategic minerals, timber note: formidable obstacles of climate, ter¬ rain, and distance hinder exploitation of natural resources Land use: arable land: 7.17% permanent crops: 0.11% other: 92.72% (2005) Irrigated land: 46,000 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: permafrost over much of Siberia is a major impediment to development; volcanic activity in the Kuril Islands; volcanoes and earthquakes on the Kamchatka Peninsula; spring floods and summer/autumn forest fires throughout Siberia and parts of European Russia Environment— current issues: air pollu¬ tion from heavy industry, emissions of coal-fired electric plants, and transporta¬ tion in major cities; industrial, munic¬ ipal, and agricultural pollution of inland waterways and seacoasts; deforestation; soil erosion; soil contamination from improper application of agricultural chemicals; scattered areas of sometimes intense radioactive contamination; groundwater contamination from toxic waste; urban solid waste management; abandoned stocks of obsolete pesticides Environment— international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution- Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution- Sulfur 94 Geography — note: largest country in the world in terms of area but unfavorably located in relation to major sea lanes of the world; despite its size, much of the country lacks proper soils and climates (either too cold or too dry) for agriculture; Mount El’brus is Europe’s tallest peak PEOPLE Population: 141,377,752 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 14-6% (male 10,563,567/ female 10,021,316) 15-64 years: 71.1% (male 48,412,612/ female 52,061,604) 65 years and over: 14-4% (male 6,360,038/ female 13,958,615) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 38.2 years male: 35 years female: 41.3 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: -0.484% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 10.92 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 16.04 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0.28 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.054 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.456 male(s)/female total population: 0.859 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 11.06 deaths/1,000 live births male: 12.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 65.87 years male: 59.12 years female: 73.03 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.39 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 1.1% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 860,000 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 9,000 (2001 est.) Nationality: noun: Russian(s) adjective: Russian Ethnic groups: Russian 79.8%, Tatar 3.8%, Ukrainian 2%, Bashkir 1.2%, Chuvash 1.1%, other or unspecified 12.1% (2002 census) Religions: Russian Orthodox 15-20%, Muslim 10-15%, other Christian 2% (2006 est.) note: estimates are of practicing wor¬ shipers; Russia has large populations of non-practicing believers and non¬ believers, a legacy of over seven decades of Soviet rule Languages: Russian, many minority languages Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.4% male : 99.7% female: 99.2% (2002 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Russian Federation conventional short form: Russia local long form: Rossiyskaya Federatsiya local short form: Rossiya former: Russian Empire, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic Government type: federation Capital: name: Moscow geographic coordinates: 55 45 N, 37 35 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October note: Russia is divided into 1 1 time zones Administrative divisions: 48 oblasts (oblastey, singular — oblast), 21 republics (respublik, singular— respublika), 7 autonomous okrugs (avtonomnykh okrugov, singular — avtonomnyy okrug), 7 krays (krayev, singular — kray), 2 fed¬ eral cities (goroda, singular — gorod), and 1 autonomous oblast (avtonomnaya oblast’) oblasts: Amur (Blagoveshchensk), Arkhangel’sk, Astrakhan’, Belgorod, Bryansk, Chelyabinsk, Chita, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Kaliningrad, Kaluga, Kam¬ chatka (Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy), Kemerovo, Kirov, Kostroma, Kurgan, Kursk, Leningrad, Lipetsk, Magadan, Moscow, Murmansk, Nizhniy Novgorod, Novgorod, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Orenburg, Orel, Penza, Pskov, Rostov, Ryazan’, Sakhalin (Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk), Samara, Saratov, Smolensk, Sverdlovsk (Yekaterinburg), Tambov, Tomsk, Tula, Tver’, Tyumen’, Ulyanovsk, Vladimir, Volgograd, Vologda, Voronezh, Yaroslavl’ republics: Adygeya (Maykop), Altay (Gorno-Altaysk), Bashkortostan (Ufa), Buryatiya (Ulan-Ude), Chechnya (Groznyy), Chuvashiya (Cheboksary), Dagestan (Makhachkala), Ingushetiya (Magas), Kabardino-Balkariya (Nal’chik), Kalmykiya (Elista), Karachayevo- Cherkesiya (Cherkessk), Kareliya (Petrozavodsk), Khakasiya (Abakan), Komi (Syktyvkar), Mariy-El (Yoshkar- Ola), Mordoviya (Saransk), North Ossetia (Vladikavkaz), Sakha [Yakutiya] (Yakutsk), Tatarstan (Kazan’), Tyva (Kyzyl), Udmurtiya (Izhevsk) autonomous okrugs: Aga Buryat (Aginskoye), Chukotka (Anadyr’), Khanty-Mansi, Koryak (Palana), Nenets (Nar’yan-Mar), Ust’-Orda Buryat (Ust’- Ordynskiy), Yamalo-Nenets (Salekhard) krays: Altay (Barnaul), Khabarovsk, Krasnodar, Krasnoyarsk, Permskiy, Primorskiy (Vladivostok), Stavropol’ federal cities: Moscow (Moskva), Saint Petersburg (Sankt-Peterburg) autonomous oblast: Yevrey [Jewish] (Birobidzhan) 519 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative cen¬ ters (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses) Independence: 24 August 1991 (from Soviet Union) National holiday: Russia Day, 12 June (1990) Constitution: adopted 12 December 1993 Legal system: based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN (acting president 31 December 1999-6 May 2000, presi¬ dent since 7 May 2000) head of government: Premier Mikhail Yefimovich FRADKOV (since 5 March 2004); First Deputy Premiers Dmitriy Anatolyevich MEDVEDEV (since 14 November 2005) and Sergey Borisovich IVANOV (since 15 February 2007), Deputy Premier Aleksandr Dmitriyevich ZHUKOV (since 9 March 2004) cabinet: Ministries of the Government or “Government” composed of the premier and his deputies, ministers, and selected other individuals; all are appointed by the president note: there is also a Presidential Administration (PA) that provides staff and policy support to the president, drafts presidential decrees, and coordi¬ nates policy among government agen¬ cies; a Security Council also reports directly to the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 14 March 2004 (next to be held in March 2008); note — no vice president; if the president dies in office, cannot exercise his powers because of ill health, is impeached, or resigns, the premier serves as acting president until a new presiden¬ tial election is held, which must be within three months; premier appointed by the president with the approval of the Duma election results: Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN reelected president; percent of vote — Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN 71.2%, Nikolay KHARITONOV 13.7%, other (no candidate above 5%) 15.1% Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Assembly or Federalnoye Sobraniye con¬ sists of the Federation Council or Sovet Federatsii (178 seats; as of July 2000, members appointed by the top executive and legislative officials in each of the 88 federal administrative units — oblasts, krays, republics, autonomous okrugs and oblasts, and the federal cities of Moscow and Saint Petersburg; to serve four-year terms) and the State Duma or Gosudarstvennaya Duma (450 seats; as of 2007, all members elected by propor¬ tional representation from party lists winning at least 7% of the vote; mem¬ bers elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: State Duma — last held 7 December 2003 (next to be held in December 2007) election results: State Duma — percent of vote received by parties clearing the 5% threshold entitling them to a propor¬ tional share of the 225 party list seats — United Russia 37.1%, CPRF 12.7%, LDPR 11.6%, Motherland 9.1%, other 29.5%; total seats by party — United Russia 222, CPRF 53, LDPR 38, Motherland 37, People’s Party 19, Yabloko 4, SPS 2, other 7, independents 65, repeat election required 3; note — seats by party as of 1 July 2006 — United Russia 309, CPRF 45, LDPR 35, Motherland 29, People’s Party 12, inde¬ pendents 18, vacant 2 Judicial branch: Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Supreme Arbitration Court; judges for all courts are appointed for life by the Federation Council on the recommendation of the president Political parties and leaders: A Just Russia or JR [Sergey MIRONOV] (formed from the merger of three small political parties: Rodina (Motherland), Pensioners Party, and Party of Life); Communist Party of the Russian Federation or CPRF [Gennadiy Andreyevich ZYUGANOV]; Liberal Democratic Party of Russia or LDPR [Vladimir Volfovich ZHIRINOVSKIY]; People’s Party [Gennadiy GUDKOV]; Union of Right Forces or SPS [Nikita BELYKH]; United Russia or UR [Boris Vyacheslavovich GRYZLOV]; Yabloko Party [Grigoriy Alekseyevich YAVLIN- SKIY] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: APEC, Arctic Council, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS, BSEC, CBSS, CE, CERN (observer), CIS, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, G-8, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signa¬ tory), ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAI A (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), OIC (observer), ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, SCO, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer), ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Yuriy Viktorovich USHAKOV chancery: 2650 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 298-5700, 5701, 5704, 5708 FAX: [1] (202) 298-5735 consulate(s) general: Houston, New York, San Francisco, Seattle Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William J. BURNS embassy: Bolshoy Deviatinskiy Pereulok No. 8, 121099 Moscow mailing address: PSC-77, APO AE 09721 telephone: [7] (495) 728-5000 FAX: [7] (495) 728-5090 consulate(s) general: Saint Petersburg, Vladivostok, Yekaterinburg Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red ECONOMY Economy — overview: Russia ended 2006 with its eighth straight year of growth, averaging 6.7% annually since the financial crisis of 1998. Adthough high oil prices and a relatively cheap ruble initially drove this growth, since 2003 consumer demand and, more recently, investment have played a sig¬ nificant role. Over the last five years, fixed capital investments have averaged real gains greater than 10% per year and personal incomes have achieved real gains more than 12% per year. During this time, poverty has declined steadily and the middle class has continued to expand. Russia has also improved its international financial position since the 1998 financial crisis. The federal budget has run surpluses since 2001 and ended 2006 with a surplus of 9% of GDP. Over the past several years, Russia has used its stabilization fund based on oil taxes to Paris Club creditors and the IMF. Foreign debt has decreased to 39% of GDP, mainly due to decreasing state debt! although commercial debt to foreigners as risen strongly. Oil export earnings have allowed Russia to increase its for¬ eign reserves from $12 billion in 1999 to some $315 billion at yearend 2006, the third largest reserves in the world. During PUTIN’S first administration, a number of important reforms were imple¬ mented m the areas of tax, banking, labor, and land codes. These achieve¬ ments ave raised business and investor 520 RUSSIA confidence in Russia’s economic prospects, with foreign direct investment rising from $14.6 billion in 2005 to an estimated $30 billion in 2006. In 2006, Russia’s GDP grew 6.6%, while inflation was below 10% for the first time in the past 10 years. Growth was driven by non- tradable services and goods for the domestic market, as opposed to oil or mineral extraction and exports. Russia has signed a bilateral market access agreement with the US as a prelude to possible WTO entry, and its companies are involved in global merger and acqui¬ sition activity in the oil and gas, metals, and telecom sectors. Despite Russia’s recent success, serious problems persist. Oil, natural gas, metals, and timber account for more than 80% of exports and 32% of government revenues, leaving the country vulnerable to swings in world commodity prices. Russia’s man¬ ufacturing base is dilapidated and must be replaced or modernized if the country is to achieve broad-based economic growth. A 20% appreciation of the ruble over 2005-06 has made attracting addi¬ tional investment more difficult. The banking system, while increasing con¬ sumer lending and growing at a high rate, is still small relative to the banking sectors of Russia’s emerging market peers. Political uncertainties ahead of the elec¬ tions, corruption, and widespread lack of trust in institutions continue to dampen domestic and foreign investor sentiment. From 2002 to 2005, the government bureaucracy increased by 17% — 10.9% in 2005 alone. President PUTIN has granted more influence to forces within his government that desire to reassert state control over the economy. Russia has made little progress in building the rule of law, the bedrock of a modern market economy. The government has promised additional legislation to make its intellectual property protection WTO-consistent, but enforcement remains problematic. GDP (purchasing power parity): $1,746 trillion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $733.6 billion (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 6.7% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $12,200 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 5.3% industry: 36.6% services: 58.2% (2006 est.) Labor force: 73.88 million (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 10.8% industry: 29.1% services: 60.1% (2005 est.) Unemployment rate: 6.6% plus consid¬ erable underemployment (2006 est.) Population below poverty 'ine: 17.8% (2004 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.7% highest 10%: 38.7% (1998) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 40.5 (2005) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9.8% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 18.2% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $222.2 billion expenditures: $157.3 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 8% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, vegetables, fruits; beef, milk Industries: complete range of mining and extractive industries producing coal, oil, gas, chemicals, and metals; all forms of machine building from rolling mills to high-performance aircraft and space vehicles; defense industries including radar, missile production, and advanced electronic components, shipbuilding; road and rail transportation equipment; communications equipment; agricultural machinery, tractors, and construction equipment; electric power generating and transmitting equipment; medical and scientific instruments; consumer durables, textiles, foodstuffs, handicrafts Industrial production growth rate: 4.8% (2006 est.) Electricity — production: 952.4 billion kWh (2005) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 66.3% hydro: 17.2% nuclear: 16.4% other: 0.1% (2003) Electricity — consumption: 940 billion kWh (2005) Electricity — exports: 22.3 billion kWh (2005) Electricity — imports: 9.9 billion kWh (2005) Oil — production: 9.4 million bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil — Consumption: 2.5 million bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil — exports: 7 million bbl/day (2005) Oil — imports: 100,000 bbl/day (2005) Oil — proved reserves: 74 4 billion bbl (2005 est.) Natural gas — production: 641 billion cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 445.1 bil¬ lion cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas — exports: 216.8 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — imports: 36.6 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 47.57 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $105.3 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $317.6 billion (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: petroleum and petroleum products, natural gas, wood and wood products, metals, chemicals, and a wide variety of civilian and mili ¬ tary manufactures Exports— partners: Netherlands 10.3%, Germany 8.3%, Italy 7.9%, China 5.5%, Ukraine 5.2%, Turkey 4-5%, Switzerland 4.4% (2005) Imports: $171.5 billion (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: machinery and equipment, consumer goods, medicines, meat, sugar, semifinished metal products Imports— partners: Germany 13.6%, Ukraine 8%, China 7.4%, Japan 6%, Belarus 4.7%, US 4.7%, Italy 4.6%;, South Korea 4-1% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $314.5 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $287.4 billion (30 June 2006 est.) Economic aid — recipient: in FY01 from US, $979 million (including $750 mil¬ lion in non-proliferation subsidies); in 2001 from EU, $200 million (2000 est.) Currency (code): Russian ruble (RUR) Currency code: RUR Exchange rates: Russian rubles per US dollar— 27.2 (2006), 28.284 (2005), 28.814 (2004), 30.692 (2003), 31.349 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 40.1 million (2005) Telephones — mobile cellular: 120 mil¬ lion (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: the telephone system is experiencing significant changes; there are more than 1,000 companies licensed to offer communication services; access, to digital lines has improved, particularly in urban centers; Internet and e-mail services are improving; Russia has made? progress toward building the telecommu¬ nications infrastructure necessary for ai market economy; the estimated number of mobile subscribers jumped from fewer than 1 million in 1998 to 120 million in 2005; a large demand for main line service: remains unsatisfied, but fixed-line opera ¬ tors continue to grow their services domestic: cross-country digital trunk lines, run from Saint Petersburg to Kha¬ barovsk, and from Moscow to Novo¬ rossiysk; the telephone systems in 60 521 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK regional capitals have modern digital infrastructures; cellular services, both analog and digital, are available in many areas; in rural areas, the telephone serv- ices are still outdated, inadequate, and low density international: country code — 7; Russia is connected internationally by 3 undersea fiber-optic cables; digital switches in sev¬ eral cities provide more than 50,000 lines for international calls; satellite earth stations provide access to Intelsat, Lntersputnik, Eutelsat, Inmarsat, and Orbita systems Radio broadcast stations: AM 323, FM 1 ,500 est., shortwave 62 (2004) Radios: 61.5 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 7,306 (1998) Televisions: 60.5 million (1997) Internet country code: ru; note— Russia also has responsibility for a legacy domain “.su” that was allocated to the .Soviet Union, and whose legal status and ownership are contested by the Russian Government, ICANN, and several Russian commercial entities Internet hosts: 1.98 million (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 300 (June 2000) Internet users: 23.7 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 1,623 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 616 over 3,047 m: 51 2,438 to 3,047 m: 198 1,524 to 2,437 m: 130 914 to 1,523 m: 100 under 914 m: 137 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 1,007 over 3,047 m: 9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 16 1,524 to 2,437 m: 75 914 to 1,523 m: 127 under 914 m: 780 (2006) Heliports: 52 (2006) Pipelines: condensate 122 km; gas 156,285 km; oil 72,283 km; refined prod¬ ucts 13,658 km (2006) Railways: total: 87,157 km broad gauge: 86,200 km 1.520-m gauge {40,300 km electrified) narrow gauge: 957 km 1.067-m gauge (on .Sakhalin Island) note: an additional 30,000 km of non¬ common carrier lines serve industries 1(2005) Roadways: \ total: 871,000 km paved: 738,000 km (includes 29,000 km of expressways) unpaved: 133,000 km note: includes public and departmental roads (2004) Waterways: 102,000 km (including 33,000 km with guaranteed depth) note: 72,000 km system in European Russia links Baltic Sea, White Sea, Caspian Sea, Sea of Azov, and Black Sea (2005) Merchant marine: total: 1,178 ships (1000 GRT or over) 5,080,341 GRT/6,287,784 DWT by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 46, cargo 743, chemical tanker 25, combina¬ tion ore/oil 38, container 13, passenger 12, passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 219, refrigerated cargo 54, roll on/roll off 15, specialized tanker 5 foreign-owned: 100 (Belgium 4, Canada 1, Cyprus 2, Estonia 1, Germany 2, Greece 1, Latvia 2, Malta 4, Norway 1, Switzerland 7, Turkey 63, Ukraine 11, US 1) registered in other countries: 465 (Antigua and Barbuda 6, Bahamas 6, Belize 36, Bulgaria 1, Cambodia 105, Comoros 4, Cyprus 53, Dominica 2, Finland 1, Georgia 28, North Korea 1, Liberia 77, Malta 70, Marshall Islands 1, Mongolia 13, Panama 7, Saint Kitts and Nevis 5, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 29, Sierra Leone 1, Tuvalu 2, Ukraine 1, Vanuatu 1, Venezuela 1, unknown 14) (2006) Ports and terminals: Anapa, Kaliningrad, Murmansk, Nakhodka, Novorossiysk, Rostov-na-Donu, Saint Petersburg, Taganrog, Vanino, Vostochnyy Military branches: Ground Forces (SV), Navy (VMF), Air Forces (VVS); Airborne Troops (VDV), Strategic Rocket Troops (RVSN), and Sp ace Troops (KV) are independent “combat arms,” not subordinate to any of the three branches; Russian Ground Forces include the following combat arms: motorized-rifle troops, tank troops, mis¬ sile and artillery troops, air defense of ground troops (2007) Military service age and obligation: 18—27 years of age; males are registered for the draft at 17 years of age; length of compulsory military service is 2 years; plans call for reduction in mandatory service to 18 months in 2007 and to 1 year by 2008; Russia has adopted a mixed conscript-contract force; 30% of Russian army personnel were contract ser¬ vicemen at the end of 2005; planning calls for volunteer servicemen to com¬ pose 70% of armed forces by 2010 with the remaining servicemen consisting of conscripts; as of November 2006, the Armed Forces had more than 60 units manned with contract personnel totaling over 78,000 contract privates and ser¬ geants; 88 Ministry of Defense units have been designated as permanent readiness units and are expected to become all-vol¬ unteer by the end of 2007; these include most air force, naval, and nuclear arms units, as well as all airborne and naval infantry units, most motorized rifle brigades, and all special forces detach¬ ments; all personel on ships and sub¬ marines will be contract servicemen only beginning at the end of 2007; more than 92,000 females serve on active duty with the Pvussian Armed Forces (2007) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 35,247,049 females age 7 8 — 49 : 35,986,42 6 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 21,049,651 females age 18^49: 29,056,021 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 1,286,069 females age 18-49: 1,244,264 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: NA TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: China and Russia have demarcated the once dis¬ puted islands at the Amur and Ussuri confluence and in the Argun River in accordance with the 2004 Agreement, ending their centuries-long border dis¬ putes; the sovereignty dispute over the islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan, and the Habomai group, known in Japan as the “Northern Territories” and in Russia as the “Southern Kurils,” occu¬ pied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by Russia, and claimed by Japan, remains the primary sticking point to signing a peace treaty formally ending World War II hostilities; Russia small, strategic segments of the land boundary and the maritime boundary; OSCE obseivers monitor volatile areas such as the Pankisi Gorge in the Akhmeti region and the Kodori Gorge in Abkhazia; Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia signed equidistance boundaries in the Caspian seabed but the littoral states have no consensus on dividing the water column; Russia and Norway dispute their maritime limits in the Barents Sea and Russia’s fishing rights beyond Svalbard’s territorial limits within the Svalbard Treaty zone; various groups in Finland advocate restoration of Karelia (Karehya) and other areas ceded to the Sov.et Union following the Second 1522 RWANDA World War but the Finnish Government asserts no territorial demands; in May 2005, Russia recalled its signatures to the 1996 border agreements with Estonia (1996) and Latvia (1997), when the two Baltic states announced issuance of uni¬ lateral declarations referencing Soviet occupation and ensuing territorial losses; Russia demands better treatment of ethnic Russians in Estonia and Latvia; Estonian citizen groups continue to press for realignment of the boundary based on the 1920 Tartu Peace Treaty that would bring the now divided ethnic Setu people and parts of the Narva region within Estonia; Lithuania and Russia committed to demarcating their boundary in 2006 in accordance with the land and maritime treaty ratified by Russia in May 2003 and by Lithuania in 1999; Lithuania operates a simplified transit regime for Russian nationals trav¬ eling from the Kaliningrad coastal exclave into Russia, while still con¬ forming, as an EU member state with an EU external border, where strict Schengen border rules apply; prepara¬ tions for the demarcation delimitation of land boundary with Ukraine have com¬ menced; the dispute over the boundary between Russia and Ukraine through the Kerch Strait and Sea of Azov remains unresolved despite a December 2003 framework agreement and on-going expert-level discussions; Kazakhstan and Russia boundary delimitation was rati¬ fied on November 2005 and field demar¬ cation should commence in 2007; Prussian Duma has not yet ratified 1990 Bering Sea Maritime Boundary Agreement with the US Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: IDPs: 25,000-180,000 (displace¬ ment from Chechnya and North Ossetia) (2006) Trafficking in persons: current situation Russia is a source, transit, and destina¬ tion country for men, women, and chil¬ dren trafficked for various purposes; it remains a significant source of women trafficked to over 50 countries for com¬ mercial sexual exploitation; Russia is also a transit and destination country for men and women trafficked from Central Asia, Eastern Europe, and North Korea to Central and Western Europe and the Middle East for purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation; internal traf¬ ficking remains a problem in Russia with women trafficked from rural areas to urban centers for commercial sexual exploitation, and men trafficked inter¬ nally and from Central Asia for forced labor in the construction and agricultural industries; debt bondage is common among trafficking victims, and child sex tourism remains a concern tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Russia is placed on the Tier 2 Watch List for a third consecutive year for its continued failure to show evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking, particularly in the area of victim protection and assistance Illicit drugs: limited cultivation of illicit cannabis and opium poppy and producer of methamphetamine, mostly for domestic consumption; government has active illicit crop eradication program; used as transshipment point for Asian opiates, cannabis, and Latin American cocaine bound for growing domestic markets, to a lesser extent Western and Central Europe, and occasionally to the US; major source of heroin precursor chemicals; corruption and organized crime are key concerns; major consumer of opiates RWANDA INTRODUCTION Background: In 1959, three years before independence from Belgium, the majority ethnic group, the Hutus, over¬ threw the ruling Tutsi king. Over the next several years, thousands of Tutsis were killed, and some 150,000 driven into exile in neighboring countries. The children of these exiles later formed a rebel group, the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), and began a civil war in 1990. The war, along with several polit¬ ical and economic upheavals, exacer¬ bated ethnic tensions, culminating in April 1994 in the genocide of roughly 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Fiutus. The Tutsi rebels defeated the Hutu regime and ended the killing in July 1994, but approximately 2 million Hutu refugees — many fearing Tutsi retribu¬ tion — fled to neighboring Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda, and the former Zaire. Since then, most of the refugees have returned to Rwanda, but several thou¬ sand remained in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo (the former Zaire) and formed an extremist insurgency bent on retaking Rwanda, much as the RPF tried in 1990. Despite substantial international assistance and political reforms — including Rwanda’s first local elections in March 1999 and its first post-genocide presidential and legislative elections in August and September 2003 — the country con¬ tinues to struggle to boost investment and agricultural output, and ethnic rec¬ onciliation is complicated by the real and perceived Tutsi political domi¬ nance. Kigali’s increasing centralization and intolerance of dissent, the nagging Hutu extremist insurgency across the border, and Rwandan involvement in two wars in recent years in the neigh¬ boring Democratic Republic of the Congo continue to hinder Rwanda’s efforts to escape its bloody legacy. GEOGRAPHY Location: Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo Geographic coordinates: 2 00 S, 30 00 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 26,338 sq km land: 24,948 sq km water: 1,390 sq km Area — comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland Land boundaries: total: 893 km border countries: Burundi 290 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 217 km, Tanzania 217 km, Uganda 169 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime Claims: none (landlocked) Climate: temperate; two rainy seasons (February to April, November to January); mild in mountains with frost and snow possible Terrain: mostly grassy uplands and hills; relief is mountainous with altitude declining from west to east Elevation extremes: lowest point: Rusizi River 950 m highest point: Volcan Karisimbi 4,519 m Natural resources: gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore), methane, hydropower, arable land 523 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Land use: arable land: 45.56% permanent crops: 10.25% other: 44-19% (2005) Irrigated land: 90 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: periodic droughts; the volcanic Viruriga mountains are in the northwest along the border with Democratic Republic of the Congo Environment — current issues: deforesta- tion results from uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel; overgrazing; soil exhaus- tion; soil erosion; widespread poaching Environment — international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea Geography — note: landlocked; most of the country is savanna grassland with the population predominantly rural People Population: 9,907,509 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mor¬ tality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the dis¬ tribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 41.9% (male 2,082,474/ female 2,065,251) 15-64 years: 55.7% (male 2,748,189/ female 2,765,767) 65 years and over: 2.5% (male 98,796/ female 147,032) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 18.6 years male: 18.4 years female: 18.8 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.766% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 40.16 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 14.91 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 2.41 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.008 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.994 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.672 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 85.27 deaths/1,000 live births male: 90.41 deaths/1,000 live births female: 79.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 48.99 years male: 47.87 years female: 50.16 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 5.37 children bom/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 5.1% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 250,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 22,000 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diar¬ rhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorbome disease: malaria (2007) Nationality: noun: Rwandan(s) adjective: Rwandan Ethnic groups: Hutu (Bantu) 84%, Tutsi (Hamitic) 15%, Twa (Pygmy) 1% Religions: Roman Catholic 56.5%, Protestant 26%, Adventist 11.1%, Muslim 4-6%, indigenous beliefs 0.1%, none 1.7% (2001) Languages: Kinyarwanda (official) uni¬ versal Bantu vernacular, Prench (offi¬ cial), English (official), Kiswahili (Swahili) used in commercial centers Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 70.4% male: 76.3% female: 64.7% (2003 est.) People — -note: Rwanda is the most densely populated country in Africa GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Rwanda conventional short form: Rwanda local long form: Republika y’u Rwanda local short form: Rwanda former: Ruanda, German East Africa Government type: republic; presidential, multiparty system Capital: name: Kigali geographic coordinates: 1 57 S, 30 04 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 5 provinces (in French — provinces, singular — province; in Kinyarwanda — prefigintara for singular and plural); East, Kigali, North, South, West Independence: l July 1962 (from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship) National holiday: Independence Day, 1 July (1962) Constitution: new constitution passed by referendum 26 May 2003 Legal system: based on German and Belgian civil law systems and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Paul KAGAME (since 22 April 2000) head of government: Prime Minister Bernard MAKUZA (since 8 March 2000) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: President elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term); elections last held 25 August 2003 (next to be held in 2010) election results: Paul KAGAME elected president in first direct popular vote; Paul KAGAME 95.05%, Faustin TWA- GIRAMUNGU 3.62%, Jean-Nepo- muscene NAYINZIRA 1.33% Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of Senate (26 seats; 12 members elected by local councils, 8 appointed by the president, 4 by the Political Organizations Forum, 2 represent institu¬ tions of higher learning; to serve eight- year terms) and Chamber of Deputies (80 seats; 53 members elected by popular vote, 24 women elected by local bodies, 3 selected by youth and disability organiza¬ tions; to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate — members appointed as part of the transitional government (next to be held in 2011); Chamber of Deputies — last held 29 September 2003 (next to be held in 2008) election results: seats by party under the 2003 Constitution— RPF 40, PSD 7, PL 6, additional 27 members indirectly elected Judicial branch: Supreme Court; High Courts of the Republic; Provincial Courts; District Courts; mediation com¬ mittees Democratic Party or PDC [Alfred MUKEZAMFURA]; Democratic Pop¬ ular Union of Rwanda or UDPR [Adrien RANGIRA]; Democratic Republican Movement or MDR [Celestin KABANDA] (officially banned); Islamic Democratic Party or PDI [Andre BUMAYA]; Liberal Party or PL [Prosper H1GIRO]; Party for Democratic Renewal (officially banned); Rwandan Patriotic Front or RPF [Paul KAGAME]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Vincent BIRUTA] Political pressure groups and leaders: IBUKA association of genocide sur¬ vivors International organization participa- comfs5TUCP’ a®8, AU’ cefgl, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, 524 RWANDA ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UN WTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFlo' WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Zac NSENGA chancery: 1714 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 232-2882 FAX: [1] (202) 232-4544 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael ARIETTI embassy: 337 Boulevard de la Revolu¬ tion, Kigali mailing address: B. P. 28, Kigali telephone: [250] 50 56 01 through 03 FAX: [250] 57 2128 Flag description: three horizontal bands of sky blue (top, double width), yellow, and green, with a golden sun with 24 rays near the fly end of the blue band ECONOMY Economy — overview: Rwanda is a poor rural country with about 90% of the pop¬ ulation engaged in (mainly subsistence) agriculture. It is the most densely popu¬ lated country in Africa and is landlocked with few natural resources and minimal industry. Primary foreign exchange earners are coffee and tea. The 1994 genocide decimated Rwanda’s fragile economic base, severely impoverished the population, particularly women, and eroded the country’s ability to attract pri¬ vate and external investment. However, Rwanda has made substantial progress in stabilizing and rehabilitating its economy to pre-1994 levels, although poverty levels are higher now. GDP has rebounded and inflation has been curbed. Despite Rwanda’s fertile ecosystem, food production often does not keep pace with population growth, requiring food imports. Rwanda con¬ tinues to receive substantial aid money and obtained IMF-World Bank Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) initia¬ tive debt relief in 2005-06. Rwanda also received Millennium Challenge Account Threshold status in 2006. Kigali’s high defense expenditures have caused tension between the government and international donors and lending agencies. Energy shortages, instability in neighboring states, and lack of adequate transportation linkages to other coun¬ tries continue to handicap growth. GDP (purchasing power parity): $13.7 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $1,968 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 5.8% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $1,600 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 39.4% industry: 23.3% services: 37.3% (2006 est.) Labor force: 4.6 million (2000) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 90% industry and services: 10% Unemployment rate: NA% Population below poverty line: 60% (2001 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.2% highest 10%: 24.2% (1985) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 28.9 (1985) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.7% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 19.8% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $560.9 million expenditures: $654 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: coffee, tea, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums), bananas, beans, sorghum, potatoes; livestock Industries: cement, agricultural prod¬ ucts, small-scale beverages, soap, furni¬ ture, shoes, plastic goods, textiles, cigarettes Industrial production growth rate: 7% (2001 est.) Electricity— production: 93 million kWh (2004) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 2.3% hydro: 97.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 196.5 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 10 million kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 120 million kWh (2004) Oil — production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 5,400 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: NA bbl/day Oil — imports: NA bbl/day Oil — proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2002) Natural gas — production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 56.63 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $104.1 mil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $135.4 million f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: coffee, tea, hides, tin ore Exports— partners: Germany 11%, China 6.5%, Belgium 4-5% (2005) Imports: $390.4 million f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, steel, petro¬ leum products, cement and construction material Imports— partners: Kenya 18.9%, Uganda 6.6%, Belgium 5.8%, Germany 5.6%, Israel 4.3% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $422.8 million (2006 est.) Debt— external: $1.4 billion (2004 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $425 million (2003) Currency (code): Rwandan franc (RWF) Currency code: RWF Exchange rates: Rwandan francs per US dollar— 560 (2006), 610 (2005), 574.62 (2004), 537.66 (2003), 476.33 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 23,000 (2004) Telephones — mobile cellular: 290,000 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: telephone system pri¬ marily serves business and government domestic: the capital, Kigali, is connected to the centers of the provinces by microwave radio relay and, recently, by cellular telephone service; much of the network depends on wire and HF radiotelephone international: country code — 250; inter¬ national connections employ microwave radio relay to neighboring countries and satellite communications to more distant countries; satellite earth stations — 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) in Kigali (includes telex and telefax service) Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 8 (two main FM programs are broadcast through a system of repeaters, three international FM programs include the BBC, VOA, and Deutchewelle), short¬ wave 1 (2005) Radios: 601,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 2 (2004) Televisions: NA; probably less than 1,000 (1997) Internet country code: rw Internet hosts: 1,590 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2002) 525 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Internet users: 38,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 9 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 3 (2006) Roadways: total: 14,008 km paved: 2,662 km unpaved: 11,346 km (2004) Waterways: Lac Kivu navigable by shallow-draft barges and native craft (2005) Ports and terminals: Cyangugu, Gisenyi, Kibuye MILITARY Military branches: Rwandan Defense Forces: Army, Air Force Military service age and obligation: 16 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 16—49: 2,004,750 females age 16-49: 1,990,935 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16—49: 1,103,823 females age 16-49: 1,096,644 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 2.9% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: fighting among ethnic groups — loosely associated political rebels, armed gangs, and various government forces in Great Lakes region transcending the boundaries of Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda — abated substan¬ tially from a decade ago due largely to UN peacekeeping, international media¬ tion, and efforts by local governments to create civil societies; nonetheless, 57,000 Rwandan refugees still reside in 21 African states, including Zambia, Gabon, and 20,000 who fled to Burundi in 2005 and 2006 to escape drought and recrimi¬ nations from traditional courts investi¬ gating the 1994 massacres; the 2005 DROC and Rwanda border verification mechanism to stem rebel actions on both sides of the border remains in place Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: refugees (country of origin): 41,403 (Democratic Republic of the Congo), 4,400 (Burundi) (2006) 526 1 H Of. rJWBFIfl JAMESTOWN ™ - 20, SOUTH ATI ANTIC OCEAN TRISTAN OA \ maummu! ISLANDS CUNHA j euytm* i KtsOunfm j 4 *30 -4- INTRODUCTION Background: Saint Helena is a British Overseas Territory consisting of Saint Helena and Ascension Islands, and the island group of Tristan da Cunha. Saint Helena: Uninhabited when first discovered by the Portuguese in 1502, Saint Helena was garrisoned by the British during the 17th century. It acquired fame as the place of Napoleon BONAPARTE’s exile, from 1815 until his death in 1821, but its importance as a port of call declined after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. During the Anglo-Boer War in South Africa, several thousand Boer prisoners were confined on the island between 1900 and 1903. Ascension Island: This barren and unin¬ habited island was discovered and named by the Portuguese in 1503. The British garrisoned the island in 1815 to prevent a rescue of Napoleon from Saint Helena and it served as a provisioning station for the Royal Navy’s West Africa Squadron on anti-slavery patrol. The island remained under Admiralty control until 1922, when it became a dependency of Saint Helena. During World War II, the UK permitted the US to construct an airfield on Ascension in support of trans- Atlantic flights to Africa and anti-sub¬ marine operations in the South Atlantic. In the 1960s the island became an important space tracking station for the US. In 1982, Ascension was an essential staging area for British forces during the Falklands War, and it remains a critical refueling point in the air-bridge from the UK to the South Atlantic. Tristan da Cunha: The island group con¬ sists of the islands of Tristan da Cunha, Nightingale, Inaccessible, and Gough. Tristan da Cunha is named after its Portuguese discoverer (1506); it was gar¬ risoned by the British in 1816 to prevent any attempt to rescue Napoleon from Saint Helena. Gough and Inaccessible Islands have been designated World Heritage Sites. South Africa leases a site for a meteorological station on Gough Island. GEOGRAPHY Location: islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about midway between South America and Africa; Ascension Island lies 700 nm northwest of Saint Helena; Tristan da Cunha lies 2300 nm southwest of Saint Helena Geographic coordinates: Saint Helena: 15 57 S, 5 42 W Ascension Island: 7 57 S, 14 22 W Tristan da Cunha island group: 37 15 S, 12 30 W Map references: Africa Area: total: 413 sq km land: Saint Helena Island 122 sq km; Ascension Island 90 sq km; Tristan da Cunha island group 201 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: Saint Helena: 60 km Ascension Island: NA Tristan da Cunha: 40 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm Climate: Saint Helena: tropical marine; mild, tem¬ pered by trade winds Ascension Island: tropical marine; mild, semi-arid Tristan da Cunha: temperate marine; mild, tempered by trade winds (tends to be cooler than Saint Helena) Terrain: the islands of this group result from volcanic activity associated with the Atlantic Mid-Ocean Ridge Saint Helena: rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains Ascension: surface covered by lava flows and cinder cones of 44 dormant volca¬ noes; ground rises to the east Tristan da Cunha: sheer cliffs line the coastline of the nearly circular island; the flanks of the central volcanic peak are deeply dissected; narrow coastal plain lies between The Peak and the coastal cliffs Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Queen Mary’s Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,062 m; Green Mountain on Ascension Island 859 m; Mount Actaeon on Saint Helena Island 818 m Natural resources: fish, lobster Land use: arable land: 12.9% permanent crops: 0% other: 87.1% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha, last eruption in 1961 Environment — current issues: NA Geography — note: Saint Helena harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere else in the world; Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles and sooty terns; Queen Mary’s Peak on Tristan da Cunha is the highest island mountain in the South Atlantic and a prominent landmark on the sea lanes around southern Africa PEOPLE Population: 7,543 note: only Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha islands are inhabited (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 18.7% (male 716/female 691) 15-64 years: 71.1% (male 2,755/female 2,608) 65 years and over: 10.2% (male 358/ female 415) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 36.5 years male: 36.7 years female: 36.3 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.53% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 11.93 births/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 6.63 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.036 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.056 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.863 male(s)/female total population: 1.031 male(s)/female (2007 est.) 527 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Infant mortality rate: total: 17.67 deaths/1,000 live births male: 21.19 deaths/ 1,000 live births female: 13.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.09 years male: 75.19 years female: 81.15 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.55 children bom/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Saint Helenian(s) adjective: Saint Helenian note: referred to locally as “Saints” Ethnic groups: African descent 50%, white 25%, Chinese 25% Religions: Anglican (majority), Baptist, Seventh'Day Adventist, Roman Catholic Languages: English Literacy: definition: age 20 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 97% female: 98% (1987 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Helena Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK Government type: NA Capital: name: Jamestown geographic coordinates: 15 56 S, 5 44 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 1 administra¬ tive area and 2 dependencies*; Ascen¬ sion*, Saint Helena, Tristan da Cunha* Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK) National holiday: Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926) Constitution: 1 January 1989 Legal system: English common law and statutes, supplemented by local statutes Suffrage: NA years of age Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Governor and Commander in Chief Michael CLANCY (since 15 October 2004) cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, three ex-officio officers, and five elected members of the Legislative Council elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor is appointed by the monarch Legislative branch: unicameral Legis¬ lative Council (16 seats, including the speaker, three ex officio and 12 elected members; members are elected by pop¬ ular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 31 August 2005 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote — NA; seats — independents 12 Judicial branch: Magistrate’s Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal Political parties and leaders: none Political pressure groups and leaders: none International organization participa¬ tion: UPU Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the UK) Flag description: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Saint Helenian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield features a rocky coastline and three- masted sailing ship ECONOMY Economy— overview: The economy depends largely on financial assistance from the UK, which will amount to about $27 million in FY06/07 or almost 70% of annual budgetary revenues. The local population earns income from fishing, raising livestock, and sales of handicrafts. Because there are few jobs, 25% of the work force has left to seek employment on Ascension Island, on the Falklands, and in the UK. GDP (purchasing power parity): $18 million (1998 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): NA GDP— real growth rate: NA% GDP— per capita (PPP): $2,500 (1998 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% Labor force: 2,486 note: 1,200 work offshore (1998 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 6% industry: 48% services: 46% (1987 est.) Unemployment rate: 14% (1998 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3 2% (1997 est.) Budget: revenues: $12.07 million expenditures: $29.64 million; including capital expenditures of $NA note: revenue data reflect locally raised revenues only; the budget deficit is resolved by grant aid from the United Kingdom (FY92/93) Agriculture — products: coffee, corn, potatoes, vegetables; timber; fish, lobster (on Tristan da Cunha); livestock Industries: construction, crafts (furni¬ ture, lacework, fancy woodwork), fishing, philatelic sales Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity — production: 7 million kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 6.51 million kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 100 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Exports: $19 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) Exports — Commodities: fish (frozen, canned, and salt-dried skipjack, tuna), coffee, handicrafts Exports— partners: Tanzania 37.7%, US 17.4%, Japan 15.2%, UK 8.4%, Nigeria 4.8%, Spain 4.5% (2005) Imports: $45 million c.i.f. (2004 est.) Imports— commodities: food, bever¬ ages, tobacco, fuel oils, animal feed, building materials, motor vehicles and parts, machinery and parts Imports— partners: UK 53.5%, South Africa 14.3 /o, Spain 10.3%, Tanzania 8.5%, US 4.6% (2005) Debt— external: $NA Economic aid— recipient: $27.25 mil¬ lion obtained in a grant from the United Kingdom (FY06/07) Currency (code): Saint Helenian pound (SHP) Currency code: SHP Exchange rates: Saint Helenian pounds per US dollar — 0.5434 (2006), 0.5493 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003) 0.6672 (2002) note: the Saint Helenian pound is on par with the British pound Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March 528 SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 2 200 (2002) Telephone system: general assessment: can communicate worldwide domestic: automatic digital network international: country code — 290; inter- national direct dialing; satellite voice and data communications; satellite earth stations — 5 (Ascension Island — 4, Saint Helena — 1) Radio broadcast stations: Saint Helena: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 Ascension: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (2005) Radios: 3,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 0 (3 tele¬ vision channels are received via satellite and distributed by UHF) (2005) Televisions: 2,000 (1997) Background: First settled by the British in 1623, the islands became an associ¬ ated state with full internal autonomy in 1967. The island of Anguilla rebelled and was allowed to secede in 1971. Saint Kitts and Nevis achieved independence in 1983. In 1998, a vote in Nevis on a referendum to separate from Saint Kitts fell short of the two-thirds majority needed. Nevis continues in its efforts to try and separate from Saint Kitts. GEOGRAPHY Location: Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, about one-third of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago Geographic coordinates: 17 20 N, 62 45 W Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Internet country code: .sh; note — the ICANN has assigned .ac as the ccTLD for Ascension Island Internet hosts: 329 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000) Internet users: 1,000; note — includes Ascension Island (2003) Communications — note: South Africa maintains a meteorological station on Gough Island TRANSPORTATION Airports: l note: Wideawake Field on Ascension Island (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2006) Roadways: total: 198 km (Saint Helena 138 km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha 20 km) SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS Area: total: 261 sq km (Saint Kitts 168 sq km; Nevis 93 sq km) land: 261 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 135 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin Climate: tropical, tempered by constant sea breezes; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November) Terrain: volcanic with mountainous interiors Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Liamuiga 1,156 m Natural resources: arable land Land use: arable land: 19.44% permanent crops: 2.78% Other: 77.78% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: hurricanes (July to October) Environment— current issues: NA Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling paved: 168 km (Saint Helena 118 km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha 10 km) unpaved: 30 km (Saint Helena 20 km, Ascension 0 km, Tristan da Cunha 10 km) (2002) Ports and terminals: Saint Helena: Jamestown Ascension Island: Georgetown Tristan da Cunha: Calshot Harbor Transportation— note: there is no air connection to Saint Helena or Tristan da Cunha; an international airport for Saint Helena is in development for 2010 MILITARY Military — note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of the UK TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— internationai: none signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: with coastlines in the shape of a baseball bat and ball, the two volcanic islands are separated by a three- km-wide channel called The Narrows; on the southern tip of long, baseball bat-shaped Saint Kitts lies the Great Salt Pond; Nevis Peak sits in the center of its almost circular namesake island and its ball shape complements that of its sister island PEOPLE Population: 39,349 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 27.2% (male 5,472/female 5,218) 15-64 years: 64-9% (male 12,779/female 12,752) 65 years and over: 7.9% (male 1,300/ female 1,828) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 28.1 years male: 27 A years female: 28.8 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.623% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 17.89 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 8.16 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -3.51 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.049 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.002 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.711 male(s)/female 529 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK total population: 0.988 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 13.74 deaths/1,000 live births male: 15.44 deaths/1,000 live births female: 11.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.66 years male: 69.81 years female: 75.69 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.29 children bom/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS — people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS — deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Kittitian(s), Nevisian(s) adjective: Kittitian, Nevisian Ethnic groups: predominantly black; some British, Portuguese, and Lebanese Religions: Anglican, other Protestant, Roman Catholic Languages: English Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 97.8% male: NA% female: NA% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis conventional short form: Saint Kitts and Nevis former: Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis Government type: parliamentary democracy Capital: name: Basseterre geographic coordinates: 17 18 N, 62 43 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 14 parishes; Christ Church Nichola Town, Saint Anne Sandy Point, Saint George Basseterre, Saint George Gingerland, Saint James Windward, Saint John Capesterre, Saint John Figtree, Saint Mary Cayon, Saint Paul Capesterre, Saint Paul Charlestown, Saint Peter Basseterre, Saint Thomas Lowland, Saint Thomas Middle Island, Trinity Palmetto Point Independence: 19 September 1983 (from UK) National holiday: Independence Day, 19 September (1983) Constitution: 19 September 1983 Legal system: based on English common law Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Cuthbert Montraville SEBASTIAN (since 1 January 1996) head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS (since 6 July 1995); Deputy Prime Minister Sam CONDOR (since 6 July 1995) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the gov- ernor general in consultation with the prime minister elections: none; the monarch is heredi- tary; the governor general is appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the gov¬ ernor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (14 seats, 3 appointed and 11 popularly elected from single-member constituencies; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 25 October 2004 (next to be held by 2009) election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party— SKNLP 7, CCM 2, NRP 1, PAM 1 Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia; one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Saint Kitts and Nevis) Political parties and leaders: Con¬ cerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Vance AMORY]; Nevis Reformation Party or NRP [Joseph PARRY]; People’s Action Movement or PAM [Lindsay GRANT]; Saint Kitts and Nevis Labor Party or SKNLP [Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G- 77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU WHO, WIPO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Izben Cordinal WILLIAMS chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 686-2636 FAX: [1] (202) 686-5740 consulate(s) general: New York Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Saint Kitts and Nevis; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Saint Kitts and Nevis Flag description: divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a broad black band bearing two white, five- pointed stars; the black band is edged in yellow; the upper triangle is green, the lower triangle is red ECONOMY Economy— Overview: Sugar was the tra¬ ditional mainstay of the Saint Kitts economy until the 1970s. The govern¬ ment closed the sugar industry following the 2005 harvest after decades of losses at the state-run sugar company. To com¬ pensate, the government has embarked on a program to diversify the agricultural sector and to stimulate other sectors of the economy. Activities such as tourism, export-oriented manufacturing, and off¬ shore banking have assumed larger roles in the economy. Tourism revenues are now the chief source of the islands’ for¬ eign exchange; about 341,800 tourists visited Nevis in 2005. Additional tourist facilities, including a second cruise ship pier, hotels, and golf courses are under construction. GDP (purchasing power parity): $339 million (2002 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $453 mil¬ lion (2005) GDP— real growth rate: 4.9% (2005 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $8,200 (2005 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 3.5% industry: 25.8% services: 70.7% (2001) Labor force: 18,170 (June 1995) Unemployment rate: 4.5% (1997) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8.7% (2005 est.) Budget: revenues: $89.7 million expenditures: $128.2 million; including capital expenditures of $19.5 million (2003 est.) Agriculture-products: sugarcane, rice, yams, vegetables, bananas; fish Industries: tourism, cotton, salt, copra, clothing, footwear, beverages Industrial production growth rate- NA% e‘ kWh(2«47Pr0dUC,i0n: 125 milUon Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption- lion kWh (2004) 116.3 mil- 530 SAINT LUCIA Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 800 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Exports: $70 million (2004 est.) Exports— commodities: machinery, food, electronics, beverages, tobacco Exports— partners: US 61.3%, Canada 8.1%, UK 5.6% (2005) Imports: $405 million (2004 est.) Imports— commodities: machinery, manufactures, food, fuels Imports— partners: US 46.9%, Trinidad and Tobago 13.7%, UK 5.4%, France 4.5%, Japan 4.2% (2005) Debt— external: $314 million (2004) Economic aid— recipient: $NA Currency (code): East Caribbean dollar (XCD) Currency code: XCD Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars per US dollar — 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 25,000 (2004) Telephones— mobile cellular: 10,000 (2004) Telephone system: general assessment: good inter-island and international connections domestic: inter-island links via Eastern Caribbean Fiber Optic cable; construc¬ tion of enhanced wireless infrastructure launched in November 2004 international: country code — 1-869; international calls are carried by subma¬ rine cable or Intelsat Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2003) Radios: 28,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus 3 repeaters) (2003) Televisions: 10,000 (1997) Internet country code: kn Internet hosts: 50 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 16 (2000) Internet users: 10,000 (2002) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 2 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 2 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006) Railways: total: 50 km narrow gauge: 50 km 0.762-m gauge on Saint Kitts to serve sugarcane planta¬ tions during harvest season and for tourists (2005) Roadways: total: 320 km paved: 138 km unpaved: 182 km (1999 est) Merchant marine: total: 50 ships (1000 GRT or over) 261,556 GRT/38 1,593 DWT by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 36, chemical tanker 5, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 5, refrigerated cargo 1 foreign'owned: 41 (Greece 1, Monaco 1, Russia 5, Spain 2, Syria 3, Tanzania 1, Turkey 6, UAE 19, Ukraine 3) (2006) Ports and terminals: Basseterre, Charlestown MILITARY Military branches: Saint Kitts and Nevis Defense Force (includes Coast Guard), Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Police Force Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age (est.) (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 9,196 females age 18-49: 9,236 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 7,119 females age 1 8—49 : 7,645 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 357 females age 18-49: 347 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: NA TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela’s claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large por¬ tion of the eastern Caribbean Sea Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; some money-laundering activity SAINT LUCIA INTRODUCTION Background: The island, with its fine natural harbor at Castries, was contested between England and France throughout the 17th and early 18th centuries (changing possession 14 times); it was finally ceded to the UK in 1814. Even after the abolition of slavery on its plan¬ tations in 1834, Saint Lucia remained an agricultural island, dedicated to pro¬ ducing tropical commodity crops. Self- government was granted in 1967 and independence in 1979. GEOGRAPHY Location: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago Geographic coordinates: 13 53 N, 60 58 W Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total: 616 sq km land: 606 sq km water: 10 sq km Area — comparative: 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 158 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin Climate: tropical, moderated by north¬ east trade winds; dry season January to April, rainy season May to August Terrain: volcanic and mountainous with some broad, fertile valleys Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Gimie 950 m Natural resources: forests, sandy beaches, minerals (pumice), mineral springs, geothermal potential 531 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Land use: arable land: 6.45% permanent crops: 22.58% Other: 70.97% (2005) Irrigated land: 30 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: hurricanes and voh canic activity Environment — current issues: defor¬ estation; soil erosion, particularly in the northern region Environment — international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: the twin Pitons (Gros Piton and Petit Piton), striking cone-shaped peaks south of Soufriere, are one of the scenic natural highlights of the Caribbean PEOPLE Population: 170,649 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 29.4% (male 25,869/female 24,248) 15-64 years: 65.5% (male 55,115/female 56,641) 65 years and over: 5.1% (male 3,200/ female 5,576) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 25.6 years male: 24.8 years female: 26.5 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.297% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 19.28 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 5.03 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -1.28 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.067 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.973 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.574 male(s)/female total population: 0.974 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 12.81 deaths/1,000 live births male: 13.93 deaths/1,000 live births female: 11.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74-08 years male: 70.53 years female: 77.88 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.15 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Saint Lucian(s) adjective: Saint Lucian Ethnic groups: black 82.5%, mixed 11.9%, East Indian 2.4%, other or unspecified 3.1% (2001 census) Religions: Roman Catholic 67.5%, Seventh Day Adventist 8.5%, Pentecostal 5.7%, Rastafarian 2.1%, Anglican 2%, Evangelical 2%, other Christian 5.1%, other 1.1%, unspecified 1.5%, none 4.5% (2001 census) Languages: English (official), French patois Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 90.1% male: 89.5% female: 90.6% (2001 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Lucia Government type: parliamentary democracy Capital: name: Castries geographic coordinates: 14 01 N, 61 00 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: ll quarters; Anse-la-Raye, Castries, Choiseul, Dauphin, Dennery, Gros-Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Praslin, Soufriere, Vieux-Fort Independence: 22 February 1979 (from UK) Nationo! holiday: Independence Day, 22 February (1979) Constitution: 22 February 1979 Legal system: based on English com¬ mon law Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Dame Pearlette LOUISY (since September 1997) head of government: Prime Minister Sir John COMPTON (since 15 December 2006); note— since 1 May 2007 Stephenson KING has been acting prime minister while Sir John COMPTON recovers from a series of strokes cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the gov¬ ernor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the monarch is heredi¬ tary; the governor general is appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general Legislative branch: bicameral Parlia¬ ment consists of the Senate (11 seats; six members appointed on the advice of the prime minister, three on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and two after consultation with religious, eco¬ nomic, and social groups) and the House of Assembly (17 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Assembly — last held 11 December 2006 (next to be held in December 2011) election results: House of Assembly — per¬ cent of vote by party — UWP 50%, SLP 46.9%, other 3.1%; seats by party — UWP 11, SLP 6 Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (jurisdiction extends to Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, the British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) Political parties and leaders: National Alliance or NA [George ODLUM]; Saint Lucia Freedom Party or SFP [Martinus FRANCOIS]; Saint Lucia Labor Party or SLP [Kenneth ANTHONY]; Sou Tout Apwe Fete Fini or STAFF [Christopher HUNTE]; United Workers Party or UWP [Sir John COMPTON] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA tion: ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signa¬ tory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPo' WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador SoniJ Merlyn JOHNNY xmVT,3216 NeW Mexi“ A™ue NW, Washington, DC 20016 111 (202) 36+-6792 through 0/95 consulate (s) general: Miami, New York Diplomatic representation from the US: t e US does not have an embassy in aint ^ ucia, the US Ambassador to Barbaaos is accredited to Saint Lucia Flag description: blue, with a gold isosceles triangle below a black arrow¬ head; the upper edges of the arrowhead have a white border 532 SAINT PIERRE AND MIQUELON ECONOMY Economy— overview: Changes in the EU import preference regime and the increased competition from Latin American bananas have made economic diversification increasingly important in Saint Lucia. The island nation has been able to attract foreign business and investment, especially in its offshore banking and tourism industries. Tourism is the main source of foreign exchange, with more than 700,000 arrivals in 2005. The manufacturing sector is the most diverse in the Eastern Caribbean area, and the government is trying to revitalize the banana industry. Economic funda¬ mentals remain solid, even though unemployment needs to be cut. GDP (purchasing power parity): $866 million (2002 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $825 mil lion (2005) GDP— real growth rate: 5.1% (2005 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $4,800 (2005 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 15% services: 80% (2005 est.) Labor force: 43,800 (2001 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 21.7% industry: 24-7% services: 53.6% (2002 est.) Unemployment rate: 20% (2003 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.9% (2005 est.) Budget: revenues: $141.2 million expenditures: $146.7 million; including capital expenditures of $25.1 million (2000 est.) Agriculture— products: bananas, coco¬ nuts, vegetables, citrus, root crops, cocoa industries: clothing, assembly of elec¬ tronic components, beverages, corru¬ gated cardboard boxes, tourism; lime processing, coconut processing Industrial production growth rate: -8.9% (1997 est.) Electricity — production: 290 million kWh (2004) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 269.7 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil — production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 2,800 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Exports: $82 million (2004 est.) Exports— commodities: bananas 41%, clothing, cocoa, vegetables, fruits, coconut oil Exports— partners: France 31.4%, US 18.7%, China 18.2%, UK 14% (2005) Imports: $410 million (2004 est.) Imports— commodities: food 23%, manufactured goods 21%, machinery and transportation equipment 19%, chemicals, fuels Imports— partners: US 22.5%, Trinidad and Tobago 14.5%, Netherlands 13.6%, Argentina 6.6%, Venezuela 5.2%, UK 5.2%, France 4.5% (2005) Debt— external: $257 million (2004) Economic aid— recipient: $21.5 million (2004) Currency (code): East Caribbean dollar (XCD) Currency code: XCD Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars per US dollar— 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002) Fiscal year: 1 April — 31 March COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 51,100 (2002) Telephones — mobile cellular: 93,000 (2004) Telephone system: general assessment: adequate system domestic: system is automatically switched international: country code — 1-758; direct microwave radio relay link with Martinique and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; tropospheric scatter to Barbados; international calls beyond these countries are carried by Intelsat from Martinique Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2003) Radios: 111,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 2 (l commercial broadcast station and 1 com¬ munity antenna television or CATV channel) (2003) Televisions: 32,000 (1997) Internet country code: lc Internet hosts: 21 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 15 (2000) Internet users: 55,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 2 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m- 1 (2006) Roadways: total: 910 km paved: 48 km unpaved: 862 km (2000) Ports and terminals: Castries, Cul-de- Sac, Vieux-Fort MILITARY Military branches: no regular military forces; Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (includes Special Service Unit, Coast Guard) (2007) Manpower available for military ser¬ vice: males age 18-49: 42,742 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 33,539 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 1,651 (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of GDP: NA TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela’s claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large por¬ tion of the eastern Caribbean Sea Illicit drugs: transit point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe SAINT PIERRE AND MIQUELON INTRODUCTION Background: First settled by the French in the early 17th century, the islands represent the sole remaining vestige of France’s once vast North American possessions. GEOGRAPHY Location: Northern North America, islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, south of Newfoundland (Canada) Geographic coordinates: 46 50 N, 56 20 W Map references: North America 533 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Area: total: 242 sq km land: 242 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes eight small islands in the Saint Pierre and the Miquelon groups Area— comparative: 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 120 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 1 2 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: cold and wet, with much mist and fog; spring and autumn are windy Terrain: mostly barren rock Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Morne de la Grande Montagne 240 m Natural resources: fish, deepwater ports Land use: arable land: 12.5% permanent crops: 0% other: 87.5% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: persistent fog throughout the year can be a maritime hazard Environment— current issues: recent test drilling for oil in waters around Saint Pierre and Miquelon may bring future development that would impact the environment Geography note: vegetation scanty PEOPLE Population: 7,036 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 23% (male 827/female 790) 15-64 years: 65.9% (male 2,352/female 2,288) 65 years and over: 11.1% (male 359/ female 420) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 34.6 years male: 34-1 years female: 35 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.128% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 13.08 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 6.82 deaths/1,000 popula' tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 4 97 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.047 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.028 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.855 male(s)/female total population: 1.011 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 7.21 deaths/1,000 live births male: 8.26 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.76 years male: 76.41 years female: 81.23 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Frenchman (men), Frenchwoman (women) adjective: French Ethnic groups: Basques and Bretons (French fishermen) Religions: Roman Catholic 99%, other 1% Languages: French (official) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1982 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon conventional short form: Saint Pierre and Miquelon local long form: Departement de Saint- Pierre et Miquelon local short form: Saint-Pierre et Miquelon Dependency status: self-governing terri¬ torial overseas collectivity of France Government type: NA Capital: name: Saint-Pierre geographic coordinates: 46 46 N, 56 1 1 W time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: + lhr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November Administrative divisions: none (territo¬ rial overseas collectivity of France); note — there are no first-order adminis¬ trative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are two com¬ munes — Saint Pierre, Miquelon at the second order Independence: none (territorial collec¬ tivity of France; has been under French control since 1763) National holiday: Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) Constitution: 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) Legal system: French law with special adaptations for local conditions, such as housing and taxation Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); repre¬ sented by Prefect Yves FAUQUEUR (since 28 August 2006) head of government: President of the General Council Marc PLANTA- GENEST (since NA) cabinet: NA elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; elec¬ tion last held 21 April 2002 (first round) and 5 May 2002 (second round) (next to be held in 2007); prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the General Council is elected by the members of the council Legislative branch: unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats, 15 from Saint Pierre and four from Miquelon; members are elected by pop¬ ular vote to serve six-year terms) elections: elections last held 19 and 26 in March 2006 (next to be held in March 2012) election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party— AD 16, Cap sur P Avenir 2, SPM Ensemble 1 uuc to me Trench Senate; election last held 26 September 2004 (next to b< held in September 2013); results— per cent of vote by party— NA; seats b party— UMP 1; Saint Pierre anc Miquelon also elects one seat to th< French National Assembly; elections las held first round— 9 June 2002, seconc anUon,r16 ]Une 2002 (next to be ^ld ir 2007); results— percent of vote b\ party— NA; seats by party— UDF 1 Judicial branch: Superior Tribunal o, PnimaJni°r Tnbunal SuPerieur d’Appel Politico parties and leaders: >KhT?nlmI°m0rr0W °r AD dilated wi h UDF/RPR list; Cap sur rAyenii affiliated with PRG; Left RadlCal Party 534 SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES or PRG; Rassemblement pour la Republique or RPR (now UMP); Saint Pierre and Miquelon 2000/Avenir Miquelon or SPM 2000/AM; Socialist Party or PS; Union pour la Democratic Francaise or UDF Political pressure groups and leaders- NA International organization participa¬ tion: UPU, WFTU Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territorial overseas collectivity of France) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territorial overseas collectivity of France) Flag description: a yellow sailing ship facing the hoist side rides on a dark blue background with yellow wavy lines under the ship; on the hoist side, a vertical band is divided into three parts: the top part (called ikkurina) is red with a green diag- onal cross extending to the comers over¬ laid by a white cross dividing the rectangle into four sections; the middle part has a white background with an ermine pattern; the third part has a red background with two stylized yellow lions outlined in black, one above the other; these three heraldic arms represent settlement by colonists from the Basque Country (top), Brittany, and Normandy; the flag of France is used for official occasions ECONOMY Economy — overview: The inhabitants have traditionally earned their livelihood by fishing and by servicing fishing fleets operating off the coast of Newfoundland. The economy has been declining, how¬ ever, because of disputes with Canada over fishing quotas and a steady decline in the number of ships stopping at Saint Pierre. In 1992, an arbitration panel awarded the islands an exclusive economic zone of 12,348 sq km to settle a longstanding ter¬ ritorial dispute with Canada, although it represents only 25% of what France had sought. France heavily subsidizes the islands to the great betterment of living standards. The government hopes an expansion of tourism will boost economic prospects. Fish farming, crab fishing, and agriculture are being developed to diver¬ sify the local economy. Recent test drilling for oil may pave the way for development of the energy sector. h ■ INTRODUCTION Background: Resistance by native Caribs prevented colonization on St. Vincent until 1719. Disputed between France and the United Kingdom for most of the 18th GDP (purchasing power parity): $48.3 million note: supplemented by annual payments from France of about $60 million (2003 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): NA GDP — real growth rate: NA% GDP— per capita (PPP): $7,000 (2001 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% Labor force: 3,450 (2005) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 18% industry: 41% services: 41% (1996 est.) Unemployment rate: 10.3% (1999) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8.1% (2005) Budget: revenues: $70 million expenditures: $60 million; including capital expenditures of $24 million (1996 est.) Agriculture— products: vegetables; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish Industries: fish processing and supply base for fishing fleets; tourism Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity— production: 50 million kWh (2004) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 46.5 million kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity — imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil — production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 500 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Exports: $5.5 million f.o.b. (2005 est.) Exports — Commodities: fish and fish century, the island was ceded to the latter in 1783. Between 1960 and 1962, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines was a sepa¬ rate administrative unit of the Federation of the West Indies. Autonomy was granted in 1969 and independence in 1979. products, soybeans, animal feed, mol- lusks and crustaceans, fox and mink pelts Exports— partners: Spam 33.6%, Belgium 21.8%, India 18.3%, France 9.4%, US 7.5% (2005) Imports: $68.2 million f.o.b. (2005 est.) Imports— commodities: meat, clothing, fuel, electrical equipment, machinery, building materials Imports— partners: France 51.3%, Canada 31.8%, Belgium 4.1% (2005) Debt — external: $NA Economic aid — recipient: approximately $60 million in annual grants from France Currency (code): euro (EUR) Currency code: EUR Exchange rates: euros per US dollar— 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 4,800 (2002) Telephone system: general assessment: adequate domestic: NA international: country code — 508; radio¬ telephone communication with most coun¬ tries in the world; satellite earth station — 1 in French domestic satellite system Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) Radios: 4,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 0 (2 repeaters rebroadcast programs from France, Canada, and the US) (1997) Televisions: 4,000 (1997) Internet country code: pm Internet hosts: 0 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): l (2000) Internet users: NA TRANSPORTATION Airports: 2 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006) Ports and terminals: Saint-Pierre Military Military — note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of France TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: none GEOGRAPHY Location: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago Geographic coordinates: 13 15 N, 61 12 W SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES 535 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total: 389 sq km (Saint Vincent 344 sq km) land: 389 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: twice the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 84 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm Climate: tropical; little seasonal temper¬ ature variation; rainy season (May to November) Terrain: volcanic, mountainous Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: La Soufriere 1,234 m Natural resources: hydropower, crop¬ land Land use: arable land: 17.95% permanent crops : 17.95% other: 64-1% (2005) Irrigated land: 10 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: hurricanes; Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threat Environment — current issues: pollution of coastal waters and shorelines from dis¬ charges by pleasure yachts and other efflu¬ ents; in some areas, pollution is severe enough to make swimming prohibitive Environment-international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography— note: the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is comprised of 32 Population: 118,149 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 25.9% (male 15,596/female 15,027) 15-64 years: 67.6% (male 41,259/female 38,620) 65 years and over: 6.5% (male 3,358/ female 4,289) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 27.4 years male: 27.3 years female: 27.6 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.248% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 16.02 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 5.97 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -7.58 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.038 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.068 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.783 male(s)/female total population: 1.039 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 14.01 deaths/1,000 live births male: 15.25 deaths/ 1,000 live births female: 12.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.09 years male: 72.21 years female: 76.04 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.81 children bom / woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS — people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Saint Vincentian(s) or Vincentian(s) adjective: Saint Vincentian or Vincentian Ethnic groups: black 66%, mixed 19%, East Indian 6%, Carib Amerindian 2%, other 7% Religions: Anglican 47%, Methodist 28%, Roman Catholic 13%, other (includes Hindu, Seventh-Day Ad¬ ventist, other Protestant) 12% Languages: English, French patois Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 96% male: 96% female: 96% (1970 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Government type: parliamentary democracy Capital: name: Kingstown geographic coordinates: 13 09 N, 61 14 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 6 parishes; Charlotte, Grenadines, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint Patrick Independence: 27 October 1979 (from UK) National holiday: Independence Day, 27 October (1979) Constitution: 27 October 1979 Legal system: based on English common law Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Sir Fredrick Nathaniel BALLANTYNE (since 2 September 2002) head of government: Prime Minister Ralph E. GONSALVES (since 29 March 2001) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the gov¬ ernor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the monarch is heredi¬ tary; the governor general is appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime min¬ ister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (21 seats, 15 elected represen¬ tatives and six appointed senators; repre¬ sentatives are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 7 December 2005 (next to be held in 2010) election results: percent of vote by party — ULP 55.3%, NDP 44.7%; seats by party — ULP 12, NDP 3 Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia; one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) Political parties and leaders: New Democratic Party or NDP [Arnhim EUSTACE]; Unity Labor Party or ULP {Ralph GONSALVES] (formed by the coalition of Saint Vincent Labor Party or SVLP and the Movement for National Unity or MNU) Political pressure groups and leaders: NA 536 SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES International organization participa¬ tion: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G- 77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO^ UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHo’ WIPO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ellsworth I A. JOHN chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6730 FAX: [1] (202) 364-6736 consulate (s) general: New York Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accred¬ ited to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Flag description: three vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold (double width), and green; the gold band bears three green diamonds arranged in a V pattern ECONOMY Economy — overview: Economic growth in this lower-middle-income country hinges upon seasonal variations in the agricultural and tourism sectors. Tropical storms wiped out substantial portions of crops in 1994, 1995, and 2002, and tourism in the Eastern Caribbean suf¬ fered low arrivals in the immediate after- math of 11 September 2001. The islands had more than 160,000 tourist arrivals in 2005, mostly to the Grenadines. Saint Vincent is home to a small offshore banking sector and has moved to adopt international regulatory standards. Saint Vincent is also a producer of marijuana and is being used as a transshipment point for illegal narcotics from South America. GDP (purchasing power parity): $342 million (2002 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $428 mil¬ lion (2005) GDP — real growth rate: 4.9% (2005 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $3,600 (2005 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 10% industry: 26% services: 64% (2001 est.) Labor force: 41,680 (1991 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 26% industry: 17% services: 57% (1980 est.) Unemployment rate: 15% (2001 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1% (2005 est.) Budget: revenues: $94.6 million expenditures: $85.8 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) Agriculture — products: bananas, coco¬ nuts, sweet potatoes, spices; small num¬ bers of cattle, sheep, pigs, goats; fish Industries: food processing, cement, fur¬ niture, clothing, starch industrial production growth rate: -0.9% (1997 est.) Electricity— production: 114 million kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 69.3% hydro: 30.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 106 million kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 1,400 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Exports: $37 million (2004 est.) Exports— commodities: bananas 39%, eddoes and dasheen (taro), arrowroot starch; tennis racquets Exports— partners: UK 26.7%, Barba¬ dos 12.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 12.3%, Saint Lucia 10.9%, US 9.2%, Dominica 7.2%, Grenada 6.8%, Antigua and Barbuda 6.2% (2005) Imports: $225 million (2004 est.) Imports— commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, chemicals and fertilizers, minerals and fuels Imports — partners: US 33.3%, Trinidad and Tobago 23.6%, UK 9.4%, Japan 4.2% (2005) Debt — external: $223 million (2004) Economic aid— recipient: $10.5 million (1995); note — EU $34-5 million (2004) Currency (code): East Caribbean dollar (XCD) Currency code: XCD Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars per US dollar— 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 22,500 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 70,600 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: adequate system domestic: islandwide, fully automatic telephone system; VHF/UHF radiotele¬ phone from Saint Vincent to the other islands of the Grenadines international: country code — 1-784; VHF/ UHF radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to Barbados; new SHF radiotelephone to Grenada and to Saint Lucia; access to Intelsat earth station in Martinique through Saint Lucia Radio broadcast stations: AM l, FM 6, shortwave 0 (2004) Radios: 77,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: l (plus 3 repeaters) (2004) Televisions: 18,000 (1997) Internet country code: vc Internet hosts: 94 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 15 (2000) Internet users: 8,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 6 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Roadways: total: 829 km paved: 580 km unpaved: 249 km (2003) Merchant marine: total: 589 ships (1000 GRT or over) 5,449,699 GRT/8, 05 1,250 DWT by type: bulk carrier 106, cargo 351, chemical tanker 5, container 20, lique¬ fied gas 7, livestock carrier 1, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 15, petroleum tanker 18, refrigerated cargo 38, roll on/roll off 20, specialized tanker 3 foreign'owned: 529 (Bangladesh 1, Barbados 1, Belgium 3, Bulgaria 17, Canada 6, China 103, Croatia 9, Cyprus 1, Czech Republic 1, Denmark 14, Egypt 3, Estonia 25, France 8, Germany 8, Greece 82, Guyana 3, Hong Kong 6, Iceland 10, India 6, Iran 1, Ireland 1, Israel 2, Italy 18, Kenya 2, Latvia 18, Lebanon 4, Lithuania 3, Monaco 4, Montenegro 2, Netherlands 5, Norway 16, Pakistan 1, Poland 1, Puerto Rico 1, Romania 1, Russia 29, Singapore 5, Slovenia 5, Sweden 1, Switzerland 13, Syria 6, Turkey 25, UAE 11, UK 13, Ukraine 12, US 21, Vietnam 1) registered in other countries: 1 (Comoros 1) (2006) 537 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Ports and terminals: Kingsto wn Military branches: no regular military forces; Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force ( includes Special Service Unit), Coast Guard (2005) Manpower avaiiabie for military ser¬ vice: males age 18-49: 31,489 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 1 8—49: 25,787 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 1,204 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: NA TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela’s claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large por¬ tion of the eastern Caribbean Sea Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; small-scale cannabis cultivation SAMOA INTRODUCTION Background: New Zealand occupied the German protectorate of Western Samoa at the outbreak of World War I in 1914. It continued to administer the islands as a mandate and then as a trust territory until 1962, when the islands became the first Polynesian nation to reestablish independence in the 20th century. The country dropped the “Western” from its name in 1997. GEOGRAPHY Location: Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand Geographic coordinates: 13 35 S, 172 20 W Map references: Oceania Area: total: 2,944 sq km land: 2,934 sq km water: 10 sq km Area— comparative: slightly smaller than Rhode Island Land boundaries: o km Coastline: 403 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical; rainy season (Novem¬ ber to April), dry season (May to October) Terroin: two main islands (Savaii, Upolu) and several smaller islands and uninhabited islets; narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rocky, rugged mountains in interior Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mauga Silisili (Savaii) 1,857 m Natural resources: hardwood forests, fish, hydropower Land use: arable land: 21.13% permanent crops: 24.3% other: 54.57% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: occasional typhoons; active volcanism Environment— current issues: soil ero¬ sion, deforestation, invasive species, overfishing Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography note: occupies an almost central position within Polynesia PEOPLE Population: 214,265 note: prior estimates used official net migration data by sex, but a highly unusual pattern for 1993 lead to a significant imbalance in the sex ratios (more men and fewer women) and a seeming reduction in the female population; the revised total was calculated using a 1993 number that was an average of the 1992 and 1994 migration figures (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 38.1% (male 41,551/female 40,085) 15-64 years: 56.3% (male 63,320/female 57,277) 65 years and over: 5.6% (male 5,416/ female 6,616) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 20.4 years male: 20.7 years female: 20.2 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.291% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 28.28 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 5.88 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -9.49 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.037 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.106 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.819 male(s)/female total population: 1.061 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 25.89 deaths/1,000 live births male: 30.54 deaths/1,000 live births female: 21 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.3 years male: 68.49 years female: 74.26 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 4.21 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS — deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Samoan(s) adjective: Samoan nesians 7% (persons of European an< Polynesian blood), Europeans 0.4% Religions: Congregationalist 34.8% Roman Catholic 19.6%, Methodist 15% Latter-Day Saints 12.7%, Assembly o ?°f, «•«%. ^vemh-Day Adventis 3-S/o, Worship Centre 1.3%, othe Christian 4.5%, other 1.9%, unspecified 0-1% (2001 census) P Key** Sam°an (Polynesian)' Ene|ish definition: age 15 and over can read anc write 538 SAMOA total population: 99.7% male: 99.6% female: 99.7% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Independent State of Samoa conventional short form: Samoa local long form: Malo Sa’oloto Tuto’atasi o Samoa local short form: Samoa former: Western Samoa Government type: mix of parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy Capital: name: Apia geographic coordinates: 13 50S, 171 44 W time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: ll districts; A.’ana, Aiga-i-le-Tai, Atua, Fa’asaleleaga, Gaga’emauga, Gagaifomauga, Palauli, Satupa’itea, Tuamasaga, Va’a-o-Fonoti, Vaisigano Independence: 1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trustee¬ ship) National holiday: Independence Day Celebration, 1 June (1962); note — 1 January 1962 is the date of independence from the New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship; it is observed in June Constitution: 1 January 1962 Legal system: based on English common law and local customs; judicial review of legislative acts with respect to fundamental rights of the citizen; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: TUI ATUA Tupua Tamasese Efi (since 18 June 2007) head of government: Prime Minister Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA’EPA (since 1996); note — TUILA’EPA served as deputy prime minister from 1992 and assumed the duties of acting prime min¬ ister in 1996 when former Prime Minister TOFILAU Eti Alesana resigned in poor health; TUILA’EPA was con¬ firmed as prime minister (November 1998) after TOFILAU died; Deputy Prime Minister M1SA Telefoni (since 2001) cabinet: Cabinet consists of 12 members appointed by the chief of state on the prime minister’s advice elections: chief of state is elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve a five-year term (no term limits); election last held 15 June 2007 (next to be held in 2012); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually appointed prime minister by the chief of state with the approval of the Legislative Assembly election results: TUI ATUA Tupua Tamasese Efi unanimously elected by the Legislative Assembly Legislative branch: unicameral Legis¬ lative Assembly or Fono (49 seats, 47 elected by voters affiliated with tradi¬ tional village-based electoral districts, 2 elected by independent, mostly non- Samoan or part-Samoan, voters who cannot, (or choose not to) establish a village affiliation; only chiefs (matai) may stand for election to the Fono from the 47 village-based electorates; mem¬ bers serve five-year terms) elections: election last held 31 March 2006 (next election to be held not later than March 2011) election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — HRPP 35, SDUP 10, independents 4 Judicial branch: Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; District Court; Land and Titles Court Political parties and leaders: Fluman Rights Protection Party or HRPP [Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA’EPA]; Samoa Chris¬ tian Party or TCP [Tuala Tiresa MALIETOA]; Samoa Democratic United Party or SDUP [LE MAMEA Ropati]; Samoa Party or SP [Su’a Rimoni Ah CHONG]; Samoa Progressive Political Party or SPPP [Toeolesulusulu SIUEVA] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, IPU, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Aliioaiga Feturi ELISAIA chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 599-6196, 6197 FAX: [1] (212) 599-0797 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: none; US Ambassador to New Zealand is accredited to Samoa embassy: Accident Compensation Board (ACB) Building, 5th Floor, Beach Road, Apia mailing address: P. O. Box 3430, Apia, 0815 telephone: [685] 21436/21452/21631/22696 FAX; [685] 22030 Flag description: red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side quadrant bearing five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern Cross constellation ECONOMY Economy — overview: The economy of Samoa has traditionally been dependent on development aid, family remittances from overseas, agriculture, and fishing. The country is vulnerable to devastating storms. Agriculture employs two-thirds of the labor force and furnishes 90% of exports, featuring coconut cream, coconut oil, and copra. The fish catch declined during the El Nino of 2002-03 but returned to normal by mid-2005. The manufacturing sector mainly processes agricultural products. One factory in the Foreign Trade Zone employs, 3, 000 people to make automobile electrical harnesses for an assembly plant in Australia. Tourism is an expanding sector, accounting for 25% of GDP; about 100,000 tourists visited the islands in 2005. The Samoan Government has called for deregulation of the financial sector, encouragement of investment, and continued fiscal discipline, while at the same time protecting the environment. Observers point to the flexibility of the labor market as a basic strength for future economic advances. Foreign reserves are in a relatively healthy state, the external debt is stable, and inflation is low. GDP (purchasing power parity): $1 bil¬ lion (2002 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $399 mil¬ lion (2005) GDP — real growth rate: 5.5% (2005 est.) GDP — per capita (PPP): $2,100 (2005 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 11.4% industry: 58.4% services: 30.2% (2004 est.) Labor force: 90,000 (2000 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% Unemployment rate: NA% Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.3% (2005) Budget: revenues: $171.3 million expenditures: $78.1 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (FY04/05 est.) Agriculture — products: coconuts, bana¬ nas, taro, yams, coffee, cocoa Industries: food processing, building materials, auto parts 539 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Industrial production growth rate: 2.8% (2000) Electricity — production: 108 million kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 58% hydro: 42% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 100.5 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil — production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 1,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $2,428 mil¬ lion (FY03/04) Exports: $94 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) Exports— commodities: fish, coconut oil and cream, copra, taro, automotive parts, garments, beer Exports— partners: Australia 75.9%, American Samoa 13.6%, US 6.5% (2005) imports: $285 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) Imports— commodities: machinery and equipment, industrial supplies, foodstuffs Imports— partners: NZ 31%, Australia 22.6%, US 13.5%, Japan 7.5%, Fiji 6%, China 4.6% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $70.15 million (FY03/04) Debt — external: $177 million (2004) Economic aid— recipient: $30.8 million (2004) Currency (code): tala (SAT) Currency code: SAT (former WST code is still in wide use) Exchange rates: tala per US dollar — 2.7594 (2006), 2.7103 (2005), 2.7807 (2004), 2.9732 (2003), 3.3763 (2002) Fiscal year: June 1 — May 31 COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 13,300 (2003) Telephones — mobile cellular: 24,000 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: adequate domestic: NA international: country code — 685; satellite earth station — 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004) Radios: 174,849 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 2 (2002) Televisions: 8,634 (1999) Internet country code: ws Internet hosts: 10,680 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000) Internet users: 6,000 (2004) TRANSPORTATION > _ • _ , Airports: 4 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006j Roadways: total: 2,337 km paved: 332 km unpaved: 2,005 km (2004) Merchant marine: total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 7,091 GRT/8,127 DWT by type: cargo 1 foreign'ovuned: 1 (Germany 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Apia Military branches: no regular military forces; Samoa Police Force (2005) Manpower availabie for military ser¬ vice: males age 18-49: 58,722 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 45,294 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 2,306 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: NA Military — note: Samoa has no formal defense structure or regular armed forces; informal defense ties exist with NZ, which is required to consider any Samoan request for assistance under the 1962 Treaty of Friendship TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: none SAN MARINO INTRODUCTION Background: The third smallest state in Europe (after the Holy See and Monaco), San Marino also claims to be the world’s oldest republic. According to tradition, it was founded by a Christian stonemason named Marino in A.D. 301. San Marino’s foreign policy is aligned with that of Italy; social and political trends in the republic also track closely with those of its larger neighbor. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southern Europe, an enclave in central Italy Geographic coordinates: 43 46 N, 12 25 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 61.2 sq km land: 61.2 sq km water: 0 sq km Area— comparative: about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: total: 39 km border countries: Italy 39 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime Claims: none (landlocked) Climate: Mediterranean; mild to cool winters; warm, sunny summers Terrain: rugged mountains Elevation extremes: lowest point: Torrente Ausa 55 m highest point: Monte Titano 755 m Natural resources: building stone Land use: arable land: 16.67% permanent crops: 0% other: 83.33% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: NA Environment— current issues: NA Environment — international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution Geography— note: landlocked; smallest independent state in Europe after the Holy See and Monaco; dominated by the Apennines people Population: 29,615 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: °~!*years: 16'8% 2,573/female 2,404) 540 SAN MARINO 15-64 years: 66.1% (male 9,388/female 10,178) 65 years and over: 17.1% (male 2,190/ female 2,882) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 40.9 years male: 40.6 years female: 41.3 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.219% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 9.89 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 8.27 deaths/1,000 popula- tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 10.57 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15—64 years: 0.922 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.915 male(s)/female (2007 est.) infant mortality rate: total: 5.53 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.96 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 81.8 years male : 78.33 years female: 85.57 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.34 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS — people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Sammarinese (singular and plural) adjective: Sammarinese Ethnic groups: Sammarinese, Italian Religions: Roman Catholic Languages: Italian Literacy: definition: age 10 and over can read and write total population: 96% male: 97% female: 95% GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of San Marino conventional short form: San Marino local long form: Repubblica di San Marino local short form: San Marino Government type: republic Capital: name: San Marino geographic coordinates: 43 56N, 12 25 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 9 munidpali- ties (castelli, singular — castello); Acqua- viva, Borgo Maggiore, Chiesanuova, Domagnano, Faetano, Fiorentino, Montegiardino, San Marino Citta, Serravalle Independence: 3 September AD 301 National holiday: Founding of the Republic, 3 September (AD 301) Constitution: 8 October 1600; electoral law of 1926 serves some of the functions of a constitution Legal system: based on civil law system with Italian law influences; has not accepted compulsory IC] jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Cochiefs of State Captain Regent Alessandro MANCINI and Captain Regent Alessandro ROSSI (for the period 1 April-30 September 2007) head of government: Secretary of State for Foreign and Political Affairs Fiorenzo STOFFI (since 27 July 2006) cabinet: Congress of State elected by the Great and General Council for a five- year term elections: cochiefs of state (captains regent) elected by the Great and General Council for a six-month term; election last held in March 2007 (next to be held in September 2007); secretary of state for foreign and political affairs elected by the Great and General Council for a five- year term; election last held 27 July 2006 (next to be held by 2011) election results: Alessandro MANCINI and Alessandro ROSSI elected captains regent; percent of legislative vote — NA; Fiorenzo STOFFI elected secretary of state for foreign and political affairs; per¬ cent of legislative vote — NA note: the popularly elected parliament (Grand and General Council) selects two of its members to serve as the Captains Regent (co-chiefs of state) for a six-month period; they preside over meetings of the Grand and General Council and its cabinet (Congress of State), which has 10 other members, all selected by the Grand and General Council; assisting the captains regent are 10 secretaries of state; the secretary of state for Foreign Affairs has assumed some prime ministerial roles Legislative branch: unicameral Grand and General Council or Consiglio Grande e Generale (60 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five- year terms) elections: last held 4 June 2006 (next to be held by June 2011) election results: percent of vote by party — PDCS 32.9%, Party of Socialists and Democrats 31.9%, APDS 11.9%, United heft 8.7%, New Socialist Party 5.4%, other parties 9.2%; seats by party — PDCS 21, Party of Socialists and Democrats 20, APDS 7, United heft 5, New Socialist Party 3, others 4 Judicial branch: Council of Twelve or Consiglio dei XII Political parties and leaders: Communist Refoundation or RC [Ivan FOSHI]; Ideas in Movement or IM [Alessandro ROSSI]; National Alliance or AN [Glauco SANSOVINI]; New Socialist Party [Augusto CASAFI]; Party of Socialists and Democrats [Claudio FEFICI]; San Marino Christian Democratic Party or PDCS [Pier Marino MENICUCCI]; San Marino Popular Alliance of Democrats or APDS [Roberto GIORGETTI]; San Marino Socialist Party or PSS [Alberto CEC- CHETTIj; Socialists for Reform or SR [Renzo GIARDI]; United heft Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: CE, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, IFO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ITU, ITUC, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNWTO, UPU, WHO, WIPO Diplomatic representation in the US: San Marino does not have an embassy in the US honorary consulate(s) general: New York, Washington, DC honorary consulate(s) : Detroit, Honolulu Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in San Marino; the ambassador to Italy is accredited to San Marino Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and light blue with the national coat of arms superimposed in the center; the coat of arms has a shield (featuring three towers on three peaks) flanked by a wreath, below a crown and above a scroll bearing the word FI BERTAS (Fiberty) ECONOMY Economy — overview: The tourist sector contributes over 50% of GDP. In 2006 more than 2.1 million tourists visited San Marino. The key industries are banking, wearing apparel, electronics, and ceramics. Main agricultural products are wine and cheeses. The per capita level of output and standard of living are comparable to those of the most pros¬ perous regions of Italy, which supplies much of its food. 541 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK GDP (purchasing power parity): $850 million (2004 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $1,048 billion (2004) GDP— real growth rate: 4 6% (2004 est.) GDP — per capita (PPP): $34,100 (2004 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% Labor force: 20,470 (2004) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 0.2% industry: 40.1% services: 59.7% (2006 est.) Unemployment rate: 3.8% (2004) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5% (2006) Budget: revenues: $709.6 million expenditures: $672.3 million; including capital expenditures of $23.7 million (2004) Agriculture — products: wheat, grapes, corn, olives; cattle, pigs, horses, beef, cheese, hides Industries: tourism, banking, textiles, electronics, ceramics, cement, wine Industrial production growth rate: 5.6% (2005 est.) Exports: $1,291 billion (2004) Exports — commodities: building stone, lime, wood, chestnuts, wheat, wine, baked goods, hides, ceramics Imports: $2,035 billion (2004) Imports— commodities: wide variety of consumer manufactures, food Debt— external: $NA Economic aid — recipient: $NA Currency (code): euro (EUR) Currency code: EUR Exchange rates: euros per US dollar — 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 20,600 (2002) Telephones — mobile cellular: 16,800 (2002) Telephone system: general assessment: adequate connections domestic: automatic telephone system completely integrated into Italian system international: country code — 378; con¬ nected to Italian international network Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) Radios: 16,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 1 (San Marino residents also receive broadcasts from Italy) (1997) Televisions: 9,000 (1997) Internet country code: sm Internet hosts: 3,140 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000) Internet users: 14,300 (2002) TRANSPORTATION Roadways: total: 104 km paved: 104 km (2003) MILITARY Military branches: no regular military forces; Voluntary Military Force (Corpi Militari Voluntar) performs ceremonial duties and limited police functions (2006) Manpower available for military ser¬ vice: males age 18-49: 6,331 (2005 est. ) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 5,107 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 135 (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of GDP: NA Military— note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of Italy TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: none SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE Background: Discovered and claimed by Portugal in the late 15th century, the islands’ sugar-based economy gave way to coffee and cocoa in the 19th century- all grown with plantation slave labor, a form of which lingered into the 20th century. While independence was achieved in 1975, democratic reforms were not instituted until the late 1980s. Although the first free elections were held in 1991, the political environment has been one of continued instability with frequent changes in leadership and coup attempts in 1995 and 2003. The recent discovery of oil in the Gulf of Guinea promises to have a significant impact on the country’s economy. GEOGRAPHY Location: Western Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea, straddling the Equator, west of Gabon Geographic coordinates: 1 00 N, 7 00 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 1,001 sq km land: 1,001 sq km water: 0 sq km Area— comparative: more than five times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 209 km Maritime Claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May) Terrain: volcanic, mountainous Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m Natural resources: fish, hydropower Land use: arable land: 8.33% permanent crops: 48.96% other: 42.71% (2005) Irrigated land: lOOsqkm (2003) Natural hazards: NA Environment— current issues: defor¬ estation; soil erosion and exhaustion Environment — international agreements: paity to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the ^ea. Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography-note: the smallest country in Africa; the two main islands form part 542 S A O TOME AND PRINCIPE of a chain of extinct volcanoes and both are fairly mountainous PEOPLE Population: 199,579 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 47.3% (male 47,796/female 46,589) 15-64 years: 49% (male 47,386/female 50,412) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 3,383/ female 4,013) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 16.2 years male: 15.7 years female: 16.8 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 3.13% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 39.72 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 6.28 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -2.14 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.026 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.843 male(s)/female total population: 0.976 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 40.54 deaths/1,000 live births male: 42.42 deaths/1,000 live births female: 38.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 67.64 years male: 66.03 years female: 69.3 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 5 .53 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diar¬ rhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorbome disease: malaria (2007) Nationality: noun: Sao Tomean(s) adjective: Sao Tomean Ethnic groups: mestico, angolares (descendants of Angolan slaves), forros (descendants of freed slaves), servicais (contract laborers from Angola, Mozam¬ bique, and Cape Verde), tongas (children of servicais born on the islands), Europeans (primarily Portuguese) Religions: Catholic 70.3%, Evangelical 3.4%, New Apostolic 2%, Adventist 1.8%, other 3.1%, none 19.4% (2001 census) Languages: Portuguese (official) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 84.9% male: 92.2% female: 77.9% (2001 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe conventional short form: Sao Tome and Principe local long form: Republica Democratica de Sao Tome e Principe local short form: Sao Tome e Principe Government type: republic Capital: name: Sao Tome geographic coordinates: 0 12N,639E time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 2 provinces; Principe, Sao Tome note: Principe has had self government since 29 April 1995 Independence: 12 July 1975 (from Portugal) National holiday: Independence Day, 12 July (1975) Constitution: approved March 1990, effective 10 September 1990 Legal system: based on Portuguese legal system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Fradique DE MENEZES (since 3 September 2001) head of government: Prime Minister Tome Soares da VERA CRUZ (since 21 April 2006) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the proposal of the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 30 July 2006 (next to be held July 2011); prime minister chosen by the National Assembly and approved by the president election results: Fradique DE MENEZES elected president; percent of vote — Fradique DE MENEZES 60%, Patrice TROVOADA 38.5% Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (55 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held on 26 March 2006 (next to be held in March 2010) election results: percent of vote by party — MDFM-PCD 37.2%, MLSTP 28.9%, ADI 20.0%, NR 4-7%, others 9.2%; seats by party — MDFM-PCD 23, MLSTP 19, ADI 12, NR 1 Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the National Assembly) Political parties and leaders: Democratic Renovation Party [Armindo GRACA]; Force for Change Democratic Movement or MDFM; Independent Democratic Action or ADI [Carlos NEVES]; Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe-Social Democratic Party or MLSTP-PSD [Manuel Pinto Da COSTA]; New Way Movement or NR; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Aldo BAN- DEIRA]; Ue-Kedadji coalition; other small parties Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G- 77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ITU, ITUC, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UN WTO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: First Secretary Domingos Augusto FERREIRA chancery: 400 Park Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10022 telephone: [1] (212) 317-0580 FAX: [1] (212) 935-7348 consulate(s) : Atlanta Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Sao Tome and Principe; the Ambassador to Gabon is accredited to Sao Tome and Principe on a nonresident basis and makes periodic visits to the islands Flag description: three horizontal bands of green (top), yellow (double width), and green with two black five-pointed stars placed side by side in the center of the yellow band and a red isosceles tri¬ angle based on the hoist side; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia ECONOMY Economy — overview: This small, poor island economy has become increasingly dependent on cocoa since independence in 1975. Cocoa production has substan¬ tially declined in recent years because of drought and mismanagement, but strengthening prices helped boost export earnings in 2003. Sao Tome has to import all fuels, most manufactured goods, consumer goods, and a substantial amount of food. Over the years, it has had difficulty servicing its external debt and has relied heavily on concessional aid and debt rescheduling. Sao Tome 543 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK benefited from $200 million in debt relief in December 2000 under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) program, which helped bring down the country’s $300 million debt burden. In August 2005, Sao Tome signed on to a new 3 -year IMF Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) program worth $4-3 million. Considerable potential exists for development of a tourist industry, and the government has taken steps to expand facilities in recent years. The government also has attempted to reduce price controls and subsidies. Sao Tome is optimistic about the develop¬ ment of petroleum resources in its terri¬ torial waters in the oil-rich Gulf of Guinea, which are being jointly devel¬ oped in a 60-40 split with Nigeria. The first production licenses were sold in 2004, though a dispute over licensing with Nigeria delayed Sao Tome’s receipt of more than $20 million in signing bonuses for almost a year. Real GDP growth exceeded 4% in 2006, as a result of increases in public expenditures and oil-related capital investment. GDP (purchasing power parity): $214 million (2003 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $71.38 million (2005 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 4.4% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $1,200 (2003 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 16.6% industry: 15.3% services: 68.1% (2006 est.) Labor force: 35,050 (1991) Labor force— by occupation: note, pop¬ ulation mainly engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing; shortages of skilled workers Unemployment rate: NA% Population below poverty line: 54% (2004 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 15% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 35.2% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $102.1 million expenditures: $61.43 million; including capital expenditures of $54 million (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, copra, cinnamon, pepper, coffee, bananas, papayas, beans; poultry; fish Industries: light construction, textiles, soap, beer, fish processing, timber Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity— production: 18 million kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 41.2% hydro: 58.8% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 16.74 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity — imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil — production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — consumption: 660 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $24 4 million (2006 est.) Exports: $9,773 million f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: cocoa 80%, copra, coffee, palm oil Exports— partners: Netherlands 61.7%, Belgium 9.3%, Turkey 5.6%, South Korea 4.1% (2005) Imports: $48.87 million f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — Commodities: machinery and electrical equipment, food products, petroleum products Imports— partners: Portugal 47.6%, US 17.3%, Malaysia 6.2%, Belgium 5.3% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $25.47 million (2006 est.) Debt— external: $318 million (2002) Economic aid— recipient: $200 million in December 2000 under the HIPC program Currency (code): dobra (STD) Currency code: STD Exchange rates: dobras per US dollar— 12,050 (2006), 9,900.4 (2005), NA 9,902.3 (2004), 9,347.6 (2003), 9,088.3 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 7,000 (2004) Telephones— mobile cellular: 12,000 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: adequate facilities domestic: minimal system international: country code— 239; satel¬ lite earth station — 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2001) Radios: 38,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 2 (2001) Televisions: 23,000 (1997) Internet country code: st Internet hosts: 735 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2002) Internet users: 20,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION ,g. Airports: 2 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006) Roadways: total: 320 km paved: 218 km unpaved: 102 km (1999) Merchant marine: total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 21,527 GRT/29,823 DWT by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 7 foreign^ owned: 3 (Egypt 1, Greece 1, Lebanon 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Sao Tome Military branches: Armed Forces of Sao Tome and Principe (FASTP): Army, Coast Guard, Presidential Guard (2004) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age (est.) (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 33,438 females age 18-49: 35,279 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 25,950 females age 18-49: 28,660 (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of GDP: 0.8% (2006) Military note: Sao Tome and Principe’s army is a tiny force with almost no resources at its disposal and would be wholly ineffective operating unilaterally; infantry equipment is considered simple to operate and maintain but may require refurbishment or replacement after 25 years in tropical climates; poor pay, working conditions, and alleged nepo¬ tism in the promotion of officers have been problems in the past, as reflected in the 1995 and 2003 coups; these issues are being addressed with foreign assistance aimed at improving the army and its locus on realistic security concerns; com¬ mand is exercised from the president, through the Minister of Defense, to the ^hief of the Armed Forces staff ( 2005 ) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: none 544 SAUDI ARABIA INTRODUCTION Background: Saudi Arabia is the birth¬ place of Islam and home to Islam’s two holiest shrines in Mecca and Medina. The king’s official title is the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. The modern Saudi state was founded in 1932 by ABD AL-AZIZ bin Abd al-Rahman AL SAUD (Ibn Saud) after a 30-year cam¬ paign to unify most of the Arabian Peninsula. A male descendent of Ibn Saud, his son ABDALLAH bin Abd al- Aziz, rules the country today as required by the country’s 1992 Basic Law. Following Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in 1990, Saudi Arabia accepted the Kuwaiti royal family and 400,000 refugees while allowing Western and Arab troops to deploy on its soil for the liberation of Kuwait the following year. The contin¬ uing presence of foreign troops on Saudi soil after the liberation of Kuwait became a source of tension between the royal family and the public until qll opera¬ tional US troops left the country in 2003. Major terrorist attacks in May and November 2003 spurred a strong on¬ going campaign against domestic ter¬ rorism and extremism. King ABDALLAH has continued the cau¬ tious reform program begun when he was crown prince. To promote increased political participation, the government held elections nationwide from February through April 2005 for half the members of 179 municipal councils. In December 2005, King ABDALLAH completed the process by appointing the remaining members of the advisory municipal councils. The country remains a leading producer of oil and natural gas and holds approximately 25% of the world’s proven oil reserves. The government continues to pursue economic reform and diversifi¬ cation, particularly since Saudi Arabia’s accession to the WTO in December 2005, and promotes foreign investment in the kingdom. A burgeoning popula¬ tion, aquifer depletion, and an economy largely dependent on petroleum output and prices are all ongoing governmental concerns. GEOGRAPHY Location: Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, north of Yemen Geographic coordinates: 25 00 N, 45 00 E Map references: Middle East Area: total: 2,149,690 sq km land: 2,149,690 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US Land boundaries: total: 4,431 km border countries: Iraq 814 km, Jordan 744 km, Kuwait 222 km, Oman 676 km, Qatar 60 km, UAE 457 km, Yemen 1,458 km Coastline: 2,640 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 18 nm continental shelf: not specified Climate: harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes Terrain: mostly uninhabited, sandy desert Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Jabal Sawda’ 3,133 m Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper Land use: arable land: 1.67% permanent crops: 0.09% other: 98.24% (2005) Irrigated land: 16,200 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: frequent sand and dust storms Environment — current issues: desertifi¬ cation; depletion of underground water resources; the lack of perennial rivers or permanent water bodies has prompted the development of extensive seawater desalination facilities; coastal pollution from oil spills Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: extensive coastlines on Persian Gulf and Red Sea provide great leverage on shipping (especially crude oil) through Persian Gulf and Suez Canal PEOPLE Population: 27,601,038 note: includes 5,576,076 non-nationals (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 38.2% (male 5,369,285/ female 5,162,585) 15-64 years: 59.4% (male 9,316,694/ female 7,089,370) 65 years and over: 2.4% (male 348,827/ female 314,277) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 21.4 years male: 22.9 years female: 19.6 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.06% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 29.1 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 2.55 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -5.95 migrants )/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.314 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.11 male(s)/female total population: 1.196 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 12.41 deaths/1,000 live births male: 14.24 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.88 years male: 73.85 years female: 78.02 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 3 .94 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 0.01% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HI V/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Saudi(s) adjective: Saudi or Saudi Arabian Ethnic groups: Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10% Religions: Muslim 100% Languages: Arabic Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 78.8% 545 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK male: 84-7% female: 70.8% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia conventional short form: Saudi Arabia local long form: A1 Mamlakah al Arabiyah as Suudiyah local short form: Al Arabiyah as Suudiyah Government type: monarchy Capital: name: Riyadh geographic coordinates: 24 38 N, 46 43 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 13 provinces (mintaqat, singular — mintaqah); Al Bahah, Al Hudud ash Shamaliyah, Al Jawf, Al Madinah, Al Qasim, Ar Riyad, Ash Sharqiyah (Eastern Province), ‘Asir, Ha’il, Jizan, Makkah, Najran, Tabuk Independence: 23 September 1932 (uni' fication of the kingdom) National holiday: Unification of the Kingdom, 23 September (1932) Constitution: governed according to Islamic law; the Basic Law that articu¬ lates the government’s rights and respon¬ sibilities was promulgated by royal decree in 1992 Legal system: based on Shari’a law, sev¬ eral secular codes have been introduced; commercial disputes handled by special committees; has not accepted compul¬ sory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 21 years of age; male Executive branch: chief of state: King and Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 1 August 2005); Heir Apparent Crown Prince SULTAN bin Abd al- Aziz Al Saud (half brother of the monarch, born 5 January 1928) note — the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: King and Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 1 August 2005) cabinet: Council of Ministers is appointed by the monarch every four years and includes many royal family members elections: none; the monarch is heredi¬ tary; note — a new Allegiance Commission created by royal decree in October 2006 established a committee of Saudi princes that will play a role in selecting future Saudi kings, but the new system will not take effect until after Crown Prince Sultan becomes king Legislative branch: Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura (150 mem¬ bers and a chairman appointed by the monarch for four-year terms); note though the Council of Ministers announced in October 2003 its intent to introduce elections for half of the mem¬ bers of local and provincial assemblies and a third of the members of the national Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura, incrementally over a period of four to five years, to date no such elec¬ tions have been held or announced Judicial branch: Supreme Council of Justice Political parties and leaders: none Political pressure groups and leaders: none International organization participa¬ tion: ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, BIS, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Adil al- Ahmad al-JUBAYR chancery: 601 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 342-3800 FAX: [1] (202) 944-3113 consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James C. OBERWETTER embassy: Collector Road M, Diplomatic Quarter, Riyadh mailing address: American Embassy, Unit 61307, APO AE 09803-1307; Interna¬ tional Mail: P O. Box 94309, Riyadh 11693 telephone: [9661 (1) 488-3800 FAX: [966] (1) 488-3989 consulate(s) general: Dhahran, Jiddah (Jeddah) Flag description: green, a traditional color in Islamic flags, with the Shahada or Muslim creed in large white Arabic script (translated as “There is no god but God; Muhammad is the Messenger of God”) above a white horizontal saber (the tip points to the hoist side); design dates to the early twentieth century and is closely associated with the Al Saud family which established the kingdom in 1932 ECONOMY Economy— overview: Saudi Arabia has an oil-based economy with strong gov¬ ernment controls over major economic activities. It possesses 25% of the world’s proven petroleum reserves, ranks as the largest exporter of petroleum, and plays a leading role in OPEC. The petroleum sector accounts for roughly 75% of budget revenues, 45% of GDP, and 90% of export earnings. About 40% of GDP comes from the private sector. Roughly 5.5 million foreign workers play an important role in the Saudi economy, particularly in the oil and service sectors. The government is encouraging private sector growth to lessen the kingdom’s dependence on oil and to increase employment opportunities for the swelling Saudi population. The govern¬ ment is promoting private sector and for¬ eign participation in the power generation, telecom, natural gas, and petrochemical industries. As part of its effort to attract foreign investment and diversify the economy, Saudi Arabia acceded to the WTO in December 2005 after many years of negotiations. With high oil revenues enabling the govern¬ ment to post large budget surpluses, Riyadh has substantially boosted spending on job training and education, infrastruc¬ ture development, and government salaries. The government has announced plans to establish six “economic cities” in different regions of the country to pro¬ mote development and diversification. GDP (purchasing power parity): $366.2 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $276.9 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 2.4% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $13,600 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 3.3% industry: 67% services: 29.8 % (2006 est.) Labor force: 7.125 million note: more than 35% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 12% industry: 25% services: 63% (1999 est.) Unemployment rate: 13% among Saudi males only (local bank estimate; some estimates range as high as 25%) (2004 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.9% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 16.2% of GDP (2006 est.) 546 SAUDI ARABIA Budget: ~ revenues : $189.2 billion expenditures: $107.6 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 32.5% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: wheat, barley, tomatoes, melons, dates, citrus; mutton, chickens, eggs, milk Industries: crude oil production, petro¬ leum refining, basic petrochemicals; ammonia, industrial gases, sodium hydroxide (caustic soda), cement, fertil¬ izer, plastics; metals, commercial ship repair, commercial aircraft repair, con¬ struction Industrial production growth rate: 1.9% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 155.2 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 144 4 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil — production: 9.475 million bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil — consumption: 1.845 million bbl/day (2004) Oil — exports: 7.92 million bbl/day (2003) Oil— Imports: 0 bbl/day (2003) Oil — proved reserves: 262.7 billion bbl (2006 est.) Natural gas — production: 65.68 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 65.68 bil¬ lion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — imports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — proved reserves: 6.654 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $103.8 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $204.5 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: petroleum and petroleum products 90% Exports — partners: US 16.8%, Japan 16.5%, South Korea 9.3%, China 7.1%, Singapore 5.2%, Taiwan 4-3% (2005) Imports: $64-16 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, motor vehicles, textiles Imports — partners: US 14.8%, Japan 9%, Germany 8.2%, China 7.4%, UK 4.7% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $31.63 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $47.39 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid — donor: since 2000, Saudi Arabia has committed $307 mil¬ lion for assistance to the Palestinians; pledged $230 million to development in Afghanistan; pledged $1 billion in export guarantees and soft loans to Iraq; pledged $133 million in direct grant aid, $187 million in concessional loans, and $153 million in export credits for Pakistan earthquake relief; pledged a total of $1.59 billion to Lebanon in assis¬ tance and deposits to the Central Bank of Lebanon in 2006 and pledged an addi¬ tional $1.1 billion in early 2007 Currency (code): Saudi riyal (SAR) Currency code: SAR Exchange rates: Saudi riyals per US dollar— 3.745 (2006), 3.747 (2005), 3.75 (2004), 3.75 (2003), 3.75 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 4 5 million (2006) Telephones — mobile cellular: 13.3 mil¬ lion (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: modem system domestic: extensive microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and fiber-optic cable systems international: country code — 966; microwave radio relay to Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Yemen, and Sudan; coaxial cable to Kuwait and Jordan; submarine cable to Djibouti, Egypt and Bahrain; satellite earth sta¬ tions — 5 Intelsat (3 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region) Radio broadcast stations: AM 43, FM 31, shortwave 2 (1998) Radios: 6.25 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 117 (1997) Televisions: 5.1 million (1997) Internet country code: sa Internet hosts: 10,931 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 22 (2003) Internet users: 3.2 million (2006) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 208 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 73 over 3 ,047 m: 32 2,438 to 3,047 m: 13 1,524 to 2,437 m: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 135 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 75 914 to 1,523 m: 40 under 914 m: 12 (2006) Heliports: 6 (2006) Pipelines: condensate 212 km; gas 1,880 km; liquid petroleum gas 1,183 km; oil 4,531 km; refined products 1,150 km (2006) Railways: total: 1,392 km standard gauge: 1,392 km 1.435-m gauge (with branch lines and sidings) (2005) Roadways: total: 152,044 km paved: 45,461 km unpaved: 106,583 km (2000) Merchant marine: total: 60 ships (1000 GRT or over) 837,272 GRT/1,064,377 DWT by type: cargo 5, chemical tanker 15, container 4, passenger/cargo 8, petro¬ leum tanker 18, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 9 foreign-oumed: 9 (Egypt 2, Kuwait 5, Sudan 1, UAE 1) registered in other countries: 55 (Bahamas 12, Comoros 3, Dominica 3, French Southern and Antarctic Lands 1, Liberia 24, Marshall Islands 1, Norway 3, Panama 8) (2006) Ports and terminals: Ad Dammam, A1 Jubayl, Jiddah, Yanbu’ al Sinaiyah MILITARY Military branches: Land Forces (Army), Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, National Guard, Ministry of Interior Forces (paramilitary) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 7,648,999 females age 18-49: 5,417,922 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 6,592,709 females age 18—49: 4,659,347 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18—49: 247,334 females age 18-49: 234,500 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 10% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: Saudi Arabia has reinforced its concrete-filled security barrier along sections of the now fully demarcated border with Yemen to stem illegal cross-border activities; Kuwait and Saudi Arabia continue discussions on a maritime boundary with Iran Refugees and Internally displaced per¬ sons: refugees (country of origin): 240,015 (Palestinian Territories) (2006) 547 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Trafficking in persons: current situation: Saudi Arabia is a destination country for workers from South and Southeast Asia who are subjected to conditions that constitute involuntary servitude including being subjected to physical and sexual abuse, non-payment of wages, confinement, and withholding of pass¬ ports as a restriction on their movement; domestic workers are particularly vulner¬ able because some are confined to the house in which they work unable to seek help; Saudi Arabia is also a destination country for Nigerian, Yemeni, Pakistani, Afghan, Somali, Malian, and Sudanese children trafficked for forced begging and involuntary servitude as street vendors; some Nigerian women were reportedly trafficked into Saudi Arabia for commer¬ cial sexual exploitation tier rating: Tier 3 — Saudi Arabia does not fully comply with the minimum stan¬ dards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so Illicit drugs: death penalty for traf¬ fickers; improving anti-money-laun- dering legislation and enforcement SENEGAL INTRODUCTION Background: The French colonies of Senegal and the French Sudan were merged in 1959 and granted their inde¬ pendence as the Mali Federation in 1960. The union broke up after only a few months. Senegal was ruled by the Socialist Party for 40 years until current President Abdoulaye WADE was elected in 2000. Senegal joined with The Gambia to form the nominal confedera¬ tion of Senegambia in 1982, but the envisaged integration of the two coun¬ tries was never carried out, and the union was dissolved in 1989. The most significant threat within Senegal since the 1980s has been led by the Movement of Democratic Forces in the Casamance (MFDC). Although a peace agreement was signed in December 2004, internal rifts continue to keep the peace process deadlocked. Nevertheless, Senegal remains one of the most stable democra¬ cies in Africa. Senegal has a long history of participating in international peace¬ keeping. GEOGRAPHY Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea- Bissau and Mauritania Geographic coordinates: 14 00 N, 14 00 W Map references: Africa Area: total: 196,190 sq km land: 192,000 sq km water: 4,190 sq km Area — comparative: slightly smaller than South Dakota Land boundaries: total: 2,640 km border countries: The Gambia 740 km, Guinea 330 km, Guinea-Bissau 338 km, Mali 419 km, Mauritania 813 km Coastline: 531 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin Climate: tropical; hot, humid; rainy season (May to November) has strong southeast winds; dry season (December to April) dominated by hot, dry, har- mattan wind Terrain: generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in southeast Elevation extremes: bwest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed feature near Nepen Diakha 581 m Natural resources: fish, phosphates, iron ore Land use: arable land: 12.51% permanent crops: 0.24% other: 87.25% (2005) Irrigated land: 1,200 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts Environment— current issues: wildlife populations threatened by poaching; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; overfishing Environment— international agreements: party to. Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Deser¬ tification, Endangered Species, Fiazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling Geography — note: westernmost country on the African continent; The Gambia is almost an enclave within Senegal PEOPLE Population: 12,521,851 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 42% (male 2,656,122/female 2,608,423) 15-64 years: 55% (male 3,426,504/ female 3,454,372) 65 years and over: 3% (male 176,877/ female 199,553) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 18.7 years male: 18.5 years female: 18.9 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.645% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 37.4 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 10.96 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.018 male (s)/fe male 15—64 years: 0.992 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.886 male (s)/fe male total population: 1 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 60.15 deaths/1,000 live births male: 64.06 deaths/1,000 live births female : 56.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 56.69 years male: 55.34 years female: 58.09 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 5 children bom/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.8% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 44,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 3,500 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, yellow fever, Crimean-Congo 548 SENEGAL hemorrhagic fever, and Rift Valley fever are high risks in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal men- ingitis (2007) Nationality: noun: Senegalese (singular and plural) adjective: Senegalese Ethnic groups: Wolof 43.3%, pular 23.8%, Serer 14.7%, Jola 3.7%, Mandinka 3%, Soninke 1.1%, European and Lebanese 1%, other 9.4% Religions: Muslim 94%, Christian 5% (mostly Roman Catholic), indigenous beliefs 1% Languages: French (official), Wolof, Pulaar, Jola, Mandinka Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 39.3% male: 51.1% female: 29.2% (2002 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Senegal conventional short form: Senegal local long form: Republique du Senegal local short form: Senegal former: Senegambia (along with The Gambia); Mali Federation Government type: republic Capital: name: Dakar geographic coordinates: 14 40 N, 17 26 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: ll regions (regions, singular — region); Dakar, Diourbel, Fatick, Kaolack, Kolda, Louga, Matam, Saint-Louis, Tambacounda, Thies, Ziguinchor Independence: 4 April 1960 (from France); note — complete independence achieved upon dissolution of federation with Mali on 20 August 1960 National holiday: Independence Day, 4 April (1960) Constitution: adopted 7 January 2001 Legal system: based on French civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court; the Council of State audits the government’s accounting office; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Abdoulaye WADE (since 1 April 2000) head of government: Prime Minister Macky SALL (since 21 April 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term) under new constitution; election last held on 25 February 2007 (next to be held in 2012); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Abdoulaye WADE reelected president in the first round of voting; percent of vote — Abdoulaye WADE 55.9%, Idrissa SECK 14.9%, Ousmane Tanor DIENG 13.6%, Moustapha NIASSE 5.9%, other 9.7% Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) note: the former National Assembly had 120 seats, but deputies in late 2006 voted to expand the number of seats to 140 elections: last held on 29 April 2001; note — the National Assembly in December 2005 voted to postpone leg¬ islative elections originally scheduled for 2006; parliamentary elections were rescheduled to coincide with the 25 February 2007 presidential elections but have been rescheduled once again election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — SOPI Coalition 89, AFP 11, PS 10, other 10 Judicial branch: Constitutional Court; Council of State; Court of Final Appeals or Cour de Cassation; Court of Appeals Political parties and leaders: African Party of Independence [Majhemout DIOP]; And-Jef/African Party for Democracy and Socialism or AJ/PADS) [Landing SAVANE]; Alliance of Forces of Progress or AFP [Moustapha NIASSE]; Democratic and Patriotic Convention or CDP (also known as Garab-Gi) [Dr. Iba Der THIAM]; Democratic League-Labor Party Movement or LD-MPT [Dr. Abdoulaye BATHILY]; Front for Socialism and Democracy or FSD [Cheikh Abdoulaye Bamba DIEYE]; Gainde Centrist Bloc or BGC [Jean-Paul DIAS]; Independence and Labor Party or PIT [Amath DANSOKHO]; Jef-Jel [Talla SYLLA]; National Democratic Rally or RND [Madior DIOUF]; People’s Labor Party or PTP [Elhadji DIOUF]; Reform Party or PR [Abdourahim AGNE]; Rewmi [Idrissa SECK]; Senegalese Democratic Party or PDS [Abdoulaye WADE]; Socialist Party or PS [Ousmane Tanor DIENG]; SOPI Coalition [Abdoulaye WADE] (a coalition led by the PDS); Union for Democratic Renewal or URD [Djibo Leyti KA] Political pressure groups and leaders: labor; Sufi and Mouride brotherhoods; students; teachers International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspon¬ dent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Amadou Lamine BA chancery: 2112 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-0540 FAX: [1] (202) 332-6315 consulate(s) general: Houston, New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Janice L. JACOBS embassy: Avenue Jean XXIII at the corner of Rue Kleber, Dakar mailing address : B. P. 49, Dakar telephone: [221] 823-4296 FAX: [221] 822-2991 Flag description: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red with a small green five-pointed star centered in the yellow band; uses the popular pan- African colors of Ethiopia ECONOMY Economy — overview: In January 1994, Senegal undertook a bold and ambitious economic reform program with the sup¬ port of the international donor commu¬ nity. This reform began with a 50% devaluation of Senegal’s currency, the CFA franc, which was linked at a fixed rate to the French franc. Government price controls and subsidies have been steadily dismantled. After seeing its economy contract by 2.1% in 1993, Senegal made an important turnaround, thanks to the reform program, with real growth in GDP averaging over 5% annu¬ ally during 1995-2006. Annual inflation had been pushed down to the low single digits. As a member of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), Senegal is working toward greater regional integration with a unified external tariff and a more stable monetary policy. High unemployment, however, continues to prompt illegal migrants to flee Senegal in search of better job oppor¬ tunities in Europe. Senegal was also beset by an energy crisis that caused widespread blackouts in 2006. Senegal still relies heavily upon outside donor assistance. Under the IMF’s Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) debt relief program, Senegal will benefit from eradication of 549 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK two-thirds of its bilateral, multilateral, and private-sector debt. GDP (purchasing power parity): $21.54 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $8,331 billion (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 2% (2006 est.) GDP — per capita (PPP): $1,800 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 18.3% industry: 19.2% services: 62.5% (2006 est.) Labor force: 4.749 million (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 77% industry and services: 23% (1990 est.) Unemployment rate: 48%; note— urban youth 40% (2001 est.) Population below poverty line: 54% (2001 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 33.5% (1995) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 41.3 (1995) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 41% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $2,023 billion expenditures: $2,377 billion; including cap¬ ital expenditures of $357 million (2006 est.) Public debt: 17.8% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: peanuts, millet, com, sorghum, rice, cotton, tomatoes, green vegetables; cattle, poultry, pigs; fish Industries: agricultural and fish pro¬ cessing, phosphate mining, fertilizer pro¬ duction, petroleum refining, construction materials, ship construction and repair Industrial production growth rate: 3.2% (2006 est.) Electricity — production: 1.453 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 1.351 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 31,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas — production: 50 million cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 50 million cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $895.2 mil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $1,478 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: fish, ground¬ nuts (peanuts), petroleum products, phosphates, cotton Exports — partners: Mali 16.9%, India 13.1%, France 9.5%, Spain 6.1%, Italy 5.5%, Gambia, The 4.6% (2005) Imports: $2.98 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: food and bever¬ ages, capital goods, fuels Imports — partners: France 22.8%, Nigeria 11.4%, Brazil 4-5%, Thailand 4.3%, US 4.2%, UK 4% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $1.18 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $1,628 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid — recipient: $449.6 mil¬ lion (2003 est.) Currency (code): Communaute Finan- ciere Africaine franc (XOF); note — responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States Currency code: XOF Exchange rates: Communaute Finan- ciere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar— 522.89 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 266,600 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 1.73 mil¬ lion (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: good system domestic: above-average urban system; microwave radio relay, coaxial cable and fiber-optic cable in trunk system international: country code — 221; 4 sub¬ marine cables; satellite earth station — 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 8, FM 20, shortwave 1 (2001) Radios: 1.24 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997) Televisions: 361,000 (1997) Internet country code: sn Internet hosts: 412 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2002) Internet users: 540,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 20 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 9 over 3,047 m: 1 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 11 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1 ,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Pipelines: gas 43 km (2006) Railways: total: 906 km narrow gauge: 906 km 1.000 meter gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 13,576 km paved: 3,972 km (includes 7 km of expressways) unpaved: 9,604 km (2003) Waterways: 1,000 km (primarily on Senegal, Saloum, and Casamance rivers) (2005) Ports and terminals: Dakar MILITARY Military branches: Army, Senegalese Navy (Marine Senegalaise), Senegalese Air Force (Armee de l’Air du Senegal) (2007) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obliga¬ tion — 2 years (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 18—49: 2,443,840 females age 18-49: 2,461,939 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 1,558,175 females age 18-49: 1,642,533 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 129,331 females age 18-^49: 129,398 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1.4% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau attempt to stem sepa¬ ratist violence, cross border raids, and arms smuggling into their countries from Senegal’s Casamance region, and in 2006, respectively accepted 6,000 and 10,000 Casamance residents fleeing the conflict; 2,500 Guinea-Bissau residents tied into Senegal in 2006 to escape armed confrontations along the border Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: refugees (country of origin): 19,712 (Mauritania) IDPs: 22,400 (approximately 65% of the I DP population returned in 2005, but new displacement is occurring due to clashes between government troops and separatists in Casamance region) (2006) Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and South American cocaine moving to Europe and North America; illicit culti¬ vator of cannabis 550 SERBIA INTRODUCTION Background: The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes was formed in 1918; its name was changed to Yugoslavia in 1929. Various paramilitary bands resisted Nazi Germany’s occupa- tion and division of Yugoslavia from 1941 to 1945, but fought each other and ethnic opponents as much as the invaders. The military and political movement headed by Josip TITO (Partisans) took full control of Yugoslavia when German and Croatian separatist forces were defeated in 1945. Although Communist, TITO’s new gov¬ ernment and his successors (he died in 1980) managed to steer their own path between the Warsaw Pact nations and the West for the next four and a half decades. In 1989, Slobodan MILO¬ SEVIC became president of the Serbian Republic and his ultranationalist calls for Serbian domination led to the violent breakup of Yugoslavia along ethnic lines. In 1991, Croatia, Slovenia, and Macedonia declared independence, fol¬ lowed by Bosnia in 1992. The remaining republics of Serbia and Montenegro declared a new Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) in April 1992 and under MILOSEVIC’S leadership, Serbia led various military campaigns to unite ethnic Serbs in neighboring republics into a “Greater Serbia.” These actions led to Yugoslavia being ousted from the UN in 1992, but Serbia continued its — ultimately unsuccessful — campaign until signing the Dayton Peace Accords in 1995. MILOSEVIC kept tight control over Serbia and eventually became pres¬ ident of the FRY in 1997. In 1998, a small-scale ethnic Albanian insurgency in the formerly autonomous Serbian province of Kosovo provoked a Serbian counterinsurgency campaign that resulted in massacres and massive expulsions of ethnic Albanians living in Kosovo by FRY forces and Serb paramilitaries. The MILOSEVIC government’s rejection of a proposed international settlement led to NATO’s bombing of Serbia in the spring of 1999 and to the eventual with¬ drawal of Serbian military and police forces from Kosovo in June 1999. UNSC Resolution 1244 in June 1999 authorized the stationing of a NATO-led force (KFOR) in Kosovo to provide a safe and secure environment for the region’s ethnic communities, created a UN Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) to foster self-governing insti¬ tutions, and reserved the issue of Kosovo’s final status for an unspecified date in the future. In 2001, UNMIK promulgated a constitutional framework that allowed Kosovo to establish institu¬ tions of self-government and led to Kosovo’s first parliamentary election. FRY elections in September 2000 led to the ouster of MILOSEVIC and installed Vojislav KOSTUNICA as president. A broad coalition of democratic reformist parties known as DOS (the Democratic Opposition of Serbia) was subsequently elected to parliament in December 2000 and took control of the government. The arrest of MILOSEVIC by DOS in 2001 allowed for his subsequent transfer to the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in The Hague to be tried for crimes against humanity. (MILOSEVIC died at The Hague in March 2006 before the completion of his trial.) In 2001, the country’s suspen¬ sion from the UN was lifted, and it was once more accepted into UN organiza¬ tions. In 2003, the FRY became Serbia and Montenegro, a loose federation of the two republics with a federal level par¬ liament. Violent rioting in Kosovo in 2004 caused the international commu¬ nity to open negotiations on the future status of Kosovo in January 2006. In May 2006, Montenegro invoked its right under the Constitutional Charter of Serbia and Montenegro to hold a refer¬ endum on independence from the state union. The referendum was successful, and Montenegro declared itself an inde¬ pendent nation on 3 June 2006. Two days later, Serbia declared that it was the suc¬ cessor state to the union of Serbia and Montenegro. In October 2006, the Serbian parliament unanimously approved — and a referendum con¬ firmed — a new constitution for the country. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southeastern Europe, between Macedonia and Hungary Geographic coordinates: 44 00 N, 21 00 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 88,361 sq km land: 88,361 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: slightly larger than South Carolina Land boundaries: total: 2,027 km border countries: Albania 115 km, Bosnia and Herzegovina 302 km, Bulgaria 318 km, Croatia 241 km, Hungary 151 km, Macedonia 221 km, Montenegro 203 km, Romania 476 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime Claims: none (landlocked) Climate: in the north, continental cli¬ mate (cold winters and hot, humid sum¬ mers with well distributed rainfall); in other parts, continental and Medi¬ terranean climate (relatively cold win¬ ters with heavy snowfall and hot, dry summers and autumns) Terrain: extremely varied; to the north, rich fertile plains; to the east, limestone ranges and basins; to the southeast, ancient mountains and hills Elevation extremes: lowest point: NA highest point: Daravica 2,656 m Natural resources: oil, gas, coal, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, antimony, chromite, nickel, gold, silver, magnesium, pyrite, limestone, marble, salt, arable land Land use: arable land: NA permanent crops: NA other: NA Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: destructive earthquakes Environment — current issues: air pollu¬ tion around Belgrade and other indus¬ trial cities; water pollution from industrial wastes dumped into the Sava which flows into the Danube Environment— international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Con¬ servation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: controls one of the major land routes from Western Europe to Turkey and the Near East 551 THE CIA WORLD FACT BOOK PEOPLE Population: 10,150,265 (July 2007 est.) Median age: total: 37.3 years male: 35.9 years female: 38.8 years (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.06 years male: 72.49 years female: 77.86 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1 .69 children born/ woman (2007 est.) Nationality: noun: Serb(s) adjective: Serbian Ethnic groups: Serb 82.9%, Hungarian 3.9%, Romany (Gypsy) 1.4%, Yugoslavs 1.1%, Bosniaks 1.8%, Montenegrin 0.9%, other 8% (2002 census) Religions: Serbian Orthodox 85%, Catholic 5.5%, Protestant 1.1%, Muslim 3.2%, unspecified 2.6%, other, un- known, or atheist 2.6% (2002 census) Languages: Serbian 88.3% (official), Hungarian 3.8%, Bosniak 1.8%, Romany (Gypsy) 1.1%, other 41%, unknown 0.9% (2002 census) note: Romanian, Hungarian, Slovak, Ukrainian, and Croatian all official in Vojvodina; Albanian official in Kosovo Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.4% male: 98.9% female: 94.1% (2003 census) note: includes Montenegro but excludes Kosovo GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Serbia conventional short form: Serbia local long form: Republika Srbija local short form: Srbija former: People’s Republic of Serbia, Socialist Republic of Serbia Government type: republic Capital: name: Belgrade geographic coordinates: 44 50 N, 20 30 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 190 munid- paiities (opcinas, singular — opcina) Serbia Proper: Beograd: Barajevo, Cukavica, Grocka, Lazarevac, Mladnovac, Novi Beograd, Obrenovac, Palilula, Rakovica, Savski Venae, Sopot, Stari Grad, Surcin, Vozdovac, Vracar, Zemun, Zrezdara; Borski Okrug: Bor, Kladovo, Majdanpek, Negotin; Branicevski Okrug: Golubac, Kucevo, Malo Crnice, Petrovac, Pozarevac, Veliko Gradiste, Zabari, Zagubica; Jablanicki Okrug: Bojnik, Crna Trava, Lebane, Leskovac, Medvedja, Vlasotince; Kolubarski Okrug: Lajkovac, Ljig, Mionica, Osecina, Ub, Valjevo; Macvanski Okrug: Bogatic, Koceljeva, Krupanj, Ljubovija, Loznica, Mali Zvornik, Sabac, Vladimirci; Moravicki Okrug: Cacak, Gornkji Milanovac, Ivanjica, Lucani; Nisavski Okrug: Aleksinac, Doljevac, Gadzin Han, Merosina, Nis, Razanj, Svrljig; Pcinjski Okrug: Bosilegrad, Bujanovac, Presevo, Surdulica, Trgoviste, Vladicin Han, Vranje; Pirotski Okrug: Babusnica, Bela Palanka, Dimitrovgrad, Pirot; Podunavski Okrug: Smederevo, Smederevskia Palanka, Velika Plana; Pomoravski Okrug: Cuprija, Despotovac, Jagodina, Paracin, Rckovac, Svilajnac; Rasinski Okrug: Aleksandrovac, Brus, Cicevac, Krusevac, Trstenik, Varvarin; Raski Okrug: Kraljevo, Novi Pazar, Raska, Tutin, Vrnjacka Banja; Sumadijski Okrug: Arandjelovac, Batocina, Knic, Kragujevac, Lapovo, Raca, Topola; Toplicki Okrug: Blace, Kursumlija, Prokuplje, Zitoradja; Zajecarski Okrug: Boljevac, Knjazevac, Sokobanja, Zalecar; Zlatiborski Okrug: Arilje, Bajina Basta, Cajetina, Kosjeric, Nova Varos, Pozega, Priboj, Prijepolje, Sjenica, Uzice; Vojvodina Autonomous Province: Juzno- Backi Okrug: Backi Petrovac, Beocin, Novi Sad, Sremski Karlovci, Temerin, Titel, Zabalj; Juzno Banatski Okrug: Alibunar, Bela Crkva, Kovacica, Kovin, Opovo, Pancevo, Plandiste, Vrsac; SevernO'Backi Okrug: Backa Topola, Mali Idjos, Subotica; Severno-Banatski Okrug: Ada, Coka, Kanjiza, Kikinda, Novi Knezevac, Senta; Srednjo-Banatski Okrug: Nova Crnja, Novi Becej, Secanj, Zitiste, Zrenjanin; Sremski Okrug: Indjija, Irig, Pecinci, Ruma, Sid, Sremska Mitrovica, Stara Pazova; Zapadno-Backi Okrug: Apatin, Kula, Odzaci, Sombor; Kosovo and Metojia Autonomous Province: Kosovski Okrug: Glogovac, Kacanik, Kosovo Polje, Lipljan, Obilic, Podujevo, Pristina, Stimlje, Strpce, Urosevac; Kosovsko-Mitrovacki Okrug: Kosovska Mitrovica, Leposavic, Srbica, Vucitrn, Zubin Potok, Zvecan; Kosovsko- Pomoravski Okrug: Gnjilane, Kosovska Kamenica, Novo Brdo, Vitina; Pecki Okrug: Decani, Djakovica, Istok, Klina, Pec; Prizrenski Okrug: Gora i Opolje, Orahovac, Prizren, Suva Reka Independence: 5 June 2006 (from Serbia and Montenegro) National holiday: National Day, 15 February Constitution: adopted 8 November 2006; effective 10 November 2006 Legal system: based on civil law system Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Boris TADIC (since 11 July 2004); Kosovo — President Fatmir SEJDIU (since 10 February 2006) head of government: Prime Minister Vojislav KOSTUNICA (since 3 March 2004); Kosovo — Prime Minister Agim CEKU (since 10 March 2006) cabinet: Federal Ministries act as cabinet; Kosovo — ministry heads act as cabinet; some ministry functions are controlled by the UNMIK elections: president elected by direct vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 27 June 2004 (next to be held in 2007 due to constitu¬ tional changes); prime minister elected by the Assembly; Kosovo — president is elected by the Assembly for a three-year term; prime minister and proposed cab¬ inet are elected by the Assembly election results: Boris TADIC elected president in the second round of voting; Boris TADIC received 53% of the vote Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (250 seats; deputies elected by direct vote to serve four-year terms); Kosovo — unicameral Assembly (120 seats; 100 deputies elected by direct vote and 20 deputies from minority commu¬ nity members; to serve three-year terms) elections: last held on 21 January 2007 (next to be held in 2011); Kosovo — last held on 23 October 2004 (next to be held in 2007) election results: Serbia National Assembly: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — SRS 81, DSS 64, DSS-NS 47, G17 Plus 19, SPS 16, LDP Coalition 15, SVM 3, KZS 2, URS 1, KAPD 1, RP 1; Kosovo Assembly: per¬ cent of vote by party — NA; seats by party— LDK 46, PDK 30, AAK 9, SLKM 8, Ora 7, Bosniak Vakat coalition 4, KDTP 3, other 13 Judicial branch: Constitutional Court, Supreme Court (to become court of cassa¬ tion under new constitution), appellate courts, district courts, municipal courts; Kosovo: Supreme Court, district courts, municipal courts, minor offense courts; note Ministry of Justice was created on 20 December 2004; UNMIK appoints all judges and prosecutors; UNMIK is worxmg on transferring competencies note. Ministry of Justice was created on 20 December 2004; UNMIK appoints all judges and prosecutors; UNMIK is working on transferring competencies 552 SERBIA Political parties and leaders: Coalition of Albanians of the Presevo Valley or KAPD [Riza HALIMI]; Coalition for Sandzak or KZS [Sulejman UGL- JANINJ; Democratic Party of Serbia or DSS [Vojislav KOSTUNICA]; Demo¬ cratic Party or DS [Boris TADIC]; G17 Plus [Mladjan DINKIC]; League of Vojvodina Hungarians or SVM [Jozsef KASZA]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Cedomir JOVANOVIC]; New Serbia or NS [Velimir ILIC]; Roma Party or RP [Srdjan SAJN]; Serbian Radical Party or SRS [Vojislav SESEL] (currently on trial at The Hague), but Tomislav NIKOLIC is acting leader]; Socialist Party of Serbia or SPS [Ivica DACIC]; Union of Roma of Serbia or URS [Rajko DJURIC]; Kosovo Albanian Christian Democatic Party or PShDK [Mark KRASNIQI]; Alliance for the Future of Kosovo or AAK [Rmuch HARAD- INAJ]; Citizens’ Initiative of Gora or GIG [Rustem IBISI]; Coalition Vakat; Democratic Ashkali Party of Kosovo or PDAK [Sabit RRAHMANI]; Demo¬ cratic League of Kosovo or LDK [Fatmir SEJDIU]; Democratic Party of Kosovo or PDK [Hashim THACI]; Justice Party or PD [Sylejman CERKEZI]; Kosovo Democratic Turkish Party of KDTP [Mahir YAGCILAR]; Liberal Party of Kosovo or PLK [Gjergi DEDAJ]; New Democratic Initiative of Kosovo or IRDK [Xhevdet NEZIRAJ]; Ora Citizens’ List or Ora [Veton SURROI]; Party of Democratic Action or SDA [Numan BALIC]; Popular Movement of Kosovo or LPK [Emrush XHEMAJLI]; Serb List for Kosovo and Metohija or SLKM [Oliver IVANOVIC]; Serb Democratic Party or SDS KiM [Slavisa PETKOVIC]; United Roma Party of Kosovo or PREBK [Zylfi MERXHA] International organization participa¬ tion: ABEDA, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, EBRD, FAO, G-9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD (sus¬ pended), IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ivan VUJACIC chancery: 2134 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-0333 FAX: [1] (202) 332-3933 consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael C. POLT embassy: Kneza Milosa 50, 1 1000 Belgrade mailing address: 5070 Belgrade Place, Washington, DC 20521-5070 telephone: [381] (11) 361-9344 FAX: [381] (11) 361-8230 note: there is a branch office in Pristina at 30 Nazim Hikmet 38000 Prstina, Kososvo; telephone: [381] (38) 549-516; FAX:[381] (38) 549-890 Flag description: three equal horizontal stripes of red (top), blue, and white; charged with the coat of arms of Serbia shifted slightly to the hoist side ECONOMY _ _ . _ Economy — overview: MILOSEVIC-era mismanagement of the economy, an extended period of economic sanctions, and the damage to Yugoslavia’s infra¬ structure and industry during the NATO airstrikes in 1999 left the economy only half the size it was in 1990. After the ousting of former Federal Yugoslav President MILOSEVIC in October 2000, the Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS) coalition government imple¬ mented stabilization measures and embarked on a market reform program. After renewing its membership in the IMF in December 2000, a down-sized Yugoslavia continued to reintegrate into the international community by rejoining the World Bank (IBRD) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). A World Bank-European Commission sponsored Donors’ Conference held in June 2001 raised $1.3 billion for economic restruc¬ turing. In November 2001, the Paris Club agreed to reschedule the country’s $4.5 billion public debt and wrote off 66% of the debt. In July 2004, the London Club of private creditors forgave $1.7 billion of debt just over half the total owed. Belgrade has made only min¬ imal progress in restructuring and priva¬ tizing its holdings in major sectors of the economy, including energy and telecom¬ munications. It has made halting progress towards EU membership and is currently pursuing a Stabilization and Association Agreement with Brussels. Serbia is also pursuing membership in the World Trade Organization. Un¬ employment remains an ongoing polit¬ ical and economic problem. The Republic of Montenegro severed its economy from Serbia during the MILO¬ SEVIC era; therefore, the formal separa¬ tion of Serbia and Montenegro in June 2006 had little real impact on either economy. Kosovo’s economy continues to transition to a market-based system and is largely dependent on the interna¬ tional community and the diaspora for financial and technical assistance. The euro and the Serbian dinar are both accepted currencies in Kosovo. While maintaining ultimate oversight, UNMIK continues to work with the EU and Kosovo’s local provisional government to accelerate economic growth, lower unemployment, and attract foreign investment to help Kosovo integrate into regional economic structures. The complexity of Serbia and Kosovo’s polit¬ ical and legal relationships has created uncertainty over property rights and hin¬ dered the privatization of state-owned assets in Kosovo. Most of Kosovo’s popu¬ lation lives in rural towns outside of the largest city, Pristina. Inefficient, near- subsistence farming is common. note: economic data for Serbia currently reflects information for the former Serbia and Montenegro, unless otherwise noted; data for Serbia alone will be added when available GDP (purchasing power parity): $44 83 billion note: data for Serbia includes Kosovo (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $19.19 billion for Serbia alone (excluding Kosovo) (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 5.9% for Serbia alone (excluding Kosovo) (2005 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $4,400 for Serbia (including Kosovo) (2005 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 16.6% industry: 25.5% services: 57.9% (2005 est.) Labor force: 2.961 million for Serbia (including Kosovo) (2002 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 30% industry: 46% services: 24% note: excluding Kosovo and Montenegro (2002) Unemployment rate: 31.6% note: unemployment is approximately 50% in Kosovo (2005 est.) Population below poverty line: 30% note: data covers the former Serbia and Montenegro (1999 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 15.5% (2005 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 14.2% of GDP (2005 est.) Budget: revenues: $11.45 billion expenditures: $11.12 billion; including capital expenditures $NA note: figures are for Serbia and Mon¬ tenegro; Serbian Statistical Office indi- 553 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK cates that for 2006 budget, Serbia will have revenues of $7.08 billion (2005 est.) Public debt: 53.1% of GDP (2005 est.) Agriculture— products: wheat, maize, sugar beets, sunflower, beef, pork, milk Industries: sugar, agricultural machinery, electrical and communication equip- ment, paper and pulp, lead, transporta¬ tion equipment Industrial production growth rate: 1.4% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 33.87 billion kWh (excludes Kosovo and Montenegro) (2004) Electricity — consumption: NA Electricity— exports: 12.05 billion kWh (excludes Kosovo; exported to Montenegro) (2004) Electricity— imports: 11.23 billion kWh (excluding Kosovo; imports from Monte¬ negro) (2004) Oil— production: 14,660 bbl/day (2003) Oil— consumption: 85,000 bbl/day (2003 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Oil— proved reserves: 38.75 million bbl ( 1 January 2002) Natural gas— production: 650 million cu m (2003 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 2.55 billion cu m (2003 est.) Natural gas— exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — imports: 2.1 billion cu m note: includes Montenegro (2004 est.) Natural gas — proved reserves: 48.14 billion cu m (1 January 2005) Current account balance: $2,451 bil¬ lion (2005 est.) Exports: $6,428 billion (excluding Kosovo and Montenegro) (2006 est.) Exports- — Commodities: manufactured goods, food and live animals, machinery and transport equipment Imports: $10.58 billion (excluding Kosovo and Montenegro) (2005 est.) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $5.35 billion (2005 est.) Debt— external: $15.43 billion (in¬ cluding Montenegro) (2005 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $2 billion pledged in 2001 to Serbia and Mon¬ tenegro (disbursements to follow over several years; aid pledged by EU and US has been placed on hold because of lack of cooperation by Serbia in handing over General Ratko MLADIC to the criminal court in The Hague) Currency (code): Serbian Dinar (RSD) Exchange rates: Serbian dinars per US dollar— 58.6925 COMMUNICATIONS paved: 23,937 km unpaved: 13,950 km (2002) Waterways: 587 km (primarily on Danube and Sava rivers) (2005) Merchant marine: note: see entry for Montenegro Telephones— main lines in use: 2.685 million (2004) Telephones — mobile cellular: 5.229 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: modernization of the telecommunications network has been slow as a result of damage stemming from the 1999 war and transition to a compet¬ itive market-based system; network was only 65% digitalized in 2005 domestic: teledensity remains below the average for neighboring states; GSM wireless service, available through 2 providers with national coverage, is growing very rapidly; best telecommuni¬ cations service limited to urban centers international: country code — 381 Radio broadcast stations: 153 (station types NA) (2001 ) Internet country code: .rs; note— former ccTLD .yu will remain in service until the end of 2006 Internet hosts: NA Internet users: 1.4 million (2006) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 39 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 16 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 4 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 23 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1 ,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 12 (2006) Heliports: 4 (2006) Pipelines: gas 3,177 km; oil 393 km (2006) Railways: total: 4,135 km standard gauge: 4,135 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified 1,195 km) (2005) Roadways: total: 37,887 km MILITARY Military branches: Serbian Armed Forces (Vojska Srbije, VS): Land Forces Command (includes Serbian naval force, consisting of a river flotilla on the Danube), Joint Operations Command, Air and Air Defense Forces Command (2007) Military service age and obligation: peacetime service obligation begins at age 17 and lasts until age 60 for men and 50 for women; under a state of war or impending war, the obligation can begin at age 16 and be extended beyond 60; conscription is to be abolished in 2010 (2007) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: as the final status of the Serbian province of Kosovo approaches resolution through the six- nation contact group, the several thou¬ sand peacekeepers from UNMIK since 1999, continue to keep the peace between Kosovar Albanians overwhelm¬ ingly supporting Kosovo independence and the Serb minority in Kosovo and Serbian officials in Belgrade, who oppose independence for the province; ethnic Albanians in Kosovo oppose demarca¬ tion of the boundary with Macedonia based on the 2000 Macedonia-Serbia and Montenegro delimitation agree¬ ment; Serbia delimited about half of the boundary with Bosnia and Herzegovina, but sections along the Drina River remain in dispute Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 100,651 (Croatia), 46,951 (Bosnia and Herze¬ govina) IDPs. 228,000 (mostly ethnic Serbs and Roma who fled Kosovo in 1999) (2006) Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin moving to Western Europe on the Balkan route; economy vulnerable to money laundering SEYCHELLES INTRODUCTION Background: A lengthy struggle between France and Great Britain for the islands ended in 1814, when they were ceded to the latter. Independence came in 1976. Socialist rule was brought to a close with a new constitution and free elections in 1993. President France-Albert RENE, who had served since 1977, was re¬ elected in 2001, but stepped down in 2004. Vice President James MICHEL ^ over the presidency and in Jul 2006 was elected to a new five-year term GEOGRAPHY Location: archipelago in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar 554 SEYCHELLES Geographic coordinates: 4 35 s, 55 40 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 455 sq km land: 455 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 491 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone : 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin Climate: tropical marine; humid; cooler season during southeast monsoon (late May to September); warmer season during northwest monsoon (March to May) Terrain: Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky, hilly; others are coral, flat, elevated reefs Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Morne Seychellois 905 m Natural resources: fish, copra, cin¬ namon trees Land use: arable land: 2.17% permanent crops: 13.04% other: 84.79% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short droughts possible Environment — current issues: water supply depends on catchments to collect rainwater Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: 41 granitic and about 75 coralline islands PEOPLE Population: 81,895 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 25.4% (male 10,504/female 10,272) 15-64 years: 68.5% (male 27,405/female 28,706) 65 years and over: 6.1% (male 1,590/ female 3,418) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 28.4 years male: 27.3 years female: 29.4 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.432% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 15.83 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 6.25 deaths/1,000 popula- tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -5.25 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.023 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.955 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.465 male(s)/female total population: 0. 932 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 14.75 deaths/1,000 live births male: 18.67 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.71 deaths/ 1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.34 years male: 66.98 years female: 77.86 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1 .74 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HI V/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Seychellois (singular and plural) adjective: Seychellois Ethnic groups: mixed French, African, Indian, Chinese, and Arab Religions: Roman Catholic 82.3%, Anglican 6.4%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.1%, other Christian 3.4%, Hindu 2.1%, Muslim 1.1%, other non- Christian 1.5%, unspecified 1.5%, none 0.6% (2002 census) Languages: Creole 91.8%, English 4-9% (official), other 3.1%, unspecified 0.2% (2002 census) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91.8% male: 91.4% female: 92.3% (2002 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Seychelles conventional short form: Seychelles local long form: Republic of Seychelles local short form: Seychelles Government type: republic Capital: name: Victoria geographic coordinates: 4 38 S, 55 27 E time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, E>C during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 23 adminis¬ trative districts; Anse aux Pins, Anse Boileau, Anse Etoile, Anse Louis, Anse Royale, Baie Lazare, Baie Sainte Anne, Beau Vallon, Bel Air, Bel Ombre, Cascade, Glacis, Grand’ Anse (on Mahe), Grand’ Anse (on Praslin), La Digue, La Riviere Anglaise, Mont Buxton, Mont Fleuri, Plaisance, Pointe La Rue, Port Glaud, Saint Louis, Takamaka Independence: 29 June 1976 (from UK) National holiday: Constitution Day (National Day), 18 June (1993) Constitution: 18 June 1993 Legal system: based on English common law, French civil law, and cus¬ tomary law Suffrage: 17 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President James MICHEL (since 14 April 2004); note — the presi¬ dent is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President James MICHEL (since 14 April 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for two more terms); election last held 28-30 July 2006 (next to be held in 201 1) election results: President James MICHEL elected president; percent of vote — James MICHEL 53.73%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN 45.71%, Phihppe BOULLE 0.56%; note — this was the first election in which President James MICHEL participated; he was originally sworn in as president after former presi¬ dent France Albert RENE stepped down in April 2004 Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (34 seats; 25 members elected by popular vote, 9 allocated on a proportional basis to parties winning at least 10% of the vote; to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 10-12 May 2007 (next to be held in 2012) election results: percent of vote by party — NA%; seats by party — SPPF 23, SNP 1 1 555 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Judicial branch: Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; judges for both courts are appointed by the president Political parties and leaders: Demo- cratic Party or DP [James MANCHAM, Paul CHOW]; Seychelles National Party or SNP [Wavel RAMKALAWAN] (for¬ merly the United Opposition or UO); Seychelles People’s Progressive Front or SPPF [France Albert RENE, James MICHEL] (the governing party) Political pressure groups ami leaders: Roman Catholic Church; trade unions International organization participa¬ tion: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UN WTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jeremie BONNELAME chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400C, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 972-1785 FAX: [1] (212) 972-1786 Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Seychelles; the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to Seychelles Flag description: five oblique bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, red, white, and green (bottom) radiating from the bottom of the hoist side ECONOMY Economy — overview: Since independ¬ ence in 1976, per capita output in this Indian Ocean archipelago has expanded to roughly seven times the old near-subsis- tence level. Growth has been led by the tourist sector, which employs about 30% of the labor force and provides more than 70% of hard currency earnings, and by tuna fishing. In recent years, the govern¬ ment has encouraged foreign investment to upgrade hotels and other services. At the same time, the government has moved to reduce the dependence on tourism by promoting the development of farming, fishing, and small-scale manufac¬ turing. Sharp drops illustrated the vulner¬ ability of the tourist sector in 1991-92 due largely to the Gulf War and once again following the 1 1 September 2001 terrorist attacks on the US. Growth slowed in 1998—2002 and fell in 2003, due to slug¬ gish tourist and tuna sectors, but resumed in 2004- Growth turned negative again in 2005-06. Tight controls on exchange rates and the scarcity of foreign exchange have impaired short-term economic prospects. The black-market value of the Seychelles rupee is half the official exchange rate; without a devaluation of the currency, the tourist sector may remain sluggish as vacationers seek cheaper destinations such as Comoros, Mauritius, and Madagascar. GDP (purchasing power parity): $626 million (2002 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $712 mil¬ lion (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: -1% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $7,800 (2002 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 3.2% industry: 30.1% services: 66.7% (2006 est.) Labor force: 30,900 (1996) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 10% industry: 19% services: 71% (1989) Unemployment rate: NA% Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.7% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 44.2% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $371.1 million expenditures: $376 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 166.1% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: coconuts, cin¬ namon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (tapioca), bananas; poultry; tuna Industries: fishing, tourism, processing of coconuts and vanilla, coir (coconut fiber) rope, boat building, printing, furni¬ ture; beverages Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity— production: 208 million kWh (2004) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 193.4 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 5,600 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $78.59 mil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $365.1 million f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: canned tuna, frozen fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petro¬ leum products (reexports) Exports — partners: UK 23.2%, Spain 20%, France 11.5%, Japan 9.8%, Italy 7.5%, Germany 5.8%, Netherlands 5.4% (2005) Imports: $570.6 million f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum prod¬ ucts, chemicals Imports— partners: Saudi Arabia 15.3%, South Africa 13.9%, Spain 13.7%, France 7.2%, Singapore 6.9%, Italy 5.7% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $44.78 million (2006 est.) Debt — external: $616.7 million (2006 est.) Economic aid — recipient: $16.4 million (1995) Currency (code): Seychelles rupee (SCR) Currency code: SCR Exchange rates: Seychelles rupees per US dollar— 5.5 (2006), 5.5 (2005), 5.5 (2004), 5.4007 (2003), 5.48 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 21,400 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 57,000 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: effective system domestic: radiotelephone communica¬ tions between islands in the archipelago international: country code — 248; direct radiotelephone communications with adjacent island countries and African coastal countries; satellite earth sta¬ tion — 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 2 (2001) Radios: 42,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 2 (plus 9 repeaters) (1997) Televisions: 11,000 (1997) Internet country code: sc Internet hosts: 72 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): l (2000) Internet users: 20,000 (2005) transportation Airports: 15 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1 ,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 2 (2006) 556 SIERRA LEONE Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 7 914 to 1 ,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 4 (2006) Roadways: total: 458 km paved: 440 km unpaved: 18 km (2003) Merchant marine: total: 5 ships (1000 GRT or over) 69,777 GRT/1 13,501 DWT by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 4 foreign- owned: 1 (Nigeria 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Victoria MILITARY Military branches: Seychelles Defense Force: Army, Coast Guard (includes Naval Wing, Air Wing), National Guard (2005) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-4 9: 21,612 females age 18-49: 22,459 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 16,122 females age 18-49: 18,777 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 2% (2006 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: together with Mauritius, Seychelles claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory) SIERRA LEONE Background: The government is slowly reestablishing its authority after the civil war from 1991 to 2002 that resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and the dis¬ placement of more than 2 million people (about one-third of the population). The last UN peacekeepers withdrew in December 2005 leaving full responsi¬ bility for security with domestic forces. A new civilian UN mission — the UN Integrated Office in Sierra Leone (UNIOSIL) — was established to support the government’s efforts to consolidate peace. The most pressing long-term threat to stability in Sierra Leone is the potential for political insecurity sur¬ rounding elections in July 2007. GEOGRAPHY Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Liberia Geographic coordinates: 8 30 N, 11 30 W Map references: Africa Area: total: 71,740 sq km land: 7 1 ,620 sq km water: 120 sq km Area — comparative: slightly smaller than South Carolina Land boundaries: total: 958 km border countries: Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km Coastline: 402 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm Climate: tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winter dry season (December to April) Terrain: coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country, upland plateau, mountains in east Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m Natural resources: diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite Land use: arable land: 7.95% permanent crops : 1.05% other: 91% (2005) Irrigated land: 300 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: dry, sand-laden har- mattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to February); sandstorms, dust storms Environment — current issues: rapid pop¬ ulation growth pressuring the environ¬ ment; overharvesting of timber, expansion of cattle grazing, and slash-and- bum agriculture have resulted in defor¬ estation and soil exhaustion; civil war depleted natural resources; overfishing Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Con¬ servation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification Geography — note: rainfall along the coast can reach 495 cm (195 inches) a year, making it one of the wettest places along coastal, western Africa PEOPLE Population: 6,144,562 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 44.8% (male 1,349,878/ female 1,400,297) 15-64 years: 52% (male 1,531,763/ female 1,664,996) 65 years and over: 3.2% (male 92,360/ female 105,268) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 17.5 years male: 17.2 years female: 17.7 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.292% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 45.41 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 22.64 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0.15 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population note: refugees currently in surrounding countries are slowly returning (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.964 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.877 male(s)/female total population: 0.938 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 158.27 deaths/1,000 live births male: 175.39 deaths/1,000 live births female: 140.65 deaths/1,000 live hirths (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 40.58 years male: 38.36 years female: 42.87 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 6.01 children bom/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 7% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 170,000 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 11,000 (2001 est.) 557 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorbome diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever (2007) Nationality: noun: Sierra Leonean(s) adjective: Sierra Leonean Ethnic groups: 20 African ethnic groups 90% (Temne 30%, Mende 30%, other 30%), Creole (Krio) 10% (descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area in the late- 18th century), refugees from Liberia’s recent civil war, small numbers of Europeans, Lebanese, Pakistanis, and Indians Religions: Muslim 60%, Christian 10%, indigenous beliefs 30% Languages: English (official, regular use limited to literate minority), Mende (principal vernacular in the south), Temne (principal vernacular in the north), Krio (English-based Creole, spoken by the descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area, a lingua franca and a first language for 10% of the population but understood by 95%) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write English, Mende, Temne, or Arabic total population: 35.1% male: 46.9% female: 24.4% (2004 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Sierra Leone conventional short form: Sierra Leone local long form: Republic of Sierra Leone local short form: Sierra Leone Government type: constitutional democracy Capital: name: Freetown geographic coordinates: 830N, 13 15W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 3 provinces and 1 area*; Eastern, Northern, South¬ ern, Western* Independence: 27 April 1961 (from UK) National holiday: Independence Day, 27 April (1961) Constitution: 1 October 1991; subse¬ quently amended several times Legal system: based on English law and customary laws indigenous to local tribes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29 March 1996, rein¬ stated 10 March 1998); note— the presi¬ dent is both the chief of state and head of government head of government : President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29 March 1996, reinstated 10 March 1998) cabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president with the approval of the House of Representatives; the cabinet is responsible to the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 14 May 2002 (next to be held on 28 July 2007) election results: Ahmad Tejan KABBAH reelected president; percent of vote — Ahmad Tejan KABBAH 70.6%, Ernest Bai KOROMA 22.4% Legislative branch: unicameral Parlia¬ ment (124 seats; 112 members elected by popular vote, 12 filled by paramount chiefs elected in separate elections; to serve five-year terms) elections: last held on 14 May 2002 (next to be held on 28 July 2007) election results: percent of vote by party — SLPP 70.1%, APC 22.4%, PLP 3%, others 4.5%; seats by party — SLPP 83, APC 27, PLP 2 Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Appeals Court; High Court Political parties and leaders: All People’s Congress or APC [Ernest Bai KOROMA]; Peace and Liberation Party or PLP [Darlington MORRISON]; People’s Movement for Democratic Change or PMDC [Charles MARGAI]; Sierra Leone People’s Party or SLPP [Solomon BEREWA]; numerous others Political pressure groups and leaders: trade unions and student unions International organization participa¬ tion: ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WOO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ibrahim M. KAMARA chancery: 1701 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 939-9261 through 9263 FAX: [1] (202) 483-1793 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas N HULL embassy : Comer of Walpole and Siaka Stevens Streets, Freetown mailing address : use embassy street address telephone: [232] (22) 515 000 or [232] (76) 515 000 FAX: [232] (22) 225471 Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of light green (top), white, and light blue ECONOMY Economy — overview: Sierra Leone is an extremely poor nation with tremendous inequality in income distribution. While it possesses substantial mineral, agricul¬ tural, and fishery resources, its economic and social infrastructure is not well developed, and serious social disorders continue to hamper economic develop¬ ment. Nearly half of the working-age population engages in subsistence agri¬ culture. Manufacturing consists mainly of the processing of raw materials and of light manufacturing for the domestic market. Alluvial diamond mining remains the major source of hard cur¬ rency earnings accounting for nearly half of Sierra Leone’s exports. The fate of the economy depends upon the maintenance of domestic peace and the continued receipt of substantial aid from abroad, which is essential to offset the severe trade imbalance and supplement govern¬ ment revenues. The IMF has completed a Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility program that helped stabilize economic growth and reduce inflation. A recent increase in political stability has led to a revival of economic activity such as the rehabilitation of bauxite and rutile mining. GDP (purchasing power parity): $5,452 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $1,236 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 7.1% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $900 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 49% industry: 31% services: 21% (2001 est.) Labor force: 1.369 million (1981 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% Unemployment rate: NA% Population below poverty line: 68% (1989 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.5% highest 10%: 43.6% (1989) 558 SINGAPORE Distribution of family income— Gini index: 62.9 (1989) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1% (2002 est.) Budget: revenues: $96 million expenditures: $351 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) Agriculture— products: rice, coffee, cocoa, palm kernels, palm oil, peanuts; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish Industries: diamond mining; small-scale manufacturing (beverages, textiles, ciga¬ rettes, footwear); petroleum refining, small commercial ship repair Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity— production: 244 million kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 226.9 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 4 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — consumption: 6,600 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Exports: $185 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) Exports— commodities: diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish Exports— partners: Belgium 65.8%, Germany 13.4%, US 4-6% (2005) Imports: $531 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) Imports — commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels and lubricants, chemicals Imports— partners: Germany 18.7%, Cote d’Ivoire 11%, UK 8.4%, US 6.8%, China 5.5%, Netherlands 5.3% (2005) Debt — external: $1.61 billion (2003 est.) Economic aid — recipient: $297.4 mil¬ lion (2003 est.) Currency (code): leone (SLL) Currency code: SLL Exchange rates: leones per US dollar — 2,961.7 (2006), 2,889.6 (2005), 2,701.3 (2004), 2,347.9 (2003), 2,099 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 24,000 (2002) Telephones — mobile cellular: 113,200 (2003) Telephone system: general assessment: marginal telephone and telegraph service domestic: the national microwave radio relay trunk system connects Freetown to Bo and Kenema international: country code — 232; satel¬ lite earth station — 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2000) Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 9, shortwave 1 (2001) Radios: 1.12 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 2 (1999) Televisions: 53,000 (1997) Internet country code: si Internet hosts: 20 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2001) Internet users: 10,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 10 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 9 914 to l ,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 2 (2006) Heliports: 2 (2006) Roadways: total: 11,300 km paved: 904 km unpaved: 10,396 km (2002) Waterways: 800 km (600 km year round) (2005) Merchant marine: total: 54 ships (1000 GRT or over) 185,037 GRT/249,996 DWT by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 36, chemical tanker 3, combination ore/oil 3, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 2 foreign'oumed: 14 (China 2, Cyprus 1, Egypt 1, Russia 1, Syria 1, UAE 3, Ukraine 4, US 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Freetown, Pepel, Sherbro Islands MILITARY Military branches: Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF): Army (includes Air Wing, Maritime Wing) (2007) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 1,086,091 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 539,697 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 2.3% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: as domestic fighting among disparate ethnic groups, rebel groups, warlords, and youth gangs in Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone gradually abate, the number of refugees in border areas has begun to slowly dwindle; UN Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) has maintained over 4,000 peacekeepers in Sierra Leone since 1999; Sierra Leone considers exces¬ sive Guinea’s definition of the flood plain limits to define the left bank boundary of the Makona and Moa rivers and protests Guinea’s continued occupa¬ tion of these lands including the hamlet of Yenga occupied since 1998 Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: refugees (country of origin): 59,952 (Liberia) (2006) SINGAPORE INTRODUCTION Background: Singapore was founded as a British trading colony in 1819. It joined the Malaysian Federation in 1963 but sep¬ arated two years later and became inde¬ pendent. Singapore subsequently became one of the world’s most prosperous coun¬ tries with strong international trading links (its port is one of the world’s busiest in terms of tonnage handled) and with per capita GDP equal to that of the leading nations of Western Europe. GEOGRAPHY LOCOfion: Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia Geographic coordinafes: l 22 N, 103 48 E Map references: Southeast Asia Area: total: 692.7 sq km land: 682.7 sq km water: 10 sq km Area — comparative: slightly more than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 193 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: within and beyond territorial sea, as defined in treaties and practice 559 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Climate: tropical; hot, humid, rainy; two distinct monsoon seasons— Northeast¬ ern monsoon (December to March) and Southwestern monsoon (June to Sept¬ ember); inter-monsoon— frequent after¬ noon and early evening thunderstorms Terrain: lowland; gently undulating cen¬ tral plateau contains water catchment area and nature preserve Elevation extremes: lowest point: Singapore Strait 0 m highest point: Bukit Timah 166 m Natural resources: fish, deepwater ports Land use: arable land: 1.47% permanent crops : 1.47% other: 97.06% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: NA Environment— current issues: indus¬ trial pollution; limited natural fresh water resources; limited land availability presents waste disposal problems; sea¬ sonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography— note: focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes PEOPLE Population: 4,553,009 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 15.2% (male 358,064/female 333,702) 15-64 years: 76.3% (male 1,692,817/ female 1,780,982) 65 years and over: 8.5% (male 171,876/ female 215,568) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 37.8 years male: 37.4 years female: 38.2 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.275% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 9.17 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 4-4 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 7.98 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.073 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.797 male(s)/female total population: 0.954 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 2.3 deaths/1,000 live births male: 2.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.07 deaths/ 1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 81.8 years male: 79.21 years female: 84-59 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: l .07 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 4,100 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Singaporean(s) adjective: Singapore Ethnic groups: Chinese 76.8%, Malay 13.9%, Indian 7.9%, other 1.4% (2000 census) Religions: Buddhist 42.5%, Muslim 14.9%, Taoist 8.5%, Hindu 4%, Catholic 4.8%, other Christian 9.8%, other 0.7%, none 14.8% (2000 census) Languages: Mandarin 35%, English 23%, Malay 14.1%, Hokkien 11.4%, Cantonese 5.7%, Teochew 4.9%, Tamil 3.2%, other Chinese dialects 1.8%, other 0.9% (2000 census) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.5% male: 96.6% female: 88.6% (2000 census) government y Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Singapore conventional short form: Singapore local long form: Republic of Singapore local short farm: Singapore Government type: parliamentary republic Capital: name: Singapore geographic coordinates: 1 17 N, 103 51 E time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: none Independence: 9 August 1965 (from Malaysian Federation) National holiday: National Day, 9 August (1965) Constitution: 3 June 1959; amended 1965 (based on preindependence State of Singapore Constitution) Legal system: based on English common law; has not accepted compul¬ sory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal and compulsory Executive branch: chief of state: President S R NATHAN (since 1 September 1999) note: uses S R NATHAN but his full name and the one used in formal commu¬ nications is Sellapan RAMANATHAN head of government: Prime Minister LEE Hsien Loong (since 12 August 2004); Senior Minister GOBI Chok Tong (since 12 August 2004); Minister Mentor LEE Kuan Yew (since 12 August 2004); Deputy Prime Ministers Shunmugan JAYAKUMAR (since 12 August 2004) and WONG Kan Seng (since 1 September 2005) cabinet: appointed by president, respon¬ sible to parliament elections: president elected by popular vote for six-year term; appointed on 1 7 August 2005 — (next election to be held by August 2011); following legislative elec¬ tions, leader of majority party or leader of majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by president; deputy prime ministers appointed by president election results: Sellapan Rama (S R) NATHAN appointed president in August 2005 after Presidential Elections Committee disqualified three other would-be candidates; scheduled election not held Legislative branch: unicameral Parlia¬ ment (84 seats; members elected by pop¬ ular vote to serve five-year terms); note in addition, there are up to nine nominated members; up to three losing opposition candidates who came closest to winning seats may be appointed as nonconstituency” members elections: last held on 6 May 2006 (next to be held in 2011) election results: percent of vote by party — PAP 66.6%, WP 16.3%, SDA 13%, SDP 4.1%; seats by party— PAP 82, WP 1 SDA 1 Judicial branch: Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president with the advice of the prime minister, other judges are appointed by the president wit the advice of the chief justice); Court of Appeals 560 SINGAPORE Political parties and leaders: People’s Action Party or PAP [LEE Hsien Loong]; Singapore Democratic Alliance or SDA [CHI AM See Tong]; Singapore Demo¬ cratic Party or SDP [CHEE Soon Juan]; Workers’ Party or WP [Sylvia LIM Swee Lian] note: SDA includes National Solidarity Party or NSP, Singapore Justice Party or SJP, Singapore National Malay Organ¬ ization or PKMS, Singapore People’s Party or SPP Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, EAS, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador CHAN Heng Chee chancery: 3501 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 537-3100 FAX: [1] (202) 537-0876 consulate(s) general: San Francisco consulate(s): New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia L. HERBOLD embassy: 27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508 mailing address: FPO AP 96507-0001 telephone: [65] 6476-9100 FAX: [65] 6476-9340 Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; near the hoist side of the red band, there is a ver¬ tical, white crescent (closed portion is toward the hoist side) partially enclosing five white five-pointed stars arranged in a circle ECONOMY Economy — overview: Singapore has a highly-developed and successful free- market economy. It enjoys a remarkably open and corruption-free environment, stable prices, and a per capita GDP equal to that of the four largest West European countries. The economy depends heavily on exports, particularly in consumer electronics and information technology products. It was hard hit from 2001-03 by the global recession, by the slump in the technology sector, and by an out¬ break of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003, which curbed tourism and consumer spending. Fiscal stimulus, low interest rates, a surge in exports, and internal flexibility led to vigorous growth in 2004-06 with real GDP growth averaging 7% annually. The government hopes to establish a new growth path that will be less vulner¬ able to the global demand cycle for infor¬ mation technology products — it has attracted major investments in pharma¬ ceuticals and medical technology pro¬ duction — and will continue efforts to establish Singapore as Southeast Asia’s financial and high-tech hub. GDP (purchasing power parity): $141.2 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $122.1 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 7.9% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $31,400 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 0% industry: 33.8% services: 66.2% (2006 est.) Labor force: 2.4 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: manufac¬ turing 18%, construction 6%, trans¬ portation and communication 11%, financial, business, and other services 39%, other 26% (2003) Unemployment rate: 3.1% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Distribution of family income — Gini index: 42.5 (1998) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 21.8% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $19.71 billion expenditures: $19.85 billion; including capital expenditures of $5.1 billion (2006 est.) Public debt: 100.6% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: rubber, copra, fruit, orchids, vegetables; poultry, eggs; fish, ornamental fish Industries: electronics, chemicals, finan¬ cial services, oil drilling equipment, petroleum refining, rubber processing and rubber products, processed food and beverages, ship repair, offshore platform construction, life sciences, entrepot trade Industrial production growth rate: 12.6% (2006 est.) Electricity — production: 32.64 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 30.35 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 9,701 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 800,000 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil — exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 6.61 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — imports: 6.61 billion cu m note: from Indonesia and Malaysia (2004 est.) Current account balance: $35.58 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $283.6 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— Commodities: machinery and equipment (including electronics), con¬ sumer goods, chemicals, mineral fuels Exports — partners: Malaysia 13.3%, US 10.4%, Indonesia 9.6%, Hong Kong 9.4%, China 8.6%, Japan 5.5%, Thailand 4.1% (2005) Imports: $246.1 billion (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: machinery and equipment, mineral fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs Imports — partners: Malaysia 13.7%, US 11.7%, China 10.3%, Japan 9.6%, Taiwan 5.9%, Indonesia 5.2%, Saudi Arabia 4.5%, South Korea 4.3% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $134.6 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $24.3 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid — recipient: $NA Currency (code): Singapore dollar (SGD) Currency code: SGD Exchange rates: Singapore dollars per US dollar— 1.5889 (2006), 1.6644 (2005), 1.6902 (2004), 1.7422 (2003), 1.7906 (2002) Fiscal year: 1 April— 31 March COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 1.848 million (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 4.385 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: excellent service domestic: excellent domestic facilities; launched 3G wireless service in February 2005 international: country code — 65; 9 sub¬ marine cables provide direct connection 561 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK to more than 100 countries; satellite earth stations -4; supplemented by VS AT coverage (2003) Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 17, shortwave 2 (2003) Radios: 2.6 million (2000) Television broadcast stations: l (broad' casting on six channels); additional reception of numerous UHF and VHF signals originating in Malaysia and Indonesia (2006) Televisions: 1.33 million (1997) Internet country code: sg Internet hosts: 898,762 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 9 (2000) Internet users: 2.422 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 9 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 9 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1 ,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Pipelines: gas 139 km; refined products 8 km (2006) Roadways: total: 3,234 km paved: 3,234 km (includes 150 km of expressways) (2005) Merchant marine: total: 1,063 ships (1000 GRT or over) 31,033,735 GRT/49, 7 15,650 DWT by type: bulk carrier 155, cargo 87, chem- ical tanker 136, container 214, liquefied gas 53, livestock carrier 1, passenger/ cargo 1, petroleum tanker 353, refriger ated cargo 10, roll on/roll off 2, special' ized tanker 11, vehicle carrier 40 foreign-owned: 592 (Australia 7, Bangladesh 1, Belgium 12, China 23, Denmark 52, Germany 9, Greece 9, Hong Kong 50, India 5, Indonesia 56, Italy 2, Japan 100, South Korea 17, Malaysia 35, Netherlands 2, Norway 90, Philippines 5, Slovenia 1, Sweden 12, Taiwan 59, Thailand 22, UAE 7, UK 9, US 7) registered in other countries: 285 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Bahamas 12, Belize 6, Bolivia 3, Cambodia 4, Cayman Islands 10, Cyprus 1, Dominica 9, France 2, Honduras 11, Hong Kong 24, Indonesia 17, Isle of Man 7, North Korea 1, Liberia 28, Malaysia 44, Marshall Islands 6, Mongolia 10, Nigeria 1, Panama 67, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 5, Thailand 6, Tuvalu 6, US 2, unknown 2) (2006) Ports and terminals: Singapore Military branches: Singapore Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Republic of Singa- pore Air Force (includes Air Defense) (2006) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age for volunteers; conscript service obligation reduced to 24 months beginning December 2004 (2004) Manpower available for military ser¬ vice: males age 18-49: 1,215,568 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18—49: 982,368 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 4.9% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: disputes per' sist with Malaysia over deliveries of fresh water to Singapore, Singapore’s extern sive land reclamation works, bridge con¬ struction, and maritime boundaries in the Johor and Singapore Straits; in November 2007, the ICJ will hold public hearings as a consequence of the Memorials and Countermemorials filed by the parties in 2003 and 2005 over sov¬ ereignty of Pedra Branca Island/Pulau Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge; Indonesia and Singapore con¬ tinue to work on finalization of their 1973 maritime boundary agreement by defining unresolved areas north of Indonesia’s Batam Island; piracy remains a problem in the Malacca Strait Illicit drugs: drug abuse limited because of aggressive law enforcement efforts; as a transportation and financial services hub, Singapore is vulnerable, despite strict laws and enforcement, as a venue for money laundering INTRODUCTION Background: The dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the close of World War I allowed the Slovaks to join the closely related Czechs to form Czechoslovakia. Following the chaos of World War II, Czechoslovakia became a Communist nation within Soviet-ruled Eastern Europe. Soviet influence col¬ lapsed in 1989 and Czechoslovakia once more became free. The Slovaks and the Czechs agreed to separate peacefully on 1 January 1993. Slovakia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004. geography Location: Central Europe, south of Poland Geographic coordinates: 48 40 N, 19 30 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 48,845 sq km land: 48,800 sq km water: 45 sq km Area comparative: about twice the size of New Hampshire Land boundaries: total: 1,524 km border countries: Austria 91 km, Czech Republic 215 km, Hungary 677 km, Poland 444 km, Ukraine 97 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime Claims: none (landlocked) Climate: temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters Terrain, rugged mountains in the central and northern part and lowlands in the south Elevation extremes: lowest point: Bodrok River 94 m highest point: Gerlachovsky Stit 2,655 m Natural resources: brown coal and lig¬ nite, small amounts of iron ore, copper and manganese ore; salt; arable land 562 SLOVAKIA land use: arable land: 29.23% permanent crops: 2.67% other: 68.1% (2005) Irrigated land: 1,830 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: NA Environment— current issues: air pollu¬ tion from metallurgical plants presents human health risks; acid rain damaging forests Environment— international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution- Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Per¬ sistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Com¬ pounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change- Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, En¬ dangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography— note: landlocked; most of the country is nigged and mountainous; the Tatra Mountains in the north are inter¬ spersed with many scenic lakes and valleys PEOPLE Population: 5,447,502 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 16.4% (male 456,105/female 435,154) 15-64 years: 71.5% (male 1,938,846/ female 1,955,382) 65 years and over: 12.2% (male 247,728/ female 414,287) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 36.1 years male: 34.5 years female: 37.9 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.147% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 10.65 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 9.48 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0.3 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.048 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.992 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.598 male(s)/female total population: 0.942 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 7.12 deaths/1,000 live births male: 8.32 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74-95 years male: 71 years female: 79.11 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.33 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS — people living with HIV/ AIDS: less than 200 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS — deaths: less than 100 (2001 est.) Nationality: noun: Slovak(s) adjective: Slovak Ethnic groups: Slovak 85.8%, Hung¬ arian 9.7%, Roma 1.7%, Ruthenian/ Ukrainian 1%, other and unspecified 1.8% (2001 census) Religions: Roman Catholic 68.9%, Protestant 10.8%, Greek Catholic 4.1%, other or unspecified 3.2%, none 13% (2001 census) Languages: Slovak (official) 83.9%, Hungarian 10.7%, Roma 1.8%, Ukrainian 1%, other or unspecified 2.6% (2001 census) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.6% male: 99.7% female: 99.6% (2001 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Slovak Republic conventional short form: Slovakia local long form: Slovenska Republika heal short form: Slovensko Government type: parliamentary democ¬ racy Capital: name: Bratislava geographic coordinates: 48 09 N, 17 07 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: + lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 8 regions (kraje, singular — kraj); Banskobystricky kraj, Bratislavsky kraj, Kosicky kraj, Nitriansky kraj, Presovsky kraj, Trenciansky kraj, Trnavsky kraj, Zilinsky kraj Independence: 1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia) National holiday: Constitution Day, 1 September (1992) Constitution: ratified 1 September 1992, effective 1 January 1993; changed in September 1998 to allow direct election of the president; amended February 2001 to allow Slovakia to apply for NATO and EU membership Legal system: civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; accepts com¬ pulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reserva¬ tions; legal code modified to comply with the obligations of Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and to expunge Marxist- Leninist legal theory Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Ivan GAS- PAROVIC (since 15 June 2004) head of government: Prime Minister Robert FICO (since 4 July 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers Dusan CAPLOVIC, Robert KALIN AK, Stefan HARABIN, Jan MIKOLAJ (since 4 July 2006) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the presi¬ dent on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 3 April and 17 April 2004 (next to be held in April 2009); following National Council elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president election results: Ivan GASPAROVIC elected president in runoff; percent of vote— Ivan GASPAROVIC 59.9%, Vladimir MECIAR 40.1% Legislative branch: unicameral National Council of the Slovak Republic or Narodna Rada Slovenskej Republiky (150 seats; members are elected on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 17 June 2006 (next to be held in 2010) election results : percent of vote by party — Smer 29.1%, SDKU 18.4%, SMK 11.7%, SNS 11.7%, LS-HZDS 8.8%, KDH 8.3%, other 12%; seats by party — Smer 50, SDKU 31, SMK 20, SNS 19, LS-HZDS 16, KDH 14 Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Council); Constitutional Court (judges appointed by president from group of nominees approved by the National Council); Special Court (judges elected by a council of judges and appointed by president) Political parties and leaders: Parties in the Parliament: Christian Democratic Movement or KDH [Pavol HRUS- OVSKY]; Direction-Social Democracy or Smer-SD [Robert FICO]; Party of the Hungarian Coalition or SMK [Bela BUGAR]; People’s Party — Movement for a Democratic Slovakia or LS-HZDS [Vladimir MECIAR]; Slovak Democratic and Christian Union or SDKU-DS [Mikulas DZURINDA]; Slovak National 563 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Party or SNS [Jan SLOTA]; Parties out¬ side the Parliament: Agrarian Party of the Provinces or ASV [Jozef VASKEBA]; Civic Conservative Party or OKS [Peter TATAR]; Free Forum [Zuzana MARTI- NAKOVA]; Hope or NADEJ [Alexandra NOVOTNA]; Left-wing Bloc or LB [jozef KALMAN]; Mission 21 — New Christian Democracy or MISIA 21 [Ivan S1MKO]; Movement for Democracy or HZD [Jozef GRAPA]; New Citizens Alliance or ANO [Pavol RUSKO]; Party of the Democratic Left or SDL [Ladislav KOZMON]; Prosperita Slovenska or PS [Frantisek A. ZVRSKOVEC]; Slovak Communist Party or KSS [Vladimir DADO]; Slovak National Coalition or SLNKO [Vitazoslav MORIC]; Slovak People’s Party or SLS [jozef SAS1K]; Union of the Workers of Slovakia or ZRS [Jan LUPTAK] Political pressure groups and leaders: Federation of Employers’ Associations of the Slovak Republic; Association of Towns and Villages or ZMOS; Confederation of Trade Unions or KOZ; National Union of Employers or RUZ; Slovak Chamber of Commerce and Industry or SOPK; Entrepreneurs Association of Slovakia or ZPS; The Business Alliance of Slovakia or PAS International organization participation: ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UN DOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNTSO, UN WTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WFIO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Rastislav KACER chancery: 3523 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 237-1054 FAX; [1] (202) 237-6438 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Rodolphe “Skip” M. VALLEE embassy: Hviezdoslavovo Namestie 4, 81102 Bratislava mailing address: P.O. Box 309, 814 99 Bratislava telephone: [421] (2) 5443-3338 FAX: [421] (2) 5443-0096 Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red super- 564 imposed with the coat of arms of Slovakia (consisting of a red shield bor¬ dered in white and bearing a white Cross of Lorraine surmounting three blue hills); the coat of arms is centered verti¬ cally and offset slightly to the hoist side ECONOMY Economy — overview: Slovakia has mas¬ tered much of the difficult transition from a centrally planned economy to a modern market economy. The DZUR- INDA government made excellent progress during 2001-04 in macroeco¬ nomic stabilization and structural reform. Major privatizations are nearly complete, the banking sector is almost completely in foreign hands, and the government has helped facilitate a for¬ eign investment boom with business friendly policies such as labor market lib¬ eralization and a 19% flat tax. Foreign investment in the automotive sector has been strong. Slovakia’s economic growth exceeded expectations in 2001-06 despite the general European slowdown. Unemployment, at an unacceptable 18% in 2003-04, dropped to 10.2% in 2006 but remains the economy’s Achilles heel. Slovakia joined the EU on 1 May 2004. GDP (purchasing power parity): $99.19 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $47.72 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 8.3% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $18,200 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 3.8% industry: 31.4% services: 64.8% (2006 est.) Labor force: 2.629 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture 5.8%, industry 29.3%, construction 9%, services 55.9% (2003) Unemployment rate: 10.2% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 21% (2002) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.1% highest 10%: 20.9% (1996) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 25.8 (1996) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4 4% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 27 6% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $24.57 billion expenditures: $26.14 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est ) Public debt: 36.1% of GDP (2006 est ) Agriculture products: grains, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, cattle, poultry; forest products Industries: metal and metal products; food and beverages; electricity, gas, coke, oil, nuclear fuel; chemicals and man¬ made fibers; machinery; paper and printing; earthenware and ceramics; transport vehicles; textiles; electrical and optical apparatus; rubber products Industrial production growth rate: 7.8% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 31.29 billion kWh (2005) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 30.3% hydro: 16% nuclear: 53.6% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 28.57 billion kWh (2005) Electricity— exports: 11.29 billion kWh (2005) Electricity— imports: 8.57 billion kWh (2005) Oil— production: 11,480 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— consumption: 74,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: 2,160 bbl/day (2004) Oil— imports: 59,000 bbl/day (2004) Oil— proved reserves: 9 million bbl (l January 2006) Natural gas— production: 135 million cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 6 billion cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas— exports: l million cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas— imports: 6.5 billion cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas — proved reserves: 15.01 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $3,781 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $39.64 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: vehicles 25.9%, machinery and electrical equipment 21.3/o, base metals 14.6%, chemicals and minerals 10.1%, plastics 5.4% (2004) Exports partners: Germany 26.2% Czech Republic 14.1%, Austria 7.1%,’ Italy 6.7%, Poland 6.3%, Hungary 5.7% Imports— commodities: machinery an transport equipment 41.1%, interme diate manufactured goods 19.3%, fuel 1 2.3 /o, chemicals 9.8%, miscellaneou manufactured goods 10.2% (2003) Imports— partners: Germany 25.1% Czech Republic 19.3%, Russia ]0.5% Austna 6.1%, Poland 4.7%, Hungar 4.6 /o, Italy 4.5% (2005) SUs Tsi 'r18" exchan9e an< gold. $15.75 bilhon (2006 est) 3W-,ernal: billion (30 J„n< SLOVENIA Economic aid— recipient: $12.67 bil¬ lion in available EU structural adjust¬ ment and cohesion funds (2007-13) Currency (code): Slovak koruna (SKK) Currency code: SKK Exchange rates: koruny per US dollar— 29.611 (2006), 31.018 (2005), 32 257 (2004), 36.773 (2003), 45.327 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 1.197 million (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 4.54 mil¬ lion (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: Slovakia has a modem telecommunications system that has expanded dramatically in recent years with the growth in cellular services domestic: analog system is now receiving digital equipment and is being enlarged with fiber-optic cable, especially in the larger cities; 3 companies provide nationwide cellular services international: country code — 421; 3 inter¬ national exchanges ( 1 in Bratislava and 2 in Banska Bystrica) are available; Slovakia is participating in several inter¬ national telecommunications projects that will increase the availability of external services (2006) Radio broadcast stations: AM 15, FM 78, shortwave 2 (1998) Radios: 3.12 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 80 (national broadcasting 6, regional 7, local 67) (2004) Televisions: 2.62 million (1997) Internet country code: sk Internet hosts: 210,758 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 6 (2000) Internet users: 2.5 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 36 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 18 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 8 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 18 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 8 (2006) Heliports: 1 (2006) Pipelines: gas 6,769 km; oil 416 km (2006) Railways: total: 3,662 km broad gauge: 100 km 1.520-m gauge standard gauge: 3,512 km 1.435-m gauge (1,588 km electrified) narrow gauge: 50 km (1.000-m or 0.750- m gauge) (2005) Roadways: total: 42,993 km paved: 37,533 km (includes 316 km of expressways) unpaved: 5,460 km (2004) Waterways: 172 km (on Danube River) (2005) Merchant marine: total: 43 ships (1000 GRT or over) 217,819 GRT/309, 049 DWT by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 36, chemical tanker 1 foreign-owned: 40 (Bulgaria 7, Estonia 1, Greece 4, Israel 7, Poland 2, Syria 2, Turkey 8, UK 1, Ukraine 8) registered in other countries: 2 (Cyprus 1, Georgia 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Bratislava, Komamo MILITARY Military branches: Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic (Ozbrojene Sily Slovenskej Republiky): Land Forces (Pozemne Sily), Air Forces (Vzdusne Sily), Training and Support Forces (Vycviku a Podpory Sily) (2005) Military service age and obligation: complete transition to an all-volunteer professional force went into effect at the beginning of 2006; volunteers include women, with minimum age of 17 years (2005) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 1,351,848 females age 1 8 — 49 : 1,322,647 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age J 8 — 49; 1,089,645 females age 18-49: 1,093,077 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 41,544 females age 1 8 — 49: 40,183 (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of GDP: 1.87% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: bilateral gov¬ ernment, legal, technical and economic working group negotiations continued in 2006 between Slovakia and Hungary over Hungary’s completion of its portion of the Gabcikovo-Nagymaros hydroelec¬ tric dam project along the Danube; as a member state that forms part of the EU’s external border, Slovakia must imple¬ ment the strict Schengen border rules Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western Europe; producer of synthetic drugs for regional market; consumer of ecstasy SLOVENIA INTRODUCTION Background: The Slovene lands were part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until the latter’s dissolution at the end of World War I. In 1918, the Slovenes joined the Serbs and Croats in forming a new multinational state, which was named Yugoslavia in 1929. After World War II, Slovenia became a republic of the renewed Yugoslavia, which though Communist, distanced itself from Moscow’s rule. Dissatisfied with the exercise of power by the majority Serbs, the Slovenes succeeded in establishing their independence in 1991 after a short 10-day war. Historical ties to Western Europe, a strong economy, and a stable democ¬ racy have assisted in Slovenia’s trans¬ formation to a modern state. Slovenia acceded to both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004- GEOGRAPHY Location: Central Europe, eastern Alps bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Austria and Croatia Geographic coordinates: 46 07 N, 14 49 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 20,273 sq km land: 20,151 sq km water: 122 sq km Area— comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey Land boundaries: total: 1,382 km border countries: Austria 330 km, Croatia 670 km, Hungary 102 km, Italy 280 km Coastline: 46.6 km Maritime Claims: territorial sea: 12 nm 565 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Climate: Mediterranean climate on the coast, continental climate with mild to hot summers and cold winters in the plateaus and valleys to the east Terrain: a short coastal strip on the Adriatic, an alpine mountain region adjacent to Italy and Austria, mixed mountains and valleys with numerous rivers to the east Elevation extremes: lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m highest point: Triglav 2,864 m Natural resources: lignite coal, lead, zinc, mercury, uranium, silver, hydro¬ power, forests Land use: arable land: 8.53% permanent crops : 1 . 43 % other: 90.04% (2005) irrigated land: 30 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: flooding and earth¬ quakes Environment— current issues: Sava River polluted with domestic and indus¬ trial waste; pollution of coastal waters with heavy metals and toxic chemicals; forest damage near Koper from air pollu¬ tion (originating at metallurgical and chemical plants) and resulting acid rain Environment— international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution- Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography— note: despite its small size, this eastern Alpine country controls some of Europe’s major transit routes PEOPLE Population: 2,009,245 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 13.7% (male 141,670/female 133,720) 15-64 years: 70.3% (male 712,409/ female 700,844) 65 years and over: 16% (male 124,264/ female 196,338) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 41 years male: 39.4 years female: 42.6 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: -0.065% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 9 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 10.41 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 .76 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.059 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.017 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.633 male(s)/female total population: 0.949 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 4.35 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4-93 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth; total population: 76.53 years male: 72.84 years female: 80.47 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1 .26 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 280 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: less than 100 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Slovene(s) adjective: Slovenian Ethnic groups: Slovene 83.1%, Serb 2%, Croat 1.8%, Bosniak 1.1%, other or unspecified 12% (2002 census) Religions: Catholic 57.8%, Muslim 2.4%, Orthodox 2.3%, other Christian 0.9%, unaffiliated 3.5%, other or unspec¬ ified 23%, none 10.1% (2002 census) Languages: Slovenian 91.1%, Serbo- Croatian 4.5%, other or unspecified 4.4% (2002 census) Literacy: definition: NA total population: 99.7% male: 99.7% female: 99.6% GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Slovenia conventional short form.: Slovenia heal long form: Republika Slovenija local short form: Slovenija former: People’s Republic of Slovenia, Socialist Republic of Slovenia Government type: parliamentary republic Capital: name: Ljubljana geographic coordinates: 46 03 N, 14 31 E time difference: UTC+ 1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: -h 1 hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 182 munici¬ palities (obcine, singular — obcina) and 1 1 urban municipalities* (mestne obcine, singular mestna obcina ) Ajdovscina, Beltinci, Benedikt, Bistrica ob Sotli, Bled, Bloke, Bohinj, Borovnica, Bovec, Braslovce, Brda, Brezice, Brezovica, Cankova, Celje*, Cerklje na Goren- jskem, Cerknica, Cerkno, Cerkvenjak, Crensovci, Crna na Koroskem, Crnomelj, Destrnik, Divaca, Dobje, Dobrepolje, Dobrna, Dobrova-Horjul- Polhov Gradec, Dobrovnik-Dobronak, Dolenjske Toplice, Dol pri Ljubljani, Domzale, Dornava, Dravograd, Duplek, Gorenja Vas-Poljane, Gorisnica, Gomja Radgona, Gornji Grad, Gornji Petrovci, Grad, Grosuplje, Hajdina, Hoce- Slivnica, Hodos-Hodos, Horjul, Hrastnik, Hrpelje-Kozina, Idrija, Ig, Ilirska Bistrica, Ivancna Gorica, Izola- Isola, Jesenice, Jezersko, Jursinci, Kamnik, Kanal, Kidricevo, Kobarid, Kobilje, Kocevje, Komen, Komenda, Koper-Capodistria*, Kostel, Kozje, Kranj*, Kranjska Gora, Krizevci, Krsko, Kungota, Kuzma, Lasko, Lenart, Lendava-Lendva, Litija, Ljubljana*, Ljubno, Ljutomer, Logatec, Loska Dolina, Loski Potok, Lovrenc na Pohorju, Luce, Lukovica, Majsperk, Maribor*, Markovci, Medvode, Menges, Metlika, Mezica, Miklavz na Dravskem Polju, Miren-Kostanjevica, Mima Pec, Mislinja, Moravce, Moravske Toplice, Mozirje, Murska Sobota*, Muta, Naklo, Nazarje, Nova Gorica*, Novo Mesto*, Odranci, Oplotnica, Ormoz, Osilnica, Pesnica, Piran-Pirano, Pivka, Pod- cetrtek, Podlehnik, Podvelka, Polzela, Postojna, Prebold, Preddvor, Prevalje, Ptuj*, Puconci, R.ace-Fram, Radece, Radenci, Radlje ob Dravi, Radovljica, Ravne na Koroskem, Razkrizje, Ribnica, Ribnica na Pohorju, Rogasovci, Rogaska Slatina, Rogatec, Ruse, Salovci, Selnica ob Dravi, Semic, Sempeter-Vrtojba, Sencur, Sentilj, Sentjemej, Sentjur pri Celju, Sevnica, Sezana, Skocjan, Skofja Loka, Skofljica, Slovenj Gradec*, Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenske Konjice, Smarje pri Jelsah, Smartno ob Paki, Smartno pri Litiji, Sodrazica, Solcava, Sostanj, Starse, Store, Sveta Ana, Sveti Andraz v Slovenskih Goricah, Sveti jurij, Tabor, Tisina, Tolrnin, Trbovlje, Trebnje, Trnovska Vas, Trzic, Trzin, Turnisce, Velenje*, Velika Polana, Velike Lasce, Verzej, Videm, Vipava, Vitanje, Vodice, Vojnik, Vransko, Vrhnika, Vuzenica, Zagorje ob Savi, Zalec, Zavrc, Zelezniki, Zetale, Ziri, Zirovnica, Zuzemberk, Zrece note: there may be 45 more municipalities Independence: 25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia) National holiday: Independence Day / Statehood Day, 25 June (1991) Constitution: adopted 23 December 1991 566 SLOVENIA Legal system: based on civil law system Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed) Executive branch: chief of state: President Janez DRNOVSEK (since 22 December 2002) head of government: Prime Minister Janez JANSA (since 9 November 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and elected by the National Assembly elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 10 November and 1 December 2002 (next to be held in the fall of 2007); following National Assembly elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually nominated to become prime minister by the president and elected by the National Assembly; election last held on 9 November 2004 (next National Assembly elections to be held in October 2008) election results: Janez DRNOVSEK elected president; percent of vote — Janez DRNOVSEK 56.5%, Barbara BREZI- GAR 43.5%; Janez JANSA elected prime minister; National Assembly vote — 57 to 27 Legislative branch: bicameral Parlia¬ ment consists of a National Assembly or Drzavni Zbor (90 seats; 40 members are directly elected and 50 are elected on a proportional basis; note — the number of directly elected and proportionally elected seats varies with each election; the consti¬ tution mandates 1 seat each for Slovenia’s Hungarian and Italian minorities; mem¬ bers are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the National Council or Drzavni Svet (40 seats; members indi¬ rectly elected by an electoral college to serve five-year terms; note — this is prima¬ rily an advisory body with limited legisla¬ tive powers; it may propose laws, ask to review any National Assembly decision, and call national referenda) elections: National Assembly — last held 3 October 2004 (next to be held in October 2008) election results: percent of vote by party — SDS 29.1%, LDS 22.8%, ZLSD 10.2%, NSi 9%, SLS 6.8%, SNS 6.3%, DeSUS 4.1%, other 11.7%; seats by party — SDS 29, LDS 23, ZLSD 10, NSi 9, SLS 7, SNS 6, DeSUS 4, Hungarian minority 1, Italian minority 1 Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the Judicial Council); Constitutional Court (judges elected for nine-year terms by the National Assembly and nominated by the president) Political parties and leaders: Liberal Democratic Party or LDS [Jelko KACIN]; New Slovenia or NSi [Andrej BAJUK]; Slovenian Democratic Party or SDS [Janez JANSA]; Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia or DeSUS [Karl ERJAVEC]; Slovene National Party or SNS [Zmago JELINCIC]; Slo¬ vene People’s Party or SLS [Janez PODOBNIK]; Slovene Youth Party or SMS [Darko KRANJC]; Social Demo¬ crats or SD [Borut PAHOR] (formerly ZLSD) Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participation: ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNTSO, UN WTO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Samuel ZBOGAR chancery: 1525 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 667-5363 FAX: [1] (202) 667-4563 consulate(s) general: Cleveland, New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas B. ROBERTSON embassy: Presemova 31, 1000 Ljubljana mailing address: American Embassy Ljubljana, US Department of State, 7140 Ljubljana Place, Washington, DC 20521-7140 telephone: [386] (1) 200-5500 FAX: [386] (1) 200-5555 Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red, with the Slovenian seal (a shield with the image of Triglav, Slovenia’s highest peak, in white against a blue background at the center; beneath it are two wavy blue lines depicting seas and rivers, and above it are three six-pointed stars arranged in an inverted triangle, which are taken from the coat of arms of the Counts of Celje, the great Slovene dynastic house of the late 14th and early 15th cen¬ turies); the seal is in the upper hoist side of the flag centered in the white and blue bands ECONOMY Economy — overview: With a GDP per capita substantially greater than the other transitioning economies of Central Europe, Slovenia is a model of economic success and stability for its neighbors from the former Yugoslavia. The country, which joined the EU in May 2004 and joined the eurozone on 1 January 2007, has excellent infrastructure, a well-edu¬ cated work force, and an excellent cen¬ tral location. Privatization of the economy proceeded at an accelerated pace in 2002-05. Despite lackluster eco¬ nomic performance in Europe in 2001-05, Slovenia maintained moderate growth. Structural reforms to improve the business environment have allowed for greater foreign participation in Slovenia’s economy and have helped to lower unemployment. In March 2004, Slovenia became the first transition country to graduate from borrower status to donor partner at the World Bank. Despite its economic success, Slovenia faces growing challenges. Much of the economy remains in state hands and for¬ eign direct investment (FDI) in Slovenia is one of the lowest in the EU on a per capita basis. Although tax reforms were implemented in December 2006, taxes are still relatively high. The labor market is often seen as inflexible, and legacy industries are losing sales to more com¬ petitive firms in China, India, and else¬ where. The current center-right government, elected in October 2004, has pledged to accelerate privatization of a number of large state holdings and is interested in increasing FDI in Slovenia. In late 2005, the government’s new Committee for Economic Reforms was elevated to cabinet-level status. The Committee’s program includes plans for lowering the tax burden, privatizing state-controlled firms, improving the flexibility of the labor market, and increasing the government’s efficiency. GDP (purchasing power parity): $47.01 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $37.92 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 5.2% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $23,400 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 2.3% industry: 34-1% services: 63.6% (2006 est.) Labor force: 1.026 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 4.8% industry: 39.1% services: 56.1% (2004) Unemployment rate: 9.6% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 12.9% (2004) 567 TrfE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.6% highest 10%: 21.4% (1998) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 28.4 (1998) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.4% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 25.6% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $15.9 billion expenditures: $16.35 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 29% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: potatoes, hops, wheat, sugar beets, corn, grapes; cattle, sheep, poultry Industries: ferrous metallurgy and aim minum products, lead and zinc smelting; electronics (including military elec¬ tronics), trucks, automobiles, electric power equipment, wood products, tex¬ tiles, chemicals, machine tools Industrial production growth rate: 5.6% (2006) Electricity— production: 14.9 billion kWh (2006) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 35.2% hydro: 27.3% nuclear: 36.8% other: 0.7% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 13.71 billion kWh (2006) Electricity— exports: 4.8 billion kWh (2006) Electricity— imports: 4 07 billion kWh (2006) Oil— production: 8 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 53,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: l.i billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: l.l billion cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $789.2 mil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $21.85 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports commodities: manufactured goods, machinery and transport equip¬ ment, chemicals, food Exports partners: Germany 19.8%, Italy 12.7%, Croatia 9.3%, France 8.1%, Austria 8.1% (2005) Imports: $23.59 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, chemicals, fuels and lubricants, food Imports — partners: Germany 19.5%, Italy 18.6%, Austria 12%, France 7.1%, Croatia 4.2% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $8,631 billion (2006 est.) Debt— external: $29.09 billion (30 October 2006) Economic aid— recipient: ODA, $484 million (2004-06) note: in March 2004, Slovenia became the first transition country to graduate from borrower status to donor partner at the World Bank Currency (code): euro (EUR) note: on 1 January 2007, the euro became Slovenia’s currency; both the tolar and the euro were in circulation from 1 January until 15 January 2007 Currency code: SIT Exchange rates: tolars per US dollar— 190.85 (2006), 192.71 (2005), 192.38 (2004), 207.11 (2003), 240.25 (2002) note: Slovenia adopted the euro as its currency on 1 January 2007 Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 816,400 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 1.759 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: 100% digital (2000) international: country code — 386 Radio broadcast stations: AM 10, FM 230, shortwave 0 (2006) Radios: 805,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 31 (2006) Televisions: 710,000 (1997) Internet country code: si Internet hosts: 61,735 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPsV li (2000) Internet users: 1.09 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 14 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 6 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 8 SOLOMON ISLANDS 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 4 (2006) Pipelines: gas 2,526 km; oil 11 km (2006) Railways: total: 1,229 km standard gauge: 1,229 km 1.435-m gauge (504 km electrified) (2005) Roadways: total: 38,451 km paved: 38,451 km (includes 483 km of expressways) (2004) Merchant marine: registered in other countries: 26 (Antigua and Barbuda 6, Bahamas 1, Cyprus 4, Georgia 1, Liberia 2, Malta 3, Marshall Islands 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 5, Singapore 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Koper MILITARY Military branches: Slovenian Army (includes air and naval forces) Military service age and obligation: 17 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2003 (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 17-4 9: 496,929 females age 17-49: 483,959 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 17-49: 405,593 females age 17-49: 397,167 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 1 8-49 : 12,816 females age 17-49: 12,178 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1.7% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: the Croatia- Slovenia land and maritime boundary agreement, which would have ceded most of Piran Bay and maritime access to Slovenia and several villages to Croatia, remains unratified and in dispute; Slovenia also protests Croatia’s 2003 claim to an exclusive economic zone in the Adriatic; as a member state that forms part of the EU’s external border, Slovenia must implement the strict Schengen border rules to curb illegal migration and commerce through south¬ eastern Europe while encouraging close cross-border ties with Croatia lllicif drugs: minor transit point for cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin ound for Western Europe, and for pre¬ cursor chemicals INTRODUCTION Background: The UK established a pro¬ tectorate over the Solomon Islands in the 1890s. Some of the bitterest fighting of World War II occurred on this archi¬ pelago. Self-government was achieved in 1976 and independence two years later. Ethnic violence, government malfet sance and endemic crime have undei mined stability and civil society. In Jun ZU03, then Prime Minister Sir Alle: 568 SOLOMON ISLANDS KEMAKEZA sought the assistance of Australia in reestablishing law and order; the following month, an Australian-led multinational force arrived to restore peace and disarm ethnic militias. The Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) has generally been effective in restoring law and order and rebuilding government institutions. GEOGRAPHY Location: Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea Geographic coordinates: 8 00 S, 159 00 E Map references: Oceania Area: total: 28,450 sq km land: 27,540 sq km water: 910 sq km Area — comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 5,313 km Maritime Claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 1 2 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm Climate: tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather Terrain: mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m Natural resources: fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel Land use: arable land: 0.62% permanent crops: 2.04% other: 97.34% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earthquakes, tremors, and volcanic activity; tsunamis Environment— current issues: defor¬ estation; soil erosion; many of the sur¬ rounding coral reefs are dead or dying Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Environmental Modifi¬ cation, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography— note: strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea; on 2 April 2007 an undersea earth¬ quake measuring 8.1 on the Richter scale occurred 345 km WNW of the capital Honiara, the resulting tsunami devas¬ tated coastal areas of Western and Choiseul provinces with dozens of deaths and thousands dislocated; the provincial capital of Gizo was especially hard hit PEOPLE Population: 566,842 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 40.7% (male 117,739/female 113,125) 15-64 years: 55.9% (male 160,310/ female 156,773) 65 years and over: 3.3% (male 9,036/ female 9,859) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 19.1 years male: 19 years female: 19.3 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.54% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 29.27 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 3.87 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.041 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.023 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.917 male(s)/female total population: 1.026 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 19.97 deaths/1,000 live births male: 22.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 17.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.16 years male: 70.64 years female: 75.81 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 3 .78 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS — people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS — deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Solomon Islander (s) adjective: Solomon Islander Ethnic groups: Melanesian 94-5%, Polynesian 3%, Micronesian 1.2%, other 1.1%, unspecified 0.2% (1999 census) Religions: Church of Melanesia 32.8%, Roman Catholic 19%, South Seas Evangelical 17%, Seventh-Day Adven¬ tist 11.2%, United Church 10.3%, Christian Fellowship Church 2.4%, other Christian 4-4%, other 2.4%, unspecified 0.3%, none 0.2% (1999 census) Languages: Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca; English (official; but spoken by only l%-2% of the population); 120 indigenous lan¬ guages Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA male: NA female: NA GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Solomon Islands local long form: none local short form: Solomon Islands former: British Solomon Islands Government type: parliamentary democracy Capital: name: Honiara geographic coordinates: 9 26 S, 159 57 E time difference: UTC+1 1 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central, Choiseul, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell and Bellona, Temotu, Western Independence: 7 July 1978 (from UK) National holiday: Independence Day, 7 July (1978) Constitution: 7 July 1978 Legal system: English common law, which is widely disregarded Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Nathaniel WAENA (since 7 July 2004) head of government: Prime Minister Manasseh SOGAVARE (since 4 May 2006); note — Prime Minister Snyder RINI, elected on 18 April 2006 and sworn in on 20 April 2006, resigned on 26 April prior to no confidence vote in parliament; SOGAVARE elected on 4 May 2006 cabinet: Cabinet consists of 20 members appointed by the governor general on 569 the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of Parliament for up to five years (eligible for a second term); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by Parliament; deputy prime min¬ ister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament legislative branch; unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members elected from single-member constituencies by popular vote to serve four- year terms) elections: last held on 5 April 2006 (next to be held in 2010) election results: percent of vote by party — National Party 6.9%, PAP 6.3%, SIPRA 6.3%, Liberal 5%, Democratic 4.9%, SOCRED 4.3%, LAFARI 2.8%, inde¬ pendents 60.3%; seats by party— National Party 4, SIPRA 4, Democratic 3, PAP 3, LAFARI 2, Liberal 2, SOCRED 2, independents 30 Judicial branch: Court of Appeal Political parties and leaders: Association of Independent Members or AIM [Thomas CHAN]; Christian Alliance Solomon Islands or CASI [Edward RONIA]; LAFARI Party [John GARO]; National Party [Francis HILLY]; People’s Alliance Party or PAP [Sir Allan KEMAKEZA]; Social Credit Party or SOCRED [Manasseh Damukana SOGAVARE]; Solomon First Party [David QUAN]; Solomon Islands Democratic Party [Gabriel SURI]; Solomon Islands Labor Party or SILP [Joses TUHANUKU]; Solomon Islands Liberal Party [Bartholomew ULUFA’ALU]; Solomon Islands Party for Rural Advancement or SIPRA [Job D. TAUSINGA]; United Party [Sir Peter KENILOREA] note: in general, Solomon Islands politics is characterized by fluid coalitions Political pressure groups and leaders: Isatabu Freedom Movement (IFM); Malaita Eagle Force (MEF); note — these rival armed ethnic factions crippled the Solomon Islands in a wave of violence from 1999 to 2003 International organization participa¬ tion: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G- 77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Collin David BECK the CIA WORLD FACTBOOK chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400L, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 599-6192, 6193 FAX: [1] (212) 661-8925 Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Solomon Islands (embassy closed July 1993); the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to the Solomon Islands Flag description: divided diagonally by a thin yellow stripe from the lower hoist- side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is blue with five white five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern; the lower triangle is green Government — note: by 2006, the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) — originally made up of troops from Australia, NZ, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Tonga — had been scaled back to 259 police officers and 20 military, in addition to civilian tech¬ nical advisers; in response to rioting that broke out in mid-April 2006, Australia dispatched an additional 220 troops and 70 police officers to help restore order ECONOMY Economy— overview: The bulk of the population depends on agriculture, fishing, and forestry for at least part of its livelihood. Most manufactured goods and petroleum products must be imported. The islands are rich in unde¬ veloped mineral resources such as lead, zinc, nickel, and gold. Prior to the arrival of the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI), severe ethnic violence, the closing of key busi¬ nesses, and an empty government treasury culminated in economic col¬ lapse. RAMSI’s efforts to restore law and order and economic stability have led to modest growth as the economy rebuilds. GDP (purchasing power parity): $800 million (2002 est.) GOP (official exchange rate): $286 mil¬ lion (2005) GDP— real growth rate: 4.4% (2005 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $600 (2005 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 42% industry: 11% services: 47% (2000 est.) Labor force: 249,200 (1999) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 75% industry: 5% services: 20% (2000 est.) Unemployment rate: NA% Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.6% (2005 est.) Budget: revenues: $49.7 million expenditures: $75.1 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2003) Agriculture — products: cocoa beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; timber; cattle, pigs; fish Industries: fish (tuna), mining, timber Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity — production: 55 million kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 51.15 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity — imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 1,280 bbl/day (2004 est.) OH— exports: NA bbl/day Oil — imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Exports: $171 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) Exports— commodities: timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa Exports— partners: China 41.6%, South Korea 13.5%, Thailand 7%, Japan 6.4%, Philippines 4 6%, Italy 4-2% (2005) Imports: $159 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) Imports commodities: food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals Imports— partners: Australia 26.2%, Singapore 25.7%, NZ 4-7%, Fiji 4.2%, Papua New Guinea 4.1% (2005) Debt— external: $166 million (2004) Economic aid— recipient: $122 million annually, mainly from Australia (2004 est.) Currency (code): Solomon Islands dollar (SBD) Currency code: SBD Exchange rates: Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar— 7.3447 (2006), 7.5299 (2005), 7.4847 (2004), 7.5059 (2003), 6.7488 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year Communications Telephones^!0 lines in use: 7,400 U00T°neS~~m°bl,e CellU,ar: 6000 Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA 570 SOMALIA international: country code — 677; satel¬ lite earth station — 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM l, shortwave 1 (2004) Radios: 57,000 (1997) Televisions: 3,000 (1997) internet country code: sb Internet hosts: 2,658 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000) Internet users: 8,400 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 35 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 2 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 33 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 23 (2006) Roadways: total: 1,360 km paved: 34 km unpaved: 1,326 km (1999) Ports and terminals: Honiara, Malloco Bay, Shortland Harbor, Viru Harbor, Yandina MILITARY Military branches: no regular military forces; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP) Manpower available for military serv¬ ice: males age 18-49: 114,253 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 1 8—49: 92,796 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 6,033 (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of GDP: 3% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: since 2003, Australian Defense Force leads the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) to maintain civil and political order and reinforce regional security Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: IDPs: 5,400 displaced by tsunami on 2 April 2007 SOMALIA Background: Britain withdrew from British Somaliland in 1960 to allow its protectorate to join with Italian Somaliland and form the new nation of Somalia. In 1969, a coup headed by Mohamed SIAD Barre ushered in an authoritarian socialist rule that managed to impose a degree of stability in the country for a couple of decades. After the regime’s overthrow early in 1991, Somalia descended into turmoil, fac¬ tional fighting, and anarchy. In May 1991, northern clans declared an inde¬ pendent Republic of Somaliland that now includes the administrative regions of Awdal, Woqooyi Galbeed, Togdheer, Sanaag, and Sool. Although not recog¬ nized by any government, this entity has maintained a stable existence, aided by the overwhelming dominance of a ruling clan and economic infrastructure left behind by British, Russian, and American military assistance programs. The regions of Bari, Nugaal, and northern Mudug comprise a neighboring self-declared autonomous state of Puntland, which has been self-governing since 1998 but does not aim at independ¬ ence; it has also made strides toward reconstructing a legitimate, representa¬ tive government but has suffered some civil strife. Puntland disputes its border with Somaliland as it also claims por¬ tions of eastern Sool and Sanaag. Beginning in 1993, a two-year UN humanitarian effort (primarily in the south) was able to alleviate famine con¬ ditions, but when the UN withdrew in 1995, having suffered significant casual¬ ties, order still had not been restored. The mandate of the Transitional National Government (TNG), created in August 2000 in Arta, Djibouti, expired in August 2003. A two-year peace process, led by the Government of Kenya under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), concluded in October 2004 with the election of Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed as President of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia and the formation of a transi¬ tional government, known as the Somalia Transitional Federal Institutions (TFIs). The Somalia TFIs include a 275- member parliamentary body, known as the Transitional Federal Assembly (TFA), a transitional Prime Minister, Ali Mohamed GEDI, and a 90-member cab¬ inet. The Transitional Federal Govern¬ ment (TFG) has been deeply divided since just after its creation and until late December 2006 controlled only the town of Baidoa. In June 2006, a loose coalition of clerics, business leaders, and Islamic court militias known as the Supreme Council of Islamic Courts (SCIC) defeated powerful Mogadishu warlords and took control of the capital. The Courts continued to expand, spreading their influence throughout much of southern Somalia and threat¬ ening to overthrow the TFG in Baidoa. Ethiopian and TFG forces, concerned over suspected links between some SCIC factions and al-Qaida, in late December 2006 drove the SCIC from power, but the joint forces continue to fight rem¬ nants of SCIC militia in the south¬ western corner of Somalia near the Kenyan border. The TFG, backed by Ethiopian forces, in late December 2006 moved into Mogadishu, but it continues to struggle to exert control over the cap¬ ital and to prevent the reemergence of warlord rule that typified Mogadishu before the rise of the SCIC. GEOGRAPHY Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, east of Ethiopia Geographic coordinates: 10 00 N, 49 00 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 637,657 sq km land: 627,337 sq km water: 10,320 sq km Area — comparative: slightly smaller than Texas Land boundaries: total: 2,340 km border countries: Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,600 km, Kenya 682 km Coastline: 3,025 km Maritime Claims: territorial sea: 200 nm Climate: principally desert; northeast monsoon (December to February), mod- 571 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK erate temperatures in north and hot in south; southwest monsoon (May to October), torrid in the north and hot in the south, irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili) between monsoons Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Shimbiris 2,416 m Natural resources: uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt, natural gas, likely oil reserves Land use: arable land: 1.64% permanent crops: 0.04% other: 98.32% (2005) Irrigated land: 2,000 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: recurring droughts; fre¬ quent dust storms over eastern plains in summer; floods during rainy season Environment— current issues: famine; use of contaminated water contributes to human health problems; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification Environment — international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection Geography — note: strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern ap¬ proaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal PEOPLE Population: 9,118,773 note: this estimate was derived from an official census taken in 1975 by the Somali Government; population counting in Somalia is complicated by the large number of nomads and by refugee movements in response to famine and clan warfare (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 44.4% (male 2,031,682/ female 2,019,629) 15-64 years: 53% (male 2,423,602/ female 2,410,126) 65 years and over: 2.6% (male 97,932/ female 135,802) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 17.6 years male: 17.5 years female: 17.7 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.832% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 44.6 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 16.28 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.006 male(s)/female 15—64 years: 1.006 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.721 male(s)/female total population: 0.997 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 113.08 deaths/1,000 live births male: 122.29 deaths/ 1,000 live births female: 103.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 48.84 years male: 47.06 years female: 50.69 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 6.68 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 1% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 43,000 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever vectorbome diseases: malaria and dengue fever are high risks in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis animal contact disease: rabies (2007) Nationality: noun: Somali (s) adjective: Somali Ethnic groups: Somali 85%, Bantu and other non-Somali 15% (including Arabs 30,000) Religions: Sunni Muslim Languages: Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 37.8% male: 49.7% female: 25.8% (2001 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Somalia local long form: Jamhuuriyada Demu- qraadiga Soomaaliyeed local short form: Soomaaliya former: Somali Republic; Somali Democratic Republic Government type: no permanent national government; transitional, par¬ liamentary federal government Capital: name: Mogadishu geographic coordinates: 2 04 N, 45 22 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 18 regions (plural— NA, singular— gobolka); Awdal, Bakool, Banaadir, Bari, Bay, Galguduud, Gedo, Hiiraan, Jubbada Dhexe, Jubbada Hoose, Mudug, Nugaal, Sanaag, Shabeellaha Dhexe, Shabeellaha Hoose, Sool, Togdheer, Woqooyi Galbeed Independence: 1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland, which became independent from the UK on 26 June 1960, and Italian Somaliland, which became independent from the Italian-administered UN trusteeship on 1 July 1960, to form the Somali Republic) National holiday: Foundation of the Somali Republic, 1 July (1960); note — 26 June (1960) in Somaliland Constitution: 25 August 1979, presiden¬ tial approval 23 September 1979 note: the formation of transitional gov¬ erning institutions, known as the Transitional Federal Government, is cur¬ rently ongoing Legal system: no national system; Islamic and secular courts based on Somali customary law (xeer) are present in some localities; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Transitional Federal President Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed (since 14 October 2004); note — a transi¬ tional governing entity with a five-year mandate, known as the Transitional Federal Institutions (TFIs), was estab¬ lished in October 2004; the TFI relo¬ cated to Somalia in June 2004, but its members remain divided over clan and regional interests and the government continues to struggle to establish effec¬ tive governance in the country head of government: Prime Minister Ali Mohamed GEDI (since 24 December 2004) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and approved by the Transitional Federal Assembly election results: Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed, the former leader of the semi- autonomous Puntland region of Somalia, was elected president by the Transitional Federal Assembly Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly note: unicameral Transitional Federal Parliament (TFP) (275 seats; 244 mem¬ bers appointed by the four major clans (61 for each clan), 31 seats allocated to smaller clans and subclans); note- — the TFP was created in January 2004 to last four years Judicial branch: following the break¬ down of the central government, most regions have reverted to local forms of 572 SOMALIA conflict resolution, either secular, tradi¬ tional Somali customary law, or Sharia (Islamic) law with a provision for appeal of all sentences Political parties and leaders: none Political pressure groups and leaders: numerous clan and sub-clan factions are currently vying for power; Supreme Council of Islamic Courts (SCIC) International organization participa¬ tion: ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAo! ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO Diplomatic representation in the US: Somalia does not have an embassy in the US (ceased operations on 8 May 1991); note — the TFG and other factions have representatives in Washington and at the United Nations Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Somalia; US interests are represented by the US Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya at United Nations Avenue, Nairobi; mailing address: Unit 64100, Nairobi; APO AE 09831; telephone: [254] (20) 363-6000; FAX [254] (20) 363-6157 Flag description: light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the center; blue field influenced by the flag of the UN Government — note: although an interim government was created in 2004, other regional and local governing bodies continue to exist and control var¬ ious cities and regions of the country, including the self-declared Republic of Somaliland in northwestern Somalia, the semi-autonomous State of Puntland in northeastern Somalia, and traditional clan and faction strongholds ECONOMY Economy — overview: Somalia’s eco¬ nomic fortunes are driven by its deep political divisions. The northwestern area has declared its independence as the “Republic of Somaliland”; the north¬ eastern region of Puntland is a semi' autonomous state; and the remaining southern portion is riddled with the struggles of rival factions. Economic life continues, in part because much activity is local and relatively easily protected. Agriculture is the most important sector, with livestock normally accounting for about 40% of GDP and about 65% of export earnings, but Saudi Arabia’s ban on Somali livestock, due to Rift Valley Fever concerns, has severely hampered the sector. Nomads and semi-nomads, who are dependent upon livestock for their livelihood, make up a large portion of the population. Livestock, hides, fish, charcoal, and bananas are Somalia’s principal exports, while sugar, sorghum, corn, qat, and machined goods are the principal imports. Somalia’s small indus¬ trial sector, based on the processing of agricultural products, has largely been looted and sold as scrap metal. Despite the seeming anarchy, Somalia’s service sector has managed to survive and grow. Telecommunication firms provide wire¬ less services in most major cities and offer the lowest international call rates on the continent. In the absence of a formal banking sector, money exchange services have sprouted throughout the country, handling between $500 million and $1 billion in remittances annually. Mogadishu’s main market offers a variety of goods from food to the newest elec¬ tronic gadgets. The Somali Council of Islamic Courts (SCIC) opened Mogadishu’s main port and airport — closed for 15 years — as well as most of the ports and airfields in southern Somalia. Hotels continue to operate, and militias provide security. The ongoing civil disturbances and clan rivalries, however, have interfered with any broad- based economic development and inter¬ national aid arrangements. Somalia’s arrears to the IMF continued to grow in 2006. Statistics on Somalia’s GDP, growth, per capita income, and inflation should be viewed skeptically. In late December 2004, a major tsunami caused an estimated 150 deaths and resulted in destruction of property in coastal areas. GDP (purchasing power parity): $5,259 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $2,483 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 2.6% (2006 est.) GDP — per capita (PPP): $600 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 65% industry: 10% services: 25% (2000 est.) Labor force: 3.7 million (few skilled laborers) ( 1975 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 71% industry and services: 29% (1975) Unemployment rate: NA% Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%; note — businesses print their own money, so inflation rates cannot be easily determined Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA Agriculture — products: bananas, sor¬ ghum, com, coconuts, rice, sugarcane, mangoes, sesame seeds, beans; cattle, sheep, goats; fish Industries: a few light industries, including sugar refining, textiles, wireless communication Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity— production: 269 million kWh (2004) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 250.2 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil — production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — consumption: 5,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Oil— proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2002) Natural gas — production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — proved reserves: 5.663 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Exports: $241 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) Exports — commodities: livestock, bana¬ nas, hides, fish, charcoal, scrap metal Exports — partners: UAE 48.3%, Yemen 20.8%, Oman 5.8% (2005) Imports: $576 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) Imports — Commodities: manufactures, petroleum products, foodstuffs, construc¬ tion materials, qat Imports — partners: Djibouti 31.8%, India 8.4%, Kenya 8.3%, Brazil 7.9%, Oman 5.6%, UAE 5.2%, Yemen 5.1% (2005) Debt— external: $3 billion (2001 est.) Economic aid — recipient: $60 million (1999 est.) Currency (code): Somali shilling (SOS) Currency code: SOS Exchange rates: Somali shillings per US dollar — 1,438.3 (2006) official rate; the unofficial black market rate was about 23,000 shillings per dollar as of February 2007 note: the Republic of Somaliland, a self- declared independent country not recog¬ nized by any foreign government, issues its own currency, the Somaliland shilling Fiscal year: NA COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 100,000 (2005) 573 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Telephones— mobile cellular: 500,000 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: the public telecom¬ munications system was almost com¬ pletely destroyed or dismantled by the civil war factions; private wireless com¬ panies offer service in most major cities and charge the lowest international rates on the continent domestic: local cellular telephone systems have been established in Mogadishu and in several other population centers international: country code — 252; inter¬ national connections are available from Mogadishu by satellite (2001) Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 1 1 (also 1 station each in Puntland and Somaliland), shortwave 1 (in Moga¬ dishu) (2001) Radios: 470,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 4 (2 in Mogadishu and 2 in Hargeisa) (2001) Televisions: 135,000 (1997) Internet country code: so Internet hosts: 3 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (one each in Boosaaso, Hargeisa, and Mogadishu) (2000) Internet users: 90,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 65 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 7 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 58 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1 ,523 m: 29 under 914 m: 6 (2006) Roadways: total: 22,100 km paved: 2,608 km unpaved: 19,492 km (1999) Merchant marine: total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 2,659 GRT/2,540 DWT by type: cargo 1 foreign- owned: 1 (UAE 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Boosaaso, Berbera, Kismaayo, Merca, Mogadishu MILITARY Military branches: there are no national- level armed forces; numerous factions and clans maintain independent militias, and the Somaliland and Puntland regional governments maintain their own security and police forces (2007) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age (est.) (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 1,787,727 females age 18-49: 1,714,792 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 1,022,360 females age 18—49: 1,038,697 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 0.9% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: Ethiopian forces invaded southern Somalia and routed Islamist Courts from Mogadishu in January 2007; “Somaliland” secession¬ ists provide port facilities in Berbera to landlocked Ethiopia and have estab¬ lished commercial ties with other regional states; “Puntland” and “Somaliland” “governments” seek inter¬ national support in their secessionist aspirations and overlapping border claims; the undemarcated former British administrative line has little meaning as a political separation to rival clans within Ethiopia’s Ogaden and southern Somalia’s Oromo region; Kenya works hard to prevent the clan and militia fighting in Somalia from spreading south across the border, which has long been open to nomadic pastoralists Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: IDPs: 400,000 (civil war since 1988, clan-based competition for resources) (2006) SOUTH AFRICA INTRODUCTION Background: After the British seized the Cape of Good Hope area in 1806, many of the Dutch settlers (the Boers) trekked north to found their own republics. The discovery of diamonds (1867) and gold (1886) spurred wealth and immigration and intensified the subjugation of the native inhabitants. The Boers resisted British encroachments but were defeated in the Boer War (1899-1902). The resulting Union of South Africa oper¬ ated under a policy of apartheid — the separate development of the races. The 1990s brought an end to apartheid polit¬ ically and ushered in black majority rule. GEOGRAPHY location: Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa Geographic coordinates: 29 00 S, 24 00 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 1,219,912 sq km land: 1,219,912 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince Edward Island) Area comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Texas Land boundaries: total: 4,862 km border countries: Botswana 1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491 km, Namibia 967 km, Swaziland 430 km! Zimbabwe 225 km Coastline: 2,798 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin Climate: mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights Terrain: vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Njesuthi 3,408 m Natural resources: gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas Land use: arable land: 12.1% permanent crops: 0.79% other: 87.11% (2005) Irrigated land: 14,980 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: prolonged droughts Environment— current issues: lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires 574 SOUTH AFRICA extensive water conservation and con¬ trol measures; growth in water usage out¬ pacing supply; pollution of rivers from agricultural runoff and urban discharge; air pollution resulting in acid rain; soil erosion; desertification Environment— international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental Proto¬ col, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Bio¬ diversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography— note: South Africa com¬ pletely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely surrounds Swaziland PEOPLE Population: 43,997,828 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mor¬ tality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the dis¬ tribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 29.1% (male 6,447,623/ female 6,370,909) 15-64 years: 65.5% (male 14,040,210/ female 14,761,179) 65 years and over: 5.4% (male 917,227/ female 1,460,680) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 24.3 years male: 23.5 years female: 25.1 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: -0.46% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 17.94 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 22.45 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -0.08 migrants )/ 1,000 population note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.012 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.951 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.628 male(s)/female total population: 0.947 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 59.44 deaths/1,000 live births male: 62.95 deaths/1,000 live births female: 55.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 42.45 years male: 43.21 years female: 41.66 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.16 children bom/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 21.5% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 5.3 million (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 370,000 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: South African(s) adjective: South African Ethnic groups: black African 79%, white 9.6%, colored 8.9%, Indian/Asian 2.5% (2001 census) Religions: Zion Christian 11.1%, Pentecostal/Charismatic 8.2%, Catholic 7.1%, Methodist 6.8%, Dutch Reformed 6.7%, Anglican 3.8%, Muslim 1.5%, other Christian 36%, other 2.3%, unspec¬ ified 1.4%, none 15.1% (2001 census) Languages: IsiZulu 23.8%, IsiXhosa 17.6%, Afrikaans 13.3%, Sepedi 9.4%, English 8.2%, Setswana 8.2%, Sesotho 7.9%, Xitsonga 4-4%, other 7.2% (2001 census) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 86.4% male: 87% female: 85.7% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of South Africa conventional short form: South Africa former: Union of South Africa abbreviation: RSA Government type: republic Capital: name: Pretoria (administrative capital) geographic coordinates: 29 12 S, 28 10 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: Cape Town (legislative capital); Bloemfontein (judicial capital) Administrative divisions: 9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North-West, Northern Cape, Western Cape Independence: 31 May 1910 (Union of South Africa formed from four British colonies: Cape Colony, Natal, Transvaal, and Orange Free State); 31 May 1961 (republic declared) National holiday: Freedom Day, 27 April (1994) Constitution: 10 December 1996; this new constitution was certified by the Constitutional Court on 4 December 1996, was signed by then President MANDELA on 10 December 1996, and entered into effect on 4 February 1997; it is being implemented in phases Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June 1999); Executive Deputy President Phumzile MLAMBO- NGCUKA (since 23 June 2005); note — the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June 1999); Executive Deputy President Phumzile MLAMBO- NGCUKA (since 23 June 2005) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 24 April 2004 (next to be held in April 2009) election results: Thabo MBEKI elected president; percent of National Assembly vote — 100% (by acclamation) Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consisting of the National Assembly (400 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a system of proportional representa¬ tion to serve five-year tenns) and the National Council of Provinces (90 seats, 10 members elected by each of the nine provincial legislatures for five-year terms; has special powers to protect regional interests, including the safeguarding of cultural and linguistic traditions among ethnic minorities); note — following the implementation of the new constitution on 4 February 1997, the former Senate was disbanded and replaced by the National Council of Provinces with essentially no change in membership and party affilia¬ tions, although the new institution’s responsibilities have been changed some¬ what by the new constitution elections: National Assembly and National Council of Provinces — last held on 14 April 2004 (next to be held in 2009) election results : National Assembly — per¬ cent of vote by party — ANC 69.7%, DA 12.4%, IFP 7%, UDM 2.3%, NNP 1.7%, ACDP 1.6%, other 5.3%; seats by party — A- hi Cd 279, DA 50, IFP 28, UDM 9, NNP 7, ACDP 6, other 21; National Council of Provinces — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — NA Judicial branch: Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals; High Courts; Magistrate Courts 575 "HE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Political parties and leaders: African Christian Democratic Party or ACDP [Kenneth MESHOE]; African National Congress or ANC [Thabo MBEKI]; Democratic Alliance or DA [Helen ZILLE]; Freedom Front Plus or FF+ [Pieter MULDER]; Inkatha Freedom Party or IFP [Mangosuthu BUTHELEZI]; New National Party or NNP; Pan- Africanist Congress or PAC [Motsoko PHEKO]; United Democratic Movement or UDM [Bantu HOLOMISA] Political pressure groups and leaders: Congress of South African Trade Unions or COSATU [Zwelinzima VAVI, general secretary]; South African Communist Party or SACP [Blade NZIMANDE, gen¬ eral secretary]; South African National Civics Organization or SANCO [Mlungisi HLONGWANE, national pres¬ ident]; note- — COSATU and SACP are in a formal alliance with the ANC International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AU, BIS, C, FAO, G-24, G- 77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, NSG, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UN WTO, UPU, WCL, WOO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Barbara Joyce Mosima MASEKELA chancery: 3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 232-4400 FAX: [1] (202) 265-1607 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Eric BOST embassy: 877 Pretorius Street, Pretoria mailing address: P. O. Box 9536, Pretoria 0001 telephone: [27] (12) 342-1048 FAX: [27] (12) 342-2244 consulate(s) general: Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg Flag description: two equal width hori¬ zontal bands of red (top) and blue sepa¬ rated by a central green band which splits into a horizontal Y, the arms of which end at the corners of the hoist side; the Y embraces a black isosceles tri¬ angle from which the arms are separated by narrow yellow bands; the red and blue bands are separated from the green band and its arms by narrow white stripes ECONOMY Economy— overview: South Africa is a middle-income, emerging market with an abundant supply of natural resources, well-developed financial, legal, commu¬ nications, energy, and transport sectors; a stock exchange that ranks among the 10 largest in the world; and a modern infra¬ structure supporting an efficient distribu¬ tion of goods to major urban centers throughout the region. However, growth has not been strong enough to lower South Africa’s high unemployment rate, and daunting economic problems remain from the apartheid era — especially poverty and lack of economic empower¬ ment among the disadvantaged groups. South African economic policy is fiscally conservative but pragmatic focusing on targeting inflation and liberalizing trade as means to increase job growth and household income. GDP (purchasing power parity): $587.5 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $201.4 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 5% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $13,300 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 2.6% industry: 30.3% services: 67.1% (2006 est.) Labor force: 16.09 million economically active (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 30% industry: 25% services: 45% (1999 est.) Unemployment rate: 25.5% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 50% (2000 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.1% highest 10%: 45.9% (1994) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 59.3 (1995) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 17.1% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $72.15 billion expenditures: $75.93 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 32.9% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef, poultry, mutton, wool, dairy products Industries: mining (world’s largest pro¬ ducer of platinum, gold, chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textiles, iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs, commer¬ cial ship repair Industrial production growth rate: 7.1% (2006 est.) Electricity — production: 227.2 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 93.5% hydro: 1.1% nuclear: 5.5% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 207 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 12.4 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — imports: 8.026 billion kWh (2004) Oil — production: 229,900 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — consumption: 502,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: NA bbl/day Oil — imports: 398,000 bbl/day (2006) Oil — proved reserves: 7.84 million bbl ( 1 January 2002) Natural gas — production: 2.23 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 2.23 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — imports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 28.32 million cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance; $12.69 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $59.15 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: gold, diamonds, platinum, other metals and minerals, machinery and equipment Exports— partners: Japan 9.9%, UK 9.7%, US 9.5%, Germany 6.5%, Netherlands 4-6% (2005) Imports: $61.53 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum prod¬ ucts, scientific instruments, foodstuffs Imports— partners: Germany 14.2%, China 9.1%, US 7.9%, Japan 6.8%, Canada 6.3%, UK 5.6%, France 4.5%, Iran 4.2% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $23.74 billion (2006 est.) Debt— external: $55.47 billion (30 June 2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $487.5 mil¬ lion (2000) Currency (code): rand (ZAR) Currency code: ZAR Exchange rates: rand per US dollar— 6.7649 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002) Fiscal year: 1 April— 31 March COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 4.729 million (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 33.96 million (2005) 576 SOUTH GEORGIA AND THE SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS Telephone system: general assessment: the system is the best developed and most modem in Africa domestic: consists of carrier-equipped open- wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay links, fiber-optic cable, radiotele¬ phone communication stations, and wire¬ less local loops; key centers are Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth, and Pretoria international: country code — 27; 2 sub¬ marine cables; satellite earth stations — 3 Intelsat ( 1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 14, FM 347 (plus 243 repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998) Radios: 17 million (2001) Television broadcast stations: 556 (plus 144 network repeaters) (1997) Televisions: 6 million (2000) Internet country code: za Internet hosts: 645,179 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 150 (2001) Internet users: 5.1 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 731 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 146 over 3,047 m: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 51 914 to 1,523 m: 67 under 914 m: 13 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 585 1,524 to 2,437 m: 34 914 to 1 ,523 m: 302 under 914 m: 249 (2006) Pipelines: condensate 100 km; gas 1,062 km; oil 966 km; refined products 1,354 km (2006) Railways: total: 20,872 km nanow gauge: 20,436 km 1.065-m gauge (8,868 km electrified); 436 km 0.610-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 362,099 km paved: 73,506 km (includes 239 km of expressways) unpaved: 288,593 km (2002) Merchant marine: total: 3 ships (1000 GRT or over) 32,815 GRT/39,295 DWT by type: container 1, petroleum tanker 2 foreign-owned: 1 (Denmark 1) registered in other countries: 8 (Panama 3, UK 5) (2006) Ports and terminals: Cape Town, Durban, East London, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay, Saldanha Bay MILITARY Military branches: South African National Defense Force (SANDF): South African Army, South African Navy (SAN), South African Air Force (SAAF), Joint Operations Command, Joint Support Command, Military Intelligence, Military Health Service (2007) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; women have a long history of military service in noncombat roles dating back to World War I (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 10,354,769 females age 1 8 — 49 ; 10,626,550 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 4,927,757 females age 18-49: 4,609,071 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age i 8 — 49: 512,407 females age 18-49: 506,078 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1.7% (2006) Military — note: with the end of apartheid and the establishment of majority rule, former military, black homelands forces, and ex-opposition forces were integrated into the South African National Defense Force (SANDF); as of 2003 the integration process was considered complete TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: South Africa has placed military along the border to apprehend the thousands of Zimbab¬ weans fleeing economic dysfunction and political persecution; as of January 2007, South Africa also supports large numbers of refugees and asylum seekers from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (33,000), Somalia (20,000), Burundi (6,500), and other states in Africa (26,000); managed dispute with Namibia over the location of the boundary in the Orange River; in 2006, Swazi king advo¬ cates resort to ICJ to claim parts of Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal from South Africa Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: refugees (country of origin): 10,609 (Democratic Republic of Congo), 7,548 (Somalia), 5,764 (Angola) (2006) Trafficking in persons: current situation: South Africa is a source, transit, and des¬ tination country for men, women, and children trafficked for forced labor and sexual exploitation; women and girls are trafficked internally — and occasionally to European and Asian countries — for sexual exploitation; women from other African countries are trafficked to South Africa and, less frequently, onward to Europe for sexual exploitation; men and boys are trafficked from neighboring countries for forced agricultural labor; Asian and Eastern European women are trafficked to South Africa for debt- bonded sexual exploitation tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — South Africa is placed on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to show increasing efforts to address trafficking in 2005 Illicit drugs: transshipment center for heroin, hashish, and cocaine, as well as a major cultivator of marijuana in its own right; cocaine and heroin consumption on the rise; world’s largest market for illicit methaqualone, usually imported illegally from India through various east African countries, but increasingly pro¬ ducing its own synthetic drugs for domestic consumption; attractive venue for money launderers given the increasing level of organized criminal and narcotics activity in the region and the size of the South African economy SOUTH GEORGIA AND THE SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS INTRODUCTION Background: The islands, which have large bird and seal populations, lie approx¬ imately 1,000 km east of the Falkland Islands and have been under British administration since 1908 — except for a brief period in 1982 when Argentina occupied them. Grytviken, on South Georgia, was a 19th and early 20th cem tury whaling station. Famed explorer Ernest SHACKLETON stopped there in 1914 en route to his ill-fated attempt to cross Antarctica on foot. He returned some 20 months later with a few compan¬ ions in a small boat and arranged a suc¬ cessful rescue for the rest of his crew, stranded off the Antarctic Peninsula. He died in 1922 on a subsequent expedition and is buried in Grytviken. Today, the sta¬ tion houses scientists from the British Antarctic Survey. Recognizing the impor¬ tance of preserving the marine stocks in adjacent waters, the UK, in 1993, extended the exclusive fishing zone from 12 nm to 200 nm around each island. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of the tip of South America Geographic coordinates: 54 30 S, 37 00 W 577 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Mop references: Antarctic Region Area: total: 3,903 sq km land: 3,903 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Shag Rocks, Black Rock, Clerke Rocks, South Georgia Island, Bird Island, and the South Sandwich Islands, which consist of 1 1 islands Area — comparative: slightly larger than Rhode Island Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: NA km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm Climate: variable, with mostly westerly winds throughout the year interspersed with periods of calm; nearly all precipita- tion falls as snow Terrain: most of the islands, rising steeply from the sea, are rugged and mountainous; South Georgia is largely barren and has steep, glacier-covered mountains; the South Sandwich Islands are of volcanic origin with some active volcanoes Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Paget (South Georgia) 2,934 m Natural resources: fish Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (largely covered by perma¬ nent ice and snow with some sparse veg¬ etation consisting of grass, moss, and lichen) (2005) Irrigated land: 0 sq km Natural hazards: the South Sandwich Islands have prevailing weather condi¬ tions that generally make them difficult to approach by ship; they are also subject to active volcanism Environment — current issues: NA Geography — note: the north coast of South Georgia has several large bays, which provide good anchorage; reindeer, introduced early in the 20th century, live on South Georgia PEOPLE ■ -v -n- ■ Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: the small military garrison on South Georgia withdrew in March 2001 replaced by a permanent group of scien¬ tists of the British Antarctic Survey, which also has a biological station on Bird Island; the South Sandwich Islands are uninhabited GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands conventional short form: none abbreviation: SGSSI Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina; administered from the Falkland Islands by a commissioner, who is concurrently governor of the Falkland Islands, repre¬ senting Queen ELIZABETH II Legal system: the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply; the senior magistrate from the Falkland Islands presides over the Magistrates Court Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina) Flag description: blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the South Georgia and the South- Sandwich Islands coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms features a shield with a golden lion centered; the shield is supported by a fur seal on the left and a penguin on the right; a reindeer appears above the shield, and below it on a scroll is the motto LEO TERRAM PROPRIAM PROTEGAT (Let the Lion Protect its Own Land) ECONOMY Economy — overview: Some fishing takes place in adjacent waters. There is a potential source of income from har¬ vesting finfish and krill. The islands receive income from postage stamps pro¬ duced in the UK, sale of fishing licenses, and harbor and landing fees from tourist vessels. Tourism from specialized cruise ships is increasing rapidly. COMMUNICATIONS A- _ d : ST- l' _ Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: coastal radiotelephone sta¬ tion at Grytviken Radio broadcast stations: 0 (2003) Television broadcast stations: 0 (2003) Internet country code: gs Internet hosts: 271 (2006) TRANSPORTATION Ports and terminals: Grytviken Military Military note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of the UK TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes international: Argentina, which claims the islands in its constitu¬ tion and briefly occupied them by force in 1982, agreed in 1995 to no longer seek settlement by force SOUTHERN OCEAN INTRODUCTION Background: A large body of recent oceanographic research has shown that the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) , an ocean current that flows from west to east around Antarctica, plays a crucial role in global ocean circulation. The region where the cold waters of the ACC meet and mingle with the warmer waters of the north defines a distinct border the Antarctic Convergence — which fluctuates with the seasons, but which encompasses a discrete body of water and a unique ecologic region. The Convergence concentrates nutrients, which promotes marine plant life, and which in turn allows for a greater abun¬ dance of animal life. In the spring of 2000, the International Hydrographic Organization decided to delimit the waters within the Convergence as a fifth world ocean— the Southern Ocean— by combining the southern portions of the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and Pacific Ocean. The Southern Ocean extends from the coast of Antarctica north to 60 degrees south latitude, which coincides with the Antarctic Treaty Limit and which approximates the extent of the Antarctic Convergence. As such, the Southern Ocean is now the fourth largest of the world’s five oceans 578 SOUTHERN OCEAN (after the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and Indian Ocean, but larger than the Arctic Ocean). It should be noted that inclusion of the Southern Ocean does not imply recognition of this feature as one of the world’s primary oceans by the US Government. GEOGRAPHY Location: body of water between 60 degrees south latitude and Antarctica Geographic coordinates: 60 00 S, 90 00 E (nominally), but the Southern Ocean has the unique distinction of being a large circumpolar body of water totally encircling the continent of Antarctica; this ring of water lies between 60 degrees south latitude and the coast of Antarctica and encompasses 360 degrees of longitude Map references: Antarctic Region Area: total: 20.327 million sq km note: includes Amundsen Sea, Bellingshausen Sea, part of the Drake Passage, Ross Sea, a small part of the Scotia Sea, Weddell Sea, and other trib¬ utary water bodies Area — comparative: slightly more than twice the size of the US Coastline: 17,968 km Climate: sea temperatures vary from about 10 degrees Celsius to -2 degrees Celsius; cyclonic storms travel eastward around the continent and frequently are intense because of the temperature con- trast between ice and open ocean; the ocean area from about latitude 40 south to the Antarctic Circle has the strongest average winds found anywhere on Earth; in winter the ocean freezes outward to 65 degrees south latitude in the Pacific sector and 55 degrees south latitude in the Atlantic sector, lowering surface temperatures well below 0 degrees Celsius; at some coastal points intense persistent drainage winds from the inte- rior keep the shoreline ice-free throughout the winter Terrain: the Southern Ocean is deep, 4,000 to 5,000 m over most of its extent with only limited areas of shallow water; the Antarctic continental shelf is gener¬ ally narrow and unusually deep, its edge lying at depths of 400 to 800 m (the global mean is 133 m); the Antarctic icepack grows from an average minimum of 2.6 million sq km in March to about 18.8 million sq km in September, better than a sixfold increase in area; the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (21,000 km in length) moves perpetually east¬ ward; it is the world’s largest ocean cur¬ rent, transporting 130 million cubic meters of water per second — 100 times the flow of all the world’s rivers Elevation extremes: lowest point: -7,235 m at the southern end of the South Sandwich Trench highest point: sea level 0 m Natural resources: probable large and possible giant oil and gas fields on the continental margin, manganese nodules, possible placer deposits, sand and gravel, fresh water as icebergs; squid, whales, and seals — none exploited; krill, fish Natural hazards: huge icebergs with drafts up to several hundred meters; smaller bergs and iceberg fragments; sea ice (generally 0.5 to 1 m thick) with sometimes dynamic short-term variations and with large annual and interannual variations; deep continental shelf floored by glacial deposits varying widely over short distances; high winds and large waves much of the year; ship icing, espe¬ cially May-October; most of region is remote from sources of search and rescue Environment — current issues: increased solar ultraviolet radiation resulting from the Antarctic ozone hole in recent years, reducing marine primary productivity (phytoplankton) by as much as 15% and damaging the DNA of some fish; illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in recent years, especially the landing of an estimated five to six times more Patagonian toothfish than the regulated fishery, which is likely to affect the sus¬ tainability of the stock; large amount of incidental mortality of seabirds resulting from long-line fishing for toothfish note: the now-protected fur seal popula¬ tion is making a strong comeback after severe overexploitation in the 18th and 19th centuries Environment— international agree¬ ments: the Southern Ocean is subject to all international agreements regarding the world’s oceans; in addition, it is sub¬ ject to these agreements specific to the Antarctic region: International Whaling Commission (prohibits commercial whaling south of 40 degrees south [south of 60 degrees south between 50 degrees and 130 degrees west]); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (limits sealing); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (regulates fishing) note: many nations (including the US) prohibit mineral resource exploration and exploitation south of the fluctuating Polar Front (Antarctic Convergence), which is in the middle of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current and serves as the dividing line between the cold polar sur¬ face waters to the south and the warmer waters to the north Geography — note: the major choke- point is the Drake Passage between South America and Antarctica; the Polar Front (Antarctic Convergence) is the best natural definition of the northern extent of the Southern Ocean; it is a distinct region at the middle of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current that sep¬ arates the cold polar surface waters to the south from the warmer waters to the north; the Front and the Current extend entirely around Antarctica, reaching south of 60 degrees south near New Zealand and near 48 degrees south in the far South Atlantic coinciding with the path of the maximum westerly winds ECONOMY Economy — overview: Fisheries in 2003-04 landed 136,262 metric tons, of which 87% (118,166 tons) was krill and 8% (11,182 tons) Patagonian toothfish, compared to 142,555 tons in 2002-03 of which 83% (117,728 tons) was krill and 12% (16,479 tons) Patagonian toothfish (estimated fishing from the area covered by the Convention of the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), which extends slightly beyond the Southern Ocean area). International agreements were adopted in late 1999 to reduce illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, which in the 2000-01 season landed, by one estimate, 8,376 metric tons of Patagonian and Antarctic toothfish. In the 2004-05 Antarctic summer, 28,202 tourists, most of them seaborne (approximately 97%), visited the Southern Ocean and Antarctica, compared to 14,762 in 1999-2000. TRANSPORTATION Ports and terminals: McMurdo, Palmer, and offshore anchorages in Antarctica note: few ports or harbors exist on southern side of Southern Ocean; ice conditions limit use of most to short periods in midsummer; even then some cannot be entered without icebreaker 579 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK escort; most Antarctic ports are operated by government research stations and, except in an emergency, are not open to commercial or private vessels; vessels in any port south of 60 degrees south are subject to inspection by observers under Article 7 of the Antarctic Treaty; The Hydrographic Committee on Antarctica (HCA), a special hydrographic commis- sion of International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), is responsible for hydrographic surveying and nautical charting matters in Antarctic Treaty area; it coordinates and facilitates provi¬ sion of accurate and appropriate charts and other aids to navigation in support of safety of navigation in region; member¬ ship of HCA is open to any IHO Member State whose government has acceded to the Antarctic Treaty and which contributes resources and/or data to IHO Chart coverage of the area; members of HCA are Argentina, Australia, Chile, China, France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, NZ, Norway, Russia, South Africa, Spain, and the UK (2005) Transportation — note: Drake Passage offers alternative to transit through the Panama Canal TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: Antarctic Treaty defers claims (see Antarctica entry), but Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, NZ, Norway, and UK assert claims (some overlapping), including the continental shelf in the Southern Ocean; several states have expressed an interest in extending those continental shelf claims under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to include undersea ridges; the US and most other states do not rec¬ ognize the land or maritime claims of other states and have made no claims themselves (the US and Russia have reserved the right to do so); no formal claims exist in the waters in the sector between 90 degrees west and 150 degrees west SPAIN Background: Spain’s powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries ulti¬ mately yielded command of the seas to England. Subsequent failure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions caused the country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic and political power. Spain remained neutral in World Wars I and II but suffered through a devastating civil war (1936-39). A peaceful transition to democracy following the death of dictator Francisco FRANCO in 1975, and rapid economic moderniza¬ tion (Spain joined the EU in 1986) have given Spain one of the most dynamic economies in Europe and made it a global champion of freedom. Continuing chal¬ lenges include Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA) terrorism and relatively high unemployment. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southwestern Europe, bor¬ dering the Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, and Pyrenees Mountains, southwest of France Geographic coordinates: 40 00 N, 4 00 w Map references: Europe Area: total: 504,782 sq km land: 499,542 sq km water: 5,240 sq km note: there are two autonomous cities — Ceuta and Melilla — and 17 autonomous communities including Balearic Islands and Canary Islands, and three small Spanish possessions off the coast of Morocco — Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera Area — comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Oregon Land boundaries: total: 1,917.8 km border countries: Andorra 63.7 km, France 623 km, Gibraltar 1.2 km, Portugal 1,214 km, Morocco (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Morocco (Melilla) 9.6 km Coastline: 4,964 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (applies only to the Atlantic Ocean) Climate: temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in inte¬ rior, partly cloudy and cool along coast Terrain: large, flat to dissected plateau sur¬ rounded by rugged hills; Pyrenees in north Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pico de Teide (Tenerife) on Canary Islands 3,718 m Natural resources: coal, lignite, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, uranium, tung¬ sten, mercury, pyrites, magnesite, fluorspar, gypsum, sepiolite, kaolin, potash, hydropower, arable land Land use: arable land: 27.18% permanent crops : 9.85% other: 62.97% (2005) Irrigated land: 37,800 sq km (2003) Naturai hazards: periodic droughts Environment — current issues: pollution of the Mediterranean Sea from raw sewage and effluents from the offshore production of oil and gas; water quality and quantity nationwide; air pollution; deforestation; desertification Environment— international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution- Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Bio¬ diversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution- Persistent Organic Pollutants Geography note: strategic location along approaches to Strait of Gibraltar PEOPLE Population: 40,448,191 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 14.4% (male 3,005,818/ female 2,826,805) 15-64 years: 67.8% (male 13,758,869/ female 13,661,295) 65 years and over: 17.8% (male 3,002,585/ female 4,192,819) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 40.3 years male: 39 years female: 41.7 years (2007 est.) 580 SPAIN Population growth rate: 0.116% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 9.98 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 9.81 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0.99 migrants )/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.063 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.007 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.716 male(s)/female total population: 0.956 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 4.31 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.7 deaths/ 1,000 live births female: 3.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 79.78 years male: 76.46 years female: 83.32 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.29 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 0.7% (2001 est.) HiV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 140,000 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: less than 1,000 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Spaniard(s) adjective: Spanish Ethnic groups: composite of Medi¬ terranean and Nordic types Religions: Roman Catholic 94%, other 6% Languages: Castilian Spanish (official) 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2%, are official regionally Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.9% male: 98.7% female: 97.2% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Spain conventional short form: Spain local long form: Reino de Espana local short form: Espana Government type: parliamentary monarchy Capital: name: Madrid geographic coordinates: 40 24 N, 3 41 W time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: + lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October note: Spain is divided into two time zones including the Canary Islands Administrative divisions: 17 autonomous communities (comunidades autonomas, singular — comunidad autonoma) and 2 autonomous cities* (ciudades autonomas, singular — ciudad autonoma); Andalucia, Aragon, Asturias, Baleares (Balearic Islands), Ceuta*, Canarias (Canary Islands), Cantabria, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y Leon, Cataluna, Comunidad Valenciana, Extremadura, Galicia, La Rioja, Madrid, Melilla*, Murcia, Navarra, Pais Vasco (Basque Country) note: the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla plus three small islands of Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera, adminis¬ tered directly by the Spanish central gov¬ ernment, are all along the coast of Morocco and are collectively referred to as Places of Sovereignty (Plazas de Soberania) independence: the Iberian peninsula was characterized by a variety of inde¬ pendent kingdoms prior to the Muslim occupation that began in the early 8th century A.D. and lasted nearly seven centuries; the small Christian redoubts of the north began the reconquest almost immediately, culminating in the seizure of Granada in 1492; this event com¬ pleted the unification of several king¬ doms and is traditionally considered the forging of present-day Spain National holiday: National Day, 12 October (1492); year when Columbus first set foot in the Americas Constitution: approved by legislature 31 October 1978; passed by referendum 6 December 1978, effective 29 December 1978 Legal system: civil law system, with regional applications; accepts compul¬ sory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: King JUAN CARLOS I (since 22 November 1975); Heir Apparent Prince FELIPE, son of the monarch, born 30 January 1968 head of government: President of the Government (Prime Minister equiva¬ lent) Jose Luis RODRIGUEZ ZAPA- TERO (since 17 April 2004); First Vice President and Deputy Prime Minister (and Minister of the Presidency) Maria Teresa FERNANDEZ DE LA VEGA (since 18 April 2004) and Second Vice President (and Minister of Economy and Finance) Pedro SOLBES (since 18 April 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers designated by the president note: there is also a Council of State that is the supreme consultative organ of the government, but its recommendations are non-binding elections: the monarchy is hereditary; fol¬ lowing legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually proposed president by the monarch and elected by the National Assembly; election last held on 14 March 2004 (next to be held in March 2008); vice presidents appointed by the monarch on the pro¬ posal of the president election results: Jose Luis RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO elected president; percent of National Assembly vote — 52.29% Legislative branch: bicameral; General Courts or National Assembly or Las Cortes Generales consists of the Senate or Senado (259 seats; 208 members directly elected by popular vote and the other 51 appointed by the regional legis¬ latures; to serve four-year terms) and the Congress of Deputies or Congreso de los Diputados (350 seats; members are elected by popular vote on block lists by proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate — last held on 14 March 2004 (next to be held in March 2008); Congress of Deputies — last held on 14 March 2004 (next to be held in March 2008) election results: Senate — percent of vote by party — PP 49%, PSOE 38%, Entesa Catalona de Progress 5.7%, PNV 2.8%, CC 2.4%, CiU 2%; seats by party — PP 102, PSOE 81, Entesa Catalona de Progress 12, PNV 6, CiU 4, CC 3; Congress of Deputies — percent of vote by party— PSOE 43.3%, PP 37.8%, CiU 3.2%, IU 3.2%, ERC 2.5%, PNV 1.6%, CC 0.9%, other 7.5%; seats by party— PSOE 164, PP 148, CiU 10, ERC 8, PNV 7, IU 5, CC 3, other 5 Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo Political parties and leaders: Ara¬ gonese Party or CHA [Bizen FUSTER]; Basque Nationalist Party or PNV Qosu Jon IMAZ]; Basque Solidarity or EA [Begona ERRAZTI]; Canarian Coalition or CC [Paulino RIVERO Baute] (a coali¬ tion of five parties); Convergence and Union or CiU [Artur MAS i Gavarro] (a coalition of the Democratic Con¬ vergence of Catalonia or CDC [Artur MAS i Gavarro] and the Democratic Union of Catalonia or UDC [Josep Antoni DURAN i LLEIDA]); Entesa Catalonia de Progress (a Senate coalition grouping four Catalan parties — PSC, ERC, ICV, EUA); Galician Nationalist Bloc or BNG [Anxo Manuel QUIN¬ TANA Gonzalez]; Initiative for Catalonia Greens or ICV [Joan SAURA i Laporta]; Navarra yes or Na Bai [Uxue BARKOS Berruezo] (a coalition of four 581 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Navarran parties); Popular Party or PP [Mariano RAJOY Brey]; Republican Left of Catalonia or ERC [Josep-Lluis CAROD-ROVIRA]; Spanish Socialist Workers Party or PSOE [Jose Luis RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO]; United Left or IU [Gaspar LLAMAZARES Trigo] (a coalition of parties including the PCE and other small parties) Political pressure groups and leaders: business and landowning interests; Catholic Church; free labor unions (authorized in April 1977); Socialist General Union of Workers or UGT and the smaller independent Workers Syndical Union or USO; university stu¬ dents; Trade Union Confederation of Workers’ Commissions or CC.OO. International organization participa¬ tion: AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos WESTENDORP chancery: 2375 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 452-0100, 728-2340 FAX: [1] (202) 833-5670 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico) Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Eduardo AGUIRRE, Jr. embassy: Serrano 75, 28006 Madrid mailing address: PSC 61, APO AE 09642 telephone: [341 (91) 587-2200 FAX: [34] (91) 587-2303 consulate(s) general: Barcelona Flag description: three horizontal bands of red (top), yellow (double width), and red with the national coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band; the coat of arms includes the royal seal framed by the Pillars of Hercules, which are the two promontories (Gibraltar and Ceuta) on either side of the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar ECONOMY Economy— overview: The Spanish economy boomed from 1986 to 1990 averaging 5% annual growth. After a European-wide recession in the early 1990s, the Spanish economy resumed moderate growth starting in 1994. Spain’s mixed capitalist economy sup¬ ports a GDP that on a per capita basis is 80% that of the four leading West European economies. The center-right government of former President AZNAR successfully worked to gain admission to the first group of countries launching the European single currency (the euro) on 1 January 1999. The AZNAR administration continued to advocate liberalization, privatization, and deregulation of the economy and introduced some tax reforms to that end. Unemployment fell steadily under the AZNAR administration but remains high at 8.1%. Growth averaging 3% annually during 2003-06 was satisfactory given the background of a faltering European economy. The Socialist presi¬ dent, RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO, has made mixed progress in carrying out key structural reforms, which need to be accelerated and deepened to sustain Spain’s strong economic growth. Despite the economy’s relative solid footing sig¬ nificant downside risks remain including Spain’s continued loss of competitive¬ ness, the potential for a housing market collapse, the country’s changing demo¬ graphic profile, and a decline in EU structural funds. GDP (purchasing power parity): $1,109 trillion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $1,084 trillion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 3.9% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $27,400 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 3.9% industry: 29.4% services: 66.7% (2006 est.) Labor force: 21.77 million (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 5.3% industry: 30.1% services: 64.6% (2004 est.) Unemployment rate: 8.1% (October 2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 19.8% (2005) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 25.2% (1990) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 32.5 (1990) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.5% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 29.4% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $488.2 billion expenditures: $475.3 billion; including capital expenditures of $12.8 billion (2006 est.) Public debt: 39.9% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: grain, vegeta¬ bles, olives, wine grapes, sugar beets, citrus; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish Industries: textiles and apparel (in¬ cluding footwear), food and beverages, metals and metal manufactures, chemi¬ cals, shipbuilding, automobiles, machine tools, tourism, clay and refractory prod¬ ucts, footwear, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment Industrial production growth rate: 0.6% (2006 est.) Electricity — production: 263.3 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 50.4% hydro: 18.2% nuclear: 27.2% other: 4.1% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 241.8 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 11.4 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 8.3 billion kWh (2004) Oil— production: 31,250 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 1.573 million bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: 135,100 bbl/day (2001) Oil — imports: 1.582 million bbl/day (2001) Oil— proved reserves: 10.5 million bbl ( 1 January 2002) Natural gas— production: 339 million cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 27.01 bil¬ lion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 26.95 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 2.549 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $98.6 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $222.1 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports -Commodities: machinery, motor vehicles; foodstuffs, pharmaceuti¬ cals, medicines, other consumer goods Exports partners: France 19.3%, Germany 11.4%, Portugal 9.6%, UK 8.4%, Italy 8.4%, US 4.1% (2005) Imports: $324.4 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, semi¬ finished goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods, measuring and medical control instruments 582 SPRATLY ISLANDS Imports— partners: Germany 15.3%, France 14.7%, Italy 8.6%, UK 5.8%, Netherlands 5%, China 4.2% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $17 billion (2006 est.) Debt— external: $1,591 trillion (30 June 2006 est.) Economic aid — donor: ODA, $1.33 bil¬ lion (1999) Currency (code): euro (EUR) note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by the financial institutions of member coun¬ tries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transac¬ tions with the member countries Currency code: EUR Exchange rates: euros per US dollar— 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main tines in use: 18.322 million (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 41.328 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: generally adequate, modern facilities; teledensity is 45 main lines for each 100 persons domestic: NA international: country code — 34; 22 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations — 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), NA Eutelsat; tro¬ pospheric scatter to adjacent countries Radio broadcast stations: AM 208, FM 715, shortwave 1 (1998) Radios: 13.1 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 224 (plus 2,105 repeaters; includes 11 television broadcast stations and 88 repeaters in the Canary Islands) (1995) Televisions: 16.2 million (1997) Internet country code: es Internet hosts: 2.521 million (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 56 (2000) Internet users: 19.205 million (2006) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 157 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 96 over 3,047 m: 16 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 20 914 to 1,523 m: 24 under 914 m: 26 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 61 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1 ,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 44 (2006) Heliports: 8 (2006) Pipelines: gas 7,962 km; oil 622 km; refined products 3,447 km (2006) Railways: total: 14,873 km broad gauge: 11,919 km 1.668-m gauge (6,950 km electrified) standard gauge: 998 km 1.435-m gauge (998 km electrified) narrow gauge: 1,928 km 1.000-m gauge (815 km electrified); 28 km 0.914-m gauge (28 km electrified) (2005) Roadways: total: 666,292 km paved: 659,629 km (includes 12,009 km of expressways) unpaved: 6,663 km (2003) Waterways: 1,000 km (2003) Merchant marine: total: 169 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,902,839 GRT/1, 874, 161 DWT by type: bulk carrier 9, cargo 13, chemical tanker 14, container 27, liquefied gas 9, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 49, petro¬ leum tanker 15, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 20, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 5 foreign-owned: 36 (Cuba 1, Denmark 1, Germany 12, Italy 2, Mexico 3, Norway 7, UK 1, Uruguay 2, US 7) registered in other countries: 112 (Bahamas 12, Belize 3, Brazil 4, Cambodia 1, Cape Verde 1, Cuba 1, Cyprus 7, Italy 1, Malta 6, Marshall Islands 3, Nigeria 1, Panama 53, Portugal 15, Saint Kitts and Nevis 2, UK 1, Venezuela 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Algeciras, Barce¬ lona, Cartagena, Gijon, Huelva, La Coruna, Tarragona, Valencia MILITARY Military branches: Spanish Armed Forces: Army (Ejercito de Tierra), Spanish Navy (Armada Espanola, AE; includes Marine Corps), Spanish Air Force (Ejercito del Aire Espanola, EdA) (2006) Military service age and obligation: 20 years of age (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 20-49: 9,366,588 females age 20-4 9: 9,155,057 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 20-49: 7,623,356 females age 20-49: 7,434,465 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 233,384 females age 20-49: 221,805 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1.2% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: in 2002, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelm¬ ingly by referendum to remain a British colony and against a “total shared sover¬ eignty” arrangement while demanding participation in talks between the UK and Spain; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant Gibraltar greater autonomy; Morocco protests Spain’s control over the coastal enclaves of Ceuta, Melilla, and the islands of Penon de Velez de la Gomera, Penon de Alhucemas and Islas Chafarinas, and sur¬ rounding waters; Morocco serves as the primary launching site of illegal migra¬ tion into Spain from North Africa; Portugal does not recognize Spanish sov¬ ereignty over the territory of Olivenza based on a difference of interpretation of the 1815 Congress of Vienna and the 1801 Treaty of Badajoz Illicit drugs: despite rigorous law enforce¬ ment efforts, North African, Latin American, Galician, and other European traffickers take advantage of Spain’s long coastline to land large shipments of cocaine and hashish for distribution to the European market; consumer for Latin American cocaine and North African hashish; destination and minor transship¬ ment point for Southwest Asian heroin; money-laundering site for Colombian narcotics trafficking organizations and organized crime SPRATLY ISLANDS INTRODUCTION Background: The Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs. They are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and potentially by gas and oil deposits. They are claimed in their entirety by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines. About 45 islands are occupied by relatively small numbers of military forces from China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Brunei has established a fishing zone that overlaps a southern reef but has not made any formal claim. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southeastern Asia, group of reefs and islands in the South China Sea, about two-thirds of the way from southern Vietnam to the southern Philippines Geographic coordinates: 8 38 N, 1 1 1 55 E 583 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Map references: Southeast Asia Area: total: less than 5 sq km land: less than 5 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts scattered over an area of nearly 410,000 sq km of the central South China Sea Area— comparative: NA Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 926 km Maritime claims: NA Climate: tropical Terrain: flat Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 m Natural resources: fish, guano, undeter¬ mined oil and natural gas potential Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) Irrigated land: 0 sq km Natural hazards: typhoons; numerous reefs and shoals pose a serious maritime hazard Environment— current issues: NA Geography — note: strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs PEOPLE Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered garrisons occu¬ pied by personnel of several claimant states GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Spratly Islands Economy — overview: Economic activity is limited to commercial fishing. The proximity to nearby oil- and gas-pro¬ ducing sedimentary basins suggests the potential for oil and gas deposits, but the region is largely unexplored. There are no reliable estimates of potential reserves. Commercial exploitation has yet to be developed. TRANSPORTATION Airports: 3 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 2 914 to 1 ,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006) Ports and terminals: none; offshore anchorage only MILITARY Military— note: Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs of which about 45 are claimed and occu¬ pied by China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines; in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone that encompasses Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands but has not publicly claimed the reef; claimants in November 2002 signed the “Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea,” which has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding “code of conduct”; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands SRI LANKA INTRODUCTION Background: The Sinhalese arrived in Sri Lanka late in the 6th century B.C. probably from northern India. Buddhism was introduced beginning in about the mid-third century B.C., and a great civi¬ 584 lization developed at the cities of Anuradhapura (kingdom from circa 200 B.C. to circa A.D. 1000) and Polon- naruwa (from about 1070 to 1200). In the 14th century, a south Indian dynasty seized power in the north and established a Tamil kingdom. Occupied by the Portuguese in the 16th century and by the Dutch in the 17th century, the island was ceded to the British in 1796, became a crown colony in 1802, and was united under British rule by 1815. As Ceylon, it became independent in 1948; its name was changed to Sri Lanka in 1972. Tensions between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil separatists erupted into war in 1983. Tens of thousands have died in the ethnic conflict that continues to fester. After two decades of fighting, the gov¬ ernment and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) formalized a cease-fire in February 2002 with Norway brokering peace negotiations. Violence between the LTTE and government forces inten¬ sified in 2006, but neither side has for¬ mally withdrawn from the cease-fire. GEOGRAPHY j Location: Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India Geographic coordinates: 7 00 N, 81 00 E Map references: Asia Area: total: 65,610 sq km land: 64,740 sq km water: 870 sq km Area— comparative: slightly larger than West Virginia Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 1,340 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf : 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin SRI LANKA Climate: tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); south¬ west monsoon (June to October) Terrain: mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m Natural resources: limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower Land use: arable land: 13.96% permanent crops: 15.24% other: 70.8% (2005) Irrigated land: 7,430 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: occasional cyclones and tornadoes Environment — current issues: defor¬ estation; soil erosion; wildlife popula¬ tions threatened by poaching and urbanization; coastal degradation from mining activities and increased pollu¬ tion; freshwater resources being polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff; waste disposal; air pollution in Colombo Environment — international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation Geography — note: strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes PEOPLE Population: 20,926,315 note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, sev¬ eral hundred thousand Tamil civilians have fled the island and more than 200,000 Tamils have sought refuge in the West (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 24.3% (male 2,596,295/ female 2,495,949) 15-64 years: 67.9% (male 6,947,310/ female 7,259,271) 65 years and over: 7.8% (male 765,507/ female 861,983) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 30 years male: 29.2 years female: 31 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.982% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 17 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 6.01 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -1.16 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15—64 years: 0.957 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.888 male(s)/female total population: 0.971 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 19.45 deaths/1,000 live births male: 21.2 deaths/1,000 live births female: 17.63 deaths/ 1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.8 years male: 72.81 years female: 76.88 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.05 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 3,500 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Sri Lankan(s) adjective: Sri Lankan Ethnic groups: Sinhalese 73.8%, Sri Lankan Moors 7.2%, Indian Tamil 4-6%, Sri Lankan Tamil 3.9%, other 0.5%, unspecified 10% (2001 census provi¬ sional data) Religions: Buddhist 69.1%, Muslim 7.6%, Hindu 7.1%, Christian 6.2%, unspecified 10% (2001 census provi¬ sional data) Languages: Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national language) 18%, other 8% note: English is commonly used in gov¬ ernment and is spoken competently by about 10% of the population Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 90.7% male: 92.3% female: 89.1% (2001 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka conventional short form: Sri Lanka local long form: Shri Lamka Prajatantrika Samajaya di Janarajaya/Ilankai Jananayaka Choshalichak Kutiyarachu local short form: Shri Lamka/Ilankai former: Serendib, Ceylon Government type: republic Capital: name: Colombo geographic coordinates: 656N, 7951 E time difference: UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legisla¬ tive capital) Administrative divisions: 8 provinces; Central, North Central, North Eastern, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western note: in October 2006, the Sri Lankan Supreme Court ruled voided a presidential directive merging the North and Eastern Provinces; many have defended the merger as a prerequisite for a negotiated settlement to the ethnic conflict; a parlia¬ mentary decision on the issue is pending Independence: 4 February 1948 (from UK) National holiday: Independence Day, 4 February ( 1948) Constitution: adopted 16 August 1978, certified 31 August 1978 Legal system: a highly complex mixture of English common law, Roman-Dutch, Islamic, Sinhalese, and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ juris¬ diction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Mahinda RAJAPAKSA (since 19 November 2005); note — the president is both the chief of state and head of government; Ratnasiri WICKREMANAYAKE (since 21 November 2005) holds the largely ceremonial title of prime minister head of government: President Mahinda RAJAPAKSA (since 19 November 2005) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president in consultation with the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 17 November 2005 (next to be held in 2011) election results: Mahinda RAJAPAKSA elected president; percent of vote — Mahinda RAJAPAKSA 50.3%, Ranil WICKREMESINGHE 48.4%, other 1.3% Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (225 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of a modi¬ fied proportional representation system by district to serve six-year terms) elections: last held on 2 April 2004 (next to be held by 2010) election results : percent of vote by party or electoral alliance — SLFP and JVP (no longer in formal UPFA alliance) 45.6%, UNP 37.8%, TNA 6.8%, JHU 6%, SLMC 2%, UPF 0.5%, EPDP 0.3%, other 1%; seats by party — UNP 68, SLFP 57, JVP 39, TNA 22, CWC 8, JHU 7, SLMC 6, SLMC dissidents 4, Com¬ munist Party 2, JHU dissidents 2, LSSP 2, MEP 2, NUA 2, UPF 2, EPDP 1, UNP dissident 1 585 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Appeals; judges for both courts are appointed by the president Political parties and leaders: All Ceylon Tamil Congress or ACTC [A. VINAYAKAMOORTHY]; Ceylon Workers Congress or CWC [Arumugam THONDAMAN]; Communist Party or CP [D. GUNASEKERA]; Democratic United National (Lalith) Front or DUNLF [T.N.S. NANAYAKKARA]; Eelam People’s Democratic Party or EPDP [Douglas DEVANANDA]; Eelam People’s Revolutionary Liberation Front or EPRLF [Suresh PREMACHAN- DRAN]; Janatha Vimukthi Perumuna or JVP [Somawansa AMARASINGHE]; Lanka Sama Samaja Party or LSSP [Tissa VITHARANA]; Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (People’s United Front) or MEP [D. GUNAWARDENE]; National Heritage Party or JHU [Ellawala METHANANDA]; National Unity Alliance or NUA [Ferial ASHRAFF]; People’s Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam or PLOTE [D. SID- HARTHAN]; Sri Lanka Freedom Party or SLFP [Mahinda RAJAPAKSA]; Sri Lanka Muslim Congress or SLMC [Rauff HAKEEM]; Sri Lanka Progressive Front or SLPF [P Nelson PERERA]; Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization or TELO [Selvam ADAIKALAN ATHAN] ; Tamil National Alliance or TNA [R. SAM- PANTHAN]; Tamil United Liberation Front or TULF [V. ANANDASAN- GAREE]; United National Party or UNP [Ranil WICKREMASINGHE]; Up- country People’s Front or UPF [P. CHANDRASEKARAN]; several ethnic Tamil and Muslim parties, represented in either Parliament or provincial councils Political pressure groups and leaders: Buddhist clergy; labor unions; Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam or LTTE [Velupillai PRABHAKARAN]( insur¬ gent group fighting for a separate state); radical chauvinist Sinhalese groups such as the National Movement Against Terrorism; Sinhalese Buddhist lay groups; Tamil Eela Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal, TMVP or “Karuna group” [Vinayagamurthi MURALITHARAN] (paramilitary breakaway from LTTE and fighting against LTTE) International organization participa¬ tion: AsDB, B1MSTEC, C, CP, FAO, G- 15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Bernard GOONETILLEKE chancery: 2148 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-4025 (through 4028) FAX: [1] (202) 232-7181 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles consulate(s) : New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert O. BLAKE, Jr. embassy: 210 Galle Road, Colombo 3 mailing address: P. O. Box 106, Colombo telephone: [94] (11) 249-8500 FAX: [94] (11) 243-7345 Flag description: yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the other panel is a large dark red rectangle with a yellow lion holding a sword, and there is a yellow bo leaf in each comer; the yellow field appears as a border around the entire flag and extends between the two panels ECONOMY Economy— overview: In 1977, Colombo abandoned statist economic policies and its import substitution trade policy for more market-oriented policies, export- oriented trade, and encouragement of foreign investment. Recent changes in government, however, have brought some policy reversals. Currently, the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party has a more statist economic approach, which seeks to reduce poverty by steering investment to disadvantaged areas, developing small and medium enter¬ prises, promoting agriculture, and expanding the already enormous civil service. The government has halted most privatizations. Although suffering a brutal civil war that began in 1983, Sri Lanka saw GDP growth average 4.5% in the last 10 years with the exception of a recession in 2001. In late December 2004, a major tsunami took about 3 1,000 lives, left more than 6,300 missing and 443,000 displaced, and destroyed an esti¬ mated $1.5 billion worth of property. Growth, partly spurred by reconstruc¬ tion, reached 5% in 2005 and more than 6/° in 2006. Sri Lanka s most dynamic sectors now are food processing, textiles and apparel, food and beverages, port construction, telecommunications, and insurance and banking. In 2005, planta¬ tion crops made up only about 15% Qf exports (compared with more than 90% in 1970), while textiles and garments accounted for more than 60%. About 800,000 Sri Lankans work abroad, 90% in the Middle East. They send home more than $1 billion a year. The struggle by the Tamil Tigers of the north and east for an independent homeland continues to cast a shadow over the economy. GDP (purchasing power parity): $95.55 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $27.4 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 7.5% (2006 est.) GDP — per capita (PPP): $4,700 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 17.3% industry: 27.3% services: 55.3% (2006 est.) Labor force: 7.5 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 34.3% industry: 25.3% services: 40.4% (30 June 2006 est.) Unemployment rate: 7.6% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 22% (2002 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.1% highest 10%: 39.7% (FY03/04) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 50 (FY03/04) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 12.1% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 28.2% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $5.61 billion expenditures: $8.39 billion; including capital expenditures of $2.8 billion (FY07 est.) Public debt: 89.6% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, spices, tea, rubber, coconuts; milk, eggs, hides, beef; fish Industries: processing of rubber, tea, coconuts, tobacco and other agricultural commodities; telecommunications, insurance, banking; clothing, textiles; cement, petroleum refining Industrial production growth rate: 6.2% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 8.766 billion kWh (2005) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 51.7% hydro: 48.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 8.17 billion kWh (2005) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2005) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2005) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2006 est.) 586 SUDAN Oil— consumption: 82,000 bbl/dav (2006 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2006 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2006 est.) Current account balance: -$1,118 bib lion (2006 est.) Exports: $7,076 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: textiles and apparel, tea and spices; diamonds, emer¬ alds, rubies; coconut products, rubber manufactures, fish Exports— partners: US 31.1%, UK 12.2%, India 8.9%, Germany 4.3% (2005) Imports: $9,655 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — Commodities: textile fabrics, mineral products, petroleum, foodstuffs, machinery and transportation equipment Imports— partners: India 20.7%, Singapore 8.3%, Hong Kong 7.3%, China 7.1%, Iran 5.9%, Malaysia 4-4%, Japan 4.3% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $2.81 billion (2006 est.) Debt— external: $12.23 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $808 million (2005) Currency (code): Sri Lankan rupee (LKR) Currency code: LKR Exchange rates: Sri Lankan rupees per US dollar— 103.99 (2006), 100.498 (2005), 101.194 (2004), 96.521 (2003), 95.662 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 1.51 million (2006) Telephones— mobile cellular: 4.284 million (2006) Telephone system: general assessment: telephone services have improved significantly and are available in most parts of the country domestic: national trunk network consists mostly of digital microwave radio relay; fiber-optic links now in use in Colombo area and 2 fixed wireless local loops have been installed; competition is strong in mobile cellular systems and mobile cel¬ lular subscribership is increasing; tele¬ phone density remains low (2006) international: country code — 94; subma¬ rine cables to Indonesia, Djibouti, India and Maldives; satellite earth stations — 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: 34 (station types NA) (2006) Radios: 3.85 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 14 (2006) Televisions: 1.53 million (1997) Internet country code: Ik Internet hosts: 6,526 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 5 (2000) Internet users: 280,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 16 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 14 over 3,047 m: 1 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 7 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2006) Railways: total: 1,449 km broad gauge: 1,449 km 1.676-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 97,287 km paved: 78,802 km unpaved: 18,485 km (2003) Waterways: 160 km (primarily on rivers in southwest) (2005) Merchant marine: total: 22 ships (1000 GRT or over) 144,066 GRT/196,418 DWT by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 17, con¬ tainer 2, petroleum tanker 2 foreign-owned: 7 (Germany 5, UAE 2) registered in other countries: 5 (Panama 5) (2006) Ports and terminals: Colombo, Galle MILITARY Military branches: Sri Lankan Army, Sri Lankan Navy, Sri Lankan Air Force (2006) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-A9: 4,933,217 females age 18-49: 5,153,597 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-4 9: 3,789,627 females age 18-49: 4,281,043 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 174,049 females age 18-49: 167,201 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 2.6% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: none Refugees and infernally displaced per¬ sons: IDPs: 500,000-600,000 (both Tamils and non-Tamils displaced due to long-term Tamil conflict renewed in 2006) (2006) SUDAN INTRODUCTION Background: Military regimes favoring Islamic-oriented governments have dominated national politics since inde¬ pendence from the UK in 1956. Sudan was embroiled in two prolonged civil wars during most of the remainder of the 20th century. These conflicts were rooted in northern economic, political, and social domination of largely non- Muslim, non-Arab southern Sudanese. The first civil war ended in 1972 but broke out again in 1983. The second war and famine-related effects resulted in more than 4 million people displaced and, according to rebel estimates, more than 2 million deaths over a period of two decades. Peace talks gained momentum in 2002-04 with the signing of several accords. The final North/South Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), signed in January 2005, granted the southern rebels autonomy for six years. After which, a referendum for independence is sched¬ uled to be held. A separate conflict, which broke out in the western region of Darfur in 2003, has displaced nearly 2 million people and caused an estimated 200,000 to 400,000 deaths. As of late 2006, peacekeeping troops were strug¬ gling to stabilize the situation, which has become increasingly regional in scope, and has brought instability to eastern Chad, and Sudanese incursions into the Central African Republic. Sudan also has faced large refugee influxes from neighboring countries, primarily Ethiopia and Chad. Armed conflict, poor transport infrastructure, and lack of government support have chronically obstructed the provision of humanitarian assistance to affected populations. GEOGRAPHY Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Egypt and Eritrea Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 30 00 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 2,505,810 sq km land: 2.376 million sq km water: 129,810 sq km 587 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Area — comparative: slightly more than one-quarter the size of the US Land boundaries: total: 7,687 km border countries: Central African Republic 1,165 km, Chad 1,360 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 628 km, Egypt 1,273 km, Eritrea 605 km, Ethiopia 1,606 km, Kenya 232 km, Libya 383 km, Uganda 435 km Coastline: 853 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 18 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation Climate: tropical in south; arid desert in north; rainy season varies by region (April to November) Terrain: generally flat, featureless plain; mountains in far south, northeast and west; desert dominates the north Elevation extremes: lowest point: Red Sea 0 m highest point: Kinyeti 3,187 m Natural resources: petroleum; small reserves of iron ore, copper, chromium ore, zinc, tungsten, mica, silver, gold, hydropower Land use: arable land: 6.78% permanent crops: 0.17% other: 93.05% (2005) Irrigated land: 18,630 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: dust storms and peri¬ odic persistent droughts Environment — current issues: inade¬ quate supplies of potable water; wildlife populations threatened by excessive hunting; soil erosion; desertification; periodic drought Environment — international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography— note: largest country in Africa; dominated by the Nile and its tributaries _ PEOPLE Population: 39,379,358 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 41-6% (male 8,371,628/ female 8,016,880) 15-64 years: 56% (maie 11,080,025/ female 10,956,458) 65 years and over: 2.4% (male 504,957/ female 449,410) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 18.7 years male: 18.6 years female: 18.9 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.082% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 34.86 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 14.39 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0.35 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.044 male (s)/fe male 15-64 years: 1.011 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.124 male(s)/female total population: 1.027 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 91.78 deaths/1,000 live births male: 91.95 deaths/1,000 live births female: 91.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 49.11 years male: 48.24 years female: 50.03 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 4.69 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 2.3% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 400,000 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 23,000 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria, dengue fever, African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) are high risks in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2007) Nationality: noun: Sudanese (singular and plural) adjective: Sudanese Ethnic groups: black 52%, Arab 39%, Beja 6%, foreigners 2%, other 1% Religions: Sunni Muslim 70% (in north), Christian 5% (mostly in south and Khartoum), indigenous beliefs 25% Languages: Arabic (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, diverse dialects of Nilotic, Nilo-Hamitic, Sudanic languages, English note: program of “Arabization” in process Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 61.1% male: 71.8% female: 50.5% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of the Sudan conventional short form: Sudan local long form: Jumhuriyat as-Sudan local short form: As-Sudan former: Anglo-Egyptian Sudan Government type: Government of National Unity (GNU) — the National Congress Party (NCP) and Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) formed a power-sharing government under the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA); the NCP, which came to power by military coup in 1989, is the majority partner; the agreement stipulates national elections for the 2008 — 2009 timeframe. Capital: name: Khartoum geographic coordinates: 1536N,3232E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 25 states (wilayat, singular — wilayah); A’ali an Nil (Upper Nile), A1 Bahr al Ahmar (Red Sea), Al Buhayrat (Lakes), Al Jazirah (El Gezira), Al Khartum (Khartoum), Al Qadarif (Gedaref), Al Wahdah (Unity), An Nil al Abvad (White Nile), An Nil al Azraq (Blue Nile), Ash Shamaliyah (Northern), Bahr al Jabal (Bahr al Jabal), Gharb al Istiwa’iyah (Western Equatoria), Gharb Bahr al Ghazal (Western Bahr al Ghazal), Gharb Darfur (Western Darfur), Janub Darfur (Southern Darfur), Janub Kurdutan (Southern Kordofan), Junqali (Jonglei), Kassala (Kassala), Nahr an Nil (Nile), Shamal Bahr al Ghazal (Northern Bahr al Ghazal), Shamal Darfur (Northern Darfur), Shamal Kurdufan (Northern Kordofan), Sharq al Istiwa’iyah (Eastern Equatoria), Sinnar (Sinnar), Warab (Warab) 588 SUDAN Independence: 1 January 1956 (from Egypt and UK) National holiday: Independence Day, 1 January (1956) Constitution: constitution implemented on 30 June 1998, partially suspended 12 December 1999 by President BASHIR; under the CPA, Interim National Constitution ratified 5 July 2005; Constitution of Southern Sudan signed December 2005 Legal system: based on English common law and Islamic law; as of 20 January 1991, the now defunct Revo- lutionary Command Council imposed Islamic law in the northern states; Islamic law applies to all residents of the northern states regardless of their reli¬ gion; however, the CPA establishes some protections for non-Muslims in Khar¬ toum; some separate religious courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; the southern legal system is still developing under the CPA following the civil war; Islamic law will not apply to the southern states Suffrage: 17 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR (since 16 October 1993); First Vice President Salva KIIR (since 4 August 2005), Vice President Ali Osman TAHA (since 20 September 2005); note — the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR (since 16 October 1993); First Vice President Salva KIIR (since 4 August 2005), Vice President Ali Osman TAHA (since 20 September 2005) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president; note — the National Congress Party or NCP (formerly the National Islamic Front or NIF) domi¬ nates al-BASHIR’s cabinet elections: election last held 13-23 December 2000; next to be held no later than July 2009 under terms of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement election results: Umar Hassan Ahmad al- BASHIR reelected president; percent of vote — Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR 86.5%, Ja’afar Muhammed NUMAYRI 9.6%, three other candidates received a combined vote of 3.9%; election widely viewed as rigged; all popular opposition par¬ ties boycotted elections because of a lack of guarantees for a free and fair election note: al-BASHIR assumed power as chairman of Sudan’s Revolutionary Command Council for National Salvation (RCC) in June 1989 and served concurrently as chief of state, chairman of the RCC, prime minister, and minister of defense until mid- October 1993 when he was appointed president by the RCC; he was elected president by popular vote for the first time in March 1996 Legislative branch: bicameral National Legislature consists of a Council of States (50 seats; members indirectly elected by state legislatures to serve six-year terms) and a National Assembly (450 seats; members presently appointed, but in the future 75% of members to be directly elected and 25% elected in special or indirect elections; to serve six-year terms) elections: last held 13-22 December 2000 (next to be held in 2008-2009 time- frame) election results: NCP 355, others 5; note — replaced by appointments under the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement Judicial branch: Constitutional Court of nine justices; National Supreme Court; National Courts of Appeal; other national courts; National Judicial Service Commission will undertake overall man¬ agement of the National Judiciary Political parties and leaders: National Congress Party or NCP [Ibrahim Ahmed OMAR]; Sudan People’s Liberation Movement or SPLM [Salva Mayardit KIIR]; and elements of the National Democratic Alliance or NDA including factions of the Democratic Union Party [Muhammad Uthman al-MIRGHANI] and Umma Party [SADIQ Siddiq al- Mahdi]; note — all political parties listed above in the Government of National Unity Political pressure groups and leaders: Umma Party [Sadiq al-MAHDI]; Popular Congress Party or PCP [Hassan al- TURABI] International organization participa¬ tion: ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, CAEU, COMESA, FAO, G- 77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signa¬ tory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d’Affaires, Ad Interim John UKEC Lueth (since 17 October 2006) chancery: 2210 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 338-8565 FAX: [1] (202) 667-2406 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d’Affaires Cameron HUME embassy: Sharia Ali Abdul Latif Avenue, Khartoum mailing address: P. O. Box 699, Khartoum; APO AE 09829 telephone: [249] (183) 774701 FAX: [249] (183) 774137 note: US Consul in Cairo is providing backup service for Khartoum; Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist side ECONOMY Economy — overview: Sudan has turned around a struggling economy with sound economic policies and infrastructure investments, but it still faces formidable economic problems starting from its low level of per capita output. From 1997 to date, Sudan has been implementing IMF macroeconomic reforms. In 1999, Sudan began exporting crude oil and in the last quarter of 1999 recorded its first trade surplus, which, along with monetary policy, has stabilized the exchange rate. Increased oil production, high oil prices, revived light industry, and expanded export processing zones helped sustain GDP growth at about 10% in 2006. Agricultural production remains Sudan’s most important sector, employing 80% of the work force and contributing 35% of GDP, but most farms remain rain-fed and susceptible to drought. Chronic insta¬ bility-resulting from the long-standing North/South civil war as well as the Darfur conflict, adverse weather, and weak world agricultural prices — ensure that much of the population will remain at or below the poverty line for years. In late 2006, the government announced its intention to introduce a new currency, the Sudan Pound, from January 2007 at an exchange rate of $1.00 equals 2 Sudanese Pounds. GDP (purchasing power parity): $97.47 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $25.5 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 9.6% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP)r $2,400 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 35.5% industry: 24.8% services: 39.7% (2006 est.) Labor force: 7.415 million (1996 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 80% industry: 7% services: 13% (1998 est.) Unemployment rate: 18.7% (2002 est.) Population below poverty line: 40% (2004 est.) 589 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 25.3% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $7,943 billion expenditures: $10.1 billion; including capital expenditures of $304 million (2006 est.) Public debt: 59.6% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: cotton, ground¬ nuts (peanuts), sorghum, millet, wheat, gum arabic, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca), mangos, papaya, bananas, sweet pota¬ toes, sesame; sheep, livestock Industries: oil, cotton ginning, textiles, cement, edible oils, sugar, soap distilling, shoes, petroleum refining, pharmaceuti¬ cals, armaments, automobile/light truck assembly Industrial production growth rate: 8.5% (1999 est.) Electricity— production: 3.845 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 52.1% hydro: 47.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 3.576 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 344,700 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 66,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: 275,000 bbl/day (2004) Oil— imports: 0 bbl/day (2004) Oil— proved reserves: 1.6 billion bbl (2006 est.) Natural gas — production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 84.95 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $4.51 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $7,505 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: oil and petro¬ leum products; cotton, sesame, livestock, groundnuts, gum arabic, sugar Exports— partners: China 71.1%, Japan 12%, Saudi Arabia 2.8% (2005) Imports: $8,693 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: foodstuffs, manufactured goods, refinery and trans¬ port equipment, medicines and chemi¬ cals, textiles, wheat Imports— partners: China 20.7%, Saudi Arabia 9.4%, UAE 5.9%, Egypt 5.5%, Japan 5.1%, India 4-8% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $3,552 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $29.69 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $172 million (2001) Currency (code): Sudanese dinar (SDD) Currency code: SDD Exchange rates: Sudanese dinars per US dollar— 217.2 (2006), 243.61 (2005), 257.91 (2004), 260.98 (2003), 263.31 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 670,000 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 1.828 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: large, well-equipped system by regional standards and being upgraded; cellular communications started in 1996 and have expanded substantially domestic: consists of microwave radio relay, cable, radiotelephone communica¬ tions, tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations international: country code — 249; satel¬ lite earth stations — 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Arabsat (2000) Radio broadcast stations: AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998) Radios: 7.55 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 3 (1997) Televisions: 2.38 million (1997) Internet country code: sd Internet hosts: 16 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2002) Internet users: 2.8 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 88 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 15 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 73 over 3,047 m: 1 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 37 under 914 m: 17 (2006) Heliports: 1 (2006) Pipelines: gas 156 km; oil 3,930 km; refined products 1,613 km (2006) Railways: total: 5,978 km narrow gauge: 4,578 km 1.067-m gauge; 1,400 km 0.600-m gauge for cotton plan¬ tations (2005) Roadways: total: 1 1 ,900 km paved: 4,320 km unpaved: 7,580 km (1999) Waterways: 4,068 km (1,723 km open year round on White and Blue Nile rivers) (2005) Merchant marine: total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 11,326 GRT/14,068 DWT by type: cargo 1, livestock carrier 1 registered in other countries: 2 (Panama 1, Saudi Arabia 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Port Sudan MILITARY Military branches: Sudanese People’s Armed Forces (SPAF): Land Forces, Navy, Air Force, Popular Defense Forces (2007) Military service age and obligation: 18-30 years of age for compulsory mili¬ tary service; conscript service obliga¬ tion — 3 years (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 8,291,695 females age 18-49: 8,135,683 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 5,427,474 females age 18-49: 5,649,566 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 442,915 females age 18-49: 426,320 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 3% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: the effects of Sudan’s almost constant ethnic and rebel militia fighting since the mid-20th cen¬ tury have penetrated all of the neigh¬ boring states; as of 2006, Chad, Ethiopia, Kenya, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Uganda provided shelter for over half a million Sudanese refugees, which includes 240,000 Darfur residents driven from their homes by Janjawid armed militia and the Sudanese military forces; Sudan, in turn, hosted about 116,000 Eritreans, 20,000 Chadians, and smaller numbers of Ethiopians, Ugandans, Central Africans, and Congolese as refugees; in February 2006, Sudan and DROC signed an agreement to repatriate 13,300 Sudanese and 6,800 Congolese; Sudan accuses Eritrea of supporting Sudanese rebel groups; efforts to demar¬ cate the porous boundary with Ethiopia proceed slowly due to civil and ethnic fighting in eastern Sudan; the boundary that separates Kenya and Sudan ’s sover- eignty is unclear in the “Ilemi Triangle,” which Kenya has administered since colonial times; while Sudan claims to administer the Hala’ib Triangle north of 590 SURINAME the 1899 Treaty boundary along the 22nd Parallel; both states withdrew their military presence in the 1990s, and Egypt has invested in and effectively adminis¬ ters the area; periodic violent skirmishes with Sudanese residents over water and grazing rights persist among related pas¬ toral populations along the border with the Central African Republic Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: refugees (country of origin): 1 16,746 (Eritrea), 20,000 (Chad), 14,633 (Ethiopia), 7,895 (Uganda), 5,023 (Central African Republic) IDPs: 5,300,000—6,200,000 (internal conflict since 1980s; ongoing genocide in Darfur region, IDP registration for return to South Sudan started in 2005) (2006) Trafficking in persons: current situation: Sudan is a source country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation; Sudan may also be a transit and destination country for Ethiopian women trafficked for domestic servitude; boys are trafficked to the Middle East, particularly Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, for use as camel jockeys; small numbers of girls are reportedly trafficked within Sudan for domestic servitude as well as for commercial sexual exploita¬ tion in small brothels in internally dis¬ placed persons (IDP) camps; the terrorist rebel organization “Lord’s Resistance Army” (LRA) continues to abduct and forcibly conscript small numbers of chil¬ dren in Southern Sudan for use as cooks, porters, and combatants in its ongoing war against Uganda; some of these chil¬ dren are then trafficked across borders into Uganda or possibly the Democratic Republic of the Congo; children are uti¬ lized by rebel groups and the Sudanese Armed Forces and associated militias in the ongoing conflict in Darfur; during the decades of civil war, thousands of Dinka women and children were enslaved by members of Baggara tribes and subjected to various forms of forced labor without remuneration as well as physical and sexual abuse; with the ces¬ sation of the North-South conflict and the ongoing peace process, there were no known new abductions of Dinka by Baggara tribes during 2005; however, inter-tribal abductions of a different nature continue in Southern Sudan and warrant further investigation tier rating: Tier 3 — Sudan does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so SURINAME Background: First explored by the Spaniards in the 16th century and then settled by the English in the mid- 17th century, Suriname became a Dutch colony in 1667. With the abolition of slavery in 1863, workers were brought in from India and Java. Independence from the Netherlands was granted in 1975. Five years later the civilian gov¬ ernment was replaced by a military regime that soon declared a socialist republic. It continued to exert control through a succession of nominally civilian administrations until 1987, when international pressure finally forced a democratic election. In 1990, the military overthrew the civilian lead¬ ership, but a democratically elected government — a four-party New Front coalition — returned to power in 1991 and has ruled since, expanding to eight parties in 2005. GEOGRAPHY Location: Northern South America, bor¬ dering the North Atlantic Ocean, between French Guiana and Guyana Geographic coordinates: 4 00 N, 56 00 W Map references: South America Area: total: 163,270 sq km land: 161,470 sq km water: 1,800 sq km Area — comparative: slightly larger than Georgia Land boundaries: total: 1,703 km border countries: Brazil 593 km, French Guiana 510 km, Guyana 600 km Coastline: 386 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds Terrain: mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps Elevation extremes: lowest point: unnamed location in the coastal plain -2 m highest point: Juliana Top 1,230 m Natural resources: timber, hydropower, fish, kaolin, shrimp, bauxite, gold, and small amounts of nickel, copper, plat¬ inum, iron ore Land use: arable land: 0.36% permanent crops: 0.06% other: 99.58% (2005) Irrigated land: 510 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: NA Environment — current issues: defor¬ estation as timber is cut for export; pollu¬ tion of inland waterways by small-scale mining activities Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: smallest independent country on South American continent; mostly tropical rain forest; great diversity of flora and fauna that, for the most part, is increasingly threatened by new devel¬ opment; relatively small population, mostly along the coast PEOPLE Population: 470,784 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 28% (male 67,088/female 64,949) 15-64 years: 65.7% (male 154,148/ female 155,345) 65 years and over: 6.2% (male 12,726/ female 16,528) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 27.1 years male: 26.7 years female: 27.5 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.103% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 17.31 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 5.5 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -0. 78 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) 591 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.033 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.992 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.988 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 20.11 deaths/1,000 live births male: 23.73 deaths/ 1,000 live births female: 16.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.23 years male: 70.52 years female: 76.12 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.03 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 1.7% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 5,200 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— -deaths: less than 500 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Surinamer(s) adjective: Surinamese Ethnic groups: Hindustani (also known locally as “East Indians”; their ancestors emigrated from northern India in the latter part of the 19th century) 37%, Creole (mixed white and black) 31%, Javanese 15%, “Maroons” (their African ancestors were brought to the country in the 17 th and 18th centuries as slaves and escaped to the interior) 10%, Amerindian 2%, Chinese 2%, white 1%, other 2% Religions: Hindu 27.4%, Protestant 25.2% (predominantly Moravian), Roman Catholic 22.8%, Muslim 19.6%, indigenous beliefs 5% Languages: Dutch (official), English (widely spoken), Sranang Tongo (Surinamese, sometimes called Taki- Taki, is native language of Creoles and much of the younger population and is lingua franca among others), Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 89.6% male: 92% female: 87.2% (2004 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Suriname conventional short form: Suriname local long form: Republiek Suriname local short form: Suriname former: Netherlands Guiana, Dutch Guiana Government type: constitutional democracy Capital: name: Paramaribo geographic coordinates: 5 50 N, 55 10 W time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 10 districts (distrikten, singular — distrikt); Broko- pondo, Commewijne, Coronie, Maro- wijne, Nickerie, Para, Paramaribo, Saramacca, Sipaliwini, Wanica Independence: 25 November 1975 (from the Netherlands) National holiday: Independence Day, 25 November (1975) Constitution: ratified 30 September 1987; effective 30 October 1987 Legal system: based on Dutch legal system incorporating French penal theory; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdic- tion with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (since 12 August 2000); Vice President Ramdien SARDJOE (since 3 August 2005); note — the presi¬ dent is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (since 12 August 2000); Vice President Ram SARDJOE (since 3 August 2005) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president and vice president elected by the National Assembly or, if no presidential or vice presidential can¬ didate receives a two-thirds constitu¬ tional majority in the National Assembly after two votes, by a simple majority in the larger United People’s Assembly (893 representatives from the national, local, and regional councils), for five-year terms (no term limits); elec¬ tion last held on 25 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010) election results: Runaldo Ronald VENE- TIAAN reelected president; percent of vote — Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN 62.9%, Rabin PARMESSAR 35.4%, other 1.7%; note — after two votes in the parliament failed to secure a two-thirds majority for a candidate, the vote then went to a special session of the United People’s Assembly on 3 August 2005 Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Nationale Assemblee (51 seats, members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held on 25 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010) election results, percent of vote by party _ NF 39.7%, NDP 22.2%, VVV 13.8%, A- Com 7.2 /o , A-l 5.9%, other 1 1 .2%; seats by party— NF 23, NDP 15, VVV 5, A- Com 5, A-l 3 Judicial branch: Cantonal Courts and a Court of Justice as an appellate court (justices are nominated for life) Political parties and leaders: Alternative- 1 or A-l (a coalition of Amazone Party of Suriname or APS [Kenneth VAN GENDEREN], Demo¬ crats of the 21st Century or D-21 [Soewarto MOESTADJA], Nieuw Sur¬ iname or NS [Radjen Nanan PAN DAY], Political Wing of the FAL or PVF [Jiwan SITAL], Trefpunt 2000 or T-2000 [Arti JESSURUN]); General Interior Development Party or ABOP [Ronnie BRUNSWIJK]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Desire BOUTERSE]; New Front for Democracy and Development or NF (a coalition which includes A- Combination or A-Com, Democratic Alternative 1991 or DA-91, an inde¬ pendent, business-oriented party [Winston JESSURUN], National Party Suriname or NPS [Ronald VENE¬ TIAAN], United Reform Party or VHP [Ramdien SARDJOE], Pertjaja Luhur or PL [Salam Paul SOMOHARDJO], Surinamese Labor Party or SPA [Siegfried GILDS]); Party for Democracy and Development in Unity or DOE [Marten SCHALKWIJK]; People’s Alliance for Progress or VVV (a coali¬ tion of Democratic National Platform 2000 or DNP-2000 [Jules WIJDEN- BOSCH], Grassroots Party for Renewal and Democracy or BVD [Tjan GOB- ARDHAN], Party for National Unity and Solidarity of the Highest Order or KTPI [Willy SOEMITA], Party for Progression, Justice, and Perseverance or PPRS [Renee KAIMAN], Pendawalima or PL [Raymond SAPOEN]); Progressive Laborers and Farmers Union or PALU [Jim HOK]; Progressive Political Party or PPP [Surinder MUNGRA]; Seeka [Paul ABENA]; Union of Progressive Suri¬ namers or UPS [Sheoradj PAN DAY] Political pressure groups and leaders: Association of Indigenous Village Chiefs [Ricardo PANE]; Association of Saramaccan Authorities or Maroon [Head Captain WASE]; Women’s Parliament Forum or PVF [Iris GILLIAD] International organization participa¬ tion: ACP, Caricom, CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO (suspended), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, QIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jacques Ruben Constantijn KROSS 592 SURINAME chancery: Suite 460, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 244-7488 FAX: [1] (202) 244-5878 consulate(s) general: Miami Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Lisa Bobbie SCHREIBER HUGHES embassy: Dr. Sophie Redmondstraat 129, Paramaribo mailing address: US Department of State, 3390 Paramaribo Place, Washington, DC, 20521-3390 telephone: [597] 472-900 FAX: [597] 425-690 Flag description: five horizontal bands of green (top, double width), white, red (quadruple width), white, and green (double width); there is a large, yellow, five-pointed star centered in the red band ECONOMY Economy — overview: The economy is dominated by the mining industry, which accounts for more than a third of GDP and subjects government revenues to mineral price volatility. The short¬ term economic outlook depends on the government’s ability to control inflation and on the development of projects in the bauxite and gold mining sectors. Suriname’s economic prospects for the medium term will depend on continued commitment to responsible monetary and fiscal policies and to the introduc¬ tion of structural reforms to liberalize markets and promote competition. The government of Ronald VENETIAAN, in his first term, implemented an austerity program, raised taxes, and attempted to control spending. Economic policies are likely to remain the same during VENETIAAN ’s second term. Prospects for local onshore oil production are good as a drilling program is underway. Offshore oil drilling was given a boost in 2004 when the State Oil Company (Staatsolie) signed exploration agree¬ ments with Repsol, Maersk, and Occidental. Bidding on these new off¬ shore blocks was completed in July 2006. GDP (purchasing power parity): $3,136 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $1,398 billion (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 5% (2006 est.) GDP — per capita (PPP): $7,100 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 13% industry: 22% services: 65% (2001 est.) Labor force: 156,700 (2004) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 8% industry: 14% services: 78% (2004) Unemployment rate: 9.5% (2004) Population below poverty line: 70% (2002 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9.5% (2005 est.) Budget: revenues: $392.6 million expenditures: $425.9 million (2004) Agriculture— products: paddy rice, bananas, palm kernels, coconuts, plan¬ tains, peanuts; beef, chickens; shrimp; forest products Industries: bauxite and gold mining, alu¬ mina production; oil, lumbering, food processing, fishing Industrial production growth rate: 6.5% (1994 est.) Electricity— production: 1.509 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 25.2% hydro: 74-8% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 1.403 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity — imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil — production: 9,462 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — consumption: 11,200 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: 1,370 bbl/day (2003) Oil — imports: 1,644 bbl/day (2003) Oil — proved reserves: 150 million bbl (2005) Natural gas — production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — proved reserves: Ocum (1 January 2005 est.) Exports: $881 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) Exports — commodities: alumina, crude oil, lumber, shrimp and fish, rice, bananas Exports — partners: Norway 24%, US 16.8%, Canada 16.4%, Belgium 9.8%, France 8.1%, UAE 7.5% (2005) Imports: $750 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) Imports — commodities: capital equip¬ ment, petroleum, foodstuffs, cotton, con¬ sumer goods Imports— partners: US 29.3%, Netherlands 17.5%, Trinidad and Tobago 12.7%, China 6.5%, Japan 5.2%, Brazil 4-3% (2005) Debt — external: $504.3 million (2005 est.) Economic aid — recipient: $46 million note: Netherlands provided $37 million for project and program assistance, European Development Fund $4 million, Belgium $2 million (2003) Currency (code): Surinam dollar (SRD) Currency code: SRG Exchange rates: Surinamese dollars per US dollar— (2006), 2.7317 (2005), 2.7336 (2004), 2.6013 (2003), 2.3468 (2002) note: during 1998, the exchange rate splintered into four distinct rates; in January 1999 the government floated the guilder, but subsequently fixed it when the black-market rate plunged; in January 2004, the government replaced the guilder with the Surinamese dollar, tied to a US dollar-dominated currency basket Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 81,100 (2004) Telephones — mobile cellular: 232,800 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment, international facilities are good domestic: microwave radio relay network international: country code — 597; satel¬ lite earth stations — 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 13, shortwave 1 (1998) Radios: 300,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 3 (plus 7 repeaters) (2000) Televisions: 63,000 (1997) Internet country code: sr Internet hosts: 126 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000) Internet users: 30,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 47 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 4 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 42 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1 ,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 36 (2006) Pipelines: oil 51 km (2006) Roadways: total: 4,304 km paved: 1,130 km unpaved: 3,174 km (2003) Waterways: 1,200 km (most navigable by ships with drafts up to 7 m) (2005) Merchant marine: total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 1,078 GRT/1,214 DWT by type: cargo 1 (2006) 593 THE CIA w ORLD FACTBOOK Ports and terminals: Paramaribo MILITARY Military branches: National Army (includes Naval Wing, Air Wing) (2007) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age (est.); no conscription Manpower available for military service: males age 18—49: 111,582 females age 1 8-49 : 1 03 , 7 69 (2005 est. ) Manpower fit for military service: males age 1 8 — 49 ; 77,793 females age 18—49: 72,943 (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of GDP: 0.6% (2006 est.) _ transnational issues Disputes — international: area claimed by French Guiana between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini (both head¬ waters of the Lawa); Suriname claims a triangle of land between the New and Kutari/Koetari rivers in a historic dispute over the headwaters of the Courantyne; Guyana seeks United Nations Con¬ vention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) arbitration to resolve the long-standing dispute with Suriname over the axis of the territorial sea boundary in potentially oil-rich waters Illicit drugs: growing transshipment point for South American drugs destined for Europe via the Netherlands and Brazil; transshipment point for arms-for- drugs dealing SVALBARD INTRODUCTION Background: First discovered by the Norwegians in the 12th century, the islands served as an international whaling base during the 17th and 18th centuries. Norway’s sovereignty was rec¬ ognized in 1920; five years later it offi¬ cially took over the territory. GEOGRAPHY LOCafion: Northern Europe, islands between the Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea, Greenland Sea, and Norwegian Sea, north of Norway Geographic coordinates: 78 00 N, 20 00 E Map references: Arctic Region Area: total: 61,020 sq km land: 61,020 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Spitsbergen and Bjornoya (Bear Island) Area — comparative: slightly smaller than West Virginia Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 3,587 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 4 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm unilaterally claimed by Norway but not recognized by Russia Climate: arctic, tempered by warm North Atlantic Current; cool summers, cold winters; North Atlantic Current flows along west and north coasts of Spitsbergen, keeping water open and navigable most of the year Terrain: wild, rugged mountains; much of high land ice covered; west coast clear of ice about one-half of the year; fjords along west and north coasts Elevafion extremes: lowest point: Arctic Ocean 0 m highest point: Newtontoppen 1,717 m Natural resources: coal, iron ore, copper, zinc, phosphate, wildlife, fish Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (no trees; the only bushes are crowberry and cloudberry) (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: ice floes often block the entrance to Bellsund (a transit point for coal export) on the west coast and occa¬ sionally make parts of the northeastern coast inaccessible to maritime traffic Environment — current issues: NA Geography — note: northernmost part of the Kingdom of Norway; consists of nine main islands; glaciers and snowfields cover 60% of the total area; site of future seed repository under construction by the Global Crop Diversity Trust and the Norwegian Government PEOPLE Population: 2,214 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA Population growth rate: -0.007% (2007 est.) Birth rate: NA Death rate: NA Net migration rate: NA Sex ratio: NA (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: NA male: NA female: NA Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA male: NA female: NA Total fertility rate: NA HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 0% (2001) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 0 (2001) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 0 (2001) Ethnic groups: Norwegian 55.4%, Russian and Ukrainian 44.3%, other 0.3% (1998) Languages: Norwegian, Russian Literacy: NA GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Svalbard (some¬ times referred to as Spitzbergen) Dependency status: territory of Norway, administered by the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice, through a gov¬ ernor (sysselmann) residing in Long- yearbyen, Spitsbergen; by treaty (9 February 1920) sovereignty was awarded to Norway Government type: NA Capital: name: Longyearbyen geographic coordinates: 78 13N, 1533E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Independence: none (territory of Norway) Legal system: NA Executive branch: chief of state: King HARALD V of Norway (since 17 January 1991) head of government: Governor Per SEFLAND (since 1 October 2005); Assistant Governor Rune Baard HANSEN (since 2003) 594 SWAZILAND elections: none; the monarch is heredi¬ tary; governor and assistant governor responsible to the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice International organization participa¬ tion: none Flag description: the flag of Norway is used ECONOMY Economy— overview: Coal mining is the major economic activity on Svalbard. The treaty of 9 February 1920 gave the 41 signatories equal rights to exploit mineral deposits, subject to Norwegian regulation. Although US, UK, Dutch, and Swedish coal companies have mined in the past, the only compa¬ nies still mining are Norwegian and Russian. The settlements on Svalbard are essentially company towns. The Norwegian state-owned coal company employs nearly 60% of the Norwegian population on the island, runs many of the local services, and provides most of the local infrastructure. There is also some hunting of seal, reindeer, and fox. GDP (purchasing power parity): $NA GDP — real growth rate: NA% Labor force: NA Budget: revenues: $25.07 million expenditures: $NA (2004 est.) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 57.9984% hydro: 42.0016% nuclear: 0% other: 0% Exports: $NA Imports: $NA Economic aid — recipient: $8.2 million from Norway (1998) Currency (code): Norwegian krone (NOK) Currency code: NOK Exchange rates: Norwegian kroner per US dollar— 6.4117 (2006), 6.4425 (2005), 6.7408 (2004), 7.0802 (2003), 7.9838 (2002) COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: NA Telephone system: general assessment: probably adequate domestic: local telephone service international: country code — 47-790; satellite earth station — 1 of unknown type (for communication with Norwegian mainland only) Radio broadcast stations: AM l, FM l (plus 2 repeaters), shortwave 0 (1998) Radios: NA Television broadcast stations: NA Televisions: NA Internet country code: sj Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 13 (Svalbard and Jan Mayen) (2000) Internet users: NA TRANSPORTATION Airports: 4 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 2 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2006) Ports and terminals: Barentsburg, Longyearbyen, Ny-Alesund, Pyramiden MILITARY Military — note: demilitarized by treaty on 9 February 1920 TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: despite recent discussions, Russia and Norway dispute their maritime limits in the Barents Sea and Russia’s fishing rights beyond Svalbard’s territorial limits within the Svalbard Treaty zone SWAZILAND Background: Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed by the British in the late 19th century; inde¬ pendence was granted in 1968. Student and labor unrest during the 1990s pres¬ sured King MSWATI III, the world’s last ruling monarch, to grudgingly allow political reform and greater democracy, although he has backslid on these prom¬ ises in recent years. Swaziland recently surpassed Botswana as the country with the world’s highest known rates of HIV/AIDS infection. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa Geographic coordinates: 26 30 S, 31 30 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 17,363 sq km land: 17,203 sq km water: 160 sq km Area — comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey Land boundaries: total: 535 km border countries: Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime claims: none (landlocked) Climate: varies from tropical to near temperate Terrain: mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains Elevation extremes: lowest point: Great Usutu River 21 m highest point: Emlembe 1,862 m Natural resources: asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc Land use: arable land: 10.25% permanent crops: 0.81% other: 88.94% (2005) Irrigated land: 500 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: drought Environment — current issues: limited supplies of potable water; wildlife popu¬ lations being depleted because of exces¬ sive hunting; overgrazing; soil degradation; soil erosion Environment — international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea Geography — note: landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa PEOPLE Population: 1,133,066 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mor¬ tality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the dis¬ tribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 40.3% (male 230,238/female 226,184) 595 15—64 years: 56.1% (male 304,899/ female 331,036) 65 years and over: 3.6% (male 15,870/ female 24,839) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 18.6 years male: 17.9 years female: 19.3 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.337% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 26.98 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 30.35 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.018 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.921 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.639 male(s)/female total population: 0.947 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 70.66 deaths/1,000 live births male: 74 deaths/ 1,000 live births female: 67.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 32.23 years male: 31.84 years female: 32.62 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 3.43 children bom/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 38.8% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 220,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 17,000 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Swazi(s) adjective: Swazi Ethnic groups: African 97%, European 3% Religions: Zionist 40% (a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestral worship), Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 10%, other (includes Anglican, Bahai, Methodist, Mormon, Jewish) 30% Languages: English (official, govern¬ ment business conducted in English), siSwati (official) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 81.6% male: 82.6% female: 80.8% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Swaziland conventional short form: Swaziland local long form: Umbuso weSwatini THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK local short form: eSwatini Government type: monarchy Capital: name: Mbabane geographic coordinates: 26 18 S, 31 06 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead ot Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: Lobamba (royal and legislative cap¬ ital) . Administrative divisions: 4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselwem Independence: 6 September 1968 (from UK) National holiday: Independence Day, 6 September (1968) Constitution: signed by the King in July 2005 went into effect on 8 February 2006 Legal system: based on South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory courts and Swazi traditional law and custom in traditional courts; accepts compulsory 1CJ jurisdiction with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age Executive branch: chief of state: King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986) head of government: Prime Minister Absolom Themba DLAMINI (since 14 November 2003) cabinet: Cabinet recommended by the prime minister and confirmed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is heredi¬ tary; prime minister appointed by the monarch from among the elected mem¬ bers of the House of Assembly Legislative branch: bicameral Parlia¬ ment or Libandla consists of the Senate (30 seats; 10 members appointed by the House of Assembly and 20 appointed by the monarch; to serve five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (65 seats; 10 members appointed by the monarch and 55 elected by popular vote; to serve five- year terms) elections: House of Assembly — last held 18 October 2003 (next to be held in October 2008) election results: House of Assembly — bal¬ loting is done on a nonparty basis; candi¬ dates for election are nominated by the local council of each constituency and for each constituency the three candi¬ dates with the most votes in the first round of voting are narrowed to a single winner by a second round Judicial branch: High Court; Supreme Court; judges for both courts are appointed by the monarch Political parties and leaders: the status of political parties, previously banned, is unclear under the new (2006) Constitution and currently being debated — the following are considered political associations; African United Democratic Party or AUDP [Stanley MAUNDZISA, president]; Imbokodvo National Movement or INM; Ngwane National Liberatory Congress or NNLC [Obed DLAMINI, president]; People’s United Democratic Movement or PUDEMO [Mario MASUKU, president] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ephraim Mandla HLOPHE chancery: 1712 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 234-5002 FAX: [1] (202) 234-8254 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d’ Affaires Lynn ALLISON embassy: Central Bank Building, Mahlokahla Street, Mbabane mailing address: P. O. Box 199, Mbabane telephone: [268] 404-6441 through 404- 6445 FAX: [268] 404-5959 Flag description: three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue; the red band is edged in yellow; centered in the red band is a large black and white shield covering two spears and a staff decorated with feather tassels, all placed horizontally ECONOMY v Economy — overview: In this small, landlocked economy, subsistence agricul¬ ture occupies more than 80% of the pop¬ ulation. The manufacturing sector has diversified since the mid-1980s. Sugar and wood pulp remain important foreign exchange earners. Mining has declined in importance in recent years with only coal and quarry stone mines remaining active. Surrounded by South Africa, except for a short border with Mozambique, Swaziland is heavily dependent on South Africa from which it receives more than nine-tenths of its imports and to which it sends 60% of its exports. Customs duties from the Southern African Customs Union and worker remittances from South Africa substantially supplement domestically earned income. The government is trying to improve the atmosphere for for¬ eign investment. Overgrazing, soil deple¬ tion, drought, and sometimes floods 596 SWEDEN persist as problems for the future. More than one-fourth of the population needed emergency food aid in 2004-05 because of drought, and nearly two-fifths of the adult population has been infected by HIV/AIDS. GDP (purchasing power parity): $5,936 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $2,195 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 1.2% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $5,200 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 8.6% industry: 49.7% services: 41.7% (2006 est.) Labor force: 300,000 (2006) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% Unemployment rate: 40% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 69% (2006) Household income or consumption by percentage share: bluest 10%: 1% highest 10%: 50.2% (1995) inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.4% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 15.5% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $984-6 million expenditures: $1,019 billion; including capital expenditures of $147 million (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: sugarcane, cotton, corn, tobacco, rice, citrus, pineapples, sorghum, peanuts; cattle, goats, sheep Industries: coal, wood pulp, sugar, soft drink concentrates, textile and apparel Industrial production growth rate: 3.7% (FY95/96) Electricity— production: 156.3 million kWh (2005) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 58% hydro: 42% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 1.123 billion kWh (2005) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 697 million kWh; note — electricity supplied by South Africa (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 3,500 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $23.13 mil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $2,201 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: soft drink con¬ centrates, sugar, wood pulp, cotton yarn, refrigerators, citrus and canned fruit Exports— partners: South Africa 59.7%, EU 8.8%, US 8.8%, Mozambique 6.2% (2004) Imports: $2,274 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, food¬ stuffs, petroleum products, chemicals Imports— partners: South Africa 95.6%, EU 0.9%, Japan 0.9%, Singapore 0.3% (2004) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $228.5 million (2006 est.) Debt — external: $417 million (2006) Economic aid— recipient: $104 million (2001) Currency (code): lilangeni (SZL) Currency code: SZL Exchange rates: emalangeni per US dollar— 6.85 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002) Fiscal year: 1 April— 31 March COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 35,000 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 200,000 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: a somewhat modern but not an advanced system domestic: system consists of carrier- equipped, open-wire lines and low- capacity, microwave radio relay international: country code — 268; satel¬ lite earth station — 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 2 (plus 4 repeaters), shortwave 3 (2004) Radios: 170,000 (1999) Television broadcast stations: 12 (includes 7 relay stations) (2004) Televisions: 23,000 (2000) Internet country code: sz Internet hosts: 2,472 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 5 (2002) Internet users: 36,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 18 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 17 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 10 (2006) Railways: total: 301 km narrow gauge: 301 km 1.067-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 3,594 km paved: 1,078 km unpaved: 2,516 km (2002) MILITARY Military branches: Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (USDF): Ground Force (includes air wing), Royal Swaziland Police Force (RSPF) (2005) Military service age and obligation: 18-30 years of age for voluntary military service; both sexes are eligible for mili¬ tary service (2005) Manpower available for military service: males age 18—49: 227,617 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 89,609 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 4.7% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: in 2006, Swazi king advocates resort to ICJ to claim parts of Mpumalanga and KwaZulu- Natal from South Africa SWEDEN : ■' V I • ■ _ A,: * ■ ■ ' ' •- ' INTRODUCTION Background: A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not partic¬ ipated in any war in almost two cen¬ turies. An armed neutrality was preserved in both World Wars. Sweden’s long-successful economic formula of a capitalist system interlarded with sub¬ stantial welfare elements was challenged in the 1990s by high unemployment and in 2000-02 by the global economic downturn, but fiscal discipline over the past several years has allowed the country to weather economic vagaries. Sweden joined the EU in 1995, but the public rejected the introduction of the euro in a 2003 referendum. GEOGRAPHY Location: Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, Kattegat, and Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway 597 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Geographic coordinates: 62 00 N, 15 00 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 449,964 sq km land: 410,934 sq km water: 39,030 sq km Area— comparative: slightly larger than California Land boundaries: total: 2,233 km border countries: Finland 614 km, Norway 1,619 km Coastline: 3,218 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm (adjustments made to return a portion of straits to high seas) exclusive economic zone: agreed bound¬ aries or midlines continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation Climate: temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly cloudy summers; subarctic in north Terrain: mostly flat or gently rolling low¬ lands; mountains in west Elevation extremes: lowest point: reclaimed bay of Lake Hammarsjon, near Kristianstad -2.41 m highest point: Kebnekaise 2,111 m Natural resources: iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, tungsten, ura¬ nium, arsenic, feldspar, timber, hydropower Land use: arable land: 5.93% permanen t crops : 0.01% other: 94.06% (2005) Irrigated land: 1,150 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: ice floes in the sur¬ rounding waters, especially in the Gulf of Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic Environment — current issues: acid rain damage to soils and lakes; pollution of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea Environment— international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution- Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution- Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Bio¬ diversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and North Seas PEOPLE Population: 9,031,088 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0—14 years: 16.4% (male 759,488/female 717,812) 15-64 years: 65.7% (male 3,007,899/ female 2,926,220) 65 years and over: 17.9% (male 707,687/ female 911,982) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 41.1 years male: 40 years female: 42.2 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.159% (2007 est.) Birth rate. 10.2 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 10.27 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 1.66 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.058 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.028 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.776 male(s)/female total population: 0.982 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 2.76 deaths/ 1,000 live births male: 2.92 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 80.63 years male: 78.39 years female: 83 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1 .66 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 3,600 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: less than 100 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Swede (s) adjective: Swedish Ethnic groups: indigenous population: Swedes with Finnish and Sami minori¬ ties; foreign-born or first-generation immigrants: Finns, Yugoslavs, Danes, Norwegians, Greeks, Turks Religions: Lutheran 87%, other (includes Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim, Jewish, and Buddhist) 13% Languages: Swedish, small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.) Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Sweden conventional short form: Sweden local long form: Konungariket Sverige local short form: Sverige Government type: constitutional monarchy geographic coordinates: 59 20 N, 18 03 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead o Washington, DC during Standard Time daylight saving time: + lhr, begins las Sunday in March; ends last Sunday ir October Administrative divisions: 21 counts Can, singular and plural); Blekinge Dalarnas, Gavleborgs, Gotlands, Hal- lands, Jamtlands, Jonkopings, Kalmar Kronobergs, Norrbottens, Orebro. stergotlands, Skane, Sodermanlands. tockholms, Uppsala, Varmlands, Vasterbottens, Vasternorrlands, Vast- manlands, Vastra Gotalands Independence: 6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king) National holiday: Swedish Flag Day, 6 (1983) 1916 ; National Day. 6 June 598 SWEDEN Constitution: 1 January 1975 Legal system: civil law system influ¬ enced by customary law; accepts compul¬ sory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: King CARL XVI GUSTAF (since 19 September 1973); Heir Apparent Princess VICTORIA Ingrid Alice Desiree, daughter of the monarch (born 14 July 1977) head of government: Prime Minister Fredrik REINFELDT (since 5 October 2006) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister elections: the monarchy is hereditary; fol¬ lowing legislative elections, the prime minister is elected by the parliament; election last held on 17 September 2006 (next to be held in September 2010) election results: Fredrik REINFELDT elected prime minister with 175 out of 349 votes Legislative branch: unicameral Parlia¬ ment or Riksdag (349 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms) elections: last held on 17 September 2006 (next to be held in September 2010) election results: percent of vote by party — Social Democrats 37.2%, Moderates 27.8%, Center Party 8.3%, People’s Party 8.0%, Christian Democrats 6.9%, Left Party 6.3%, Greens 5.4%; seats by party — Social Democrats 130, Moderates 97, Center Party 29, People’s Party 28, Christian Democrats 24, Left Party 22, Greens 19 Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Hogsta Domstolen (judges are appointed by the prime minister and the cabinet) Political parties and leaders: Center Party [Maud OLOFSSON]; Christian Democratic Party [Goran HAG- GLUND]; Environment Party the Greens [no formal leader but party spokespersons are Maria WETTER- STRAND and Peter ERIKSSON]; Left Party or V (formerly Communist) [Lars OHLYJ; Moderate Party (conservative) [Fredrik REINFELDT]; People’s Party [Lars LEIJONBORG]; Social Democratic Party [Mona SAHLIN] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: AfDB, Arctic Council, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G-6, G-9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pans Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Gunnar LUND chancery: 902 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 467-2600 FAX: [1] (202) 467-2699 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael M. WOOD embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Vag 31, SE- 11589 Stockholm mailing address: American Embassy Stockholm, US Department of State, 5750 Stockholm Place, Washington, DC 20521-5750 telephone: [46] (08) 783 53 00 FAX: [46] (08) 661 19 64 Flag description: blue with a golden yellow cross extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) ECONOMY Economy — overview: Aided by peace and neutrality for the whole of the 20th century, Sweden has achieved an envi¬ able standard of living under a mixed system of high-tech capitalism and extensive welfare benefits. It has a modern distribution system, excellent internal and external communications, and a skilled labor force. Timber, hydropower, and iron ore constitute the resource base of an economy heavily ori¬ ented toward foreign trade. Privately owned firms account for about 90% of industrial output, of which the engi¬ neering sector accounts for 50% of output and exports. Agriculture accounts for only 1% of GDP and 2% of employ¬ ment. The government’s commitment to fiscal discipline resulted in a substantial budgetary surplus in 2001, which was cut by more than half in 2002 due to the global economic slowdown, declining revenue, and increased spending. The Swedish central bank (the Riksbank) focuses on price stability with its infla¬ tion target of 2%. Growth remained slug¬ gish in 2003 but picked up during 2004-06. Presumably because of gen¬ erous sick-leave benefits, Swedish workers report in sick more often than other Europeans. In September 2003, Swedish voters turned down entry into the euro system concerned about the impact on the economy and sovereignty. GDP (purchasing power parity): $290.6 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $373.2 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 4 7% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $32,200 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 1.1% industry: 28.1% services: 70.9% (2006 est.) Labor force: 4.59 million (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 2% industry: 24% services: 74% (2000 est.) Unemployment rate: 5.6% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.7% highest 10%: 20.1% (1992) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 25 (2000) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.4% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 17.6% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $222 billion expenditures: $210.5 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 46.4% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: barley, wheat, sugar beets; meat, milk Industries: iron and steel, precision equipment (bearings, radio and tele¬ phone parts, armaments), wood pulp and paper products, processed foods, motor vehicles Industrial production growth rate: 4.3% (2006 est.) Electricity — production: 150.5 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 4% hydro: 50.8% nuclear: 43% other: 2.3% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 137.8 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 17.8 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 15.6 billion kWh (2004) Oil — production: 3,208 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — consumption: 362,400 bbl/day (2004 est.) 599 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Oil— exports: 203,700 bbl/day (2001) Oil— imports: 553,100 bbl/day (2001) Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 979 million cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — exports: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas — imports: 979 million cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $28.61 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $173.9 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: machinery 35%, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood, iron and steel products, chemicals Exports — partners: US 10.6%, Germ¬ any 10.2%, Norway 8.7%, UK 7.4%, Denmark 6.5%, Finland 5.7%, France 4-9%, Netherlands 4.5%, Belgium 4-3% (2005) Imports: $151.8 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, motor vehicles, iron and steel; foodstuffs, clothing Imports — partners: Germany 17.6%, Denmark 8.9%, Norway 7.8%, UK 6.6%, Netherlands 6.2%, Finland 5.8%, France 5% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $22.26 billion (August 2006 est.) Debt — external: $598.2 billion (30 June 2006) Economic aid— donor: ODA, $1.7 bil¬ lion (1997) Currency (code): Swedish krona (SEK) Currency code: SEK Exchange rates: Swedish kronor per US dollar— 7.3731 (2006), 7.4731 (2005), 7.3489 (2004), 8.0863 (2003), 9.7371 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 6.447 million (2004) Telephones— mobile cellular: 8.436 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: excellent domestic and international facilities; automatic system domestic: coaxial and multiconductor cables carry most of the voice traffic; par¬ allel microwave radio relay systems carry some additional telephone channels international: country code — 46; 5 sub¬ marine coaxial cables; satellite earth sta¬ tions — 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note — Sweden shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Norway) Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 265, shortwave 1 (1998) Radios: 8.25 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 169 (plus 1,299 repeaters) (1995) Televisions: 4.6 million (1997) Internet country code: se Internet hosts: 2.958 million (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 29 (2000) Internet users: 6.8 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 255 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 155 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 13 1,524 to 2,437 m: 80 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 36 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 100 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 91 (2006) Heliports: 2 (2006) Pipelines: gas 798 km (2006) Railways: total: 11,481 km standard gauge : 11,481 km 1.435-m gauge (9,400 km electrified) (2005) Roadways: total: 424,947 km paved: 129,651 km (includes 1,591 km of expressways) unpaved: 295,296 km (2004) Waterways: 2,052 km (2005) Merchant marine: total: 198 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,703,834 GRT/2,382,754 DWT by type: bulk carrier 8, cargo 28, chemical tanker 47, container 5, passenger 3, pas¬ senger/cargo 36, petroleum tanker 15, roll on/roll off 31, specialized tanker 4, vehicle carrier 21 foreign'owned: 37 (Belgium 2, Denmark 4, Finland 11, Germany 3, Italy 7, Japan 2, Norway 7, US 1) registered in other countries: 161 (Bahamas 6, Bermuda 14, Cayman Islands 9, Cook Islands 3, Cyprus 3, Denmark 1, France 2, French Southern and Antarctic Lands 9, Gibraltar 5, Isle of Man 1, Liberia 8, Malta 3, Netherlands 26, Netherlands Antilles 5, Norway 28, Panama 5, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Singapore 12, UK 15, US 5) (2006) Ports and terminals: Goteborg, Helsingborg, Karlshamn, Lulea, Malmo, Oxeiosund, Stenungsund, Stockholm, Trelleborg MILITARY Military branches: Swedish Armed Forces (Forsvarsmakten): Army (Armen), Royal Swedish Navy (Marinen), Swedish Air Force (Svenska Flygvapnet) (2006) Military service age and obligation: 19 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation — 7-17 months depending on conscript role; after completing initial service, sol¬ diers have a reserve commitment until age of 47 (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 19-49: 1,838,427 females age 19-49: 1,774,659 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 19-49: 1,493,668 females age 19-49: 1,441,257 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18^*9: 58,724 females age 19-49: 55,954 (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of GDP: 1.5% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: none SWITZERLAND INTRODUCTION Background: The Swiss Confederation was founded in 1291 as a defensive alliance among three cantons. In suc¬ ceeding years, other localities joined the original three. The Swiss Confederation secured its independence from the Holy Roman Empire in 1499. Switzerland’s sovereignty and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers, and the country was not involved in either of the two World Wars. The political and economic inte¬ gration of Europe over the past half cen¬ tury, as well as Switzerland’s role in many UN and international organiza¬ tions, has strengthened Switzerland’s ties with its neighbors. However, the country did not officially become a UN member until 2002. Switzerland remains active in many UN and international organizations but retains a strong com¬ mitment to neutrality. GEOGRAPHY Location. Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy Geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 8 00 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 41,290 sq km land: 39,770 sq km water: 1,520 sq km Area— comparative: slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey 600 SWITZERLAND Land boundaries: total: 1,852 km border countries: Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km, Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime claims: none (landlocked) Climate: temperate, but varies with alti¬ tude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers Terrain: mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m Natural resources: hydropower poten¬ tial, timber, salt Land use: arable land: 9.91% permanent crops: 0.58% other: 89.51% (2005) Irrigated land: 250 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: avalanches, landslides, flash floods Environment — current issues: air pollu¬ tion from vehicle emissions and open-air burning; acid rain; water pollution from increased use of agricultural fertilizers; loss of biodiversity Environment — international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution- Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution- Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Bio¬ diversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea Geography — note: landlocked; cross¬ roads of northern and southern Europe; along with southeastern France, northern Italy, and southwestern Austria, has the highest elevations in the Alps PEOPLE Population: 7,554,661 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 16.1% (male 630,341/female 584,167) 15-64 years: 68.2% (male 2,596,996/ female 2,553,108) 65 years and over: 15.8% (male 489,895/ female 700,154) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 40.4 years male: 39.3 years female: 41-4 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.381% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 9.66 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 8.51 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 2.66 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.079 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.017 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.969 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 4.28 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4-77 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 80.62 years male: 77.8 years female: 83.59 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.44 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.4% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS — people living with HIV/ AIDS: 13,000 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS — deaths: less than 100 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Swiss (singular and plural) adjective: Swiss Ethnic groups: German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6% Religions: Roman Catholic 41.8%, Protestant 35.3%, Muslim 4.3%, Orthodox 1.8%, other Christian 0.4%, other 1%, unspecified 4-3%, none 11.1% (2000 census) Languages: German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 20.4%, Italian (official) 6.5%, Serbo-Croatian 1.5%, Albanian 1.3%, Portuguese 1.2%, Spanish 1.1%, English 1%, Romansch 0.5%, other 2.8% (2000 census) note: German, French, Italian, and Romansch are all national languages, but only the first three are official languages Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Swiss Confederation conventional short form: Switzerland local long form: Schweizerische Eidgen- ossenschaft (German); Confederation Suisse (French); Confederazione Svizzera (Italian) local short form: Schweiz (German); Suisse (French); Svizzera (Italian) Government type: formally a confedera¬ tion but similar in structure to a federal republic Capital: name: Bern geographic coordinates: 46 57 N, 7 26 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: + lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 26 cantons (cantons, singular — canton in French; cantoni, singular — cantone in Italian; kantone, singular — kanton in German); Aargau, Appenzell Ausser-Rhoden, Appenzell Inner-Rhoden, Basel- Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve, Glarus, Graubunden, Jura, Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich independence: 1 August 1291 (founding of the Swiss Confederation) National holiday: Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291) Constitution: revision of Constitution of 1874 approved by the Federal Parliament 601 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK 18 December 1998, adopted by refer¬ endum 18 April 1999, officially entered into force 1 January 2000 Legal system: civil law system influ¬ enced by customary law; judicial review of legislative acts, except with respect to federal decrees of general obligatory character; accepts compulsory ICJ juris¬ diction with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Micheline CALMY-REY (since 1 January 2007); Vice President Pascal COUCHEPIN (since 1 January 2007); note — the presi¬ dent is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Micheline CALMY-REY (since 1 January 2007); Vice President Pascal COUCHEPIN (since 1 January 2007) cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal (in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) elected by the Federal Assembly usually from among its members for a four-year term elections: president and vice president elected by the Federal Assembly from among the members of the Federal Council for a one-year term (they may not serve consecutive terms); election last held on 13 December 2006 (next to be held in December 2007) election results: Micheline CALMY-REY elected president; percent of Federal Assembly vote — 76.5%; Pascal COUCH- EPIN elected vice president; percent of Federal Assembly vote — 86.5% Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in German), Assemblee Federale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in Italian) consists of the Council of States or Standerat (in German), Conseil des Etats (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian) (46 seats; membership con¬ sists of 2 representatives from each canton and 1 from each half canton; to serve four-year terms) and the National Council or Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats; mem¬ bers are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: Council of States — last held in most cantons on 19 October 2003 (each canton determines when the next elec¬ tion will be held); National Council — last held on 19 October 2003 (next to be held in October 2007) election results: Council of States — per¬ cent of vote by party — NA; seats by party— CVP 15, FDP 14, SVP 8, SPS 6, other 3; National Council — percent of vote by party — SVP 26.6%, SPS 23.3 /o, FDP 17.3%, CVP 14.4%, Greens 7.4%, other 11%; seats by party— SVP 55, SPS 54. FDP 36, CVP 28, Green Party 13, other small parties 14 Judicial branch: Federal Supreme Court (judges elected for six-year terms by the Federal Assembly) Political parties and leaders: Green Party (Gruene Partei der Schweiz or Grune, Parti Ecologiste Suisse or Les Verts, Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi, Partida Ecologica Svizra or La Verda) [Ruth GENNER]; Christian Democratic People’s Party (Christi- chdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz or CVP, Parti Democrate- Chretien Suisse or PDC, Partito Democratico-Cristiano Popolare Svizzero or PDC, Partida Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra or PCD) [Christophe DAR- BELL AY]; Radical Free Democratic Party (Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei der Schweiz or FDP, Parti Radical- Democratique Suisse or PRD, Partitio Liberal-Radicale Svizzero or PLR) [Fulvio PELLI]; Social Democratic Party (Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SPS, Parti Socialist Suisse or PSS, Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS, Partida Socialdemocratica de la Svizra or PSS) [Hans-Juerg FEHR]; Swiss People’s Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP, Union Democratique du Centre or UDC, Unione Democratica de Centro or UDC, Uniun Democratica dal Center or UDC) [Ueli MAURER]; and other minor parties Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PC A, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Urs ZISWILER chancery: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 745-7900 FAX: [1] (202) 387-2564 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco consulate(s) : Boston Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Peter R. CONEWAY embassy: Jubilaumsstrasse 93, CH-3005 Bern mailing address : use embassy street address telephone: [41] (031) 357 70 11 FAX: [41] (031) 357 73 44 Flag description: red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the center that does not extend to the edges of the flag ECONOMY Economy — overview: Switzerland is a peaceful, prosperous, and stable modem market economy with low unemploy¬ ment, a highly skilled labor force, and a per capita GDP larger than that of the big Western European economies. The Swiss in recent years have brought their economic practices largely into con¬ formity with the EU’s to enhance their international competitiveness. Switzer¬ land remains a safehaven for investors, because it has maintained a degree of bank secrecy and has kept up the franc’s long¬ term external value. Reflecting the anemic economic conditions of Europe, GDP growth stagnated during the 2001-03 period, improved during 2004— 05 to 1.8% annually and to 2.9% in 2006. Even so, unemployment has remained at less than half the EU average. GDP (purchasing power parity): $255.5 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $386.1 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 2.7% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $34,000 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 1.5% industry: 34% services: 64.5% (2003 est.) Labor force: 3.81 million (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 4-6% industry: 26.3% services: 69.1% (1998) Unemployment rate: 3.3% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 25.2% (1992) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 33.1 (1992) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.2% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 21.8% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $141 billion expenditures: $139.1 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) 602 SWITZERLAND Public debt: 51% of GDP (2006 est ) Agriculture— products: grams, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs Industries. machinery, chemicals watches, textiles, precision instruments, tourism, banking, and insurance Industrial production growth rate: 6 5% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 61.97 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 1.3% hydro: 59.5% nuclear: 37.1% other: 2% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 56.93 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 27.8 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 27.1 billion kWh (2004) Oil— production: 2,241 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 268,100 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: 10,420 bbl/day (2001) Oil— imports: 289,500 bbl/day (2001) Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 3.311 bib lion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 3.311 billion cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $50.44 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $166.3 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products Exports — partners: Germany 19.4%, US 10.9%, Italy 9.1%, France 8.7%, UK 5.4%, Spain 4.1% (2005) Imports: $162.3 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural products, textiles Imports — partners: Germany 31.6%, Italy 10.5%, France 10%, US 5.6%, Netherlands 4.8%, Austria 4-6%, UK 4-4% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $38.29 billion (August 2006 est.) Debt— external: $1,077 trillion (30 June 2006) Economic aid — donor: ODA, $1.1 bib lion (1995) Currency (code): Swiss franc (CHF) Currency code: CFIF Exchange rates: Swiss francs per US dollar— 1.2539 (2006), 1.2452 (2005), 1.2435 (2004), 1.3467 (2003), 1.5586 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 5.123 million (2005) Telephones — mobile cellular: 6.847 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: excellent domestic and international services domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks international: country code — 41; satellite earth stations — 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 113 (plus many low-power stations), shortwave 2 (1998) Radios: 7.1 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 115 (plus 1,919 repeaters) (1995) Televisions: 3.31 million (1997) Internet country code: ch Internet hosts: 2.443 million (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 44 (Switzerland and Liechtenstein) (2000) Internet users: 5.098 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 65 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 42 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 16 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 23 under 914 m: 23 (2006) Heliports: 2 (2006) Pipelines: gas 1,831 km; oil 94 km; refined products 7 km (2006) Railways: total: 4,583 km standard gauge: 3,234 km 1.435-m gauge (3,223 km electrified) narrow gauge: 1,339 km 1.000-m gauge (1,338 km electrified); 10 km 0.800-m gauge (10 km electrified) (2005) Roadways: total: 71,297 km paved: 71,297 km (includes 1,728 of expressways) (2004) Waterways: 65 km (Rhine River between Basel-Rheinfelden and Schaffhausen-Bodensee) (2003) Merchant marine: total: 27 ships (1000 GRT or over) 492,434 GRT/810, 559 DWT by type: bulk carrier 9, cargo 10, chemical tanker 3, container 4, specialized tanker 1 foreign-owned: 2 (Monaco 2) registered in other countries: 320 (Antigua and Barbuda 4, Bahamas 2, Belize 1, Bermuda 2, Cyprus 4, France 2, French Southern and Antarctic Lands 1, Germany 1, Indonesia 3, Liberia 7, Malta 21, Marshall Islands 13, Mauritius 2, Morocco 1, Panama 226, Portugal 3, Russia 7, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 13, Tonga 1, Turkey 1, UK 3, Vanuatu 2) (2006) Ports and terminals: Basel MILITARY Military branches: Swiss Armed Forces: Land Forces, Swiss Air Force (Schweizer Luftwaffe); Switzerland has no navy, but maintains a fleet of military patrol boats to patrol Swiss borders (2006) Military service age and obligation: the Swiss Constitution states that “every Swiss male is obliged to do military service”; every Swiss male has to serve for at least 260 days in the armed forces; 19 years of age for compulsory military service; 1 7 years of age for voluntary mil¬ itary service; conscripts receive 15 weeks of compulsory training, followed by 10 intermittent recalls for training over the next 22 years; women are accepted on a voluntary basis but are not drafted (2005) Manpower available for military service: males age 19-49: 1,707,694 females age 19-49: 1,662,099 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 19-49: 1,375,889 females age 19-49: 1,342,945 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 46,319 females age 19—49: 43,829 (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of GDP: 1% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international : none Illicit drugs: a major international finan¬ cial center vulnerable to the layering and integration stages of money laundering; despite significant legislation and reporting requirements, secrecy rules per¬ sist and nonresidents are permitted to conduct business through offshore enti¬ ties and various intermediaries; transit country for and consumer of South American cocaine, Southwest Asian heroin, and Western European syn¬ thetics; domestic cannabis cultivation and limited ecstasy production 603 SYRIA INTRODUCTION Background: Following the breakup of the Ottoman Empire during World War I, France administered Syria until its independence in 1946. The country lacked political stability, however, and experienced a series ot military coups during its first decades. Syria united with Egypt in February 1958 to form the United Arab Republic. In September 1961, the two entities separated, and the Syrian Arab Republic was reestablished. In November 1970, Hafiz al-ASAD, a member of the Socialist Ba’th Party and the minority Alawite sect, seized power in a bloodless coup and brought political stability to the country. In the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost the Golan Heights to Israel. During the 1990s, Syria and Israel held occasional peace talks over its return. Following the death of President al-ASAD, his son, Bashar al- ASAD, was approved as president by popular referendum in July 2000. Syrian troops — stationed in Lebanon since 1976 in an ostensible peacekeeping role — were withdrawn in April 2005. During the July-August 2006 conflict between Israel and Hizballah, Syria placed its military forces on alert but did not intervene directly on behalf of its ally Hizballah. GEOGRAPHY Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and Turkey Geographic coordinates: 35 00 N, 38 00 E Map references: Middle East Area: total: 185,180 sq km land: 184,050 sq km water: 1,130 sq km note: includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli- occupied territory Area — comparative: slightly larger than North Dakota Land boundaries: total: 2,253 km border countries: Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon 375 km, Turkey 822 km Coastline: 193 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm Climate: mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and mild, rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold weather with snow or sleet periodically in Damascus Terrain: primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain; mountains in west Elevation extremes: lowest point: unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m highest point: Mount Hermon 2,814 m Natural resources: petroleum, phos¬ phates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower Land use: arable land: 24.8% permanent crops: 4.47% other: 70.73% (2005) Irrigated land: 13,330 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: dust storms, sandstorms Environment— current issues: defor¬ estation; overgrazing; soil erosion; deser¬ tification; water pollution from raw sewage and petroleum refining wastes; inadequate potable water Environment — international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification Geography— note: there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (August 2005 est.) PEOPLE ; . ,rfv; - Population: 19,314,747 note: in addition, about 40,000 people live in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights— 20,000 Arabs (18,000 Druze and 2,000 Alawites) and about 20,000 Israeli settlers (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 36.5% (male 3,633,562/ female 3,423,435) 15-64 years: 60.1% (male 5,952,275/ female 5,664,236) 65 years and over: 3.3% (male 303,346/ female 337,893) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 21.1 years male: 20.9 years female: 21.2 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.244% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 27.19 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 4.74 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.061 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.051 male(s)/female 65 years and over : 0.898 male(s)/female total population: 1.049 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 27.7 deaths/ 1,000 live births male: 27.94 deaths/ 1,000 live births female: 27.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.61 years male: 69.27 years female: 72.02 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 3.31 children bom/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS; less than 500 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Syrian(s) adjective: Syrian Ethnic groups: Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7% Religions: Sunni Muslim 74%, other Muslim (includes Alawite, Druze) 16%, Christian (various denominations) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus, A1 Qamishli, and Aleppo) Languages: Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian widely understood; French, English somewhat understood Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 79.6% male: 86% female: 73.6% (2004 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Syrian Arab Republic 604 SYRIA conventional short form: Syria local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah local short form: Suriyah former: United Arab Republic (with Egypt) Government type: republic under an authoritarian military-dominated regime Capital: name: Damascus geographic coordinates: 3330N,36 18E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins 1 April; ends 30 September Administrative divisions: 14 provinces (muhafazat, singular — muhafazah); Al Hasakah, Al Ladhiqiyah, Al Qunaytirah, Ar Raqqah, As Suwayda’, Dar’a, Dayr az Zawr, Dimashq, Halab, Hamah, Hims, Idlib, Rif Dimashq, Tartus Independence: 17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration) National holiday: Independence Day, 17 April (1946) Constitution: 13 March 1973 Legal system: based on a combination of French and Ottoman civil law; reli¬ gious law is used in the family court system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Bashar ah AS AD (since 17 July 2000); Vice President Farouk al-SHARA (since 11 February 2006) oversees foreign policy; Vice President Najah ahATTAR (since 23 March 2006) oversees cultural policy head of government: Prime Minister Muhammad Naji ahUTRI (since 10 September 2003); Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Abdallah al-DARDARI (since 14 June 2005) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president approved by popular referendum for a second seven-year term (no term limits); referendum last held on 27 May 2007 (next to be held in May 2014); the president appoints the vice presidents, prime minister, and deputy prime ministers election results: Bashar al-ASAD approved as president; percent of vote — Bashar al-ASAD 97.6% Legislative branch: unicameral People’s Council or Majlis al-Shaab (250 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held on 22-23 April 2007 (next to be held in 2011) election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — NA Judicial branch: Supreme Judicial Council (appoints and dismisses judges; headed by the President); national level — Supreme Constitutional Court (adjudicates electoral disputes and rules on constitutionality of laws and decrees; justices appointed for four-year terms by the President); Court of Cassation; Appeals Courts (Appeals Courts repre¬ sent an intermediate level between the Court of Cassation and local level courts); local level — Magistrate Courts; Courts of First Instance; Juvenile Courts; Customs Courts; specialized courts — Economic Security Courts (hear cases related to economic crimes); Supreme State Security Court (hear cases related to national security); Personal Status Courts (religious; hear cases related to marriage and divorce) Political parties and leaders: legal par¬ ties: National Progressive Front or NPF [President Bashar al-ASAD, Dr. Suleiman QADDAH] (includes Arab Socialist Renaissance (Ba’th) Party [President Bashar al-ASAD]; Arab Socialist Renaissance (Ba’th) Party [President Bashar al-ASAD]; Socialist Unionist Democratic Party [Fadlallah Nasr Al-DIN]; Syrian Arab Socialist Union or ASU [Safwan QUDSI]; Syrian Communist Party (two branches) [Wissal Farha BAKDASH, Yusuf Rashid FAYSAL]; Syrian Social Nationalist Party [Ali QANSU]; Unionist Socialist Party [Fayez ISMAIL]); illegal parties: Kurdish Azadi Party [Khayr al-Din MURAD]; Kurdish Democratic Alliance [Abd al-Hamid DARWISH] (includes four parties); Kurdish Democratic Front (includes three parties but no designated leader); Kurdish Democratic Union Party or PYD [Ali MUHAMMAD]; Kurdish Future Movement; Kurdish Yekiti Party [Hasan SALEH]; National Democratic Front [Hassan Abd al- AZEM] Political pressure groups and leaders: Damascus Declaration [Riyad SEIF, sec¬ retary general] (a broad alliance of oppo¬ sition groups including: Committee for Revival of Civil Society [Michel KILO, Riyad SEIF]; Kurdish Democratic Alliance; Kurdish Democratic Front; National Democratic Front; Syrian Human Rights Society or HRAS [Fawed FAWUZ]); National Salvation Front (alliance between former Vice President Abd al-Halim KHADDAM, the SMB, and other small opposition groups); Syrian Muslim Brotherhood or SMB [Sadr al-Din al-BAYANUNI]; (operates in exile in London; endorsed the Damascus Declaration hut is not an offi¬ cial member) International organization participa¬ tion: ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-24, G- 77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, 1LO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Imad MUSTAFA chancery: 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 232-6313 FAX: [1] (202) 234-9548 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d’Affaires Michael CORBIN embassy: Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansour Street, No. 2, Damascus mailing address: P. O. Box 29, Damascus telephone: [963] (11) 3391-4444 FAX: [963] (11) 224-7938 Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black, colors associated with the Arab Liberation flag; two small green five- pointed stars in a horizontal line cen¬ tered in the white band; former flag of the United Arab Republic where the two stars represented the constituent states of Syria and Egypt; similar to the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band, Iraq, which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white band, and that of Egypt, which has a gold Eagle of Saladin centered in the white band; the current design dates to 1980 ECONOMY Economy— overview: The Syrian economy grew by an estimated 2.9% in real terms in 2006 led by the petroleum and agricultural sectors, which together account for about one-half of GDP. Higher crude oil prices countered declining oil production and exports and led to higher budgetary and export receipts. Total foreign assets of the Central Bank and domestic banking system rose to about $20 billion in 2006, and the government strengthened the private sector foreign exchange rate by about 7% from the start of the year. The Government of Syria has implemented modest economic reforms in the past few years, including cutting lending interest rates, opening private banks, consoli¬ dating some of the multiple exchange rates, and raising prices on some subsi¬ dized items, most notably, gasoline and cement. Nevertheless, the economy remains highly controlled by the govern¬ ment. Long-run economic constraints 605 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK include declining oil production and exports, weak investment, high unem¬ ployment, and increasing pressure on water supplies caused by heavy use in agri¬ culture, rapid population growth, indus¬ trial expansion, and water pollution. GDP (purchasing power parity): $77.66 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $24 26 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 3.5% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $4,100 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 24% industry: 18% services: 58% (2005 est.) Labor force: 5.505 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 26% industry: 14% services: 60% (2003 est.) Unemployment rate: 12.5% (2005 est.) Population below poverty line: 11.9% (2006 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 22.1% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $8.7 billion expenditures: $9.9 billion; including capital expenditures of $3.82 billion (2006 est.) Public debt: 37.9% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar beets; beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk Industries: petroleum, textiles, food pro¬ cessing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining, cement, oil seeds crushing Industrial production growth rate: 1.5% (2005) Electricity— production: 34.94 billion kWh (2005 est.) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 57.6% hydro: 42.4% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 34 billion kWh (2005 est.) Electricity— exports: 0.2 kWh (2005) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2005) Oil— production: 405,000 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil— consumption: 230,000 bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil— exports: 175,000 bbl/day (2006) Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Oil— proved reserves: 2.4 billion bbl (2006 est.) Natural gas— production: 8.5 billion cu m (2006 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 5.1 billion cu m (2006 est.) Natural gas — exports: 0 cu m (2006 est.) Natural gas — imports: 0 cu m (2006 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 240 bil¬ lion cu m (2006 est.) Current account balance: $529 million (2006 est.) Exports: $6,923 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: crude oil, petroleum products, fruits and vegeta¬ bles, cotton fiber, clothing, meat and live animals, wheat Exports— partners: Iraq 26.3%, Italy 10%, Germany 9.9%, Lebanon 9.1%, Egypt 5.1%, France 4-9%, Saudi Arabia 4.6% (2005) Imports: $6,634 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — Commodities: machinery and transport equipment, electric power machinery, food and livestock, metal and metal products, chemicals and chemical products, plastics, yarn, paper Imports— partners: Saudi Arabia 11.6%, China 6.1%, Egypt 5.9%, Italy 5.8%, UAE 5.7%, Ukraine 4.6%, Germany 4.5%, Iran 4.2% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $5.5 billion (2006 est.) Debt— external: $8 .355 billion; note — excludes military debt and debt to Russia (2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $180 million (2002 est.) Currency (code): Syrian pound (SYP) Currency code: SYP Exchange rates: Syrian pounds per US dollar— 51.689 (2006), 50 (2005), 48.5 (2004), 52.8 (2003), 52.4 (2002) note: data for 2004— 06 are the public sector rate; data for 2002— 03 are the par¬ allel market rate in ‘Amman and Beirut; the official rate for repaying loans was 11.25 Syrian pounds per US dollars during 2004-06, Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 2.903 million (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 3.128 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: fair system currently undergoing significant improvement and digital upgrades, including fiber-optic technology domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay network international: country code— 963; satel¬ lite earth stations — 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 1 submarine cable; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey; participant in Medarabtel Radio broadcast stations: AM 14, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998) Radios: 4.15 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 44 (plus 17 repeaters) (1995) Televisions: 1.05 million (1997) Internet country code: sy Internet hosts: 66 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): l (2000) Internet users: l.l million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 92 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 26 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 15 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 66 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 54 (2006) Heliports: 7 (2006) Pipelines: gas 2,764 km; oil 2,000 km (2006) Railways: total: 2,711 km standard gauge: 2,460 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 251 km 1.050-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 94,890 km paved: 19,073 km unpaved: 75,817 km (2004) Waterways: 900 km (not economically significant) (2005) Merchant marine: total: 108 ships (1000 GRT or over) 386,603 GRT/563,506 DWT by type: bulk carrier 8, cargo 93, con¬ tainer 1, livestock carrier 4, petroleum tanker 1 , roll on/roll off 1 foreign' owned: 11 (Lebanon 7, Romania 3, UAE 1) registered in other countries: 130 (Cambodia 20, Comoros 4, Cyprus 3, Dominica 1, Georgia 43, Hong Kong 1, North Korea 14, Lebanon 1, Malta 7, Mongolia 1, Panama 18, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6, Sierra Leone 1, Slovakia 2, unknown 5) (2006) Ports and terminals: Baniyas, Latakia military Military branches: Syrian Armed orces. Syrian Arab Army (includes 606 SYRIA Syrian Arab Navy), Syrian Arab Air and Air Defense Force (includes Air Defense Command) (2005) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation _ 30 months (18 months in the Syrian Arab Navy); women are not conscripted but may volunteer to serve (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-4 9: 4,356,413 females age 18-49: 4,123,339 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 3,453,888 females age 18-49: 3,421,558 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 225,113 females age 18-49: 211,829 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 5.9% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied with the almost 1, 000- strong UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) patrolling a buffer zone since 1964; lacking a treaty or other doc¬ umentation describing the boundary, por¬ tions of the Lebanon-Syria boundary are unclear with several sections in dispute; since 2000, Lebanon has claimed Shaba’a farms in the Golan Heights; 2004 Agreement and pending demarcation set¬ tles border dispute with Jordan; approxi¬ mately two million Iraqis have fled the conflict in Iraq with the majority taking refuge in Syria and Jordan Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: refugees (country of origin): 700,000 — 1.2 million (Iraq), 434,896 (Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA)) IDPs: 305,000 (most displaced from Golan Heights during 1967 Arab-Israeli War) (2006) Trafficking in persons: current situation: Syria is a destination country' for women from South and Southeast Asia and Africa for domestic servitude and from Eastern Europe and Iraq for sexual exploitation; women are recruited for work in Syria as domestic servants, but some face conditions of exploitation and involuntary servitude including long hours, non-payment of wages, with¬ holding of passports and other restric¬ tions on movement, and physical and sexual abuse; Eastern European women recruited for work in Syria as cabaret dancers are not permitted to leave their work premises without permission and have their passports withheld; some dis¬ placed Iraqi women and children are reportedly forced into sexual exploita¬ tion tier racing: Tier 3 — Syria does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so Illicit drugs: a transit point for opiates, hashish, and cocaine bound for regional and Western markets; weak anti-money- laundering controls and bank privatiza¬ tion may leave it vulnerable to money laundering 607 Background: The Tajik people came under Russian rule in the 1860s and 1870s, but Russia’s hold on Central Asia weakened following the Revolution of 1917. Bolshevik control of the area was fiercely contested and not fully reestab- lished until 1925. Tajikistan became inde- pendent in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union, and it is now in the process of strengthening its democracy and transitioning to a free market economy after its 1992—97 civil war. There have been no major security inch dents in recent years, although the country remains the poorest in the former Soviet sphere. Attention by the interna- tional community in the wake of the war in Afghanistan has brought increased eco¬ nomic development assistance, which could create jobs and increase stability in the long term. Tajikistan is in the early stages of seeking World Trade Organization membership and has joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace. GEOGRAPHY Location: Central Asia, west of China Geographic coordinates: 39 00 N, 71 00 E Map references: Asia Area: total: 143,100 sq km land: 142,700 sq km water : 400 sq km Area-comparative: slightly smaller than Wisconsin Land boundaries: total: 3,651 km border countries: Afghanistan 1,206 km, China 414 km, Kyrgyzstan 870 km, Uzbekistan 1,161 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime claims: none (landlocked) Climate: midlatitude continental, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid to polar in Pamir Mountains Terrain: Pamir and Alay Mountains dominate landscape; western Fergana Valley in north, Kofarnihon and Vakhsh Valleys in southwest Elevation extremes: lowest point: Syr Darya (Sirdaryo) 300 m highest point: Qullai Ismoili Somoni 7,495 m Natural resources: hydropower, some petroleum, uranium, mercury, brown coal, lead, zinc, antimony, tungsten, silver, gold Land use: arable land: 6.52% permanent crops: 0.89% other: 92.59% (2005) Irrigated land: 7,220 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: earthquakes and floods Environment — current issues: inade¬ quate sanitation facilities; increasing levels of soil salinity; industrial pollu¬ tion; excessive pesticides Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modifica¬ tion, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: landlocked; moun¬ tainous region dominated by the Trans- Alay Range in the north and the Pamirs in the southeast; highest point, Qullai Ismoili Somoni (formerly Communism Peak), was the tallest mountain in the former USSR PEOPLE Population: 7,076,598 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 35% (male 1,261,247/female 1,218,686) 15-64 years: 61.2% (male 2,145,300/ female 2,184,519) 65 years and over: 3.8% (male 113,186/ female 153,660) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 21.3 years JCIIICUC . ^ JL .w ' - ' Population growth rate: 1.895% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 27.33 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 7.05 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -1.33 migrants )/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.035 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.982 male(s)/female 65 years and over : 0.737 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 43.64 deaths/1,000 live births male: 48.73 deaths/1,000 live births female: 38.3 deaths/ 1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 64-61 years male: 61.6 years female: 67.78 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 3.09 children bom/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: less than 200 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: less than 100 (2001 est.) Nationality: noun: Tajikistani(s) adjective: Tajikistani Ethnic groups: Tajik 79.9%, Uzbek 15.3%, Russian 1.1%, Kyrgyz 1.1%, other 2.6% (2000 census) Religions: Sunni Muslim 85%, Shi’a Muslim 5%, other 10% (2003 est.) Languages: Tajik (official), Russian widely used in government and business Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.5% male: 99.7% female: 99.2% (2000 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Tajikistan conventional short form: Tajikistan local long form: Jumhurii Tojikiston local short form: Tojikiston former: Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic Government type: republic Capital: name: Dushanbe geographic coordinates: 38 35 N, 68 48 E time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) 608 TAJIKISTAN Administrative divisions: 2 provinces (viloyatho, singular — viloyat) and 1 autonomous province* (viloyati mukh- tor); Viloyati Khatlon (Qurghonteppa), Viloyati Mukhtori Kuhistoni Badakh- shon* [Gorno-Badakhshan] (Khorugh), Viloyati Sughd (Khujand) note: the administrative center name fol¬ lows in parentheses Independence: 9 September 1991 (from Soviet Union) National holiday: Independence Day (or National Day), 9 September (1991) Constitution: 6 November 1994 Legal system: based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Emomali RAHMON (since 6 November 1994; head of state and Supreme Assembly chairman since 19 November 1992) head of government: Prime Minister Oqil OQILOV (since 20 January 1999) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by the Supreme Assembly elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 6 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2013); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Emomali RAHMONOV reelected president; percent of vote — Emomali RAHMONOV 79.3%, Olimzon BOBOYEV 6.2%, other 14.5% Legislative branch: bicameral Supreme Assembly or Majlisi Oli consists of the National Assembly (upper chamber) or Majlisi Milliy (34 seats; 25 members selected by local deputies, 8 appointed by the president; 1 seat reserved for the former president; to serve five-year terms) and the Assembly of Representatives (lower chamber) or Majlisi Namoyandagon (63 seats; mem¬ bers are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 25 March 2005 for the National Assembly (next to be held in February 2010) and 27 February and 13 March 2005 for the Assembly of Representatives (next to be held in February 2010) election results: National Assembly — per¬ cent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — PDPT 29, CPT 2, independents 3; Assembly of Representatives — percent of vote by party — PDPT 74.9%, CPT 13.6%, Islamic Revival Party 8.9%, other 2.5%; seats by party — PDPT 51, CPT 5, Islamic Revival Party 2, independents 5 Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president) Political parties and leaders: Agrarian Party of Tajikistan or APT [Amir KAR AKULOV]; Democratic Party or DPT [Mahmadruzi ISKANDAROV (imprisoned October 2005); Rahmatullo VALIYEV, deputy]; Islamic Revival Party [Muhiddin KABIRI]; Party of Economic Reform or PER [Olimzon BOBOYEV]; People’s Democratic Party of Tajikistan or PDPT [Emomali RAHMONOV]; Social Democratic Party or SDPT [Rahmatullo ZOYIROV]; Socialist Party or SPT [Abdualim GHAFFOROV]; Tajik Communist Party or CPT [Shodi SHABDOLOV] Political pressure groups and leaders: unregistered political parties: Agrarian Party [Hikmatullo NASREDDINOV]; Party of Justice [Abdurahim KARI¬ MOV]; People’s Unity Party [Abdumalik ABDULLOJONOV]; Progressive Party [Sulton QUWATOV]; Socialist Party or SPT [Mirhuseyn NAZRIYEV]; note — this is a SPT that was disbanded, another pro-government SPT (listed above under political parties) replaced it; Unity Party [Hikmatullo SAIDOV] International organization participa¬ tion: AsDB, CIS, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, MIGA, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Abdujabbor SHIRINOV chancery: 1005 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 223-6090 FAX: [1] (202) 223-6091 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission : Ambassador Tracey Ann JACOBSON embassy: 109- A Ismoili Somoni Avenue, Dushanbe 734003 mailing address: 7090 Dushanbe Place, Dulles, VA 20189 telephone: 1992] (37) 229-20-00 FAX: [992] (37) 229-20-50 Flag description: three horizontal stripes of red (top), a wider stripe of white, and green; a gold crown surmounted by seven gold, five-pointed stars is located in the center of the white stripe Economy Economy — overview: Tajikistan has one of the lowest per capita GDPs among the 15 former Soviet republics. Only 7% of the land area is arable; cotton is the most important crop. Mineral resources, varied but limited in amount, include silver, gold, uranium, and tungsten. Industry consists only of a large alu¬ minum plant, hydropower facilities, and small obsolete factories mostly in light industry and food processing. The civil war (1992-97) severely damaged the already weak economic infrastructure and caused a sharp decline in industrial and agricultural production. While Tajikistan has experienced steady eco¬ nomic growth since 1997, nearly two- thirds of the population continues to live in abject poverty. Economic growth reached 10.6% in 2004 but dropped to 8% in 2005 and to 7% in 2006. Tajikistan’s economic situation, how¬ ever, remains fragile due to uneven implementation of structural reforms, weak governance, widespread unemploy¬ ment, and the external debt burden. Continued privatization of medium and large state-owned enterprises could increase productivity. A debt restruc¬ turing agreement was reached with Russia in December 2002 including a $250 million write-off of Tajikistan’s $300 million debt. Tajikistan ranks third in the world in terms of water resources per head. A proposed investment to finish the hydropower dams Rogun and Sangtuda I and II would substantially add to electricity production, which could be exported for profit. If finished, Rogun will be the world’s tallest dam. In 2006, Tajikistan was the recipient of substan¬ tial infrastructure development credits from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to improve its roads and electricity transmission network. To help increase north-south trade, the US is constructing a $36 million bridge linking Tajikistan and Afghanistan. GDP (purchasing power parity): $9,521 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $2,066 billion (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 7% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $1,300 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 22.7% industry: 28.5% services: 48.8% (2006 est.) Labor force: 3.7 million (2003) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 67.2% industry: 7.5% services: 25.3% (2000 est.) Unemployment rate: 12% (2004 est.) Population below poverty line: 64% (2004 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 25.2% (1998) 609 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Distribution of family income — Gini index: 34.7 (1998) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.5% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 19.9% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $527.5 million expenditures: $622 million; including capital expenditures of $86 million (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: cotton, grain, fruits, grapes, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats Industries: aluminum, zinc, lead; chemi¬ cals and fertilizers, cement, vegetable oil, metal-cutting machine tools, refrigera¬ tors and freezers Industrial production growth rate: 8.2% (2002 est.) Electricity— production: 16.5 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 1.9% hydro: 98.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 15.7 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 4.459 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — imports: 4.81 billion kWh (2004) Oil— production: 252.8 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — consumption: 28,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas — production: 39 million cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 1.389 bil¬ lion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 1.35 billion cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $73.95 mil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $1.16 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: aluminum, elec¬ tricity, cotton, fruits, vegetable oil, textiles Exports— partners: Netherlands 46.6%, Turkey 15.8%, Russia 9.1%, Uzbekistan 7.3%, Latvia 4.9%, Iran 4% (2005) Imports: $1,513 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: electricity, petroleum products, aluminum oxide, machinery and equipment, foodstuffs Imports — partners: Russia 19.3%, Kazakhstan 12.7%, Uzbekistan 11.5%, Azerbaijan 8.6%, China 7%, Ukraine 6.2%, Romania 4.6%, Turkmenistan 4 /o (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $209.2 million (2006 est.) Debt — external: $829 million (2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $67 million from US (2005) Currency (code): somoni (TJS) Currency code: TJS Exchange rates: Tajikistani somoni per US dollar— 3.3 (2006), 3.1166 (2005), 2.9705 (2004), 3.0614 (2003), 2.7641 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year _____ COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 245,200 (2004) Telephones — mobile cellular: 265,000 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: poorly developed and not well maintained; many towns are not linked to the national network domestic: the domestic telecommunica¬ tions network has historically been under funded and poorly maintained; main line availability has not changed significantly since 1998; cellular telephony is rare and coverage remains limited international: country code — 992; linked by cable and microwave radio relay to other CIS republics and by leased con¬ nections to the Moscow international gateway switch; Dushanbe linked by Intelsat to international gateway switch in Ankara (Turkey); satellite earth sta¬ tions — 1 Orbita and 2 Intelsat (2006) Radio broadcast stations: AM 8, FM 10, shortwave 2 (2002) Radios: 1.291 million (1991) Television broadcast stations: 6 (2006) Televisions: 820,000 (1997) Internet country code: tj Internet hosts: 98 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 4 (2002) Internet users: 5,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 40 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 17 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1 ,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 23 914 to 1 ,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 22 (2006) Pipelines: gas 549 km; oil 38 km (2006) Railways: total: 482 km broad gauge: 482 km 1.520-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 27,767 km (2000) Waterways: 200 km (along Vakhsh River) (2006) MILITARY Military branches: Ground Troops, Air and Air Defense Troops, Mobile Troops (2005) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation — 2 years (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-4 9: 1,556,415 females age 18—4 9: 1,568,780 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 1,244,941 females age 18—4 9: 1,297,891 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18—49: 87,846 females age 18—49: 85,869 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 3.9% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: in 2006, China and Tajikistan pledged to com¬ mence demarcation of the revised boundary agreed to in the delimitation of 2002; talks continue with Uzbekistan to delimit border and remove minefields; disputes in Isfara Valley delay delimita¬ tion with Kyrgyzstan Illicit drugs: major transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and, to a lesser extent, Western European markets; limited illicit cultivation of opium poppy for domestic consumption; Tajikistan seizes roughly 80% of all drugs captured in Central Asia and stands third worldwide in seizures of opiates (heroin and raw opium); significant con¬ sumer of opiates TANZANIA Background: Shortly after achieving independence from Britain in the early 1960s, Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form the nation of Tanzania in 1964. One-party rule came to an end in 1995 with the first democratic elections held in the country since the 1970s. Zanzibar’s semi-autonomous status and popular opposition have led to two contentious elections since 1995, which the ruling party won despite international observers’ claims of voting irregularities. GEOGRAPHY Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the In¬ dian Ocean, between Kenya and Mozambique 610 TANZANIA Geographic coordinates: 6 00 s, 35 00 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 945,087 sq km land: 886,037 sq km water: 59,050 sq km note: includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar Area — comparative: slightly larg er than twice the size of California Land boundaries: total: 3,861 km border countries: Burundi 451 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 459 km, Kenya 769 km, Malawi 475 km, Mozambique 756 km, Rwanda 217 km, Uganda 396 km, Zambia 338 km Coastline: 1,424 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands Terrain: plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north, south Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Kilimanjaro 5,895 m Natural resources: hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones, gold, natural gas, nickel Land use: arable land: 4.23% permanent crops : 1.16% other: 94.61% (2005) Irrigated land: 1,840 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season; drought Environment — current issues: soil degradation; deforestation; desertifica¬ tion; destruction of coral reefs threatens marine habitats; recent droughts affected marginal agriculture; wildlife threatened by illegal hunting and trade, especially for ivory Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography— note: Kilimanj aro is highest point in Africa; bordered by three of the largest lakes on the conti¬ nent: Lake Victoria (the world’s second- largest freshwater lake) in the north, Lake Tanganyika (the world’s second deepest) in the west, and Lake Nyasa in the southwest PEOPLE Population: 39,384,223 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mor¬ tality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the dis¬ tribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.) Age sfructure: 0-14 years: 43.9% (male 8,666,227/ female 8,624,387) 15-64 years: 53.3% (male 10,330,727/ female 10,649,507) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 491,252/ female 622,123) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 17.7 years male: 17.4 years female: 17.9 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.091% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 35.95 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 13.36 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -1.68 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.005 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2007 est.) infant mortality rate: total: 71.69 deaths/1,000 live births male: 78.84 deaths/1,000 live births female: 64-33 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 50.71 years male: 49.41 years female: 52.04 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 4 77 children bom / woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 8.8% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS — people living with HIV/ AIDS: 1.6 million (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 160,000 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diar¬ rhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorbome diseases: malaria, Rift Valley fever and plague are high risks in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007) Nationality: noun: Tanzanian(s) adjective: Tanzanian Ethnic groups: mainland— African 99% (of which 95% are Bantu consisting of more than 130 tribes), other 1% (con¬ sisting of Asian, European, and Arab); Zanzibar — Arab, African, mixed Arab and African Religions: mainland — Christian 30%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs 35%; Zanzibar — more than 99% Muslim Languages: Kiswahili or Swahili (offi¬ cial), Kiunguja (name for Swahili in Zanzibar), English (official, primary lan¬ guage of commerce, administration, and higher education), Arabic (widely spoken in Zanzibar), many local languages note: Kiswahili (Swahili) is the mother tongue of the Bantu people living in Zanzibar and nearby coastal Tanzania; although Kiswahili is Bantu in structure and origin, its vocabulary draws on a variety of sources including Arabic and English; it has become the lingua franca of central and eastern Africa; the first language of most people is one of the local languages Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write Kiswahili (Swahili), English, or Arabic total population: 69.4% male: 77.5% female: 62.2% (2002 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: United Republic of Tanzania conventional short form: Tanzania local long form: Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania local short form: Tanzania former: United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar Government type: republic Capital: name: Dar es Salaam geographic coordinates: 6 48 S, 39 1 7 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: legislative offices have been trans¬ ferred to Dodoma, which is planned as the new national capital; the National Assembly now meets there on a regular basis 611 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Administrative divisions: 26 regions; Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Iringa, Kagera, Kigoma, Kilimanjaro, Lindi, Manyara, Mara, Mbeya, Morogoro, Mtwara, Mwanza, Pemba North, Pemba South, Pwani, Rukwa, Ruvuma, Shinyanga, Singida, Tabora, Tanga, Zanzibar Central/South, Zanzibar North, Zanzibar Urban/West Independence: 26 April 1964; Tangan- yika became independent 9 December 1961 (from UK-administered UN trusteeship); Zanzibar became inde¬ pendent 19 December 1963 (from UK); Tanganyika united with Zanzibar 26 April 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar; renamed United Republic of Tanzania 29 October 1964 National holiday: Union Day (Tangan¬ yika and Zanzibar), 26 April (1964) Constitution: 25 April 1977; major revi¬ sions October 1984 Legal system: based on English common law; judicial review of legisla¬ tive acts limited to matters of interpreta¬ tion; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Jakaya KIKWETE (since 21 December 2005); Vice President Dr. Ali Mohammed SHEIN (since 5 July 2001); note — the president is both chief of state and head of govern¬ ment head of government: President Jakaya KIKWETE (since 21 December 2005); Vice President Dr. Ali Mohammed SHEIN (since 5 July 2001) note: Zanzibar elects a president who is head of government for matters internal to Zanzibar; Amani Abeid KARUME was reelected to that office on 30 October 2005 cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the presi¬ dent from among the members of the National Assembly elections: president and vice president elected on the same ballot by popular vote for five-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 14 December 2005 (next to be held in December 2010); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Jakaya KIKWETE elected president; percent of vote— Jakaya KIK¬ WETE 80.3%, Ibrahim LIPUMBA 11.7%, Freeman MBOWE 5.9% Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (274 seats; 232 mem¬ bers elected by popular vote, 37 allocated to women nominated by the president, 5 to members of the Zanzibar House of Representatives; to serve five-year terms); note — in addition to enacting laws that apply to the entire United Republic of Tanzania, the Assembly enacts laws that apply only to the mainland; Zanzibar has its own House of Representatives to make laws especially for Zanzibar (the Zanzibar House of Representatives has 50 seats elected by universal suffrage to serve five- year terms) elections: last held 14 December 2005 (next to be held in December 2010) election results: National Assembly — per¬ cent of vote by party — NA; seats by party— COM 206, CUF 19, CHADEMA 5, other 2, women appointed by the pres¬ ident 37, Zanzibar representatives 5 Zanzibar House of Representatives — per¬ cent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — COM 30, CUF 19; 1 seat was nullified with a rerun to take place soon Judicial branch: Permanent Com¬ mission of Enquiry (official ombuds¬ man); Court of Appeal (consists of a chief justice and four judges); High Court (consists of a Jaji Kiongozi and 29 judges appointed by the president; holds regular sessions in all regions); District Courts; Primary Courts (limited jurisdic¬ tion and appeals can be made to the higher courts) Political parties and leaders: Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Party of Democracy and Development) or CHADEMA [Bob MAKANIJ; Chama Cha Mapinduzi or CCM (Revolutionary Party) [Jakaya Mrisho KIKWETE]; Civic United Front or CUF [Ibrahim LIPUMBA]; Democratic Party [Christo¬ pher MTIKLA] (unregistered); Tanzania Labor Party or TLP [Augustine Lyatonga MREME]; United Democratic Party or UDP [John CHEYO] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: ACP, AfDB, AU, C, EADB, FAO, G-6, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SADC, UN, UN Security Council (tempo¬ rary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIS, UNOCI, UN WTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ombeni Yohana SEFUE chancery: 2139 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6125 FAX: [1] (202) 797-7408 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael L. RETZER embassy: 140 Msese Road, Kinondoni District, Dar es Salaam mailing address: P. O. Box 9123, Dar es Salaam telephone: [255] (22) 2666-010 through 2666-015 FAX: [255] (22) 2666-701, 2668-501 Flag description: divided diagonally by a yellow-edged black band from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the lower tri¬ angle is blue ECONOMY Economy — overview: Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world. The economy depends heavily on agriculture, which accounts for almost half of GDP, provides 85% of exports, and employs 80% of the work force. Topography and climatic conditions, however, limit culti¬ vated crops to only 4% of the land area. Industry traditionally featured the pro¬ cessing of agricultural products and light consumer goods. The World Bank, the IMF, and bilateral donors have provided funds to rehabilitate Tanzania’s out-of- date economic infrastructure and to alle¬ viate poverty. Long-term growth through 2005 featured a pickup in industrial pro¬ duction and a substantial increase in output of minerals led by gold. Recent banking reforms have helped increase private-sector growth and investment. Continued donor assistance and solid macroeconomic policies supported real GDP growth of nearly 6% in 2006. GDP (purchasing power parity): $29.62 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $13.13 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 5.8% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $800 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 43.3% industry: 17.7% services: 39% (2006 est.) Labor force: 19.35 million (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 80% industry and services: 20% (2002 est.) Unemployment rate: NA% Population below poverty line: 36% (2002 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 30.1% (1993) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 38.2 (1993) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.9% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 19% of GDP (2006 est.) 612 TANZANIA Budget: revenues: $2,431 billion expenditures: $3,001 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 30.5% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: coffee, sisal, tea, cotton, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums), cashew nuts, tobacco, cloves, corn, wheat, cassava (tapioca), bananas, fruits, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats Industries: agricultural processing (sugar, beer, cigarettes, sisal twine); dia¬ mond, gold, and iron mining, salt, soda ash; cement, oil refining, shoes, apparel, wood products, fertilizer Industrial production growth rate: 8.4% (1999 est.) Electricity— production: 2.562 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 18.9% hydro: 81.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 2.383 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil — production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 23,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Oil — proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2002) Natural gas — production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — proved reserves: 22.65 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $906 million (2006 est.) Exports: $1,831 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: gold, coffee, cashew nuts, manufactures, cotton Exports— partners: China 10.5%, Canada 8.9%, India 7.5%, Netherlands 5.3%, Japan 4.6%, Germany 4-4%, UK 4.1%, Zambia 4% (2005) Imports: $3.18 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: consumer goods, machinery and transportation equipment, industrial raw materials, crude oil Imports— partners: South Africa 12.7%, China 9.2%, Kenya 7.9%, India 6.8%, UAE 5.9% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $2,375 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $4.61 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid — recipient: $1.2 billion (2001) Currency (code): Tanzanian shilling (TZS) Currency code: TZS Exchange rates: Tanzanian shillings per US dollar— 1,251.9 (2006), 1,128.93 (2005), 1,089.33 (2004), 1,038.42 (2003), 966.58 (2002) Fiscal year: 1 July — 30 J une COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 148,400 (2004) Telephones— mobile cellular: 1.942 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: fair system operating below capacity and being modernized for better service; small aperture terminal (VSAT) system under construction domestic: trunk service provided by open- wire, microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and fiber-optic cable; some links being made digital international: country code — 255; satel¬ lite earth stations— 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Atlantic Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 12, FM 11, shortwave 2 (1998) Radios: 8.8 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 3 (1999) Televisions: 103,000 (1997) Internet country code: tz Internet hosts: 8,609 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 6 (2000) Internet users: 333,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 124 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 1 1 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1 ,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 113 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1 ,523 m: 62 under 9 14 m: 33 (2006) Pipelines: gas 254 km; oil 872 km (2006) Railways: total: 3,690 km narrow gauge: 969 km 1.067-m gauge; 2,721 km 1.000-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 78,891 km paved: 6,808 km unpaved : 72,083 km (2003) Waterways: Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria, and Lake Nyasa principal avenues of commerce with neighboring countries; rivers not navigable (2005) Merchant marine: total: 9 ships (1000 GRT or over) 24,801 GRT/3 1,507 DWT by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 4, petro¬ leum tanker 4 registered in other countries: 2 (Honduras 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Dar es Salaam, Mtwara, Zanzibar City MILITARY Military branches: Tanzanian People’s Defense Force (Jeshi la Wananchi la Tanzania, JWTZ): Army, Naval Wing (includes Coast Guard), Air Defense Command (includes Air Wing), National Service (2007) Military service age and obligation: 15 years of age for voluntary military service; 18 years of age for compulsory military service upon graduation from secondary school; conscript service obli¬ gation — 2 years (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 7,422,869 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 3,879,63 0 (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of GDP: 0.2% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: Tanzania still hosts more than a half-million refugees, more than any other African country, mainly from Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, despite the international community’s efforts at repatriation; disputes with Malawi over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River remain dormant Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: refugees (country of origin): 393,61 1 (Burundi), 150,112 (Democratic Repub¬ lic of the Congo) (2006) Illicit drugs: growing role in transship¬ ment of Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and South American cocaine des¬ tined for South African, European, and US markets and of South Asian methaqualone bound for southern Africa; money laundering remains a problem 613 THAILAND INTRODUCTION Background: A unified Thai kingdom was established in the mid- 14th century. Known as Siam until 1939, Thailand is the only Southeast Asian country never to have been taken over by a European power. A bloodless revolution in 1932 led to a constitutional monarchy. In alliance with Japan during World War II, Thailand became a US ally following the conflict. Thailand is currently facing sep¬ aratist violence in its southern ethnic Malay-Muslim provinces. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 100 00 E Map references: Southeast Asia Area: total: 514,000 sq km land: 511,770 sq km water: 2,230 sq km Area— comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Wyoming Land boundaries: total: 4,863 km border countries: Burma 1,800 km, Cambodia 803 km, Laos 1,754 km! Malaysia 506 km Coastline: 3,219 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation Climate: tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-May to Sep¬ tember); dry, cool northeast monsoon (November to mid-March); southern isthmus always hot and humid Terrain: central plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; mountains elsewhere Elevation extremes: lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m highest point: Doi Inthanon 2,576 m Natural resources: tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land Land use: arable land: 27.54% permanent crops: 6.93% other: 65.53% (2005) Irrigated land: 49,860 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: land subsidence in Bangkok area resulting from the deple¬ tion of the water table; droughts Environment— current issues: air pollu¬ tion from vehicle emissions; water pollu¬ tion from organic and factory wastes; deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife popu¬ lations threatened by illegal hunting Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea Geography — note: controls only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore PEOPLE Population: 65,068,149 note, estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mor¬ tality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the dis¬ tribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 21.6% (male 7,195,750/ female 6,870,858) 15-64 years: 70.1% (male 22,547,238/ female 23,092,881) 65 years and over: 8.2% (male 2,437,640/ female 2,923,782) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 32.4 years male: 31.6 years female: 33.2 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.663% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 13.73 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 7.1 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.047 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.916 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.834 male(s)/female total population: 0.979 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 18.85 deaths/1,000 live births male: 20.13 deaths/1,000 live births female: 17.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.55 years male: 70.24 years female: 74.98 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.64 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 1.5% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 570,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 58,000 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diar¬ rhea and hepatitis A vectorborne diseases : dengue fever, malaria, Japanese encephalitis, and plague are high risks in some locations animal contact disease: rabies water contact disease: leptospirosis note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2007) Nationality: noun: Thai (singular and plural) adjective: Thai Ethnic groups: Thai 75%, Chinese 14%, other 1 1 % Religions: Buddhist 94.6%, Muslim 4.6%, Christian 0.7%, other 0.1% (2000 census) Languuges. Thai, English (secondary language of the elite), ethnic and regional dialects 614 THAILAND Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.6% male: 94-9% female: 90.5% (2000 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Thailand conventional short form: Thailand heal long form: Ratcha Anachak Thai local short form: Prathet Thai former: Siam Government type: constitutional monarchy Capital: name: Bangkok geographic coordinates: 13 45 N, 100 31 E time differertce: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 76 provinces (changwat, singular and plural); Amnat Charoen, Ang Thong, Buriram, Chachoengsao, Chai Nat, Chaiyaphum, Chanthaburi, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Chon Buri, Chumphon, Kalasin, Kamphaeng Phet, Kanchanaburi, Khon Kaen, Krabi, Krung Thep Mahanakhon (Bangkok), Lampang, Lamphun, Loei, Lop Buri, Mae Hong Son, Maha Sarakham, Mukdahan, Nakhon Nayok, Nakhon Pathom, Nakhon Phanom, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Sawan, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Nan, Narathiwat, Nong Bua Lamphu, Nong Khai, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Pattani, Phangnga, Phatthalung, Phayao, Phetchabun, Phetchaburi, Phichit, Phitsanulok, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Phrae, Phuket, Prachin Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Ranong, Ratchaburi, Rayong, Roi Et, Sa Kaeo, Sakon Nakhon, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Samut Songkhram, Sara Buri, Satun, Sing Buri, Sisaket, Songkhla, Sukhothai, Suphan Buri, Surat Thani, Surin, Tak, Trang, Trat, Ubon Ratchathani, Udon Thani, Uthai Thani, Uttaradit, Yala, Yasothon Independence: 1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized) National holiday: Birthday of King PHUM1PHON, 5 December (1927) Constitution: constitution signed by King PHUMIPHON on 11 October 1997; abrogated on 19 September 2006 after coup; interim constitution promul¬ gated on 1 October 2006; coup leaders have promised new constitution by end of 2007 Legal system: based on civil law system, with influences of common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory Executive branch: chief of state: King PHUMIPHON Adunyadet (since 9 June 1946) head of government: Interim Prime Minister SURAYUT Chulanon (since 1 October 2006) note: Prime Minister THAKSIN Chin- nawat was overthrown on 19 September 2006 in a coup led by General SONTHI Boonyaratglin cabinet: Council of Ministers note: there is also a Privy Council elections: none; monarch is hereditary; according to 1997 constitution, prime minister was designated from among members of House of Representatives; fol¬ lowing national elections for House of Representatives, leader of party that could organize a majority coalition usually was appointed prime minister by king Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly or Rathasapha consisted of the Senate or Wuthisapha (2 00 seats; mem¬ bers elected by popular vote to serve six- year terms) and the House of Representatives or Sapha Phuthaen Ratsadon (500 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); after coup in September 2006, coup leaders appointed an interim National Assembly with 250 members to act as Senate and House of Representatives elections: Senate — last held on 19 April 2006; House of Representatives — last valid election held on 6 February 2005; elections held on 2 April 2006 invali¬ dated by court ruling; coup leaders sug¬ gest next general election will be held in December 2007 election results: Senate — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — NA; House of Representatives — (2005 elec¬ tion) percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — TRT 376, DP 97, TNP 25, PP 2 Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Sandika (judges appointed by the monarch) Political parties and leaders: Democrat Party or DP (Prachathipat Party) [ABHISIT Wetchachiwa]; People’s Party or PP (Mahachon Party) [ANEK Laothamatas]; Thai Nation Party or TNP (Chat Thai Party) [BARNHARN SILPA-ARCHA); Thai Party (Thai Rak) or TRT [CHATURON Chaisang]; note — dissolved by Constitutional Tribunal on 30 May 2007 Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIMSTEC, BIS, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signa¬ tory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC (observer), ONUB, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador KRIT Kan- chanakunchon chancery: 1024 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 401, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 944-3600 FAX: [11 (202) 944-3611 consula te(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ralph L. BOYCE embassy: 120-122 Wireless Road, Bangkok 10330 mailing address: APO AP 96546 telephone: [66] (2) 205-4000 FAX: [66] (2) 254-2990, 205-4131 consulate(s) general: Chiang Mai Flag description: five horizontal bands of red (top), white, blue (double width), white, and red ECONOMY Economy— overview: With a well- developed infrastructure, a free-enter¬ prise economy, and pro-investment policies, Thailand appears to have fully recovered from the 1997-98 Asian Financial Crisis. The country was one of East Asia’s best performers from 2002-04- Boosted by increased consumption and strong export growth, the Thai economy grew 6.9% in 2003 and 6.1% in 2004 despite a sluggish global economy. Bangkok has pursued preferential trade agreements with a variety of partners in an effort to boost exports and to maintain high growth. In late December 2004, a major tsunami took 8,500 lives in Thailand and caused massive destruction of property in the southern provinces of Krabi, Phangnga, and Phuket. In 2006, investment stagnated as investors, spooked by the THAKSIN administra¬ tion’s political problems, stayed on the sidelines. The military coup in September brought in a new economic team led by the former central bank governor. In December, the Thai Board of Investment reported the value of investment applica¬ tions from January to November had declined by 27% year-on-year. On the positive side, exports have performed at record levels, rising nearly 17% in 2006. Export-oriented manufacturing — in par¬ ticular automobile production — and farm output are driving these gains. 615 THE CIA WORE D FACTBOOK GDP (purchasing power parity): $596.5 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $197.7 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 4.8% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $9,200 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 10% industry: 44.9% services: 45.2% (2006 est.) Labor force: 36.41 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 49% industry: 14% services: 37% (2000 est.) Unemployment rate: 2.1% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 10% (2004 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 32.4% (1998) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 51.1 (2002) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.1% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 28.7% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $40.31 billion expenditures: $40.34 billion; including capital expenditures of $5 billion (2006 est.) Public debt: 43.5% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: rice, cassava (tapioca), rubber, corn, sugarcane, coconuts, soybeans Industries: tourism, textiles and gar- ments, agricultural processing, beverages, tobacco, cement, light manufacturing such as jewelry and electric appliances, computers and parts, integrated circuits, furniture, plastics, automobiles and auto- motive parts; world’s seconddargest tungsten producer and thirddargest tin producer Industrial production growth rate: 6% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 121.7 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 91.3% hydro: 6.4% nuclear: 0% other: 2.4% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 116.2 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 372 million kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 3.388 billion kWh (2004) Oil— production: 230,000 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil — consumption: 900,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Oil— proved reserves: 583 million bbl (November 2003) Natural gas — production: 22.36 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 29.86 bil¬ lion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 7.5 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 377.7 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $899.4 mil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $123.5 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: textiles and footwear, fishery products, rice, rubber, jewelry, automobiles, computers and electrical appliances Exports— partners: US 15.4%, Japan 13.6%, China 8.3%, Singapore 6.9%, Hong Kong 5.6%, Malaysia 5.2% (2005) Imports: $119.3 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: capital goods, intermediate goods and raw materials, consumer goods, fuels Imports— partners: Japan 22%, China 9.4%, US 7.4%, Malaysia 6.8%, UAE 4-8%, Singapore 4.6% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $59.06 billion (2006 est.) Debt— external: $57.83 billion (30 June 2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $72 million (2002) Currency (code): baht (THB) Currency code: THB Exchange rates: baht per US dollar— 37.882 (2006), 40.22 (2005), 40.222 (2004), 41.485 (2003), 42.96 (2002) Fiscgl year: 1 October-30 September COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 7 million (2005) Telephones — mobile cellular* 27 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: high quality syst especially in urban areas like Bangko domestic: fixed line system provided both a government owned and comn cial provider; wireless service expanc rapidly and outpacing fixed lines international: country code — 66; satel earth stations— 2 Intelsat (1 Ind Ocean 1 Pacific Ocean); land country for APCN submarine cable Radio broadcast stations: AM 204, 334, shortwave 6 (1999) Radios: 13.96 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 111 (2006) Televisions: 15.19 million (1997) Internet country code: th Internet hosts: 938,784 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 15 (2000) Internet users: 8.42 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 108 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 66 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 22 914 to 1,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 5 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 42 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 26 (2006) Heliports: 3 (2006) Pipelines: gas 3,760 km; refined prod¬ ucts 379 km (2006) Railways: total: 4,071 km narrow gauge: 4,071 km 1.000-m gauge (2005) RoadWGys: total: 57,403 km paved: 56,5 42 km unpaved: 861 km (2000) Waterways: 4,000 km note: 3,701 km navigable by boats with drafts up to 0.9 m (2005) Merchant marine: total. 400 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,808,509 GRT/4,3 17,320 DWT by type: bulk carrier 60, cargo 145, chem¬ ical tanker 14, container 21, liquefied gas 29, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 6, petro¬ leum tanker 91, refrigerated cargo 32, specialized tanker 1 foreign-owned: 45 (China 1, Egypt 1, Indonesia 1, Japan 4, Norway 30, Singapore 6, UK 2) registered in other countries: 34 (Bahamas 1, Mongolia 1, Panama 9, Singapore 22, Tuvalu 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Bangkok, Laem Chabang, Prachuap Port, Si Racha military Military branches: Royal Thai Army (RTA), Royal Thai Navy (RTN, includes Royal Thai Marine Corps), °ya Air F°rce (Knogtap Agard Thai, RTAF) (2006) Military service age and obligation: 21 years of age for compulsory military service; males are registered at 18 years of age; conscript service obligation— 2 years, 18 years of age for voluntary mili¬ tary service (2004) 616 TOGO Manpower available for military service: males age 21-4 9: 14,903,855 females age 21-49: 15,265,854 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 21-49: 10,396,032 females age 21-49: 11,487,690 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 526,276 females age 21-49: 514,396 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1.8% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: separatist vio¬ lence in Thailand’s predominantly Muslim southern provinces prompt border closures and controls with Malaysia to stem terrorist activities; Southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check the spread of avian flu; talks continue on comple¬ tion of demarcation with Laos but dis¬ putes remain over several islands in the Mekong River; despite continuing border committee talks, Thailand must deal with Karen and other ethnic rebels, refugees, and illegal cross-border activi¬ ties, and as of 2006, over 116,000 Karen, Hmong, and other refugees and asylum seekers from Burma; Cambodia and Thailand dispute sections of historic boundary with missing boundary markers; Cambodia claims Thai encroachments into Cambodian terri¬ tory and obstructing access to Preah Vihear temple ruins awarded to Cambodia by IC] decision in 1962; Thailand is studying the feasibility of jointly constructing the Hatgyi Dam on the Salween river near the border with Burma; in 2004, international environ¬ mentalist pressure prompted China to halt construction of 13 dams on the Salween River that flows through China, Burma, and Thailand Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: refugees (country of origin): 1 16,499 (Burma) (2006) Illicit drugs: a minor producer of opium, heroin, and marijuana; transit point for illicit heroin en route to the interna¬ tional drug market from Burma and Laos; eradication efforts have reduced the area of cannabis cultivation and shifted some production to neighboring countries; opium poppy cultivation has been reduced by eradication efforts; also a drug money-laundering center; minor role in methamphetamine production for regional consumption; major consumer of methamphetamine since the 1990s despite a series of government crackdowns TOGO Background: French Togoland became Togo in 1960. Gen. Gnassingbe EYADEMA, installed as military ruler in 1967, continued to rule into the 21st century. Despite the facade of multiparty elections instituted in the early 1990s, the government continued to be domi¬ nated by President EYADEMA, whose Rally of the Togolese People (RPT) party has maintained power almost continu¬ ally since 1967. Togo has come under fire from international organizations for human rights abuses and is plagued by political unrest. While most bilateral and multilateral aid to Togo remains frozen, the EU initiated a partial resumption of cooperation and development aid to Togo in late 2004 based upon commit¬ ments by Togo to expand opportunities for political opposition and liberalize portions of the economy. Upon his death in February 2005, President EYADEMA was succeeded by his son Faure GNASS¬ INGBE. The succession, supported by the military and in contravention of the nation’s constitution, was challenged by popular protest and a threat of sanctions from regional leaders. GNASSINGBE succumbed to pressure and in April 2005 held elections that legitimized his succes¬ sion. Legislative elections are scheduled for June 2007. GEOGRAPHY Location: Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin and Ghana Geographic coordinates: 8 00 N, 1 10 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 56,785 sq km land: 54,385 sq km water: 2,400 sq km Area — comparative: slightly smaller than West Virginia Land boundaries: total: 1,647 km border countries: Benin 644 km, Burkina Faso 126 km, Ghana 877 km Coastline: 56 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 30 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north Terrain: gently rolling savanna in north; central hills; southern plateau; low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Agou 986 m Natural resources: phosphates, lime¬ stone, marble, arable land Land use: arable land: 44-2% permanent crops : 2.11% other: 53.69% (2005) Irrigated land: 70 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: hot, dry harmattan wind can reduce visibility in north during winter; periodic droughts Environment— current issues: defor¬ estation attributable to slash-and-bum agriculture and the use of wood for fuel; water pollution presents health hazards and hinders the fishing industry; air pol¬ lution increasing in urban areas Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: the country’s length allows it to stretch through six distinct geographic regions; climate varies from tropical to savanna PEOPLE Population: 5,701,579 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mor¬ tality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would oth¬ erwise be expected (July 2007 est.) 617 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Age structure: 0-14 years: 42% (male 1,201,840/female 1,193,416) 15-64 years: 55.3% (male 1,535,855/ female 1,617,631) 65 years and over: 2.7% (male 61,658/ female 91,179) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 18.4 years male: 18 years female: 18.9 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.718% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 36.83 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 9.65 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.007 male(s)/female 15—64 years: 0.949 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.676 male(s)/female total population: 0.965 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 59.12 deaths/1,000 live births male: 66.56 deaths/1,000 live births female: 51.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 57.86 years male: 55.81 years female: 59.96 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 4.9 children bom/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 4.1% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 110,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 10,000 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorbome diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2007) Nationality: noun: Togolese (singular and plural) adjective: Togolese Ethnic groups: African (37 tribes; largest and most important are Ewe, Mina, and Kabre) 99%, European and Syrian- Lebanese less than 1 % Religions: Christian 29%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 51% Languages: French (official and the lan¬ guage of commerce), Ewe and Mina (the two major African languages in the south), Kabye (sometimes spelled Kabiye) and Dagomba (the two major African languages in the north) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 60.9% male: 75.4% female: 46.9% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Togolese Republic conventional short form: Togo local long form: Republique togolaise local short form: none former: French Togoland Government type: republic under transi¬ tion to multiparty democratic rule Capital: name: Lome geographic coordinates: 6 08 N, 1 13 E time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 5 regions (regions, singular — region); Centrale, Kara, Maritime, Plateaux, Savanes Independence: 27 April 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship) National holiday: Independence Day, 27 April (1960) Constitution: multiparty draft constitu¬ tion approved by High Council of the Republic 1 July 1992, adopted by public referendum 27 September 1992 Legal system: French-based court system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdic¬ tion, with reservations Suffrage: NA years of age; universal (adult) Executive branch: chief of state: President Faure GNASS- INGBE (since 6 February 2005); note — Gnassingbe EYADEMA died on 5 February 2005 and was succeeded by his son, Faure GNASSINGBE; popular elections in April 2005 validated the succession head of government: Prime Minister Yawovi AGBOYIBO (since 16 Sep¬ tember 2006) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held 24 April 2005 (next to be held by 2010); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Faure GNASSINGBE elected president; percent of vote — Faure GNASSINGBE 60.2%, Emman- TUeAw^kkani BOB 38'3%* Nicolas LAWSON 1%, Harry OLYMPIO 0 5% Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (81 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five- year terms) elections: last held on 27 October 2002 (next to be held on 24 June 2007) election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — RPT 72, RSDD 3, UDPS 2, Juvento 2, MOCEP 1, inde¬ pendents 1 Judicial branch: Court of Appeal or Cour d’Appel; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme Political parties and leaders: Action Committee for Renewal or CAR [Yawovi AGBOYIBO]; Democratic Convention of African Peoples or CDPA; Demo¬ cratic Party for Renewal or PDR; Juvento [Monsilia DJATO]; Movement of the Believers of Peace and Equality or MOCEP; Pan-African Patriotic Con¬ vergence or CPP; Rally for the Support for Development and Democracy or RSDD [Harry OLYMPIO]; Rally of the Togolese People or RPT [Faure GNASS¬ INGBE]; Socialist Pact for Renewal or PSR; Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Gagou KOKOUj; Union of Forces for a Change or UFC [Gilchrist OLYMPIO] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (corre¬ spondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) chancery: 2208 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-4212 FAX: [1] (202) 232-3190 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador David B. DUNN embassy: Angle Rue Kouenou and R.ue 15 Beniglato, Lome mailing address: B. P. 852, Lome telephone: [228] 221 29 91 through 221 29 94 FAX: [228] 221 79 52 Flag description: five equal horizontal bands of green (top and bottom) alter¬ nating with yellow; there is a white five- pointed star on a red square in the upper hoist-side comer; uses the popular pan- African colors of Ethiopia ECONOMY Economy— overview: This small, sub- oaharan economy is heavily dependent C n commercial and subsistence 618 TOGO agriculture, which provides employment for 65% of the labor force. Some basic foodstuffs must still be imported. Cocoa, coffee, and cotton generate about 40% of export earnings with cotton being the most important cash crop. Togo is the world’s fourth-largest producer of phos¬ phate. The government’s decade-long effort, supported by the World Bank and the IMF, to implement economic reform measures, encourage foreign investment, and bring revenues in line with expendi¬ tures has moved slowly. Progress depends on follow through on privatization, increased openness in government finan¬ cial operations, progress toward legisla¬ tive elections, and continued support from foreign donors. Togo is working with donors to write a Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) that could eventually lead to a debt reduction plan. GDP (purchasing power parity): $9,271 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $2,089 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 2% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $1,700 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 39.5% industry: 20.4% services: 40.1% (2003 est.) Labor force: 1.302 million (1998) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 65% industry: 5% services: 30% (1998 est.) Unemployment rate: NA% Population below poverty line: 32% (1989 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.8% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 22.4% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $260.2 million expenditures: $311 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: coffee, cocoa, cotton, yams, cassava (tapioca), corn, beans, rice, millet, sorghum; livestock; fish Industries: phosphate mining, agricul¬ tural processing, cement, handicrafts, textiles, beverages Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity — production: 286.2 million kWh (2004) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 98.7% hydro: 1.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 929.2 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 663 million kWh; note — electricity supplied by Ghana (2004) Oil — production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 14,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $261.9 mil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $868.4 million f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: reexports, cotton, phosphates, coffee, cocoa Exports— partners: Ghana 21.1%, Burkina Faso 18.2%, Benin 11.5%, Mali 7.3%, India 5.8%, Nigeria 4% (2005) Imports: $1,208 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — Commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum prod¬ ucts Imports— partners: France 17.8%, China 13.3%, Cote d’Ivoire 6.5%, Italy 4.5%, Spain 4.3% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $333.9 million (2006 est.) Debt— external: $2 billion (2005) Economic aid— recipient: ODA, $80 million (2000 est.) Currency (code): Communaute Finan¬ cier Africaine franc (XOF); note — responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States Currency code: XOF Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar— 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 58,600 (2005) Telephones — mobile cellular: 443,600 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: fair system based on a network of microwave radio relay routes supplemented by open-wire lines and a mobile cellular system domestic: microwave radio relay and open-wire lines for conventional system international: country code — 228; satel¬ lite earth stations — 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Symphonie Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (1998) Radios: 940,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 3 (plus 2 repeaters) (1997) Televisions: 73,000 (1997) Internet country code: tg Internet hosts: 520 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3 (2001) Internet users: 300,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 9 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 2 (2006) Railways: total: 568 km narrow gauge: 568 km 1.000-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 7,520 km paved: 2,376 km unpaved: 5,144 km (1999) Waterways: 50 km (seasonally on Mono River depending on rainfall) (2005) Merchant marine: total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,918 GRT/3,852 DWT by type: cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 1 (2006) Ports and terminals: Kpeme, Lome MILITARY Military branches: Togolese Armed Forces (FAT): Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie (2005) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 18—49: 1,102,661 females age 18—49: 1,124,463 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18—49: 696,933 females age 18—49: 707,821 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1.6% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— International: in 2001, Benin claimed Togo moved boundary monuments — joint commission con¬ tinues to resurvey the boundary; in 2006 14,000 Togolese refugees remain in Benin and Ghana out of the 40,000 who fled there in 2005 Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: refugees (country of origin): 8,000 (Ghana) IDPs: 1,500 (2006) 619 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Trafficking in persons: current situation: Togo is a source, transit, and destination country for children, women, and men trafficked for forced labor and sexual exploitation; the majority of victims are children, and trafficking within the country is more prevalent than interna¬ tional trafficking; children are trafficked to work as domestic servants, produce porters, roadside sellers, agricultural laborers, and for sexual exploitation; Togolese women may be trafficked to Europe for forced labor and sexual exploitation tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List Togo is placed on the Tier 2 Watch List for failure to show evidence of increased efforts to combat trafficking over the past year, particularly in the areas of prosecu¬ tion and protection Illicit drugs: transit hub for Nigerian heroin and cocaine traffickers; money laundering not a significant problem TOKELAU INTRODUCTION Background: Originally settled by Polynesian emigrants from surrounding island groups, the Tokelau Islands were made a British protectorate in 1889. They were transferred to New Zealand administration in 1925. GEOGRAPHY Location: Oceania, group of three atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about one- half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand Geographic coordinates: 9 00 S, 172 00 W Map references: Oceania Area: total: 10 sq km land: 10 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 101 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November) Terrain: low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 5 m Natural resources: NEGL Land use: arable land: 0% (soil is thin and infertile) permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: lies in Pacific typhoon belt Environment — current issues: limited natural resources and overcrowding are contributing to emigration to New Zealand Geography— note: consists of three atolls (Atafu, Fakaofo, Nukunonu), each with a lagoon surrounded by a number of reef-bound islets of varying length and rising to over 3 m above sea level PEOPLE Population: 1,449 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 42% 15-64 years: 53% 65 years and over: 5% Population growth rate: -0.018% (2007 est.) Birth rate: NA Death rate: NA Net migration rate: NA Sex ratio: NA Infant mortality rate: total: NA male: NA female: NA Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA male: NA female: NA Total fertility rate: NA HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS — deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Tokelauan(s) adjective: Tokelauan Ethnic groups: Polynesian Religions: Congregational Christian Church 70%, Roman Catholic 28%, other 2% note: on Atafu, all Congregational Christian Church of Samoa; on Nukunonu, all Roman Catholic; on Fakaofo, both denominations, with the Congregational Christian Church pre¬ dominant Languages: Tokelauan (a Polynesian language), English Literacy: NA GOVERNMENT / Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Tokelau Dependency status: self-administering territory of New Zealand; note — Tokelau and New Zealand have agreed to a draft constitution as Tokelau moves toward free association with New Zealand; a UN sponsored referendum on self gover¬ nance in February 2006 did not produce the two-thirds majority vote necessary for changing the political status Government type: NA Capital: none; each atoll has its own administrative center time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: none (terri¬ tory of New Zealand) Independence: none (territory of New Zealand) National holiday: Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sover- eignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840) Constitution: administered under the Tokelau Islands Act of 1948; amended in 1970 Legal system: New Zealand and local statutes Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General of New Zealand Anand SATYANAND (since 23 August 2006), New Zealand is represented by Administrator David PAYTON (since 17 October 2006) head of government: Kolouei O’BRIEN (2006), note position rotates annually among the three Faipule (village leaders) cabinet: the Council for the Ongoing "overnment of Tokelau, consisting of three baipule (village leaders) and three u enu u (village mayors), functions as a cabinet 620 TONGA elections: none; the monarch is heredi¬ tary; administrator appointed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade in New Zealand; the head of government is chosen from the Council of Faipule and serves a one-year term Legislative branch: unicameral General Fono (21 seats; based upon proportional representation from the three islands elected by popular vote to serve three- year terms; Nukunonu has six seats, Fakaofo has seven seats, Atafu has eight seats); note — the Tokelau Amendment Act of 1996 confers limited legislative power on the General Fono elections: last held January 2005 (next to be held January 2008) Judicial branch: Supreme Court in New Zealand exercises civil and criminal jurisdiction in Tokelau Political parties and leaders: none Political pressure groups and leaders: none International organization participa¬ tion: PIF (observer), SPC, UNESCO (associate), UPU Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of New Zealand) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of New Zealand) Flag description: the flag of New Zealand is used ECONOMY Economy— overview: Tokelau’s small size (three villages), isolation, and lack of resources greatly restrain economic development and confine agriculture to the subsistence level. The people rely heavily on aid from New Zealand — about $4 million annually— to maintain public services with annual aid being substan¬ tially greater than GDP. The principal sources of revenue come from sales of copra, postage stamps, souvenir coins, and handicrafts. Money is also remitted to families from relatives in New Zealand. GDP (purchasing power parity): $1.5 million (1993 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): NA GDP— real growth rate: NA% GDP— per capita (PPP): $1,000 (1993 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% Labor force: 440 (2001) Unemployment rate: NA% Population below poverty line: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA% Budget: revenues: $430,800 experiditures: $2.8 million; including cap¬ ital expenditures of $NA (1987 est.) Agriculture— products: coconuts, copra, breadfruit, papayas, bananas; pigs, poultry, goats; fish Industries: small-scale enterprises for copra production, woodworking, plaited craft goods; stamps, coins; fishing Electricity— production: NA kWh Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: NA kWh Exports: $0 f.o.b. (2002) Exports— commodities: stamps, copra, handicrafts Exports— partners: New Zealand (2004) Imports: $969,200 c.i.f. (2002) Imports— commodities: foodstuffs, building materials, fuel Imports— partners: New Zealand (2004) Economic aid— recipient: about $4 mil¬ lion annually from New Zealand Currency (code): New Zealand dollar (NZD) Currency code: NZD Exchange rates: New Zealand dollars per US dollar — 1.5408 (2006), 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002) Fiscal year: 1 April— 31 March COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 300 (2002) Telephones— mobile cellular: 0 (2001) Telephone system: general assessment: modern satellite- based communications system domestic: radiotelephone service between islands international: country code— 690; radio¬ telephone service to Samoa; govern¬ ment-regulated telephone service (TeleTok), with 3 satellite earth stations Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA (one radio station provides service to all islands) (2002) Radios: 1,000 (1997) Internet country code: tk Internet hosts: 298 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): l (2000) Internet users: NA TRANSPORTATION Ports and terminals: none; offshore anchorage only MILITARY Military — note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of New Zealand TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: Tokelau in¬ cluded American Samoa’s Swains Island (Olohega) in its 2006 draft constitution TONGA INTRODUCTION Background: Tonga — unique among Pacific nations — never completely lost its indigenous governance. The archipelagos of “The Friendly Islands” were united into a Polynesian kingdom in 1845. Tonga became a constitutional monarchy in 1875 and a British protectorate in 1900; it with¬ drew from the protectorate and joined the Commonwealth of Nations in 1970. Tonga remains the only monarchy in the Pacific. GEOGRAPHY Location: Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand Geographic coordinates: 20 00 S, 175 00 w Map references: Oceania Area: total: 748 sq km land: 718 sq km water: 30 sq km Area — comparative: four times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 419 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation 621 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Climate: tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December) Terrain: most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral forma¬ tion; others have limestone overlying volcanic base Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Kao Island 1,033 m Natural resources: fish, fertile soil Land use: arable land: 20% permanent crops : 14-67% other: 65.33% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo’ou Environment — current issues: defor¬ estation results as more and more land is being cleared for agriculture and settle¬ ment; some damage to coral reefs from starfish and indiscriminate coral and shell collectors; overhunting threatens native sea turtle populations Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: archipelago of 169 islands (36 inhabited) PEOPLE Population: 116,921 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 34-6% (male 20,624/female 19,779) 15-64 years: 61.2% (male 35,551/female 36,052) 65 years and over: 4-2% (male 2,087/ female 2,828) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 21.3 years male: 20.7 years female: 21.8 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.847% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 23.67 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 5.2 deaths/1 ,000 population (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/i,ooo population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.043 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.986 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.738 male(s)/female total population: 0.993 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 11.99 deaths/1,000 live births male: 13.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.12 years male: 67.6 years female: 72.76 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.75 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Tongan(s) adjective: Tongan Ethnic groups: Polynesian, Europeans Religions: Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents) Languages: Tongan, English Literacy: definition: can read and write Tongan and/or English total population: 98.9% male: 98.8% female: 99% (1999 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga conventional short form: Tonga local long form: Pule’anga Tonga local short form: Tonga former: Friendly Islands Government type: constitutional monarchy Capital: name: Nukualofa geographic coordinates: 2108S, 175 12 W time difference: UTC+13 (18 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 3 island groups; Ha’apai, Tongatapu, Vava’u Independence: 4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate) National holiday: Emancipation Day, 4 June (1970) Constitution: 4 November 1875; revised 1 January 1967 Legal system: based on English common law Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: King George TUPOU V (since 11 September 2006) head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Feleti SEVELE (since 1 1 February 2006); Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Viliami TANGI (since 16 May 2006) cabinet. Cabinet consists of 14 members, 10 appointed by the monarch for life; four appointed from among the elected members of the Legislative Assembly, including two each from the nobles’ and peoples’ representatives serving three- year terms note: there is also a Privy Council that consists of the monarch, the cabinet, and two governors elections: none; the monarch is heredi¬ tary; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the monarch Legislative branch: unicameral Legis¬ lative Assembly or Fale Alea (32 seats — 14 reserved for cabinet ministers sitting ex officio, nine for nobles selected by the country’s 33 nobles, and nine elected by popular vote; members serve three-year terms) elections: last held on 21 March 2005 (next to be held in 2008) election results: Peoples Representatives: percent of vote — HRDMT 70%, other 30%; seats — HRDMT 7, independents 2 Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch); Court of Appeal (Chief Justice and high court jus¬ tices from overseas chosen and approved by Privy Council) Political parties and leaders: People’s Democratic Party [Tesina FUKO] Political pressure groups and leaders: Human Rights and Democracy Movement Tonga or HRDMT [Rev. Simote VEA, chairman]; Public Serv¬ ant’s Association [Finau TUTONE] International organization participa¬ tion: ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, ITUC, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Fekitamo- eloa ‘UTOIKAMANU chancery: 250 East 51st Street, New York, NY 10022 telephone: [1] (917) 369-1025 FAX: [1] (917) 369-1024 consulate(s) general: San Francisco Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Tonga; the ambassador to Fiji is accred¬ ited to Tonga Flag description: red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper hoist-side comer ECONOMY Economy— overview: Tonga has a small, open, South Pacific island economy. It has a narrow export base in agricultural goods. Squash, coconuts, bananas, and vanilla beans are the main crops, and agricultural exports make up two-thirds of total exports. The country must import a high proportion of its food, 622 TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO mainly from New Zealand. The country remains dependent on external aid and remittances from Tongan communities overseas to offset its trade deficit. Tourism is the second-largest source of hard currency earnings following remit¬ tances. The government is emphasizing the development of the private sector, especially the encouragement of invest¬ ment, and is committing increased funds for health and education. Tonga has a reasonably sound basic infrastructure and well-developed social services. High unemployment among the young, a con¬ tinuing upturn in inflation, pressures for democratic reform, and rising civil service expenditures are major issues facing the government. GDP (purchasing power parity): $178.5 million (2004 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $244 mil¬ lion (2005 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 2.4% (2005 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $2,200 (2005 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 23% industry: 27% services: 50% (FY03/04 est.) Labor force: 33,910 (2003) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 65% industry and services: 35% (1997 est.) Unemployment rate: 13% (FY03/04 est.) Population below poverty line: 24% (FY03/04) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 11.1% (2005 est.) Budget: revenues: $56.97 million expenditures: $83.88 million; including capital expenditures of $1.9 million (FY04/05) Agriculture— products: squash, coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper; fish Industries: tourism, fishing Industrial production growth rate: 1% (2003 est.) Electricity— production: 41 million kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 38.13 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil — production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — Consumption: 900 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $4,321 mil¬ lion (FY04/05) Exports: $34 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) Exports— commodities: squash, fish, vanilla beans, root crops Exports— partners: Japan 41.8%, US 33.4%, NZ 6.3% (2005) imports: $122 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) Imports— commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, chemicals Imports— partners: NZ 33.4%, Fiji 26.6%, Australia 10.5%, US 8.4% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $40.83 million (yearend, FY 04/05) Debt— external: $80.7 million (2004) Economic aid— recipient: $19 .3 million (2004) Currency (code): pa anga (TOP) Currency code: TOP Exchange rates: pa’anga per US dollar — 2.0277 (2006), 1.96 (2005), 1.9716 (2004), 2.142 (2003), 2.1952 (2002) Fiscal year: 1 July— 30 June COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 11,200 (2002) Telephones— mobile cellular: 16,400 (2004) Telephone system: general assessment: competition between Tonga Telecommunications Corporation (TCC) and Shoreline Communications Tonga (SCT) is accelerating expansion of telecommunications; SCT recently granted authority to develop high-speed digital service for telephone, Internet, and television domestic: fully automatic switched network international: country code — 676; satel¬ lite earth station — 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2004) Radio broadcast stations: AM l, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001) Radios: 61,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 3 (2004) Televisions: 2,000 (1997) Internet country code: to Internet hosts: 18,775 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000) Internet users: 3,000 (2004) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 6 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 5 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m:3 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Roadways: total: 680 km paved: 184 km unpaved: 496 km (1999) Merchant marine: total: 16 ships (1000 GRT or over) 62,185 GRT/7 2,960 DWT by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 10, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1 foreign-owned: 4 (Australia 1, Norway 1, Switzerland 1, UK 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Nuku alofa MILITARY Military branches: Tonga Defense Services: Land Force (Royal Guard), Naval Force (includes Royal Marines, Air Wing) (2006) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age (est.) (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 25,420 females age 1 8 — 49 : 24,827 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 19,840 females age 18-49: 21,342 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 1,586 females age 18-49: 1,538 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 0.9% (2006 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: none TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO INTRODUCTION L-'"\ * ’• Background: First colonized by the Spanish, the islands came under British control in the early 19th cen¬ tury. The islands’ sugar industry was hurt by the emancipation of the slaves in 1834. Manpower was replaced with the importation of contract laborers from India between 1845 and 1917, which boosted sugar production as well as the cocoa industry. The dis¬ covery of oil on Trinidad in 1910 added another important export. Independence was attained in 1962. The country is one of the most pros¬ perous in the Caribbean thanks largely to petroleum and natural gas produc¬ tion and processing. Tourism, mostly in Tobago, is targeted for expansion and is growing. 623 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK GEOGRAPHY Location: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela Geographic coordinates: 1 1 00 N, 61 00 W Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total: 5,128 sq km land: 5,128 sq km water: 0 sq km Area— comparative: slightly smaller than Delaware Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 362 km Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental margin Climate: tropical; rainy season (June to December) Terrain: mostly plains with some hills and low mountains Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: El Cerro del Aripo 940 m Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, asphalt Land use: arable land: 14.62% permanent crops: 9.16% other: 76.22% (2005) Irrigated land: 40 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: outside usual path of hurricanes and other tropical storms Environment— current issues: water pollution from agricultural chemicals, industrial wastes, and raw sewage; oil pollution of beaches; deforestation; soil erosion Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Com servation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: Pitch Lake, on Trinidad’s southwestern coast, is the world’s largest natural reservoir of asphalt PEOPLE Population: 1,056,608 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 19.5% (male 105,994/female 100,156) 15-64 years: 71.6% (male 397,699/ female 358,755) 65 years and over: 8.9% (male 42,039/ female 51,965) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 31.8 years male: 31.3 years female: 32.3 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.883% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 13.07 births/1, 000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 10.76 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -11.13 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male (s)/fe male under 15 years: 1.058 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.109 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.809 male(s)/female total population: 1.068 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 24.33 deaths/1,000 live births male: 26.15 deaths/1,000 live births female: 22.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 66.85 years male: 65.87 years female: 67.87 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.74 children bom/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 3.2% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/' AIDS: 29,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 1,900 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Trinidadian(s), Tobagonian(s) adjective: Trinidadian, Tobagonian Ethnic groups: Indian (South Asian) 40%, African 37.5%, mixed 20.5%, other 1.2%, unspecified 0.8% (2000 census) Religions: Roman Catholic 26%, Hindu 22.5%, Anglican 7.8%, Baptist 7.2%, Pentecostal 6.8%, Muslim 5.8%' Seventh Day Adventist 4%, other Christian 5.8%, other 10.8%, unspeci¬ fied 1.4%, none 1.9% (2000 census) Languages: English (official), Carib¬ bean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Lrench, Spanish, Chinese Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.6% male: 99.1% female: 98% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Trinidad and Tobago conventional short form: Trinidad and Tobago Government type: parliamentary democracy Capital: name: Port-of-Spain geographic coordinates: 1039N, 61 31 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 9 regional cor¬ porations, 2 city corporations, 3 borough corporations, 1 ward regional corporations: Couva/Tabaquite/ Talparo, Diego Martin, Mayaro/Rdo Claro, Penal/Debe, Princes Town, Sangre Grande, San Juan/Laventille, Siparia, Tunapuna/Piarco city corporations: Port-of-Spain, San Fernando borough corporations: Arima, Chaguanas, Point Fortin ward: Tobago Independence: 31 August 1962 (from UK) National holiday: Independence Day, 31 August (1962) Constitution: 1 August 1976 Legal system: based on English common law; judicial review of legisla¬ tive acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President George Maxwell RICHARDS (since 17 March 2003) head of government: Prime Minister Patrick MANNING (since 24 December 2001) cabinet: Cabinet appointed from among the members of Parliament elections: president elected by an elec¬ toral college, which consists of the mem¬ bers of the Senate and House of Representatives, for a five-year term (eli¬ gible for a second term); election last held on 14 February 2003 (next to be held by January 2008); the president usu¬ ally appoints as prime minister the leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives election results: George Maxwell RICHARDS elected president; percent of electoral college vote _ 43% 624 TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO Legislative branch: bicameral Parlia¬ ment consists of the Senate (31 seats; 16 members appointed by the ruling party, nine by the President, six by the opposi¬ tion party to serve a maximum term of five years) and the House of Repre¬ sentatives (36 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Representatives — last held on 7 October 2002 (next to be held by October 2007) election results: House of Represent¬ atives — percent of vote — PNM 55.5%, UNO 44.5%; seats by party — PNM 20, UNO 16 note: Tobago has a unicameral House of Assembly with 12 members serving four- year terms; last election held in January 2005; seats by party — PNM 11, DAC 1 Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Judicature (comprised of the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeals; the chief justice is appointed by the presi¬ dent after consultation with the prime minister and the leader of the opposi¬ tion; other justices are appointed by the president on the advice of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission); High Court of Justice; Caribbean Court of Appeals member; Court of Appeals; the highest court of appeal is the Privy Council in London Political parties and leaders: Congress of the People [Winston DOOKERAN]; Democratic National Alliance or DNA [Gerald YETMING] (coalition of NAR, DDPT, MND); Movement for National Development or MND [Garvin NICHO¬ LAS]; National Alliance for Recon¬ struction or NAR [Dr. Carson CHARLES]; People’s National Move¬ ment or PNM [Patrick MANNING]; United National Congress or UNC [Basdeo PANDAY]; Democratic Action Congress or DAC [Hochoy CHARLES] (only active in Tobago) Political pressure groups and leaders: Jamaat-al Muslimeen [Yasin BAKR] International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-24, G- 77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Marina Annette VALERE chancery: 1708 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 467-6490 FAX: [1] (202) 785-3130 consulate(s) general: Miami, New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Roy L. AUSTIN embassy: 15 Queen’s Park West, Port-of- Spain mailing address: P. O. Box 752, Port-of- Spain telephone: [1] (868) 622-6371 through 6376 FAX: [1] (868) 628-5462 Flag description: red with a white-edged black diagonal band from the upper hoist side to the lower fly side ECONOMY Economy— overview: Trinidad and Tobago, the leading Caribbean producer of oil and gas, has earned a reputation as an excellent investment site for interna¬ tional businesses. Tourism is a growing sector, although it is not proportionately as important as in many other Caribbean islands. The economy benefits from a growing trade surplus. Economic growth in 2006 reached 12.6% as prices for oil, petrochemicals, and liquefied natural gas remained high, and foreign direct invest¬ ment continued to grow to support expanded capacity in the energy sector. The government is coping with a rise in violent crime. GDP (purchasing power parity): $21.12 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $14.9 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 11.9% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $19,800 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 0.7% industry: 57.7% services: 41.5% (2006 est.) Labor force: 618,000 (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture 9.5%, manufacturing, min¬ ing, and quarrying 14%, construction and utilities 12.4%, services 64.1% (1997 est.) Unemployment rate: 7% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 21% (1992 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 19.1% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues : $6,591 billion expenditures: $5,649 billion; including capital expenditures of $117.3 million (2006 est.) Public debt: 36.6% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: cocoa, rice, citrus, coffee, vegetables; poultry Industries: petroleum, chemicals, tourism, food processing, cement, bev¬ erage, cotton textiles Industrial production growth rate: 17% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 6.049 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 99.8% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0.2% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 5.626 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 150,000 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— consumption: 34,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Oil— proved reserves: 990 million bbl ( 1 January 2004) Natural gas — production: 28.09 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 14.15 bil¬ lion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — exports: 13.94 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — imports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — proved reserves: 733 bil¬ lion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $3,259 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $12.5 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, steel products, fertilizer, sugar, cocoa, coffee, citrus, flowers Exports — partners: US 68.6%, Jamaica 5.4%, Barbados 2.9% (2005) Imports: $8,798 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — Commodities: machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food, live animals Imports — partners: US 27.2%, Venezuela 13.1%, Brazil 13.1%, Japan 5.4%, Canada 4.1% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $6,888 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $2,838 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $24 million (1999 est.) Currency (code): Trinidad and Tobago dollar (TTD) Currency code: TTD Exchange rates: Trinidad and Tobago dollars per US dollar — 6.3107 (2006), 6.2842 (2005), 6.299 (2004), 6.2951 (2003), 6.2487 (2002) 625 THE CIA WORID factbook Fiscal year: 1 October — 30 September COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 323,500 (2005) Telephones — mobile cellular: 800,000 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: excellent interna¬ tional service; good local service domestic: NA international: country code — 1-868; satel¬ lite earth station — 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Barbados and Guyana Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 18, shortwave 0 (2001) Radios: 680,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 6 (2005) Televisions: 425,000 (1997) Internet country code: tt Internet hosts: 30,732 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 17 (2000) Internet users: 160,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 6 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 m: 1 unpaved runways: total: 3 1,524 to 2,437 Airports — with 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2006) Pipelines: condensate 253 km; gas km; oil 571 km (2006) 1,278 Roadways: total: 8,320 km paved: 4,252 km unpaved: 4,068 km (1999) Merchant marine: ___ total. 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 16,760 GRT/7,941 DWT by type: liquefied gas 1, passenger 2, pas- senger/cargo 3, petroleum tankei 2 foreign'owned: 1 (US 1) registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Pointe-a-Pierre, Point Lisas, Port-of-Spain MILITARY Military branches: Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force: Ground Force, Coast Guard (includes air wing) (2004) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 290,715 females age 18-49: 258,410 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18—49: 202,958 females age 18—49: 1 7 3,79 r (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of GDP: 0.3% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: in April 2006, the Permanent Court of Arbitration issued a decision that delimited a mar¬ itime boundary with Trinidad and Tobago and compelled Barbados to enter a fishing agreement that limited Barbadian fishermen’s catches of flying fish in Trinidad and Tobago’s exclusive economic zone; in 2005, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago agreed to compul¬ sory international arbitration under UNCLOS challenging whether the northern limit of Trinidad and Tobago s and Venezuela’s maritime boundary extends into Barbadian waters; Guyana has also expressed its intention to include itself in the arbitration as the Trinidad and Tobago-Venezuela mar¬ itime boundary may extend into its waters as well Illicit drugs: transshipment, point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; producer of cannabis TUNISIA INTRODUCTION Background: Rivalry between French and Italian interests in Tunisia culmi¬ nated in a French invasion in 1881 and the creation of a protectorate. Agitation for independence in the decades fol¬ lowing World War I was finally successful in getting the French to recognize Tunisia as an independent state in 1956. The country’s first president, Flabib BOURGUIBA, established a strict one- party state. He dominated the country for 31 years, repressing Islamic funda¬ mentalism and establishing rights for women unmatched by any other Arab nation. Tunisia has long taken a mod¬ erate, non-aligned stance in its foreign relations. Domestically, it has sought to defuse rising pressure for a more open political society. GEOGRAPHY Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya Geographic coordinates: 34 00 N, 9 00 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 163,610 sq km land: 155,360 sq km water: 8,250 sq km Area — comparative: slightly larger than Georgia Land boundaries: total: 1,424 km border countries: Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km Coastline: 1,148 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm Climate: temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south Terrain: mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south merges into the Sahara Elevation extremes: lowest point: Shatt al Gharsah -17 m highest point: Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 m Natural resources: petroleum, phos¬ phates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt Land use: arable land: 17.05% permanent crops: 13.08% other: 69.87% (2005) Irrigated land: 3,940 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: NA Environment — current issues: toxic and hazardous waste disposal is ineffec¬ tive and poses health risks; water pollu¬ tion from raw sewage; limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation Geography — note: strategic location in central Mediterranean; Malta and Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil exploration PEOPLE Population: 10,276,158 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 24% (male 1,270,208/female 1,191,619) 626 TUNISIA 15-64 years: 69.2% (male 3,571,228/ female 3,538,458) 65 years and over: 6.9% (male 333,801/ female 370,844) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 28.3 years male: 27.7 years female: 28.8 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.989% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 15.54 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 5.17 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -0.47 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.066 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.009 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 1.015 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 22.94 deaths/1,000 live births male: 25.75 deaths/ 1,000 live births female: 19.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.34 years male: 73.6 years female: 77.21 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.73 children bom/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2005 est.) HIV/AIDS — people living with HIV/ AIDS: 1,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diar¬ rhea and hepatitis A vectorbome diseases: may be a significant risk in some locations during the trans¬ mission season (typically April through November) (2007) Nationality: noun: Tunisian(s) adjective: Tunisian Ethnic groups: Arab 98%, European 1%, Jewish and other 1% Religions: Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1% Languages: Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 74-3% male: 83.4% female: 65.3% (2004 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Tunisian Republic conventional short form: Tunisia local long form: A1 Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah local short form: Tunis Government type: republic Capital: name: Tunis geographic coordinates: 36 48 N, 10 11 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: + lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 24 gover- norates; Ariana (Aryanah), Beja (Bajah), Ben Arous (Bin ‘Arus), Bizerte (Banzart), Gabes (Qabis), Gafsa (Qafsah), Jendouba (Jundubah), Kairouan (A1 Qayrawan), Kasserine (A1 Qasrayn), Kebili (Qibili), Kef (A1 Kaf), Mahdia (A1 Mahdiyah), Manouba (Manubah), Medenine (Madanin), Monastir (A1 Munastir), Nabeul (Nabul), Sfax (Safaqis), Sidi Bou Zid (Sidi Bu Zayd), Siliana (Silyanah), Sousse (Susah), Tataouine (Tatawin), Tozeur (Tawzar), Tunis, Zaghouan (Zaghwan) Independence: 20 March 1956 (from France) National holiday: Independence Day, 20 March (1956) Constitution: 1 June 1959; amended 1988, 2002 Legal system: based on French civil law system and Islamic law; some judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court in joint session Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal except for active duty military Executive branch: chief of state: President Zine el Abidine BEN ALI (since 7 November 1987) head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed GHANNOUCHI (since 17 November 1999) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held on 24 October 2004 (next to be held in October 2009); prime minister appointed by the president election results: President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI reelected for a fourth term; percent of vote — Zine El Abidine BEN ALI 94.5%, Mohamed BOUCHIHA 3.8%, Mohamed Ali HALOUANI 1% Legislative branch: bicameral system consists of the Chamber of Deputies or Majlis al-Nuwaab (189 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Advisors (126 seats; 85 members elected by municipal counselors, deputies, mayors, and profes¬ sional associations and trade unions; 41 members are presidential appointees; members serve six-year terms) elections: Chamber of Deputies — last held on 24 October 2004 (next to be held in October 2009); Chamber of Advisors — last held on 3 July 2005 (next to be held in July 2011) election results: Chamber of Deputies — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — RCD 152, MDS 14, PUP 11, UDU 7, Al-Tajdid 3, PSL 2; Chamber of Advisors — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — RCD 71 (14 trade union seats vacant (boycotted)) Judicial branch: Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation Political parties and leaders: Al-Tajdid Movement [Ali HALOUANI]; Constitutional Democratic Rally Party (Rassemblement Constitutionnel Demo- cratique) or RCD (official ruling party) [President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI]; Green Party for Progress or PVP [Mongi KHAMASSI]; Liberal Social Party or PSL [Mounir BEJ I] ; Movement of Socialist Democrats or MDS [Ismail BOULAHYA]; Popular Unity Party or PUP [Mohamed BOUCHIHA]; Pro¬ gressive Democratic Party [Nejib CHEBBI]; Unionist Democratic Union or UDU [Ahmed INOUBLI] 627 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Political pressure groups and leaders: 18 October Group [collective leader- ship]; Democratic Forum for Labor and Liberties or FDTL [Mustapha Ben JAFAAR]; Tunisian League for Human Rights or LTDH [Mokhtar TRIFI]; note — the Islamic fundamentalist party, A1 Nahda (Renaissance), is outlawed International organization participa¬ tion: ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BSEC (observer), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC (suspended), OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UN WTO, UPU, WOO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Nejib HACHANA chancery: 1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 862-1850 FAX: [1] (202) 862-1858 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert F. GODEC embassy: Zone Nord-Est des Berges du Lac Nord de Tunis 1053 mailing address : use embassy street address telephone: [216] 71 107-000 FAX: [216] 71 107-090 Flag description: red with a white disk in the center bearing a red crescent nearly encircling a red five-pointed star; the crescent and star are traditional sym¬ bols of Islam ECONOMY Economy— overview: Tunisia has a diverse economy, with important agricul¬ tural, mining, energy, tourism, and man¬ ufacturing sectors. Governmental control of economic affairs while still heavy has gradually lessened over the past decade with increasing privatiza¬ tion, simplification of the tax structure, and a prudent approach to debt. Progressive social policies also have helped raise living conditions in Tunisia relative to the region. Real growth slowed to a 15 -year low of 1.9% in 2002 because of agricultural drought and lack¬ luster tourism. Increased rain helped to push GDP growth to an average rate of 5% in 2003-05. However, a recession in agriculture, weak expansion in the tourism and textile sectors, and increasing import costs due to rising world energy prices cut growth to 4% in 2006. Tunisia is gradually removing bar¬ riers to trade with the EU. Broader priva¬ tization, further liberalization of the investment code to increase foreign investment, improvements in govern¬ ment efficiency, and reduction of the trade deficit are among the challenges GDP (purchasing power parity): $89.74 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $33.29 billion (2006 est.) QDP—real growth rate: 5.1% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $8,800 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 12.8% industry: 31% services: 56.2% (2006 est.) Labor force: 3.502 million note: shortage of skilled labor (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 55% industry: 23% services: 22% (1995 est.) Unemployment rate: 13.9% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 7.4% (2005 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 31.8% (1995) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 40 (2005 est.) inflation rate (consumer prices): 4 6% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 22.3% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $7,728 billion expenditures: $8,734 billion; including capital expenditures of $1.6 billion (2006 est.) Public debt: 57.3% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: olives, olive oil, grain, tomatoes, citrus fruit, sugar beets, dates, almonds; beef, dairy products Industries: petroleum, mining (particu¬ larly phosphate and iron ore), tourism, textiles, footwear, agribusiness, beverages Industrial production growth rate: 4.7% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 11.81 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 99.5% hydro: 0.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 10.97 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 15 million kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 5 million kWh (2004) Oil — production: 81,530 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — consumption: 89,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: NA bbl/day Oil — imports: NA bbl/day 0j| — proved reserves: 1.7 billion bbl (2006 est.) Natural gas— production: 2.4 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 3.7 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 1.3 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 77.87 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: -$760 million (2006 est.) Exports: $11.61 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: clothing, semi¬ finished goods and textiles, agricultural products, mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals, hydrocarbons Exports — partners: France 32.9%, Italy 24%, Germany 8.4%, Spain 5.5%, Libya 4.5% (2005) Imports: $13.89 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: textiles, ma¬ chinery and equipment, hydrocarbons, chemicals, foodstuffs Imports— partners: France 23.5%, Italy 20.9%, Germany 8.2%, Spain 5.1% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $6,646 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $18.37 billion (30 June 2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $328 million (2004) Currency (code): Tunisian dinar (TND) Currency code: TND Exchange rates: Tunisian dinars per US dollar— 1.331 (2006), 1.2974 (2005), 1.2455 (2004), 1.2885 (2003), 1.4217 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 1.258 million (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 5.681 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: above the African average and continuing to be upgraded; key centers are Sfax, Sousse, Bizerte, and Tunis; Internet access available domestic: trunk facilities consist of open- wire lines, coaxial cable, and microwave radio relay international: country code — 216; 5 sub¬ marine cables; satellite earth stations — 1 Intelsat t Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria and Libya; participant in 628 TURKEY Medarabtel; 2 international gateway dig¬ ital switches Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 20, shortwave 2 (1998) Radios: 2.06 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 26 (plus 76 repeaters) (1995) Televisions: 920,000 (1997) Internet country code: tn Internet hosts: 428 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): l (2000) Internet users: 953,800 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 30 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 14 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 16 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 7 (2006) Pipelines: gas 2,945 km; oil 1,227 km; refined products 351 km (2006) Railways: total: 2,153 km standard gauge : 471 km 1.43 5 -m gauge narrow gauge: 1,674 km 1.000-m gauge (65 km electrified) dual gauge: 8 km 1.435 m and 1.000-m gauges (three rails) (2005) Roadways: total: 19,232 km paved: 12,655 km (includes 262 km of expressways) unpaved: 6,577 km (2004) Merchant marine: total: 9 ships (1000 GRT or over) 146,759 GRT/1 15,118 DWT by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 1, chemical tanker 3, passenger/cargo 4 (2006) Ports and terminals: Bizerte, Gabes, La Goulette, Skhira MILITARY Military branches: Army, Navy, Republic of Tunisia Air Force (Al- Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Jamahiriyah At’tunisia) (2007) Military service age and obligation: 20 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation — 12 months; 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2006) Manpower available for military service: males age 20-49: 2,441,741 females age 20-49: 2,406,362 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 20—49: 2,035,431 females age 20-49: 2,000,757 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18—49: 108,817 females age 20-49: 103,087 (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of GDP: 1.4% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international : none TURKEY ,M3nis& M slaty a* rOiyartBkir Kafiramanmaras ($anfcirfa Mama. INTRODUCTION Background: Modern Turkey was founded in 1923 from the Anatolian remnants of the defeated Ottoman Empire by national hero Mustafa KEMAL, who was later honored with the title Ataturk or “Father of the Turks.” Under his authoritarian leader¬ ship, the country adopted wide-ranging social, legal, and political reforms. After a period of one-party rule, an experiment with multi-party politics led to the 1950 election victory of the opposition Democratic Party and the peaceful transfer of power. Since then, Turkish political parties have multiplied, but democracy has been fractured by periods of instability and intermittent military coups (1960, 1971, 1980), which in each case eventually resulted in a return of political power to civilians. In 1997, the military again helped engineer the ouster — popularly dubbed a “post¬ modern coup” — of the then Islamic-ori- ented government. Turkey intervened militarily on Cyprus in 1974 to prevent a Greek takeover of the island and has since acted as patron state to the “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus,” which only Turkey recognizes. A sepa¬ ratist insurgency begun in 1984 by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) — now known as the People’s Congress of Kurdistan or Kongra-Gel (KGK) — has dominated the Turkish military’s atten¬ tion and claimed more than 30,000 lives. After the capture of the group’s leader in 1999, the insurgents largely withdrew from Turkey mainly to northern Iraq. In 2004, KGK announced an end to its ceasefire and attacks attributed to the KGK increased. Turkey joined the UN in 1945 and in 1952 it became a member of NATO. In 1964, Turkey became an asso¬ ciate member of the European Community; over the past decade, it has undertaken many reforms to strengthen its democracy and economy enabling it to begin accession membership talks with the European Union. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southeastern Europe and Southwestern Asia (that portion of Turkey west of the Bosporus is geograph¬ ically part of Europe), bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Georgia, and bordering the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, between Greece and Syria Geographic coordinates: 39 00 N, 35 00 E Map references: Middle East Area: total: 780,580 sq km land: 770,760 sq km water: 9,820 sq km Area — comparative: slightly larger than Texas Land boundaries: total: 2,648 km border countries: Armenia 268 km, Azerbaijan 9 km, Bulgaria 240 km, 629 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Georgia 252 km, Greece 206 km, Iran 499 km, Iraq 352 km, Syria 822 km Coastline: 7,200 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 6 nm in the Aegean Sea; 1 2 nm in Black Sea and in Mediterranean Sea exclusive economic zone: in Black Sea only: to the maritime boundary agreed upon with the former USSR Climate: temperate; hot, dry summers with mild, wet winters; harsher in interior Terrain: high central plateau (Anatolia); narrow coastal plain; several mountain ranges Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Ararat 5,166 m Natural resources: coal, iron ore, copper, chromium, antimony, mercury, gold, barite, borate, celestite (stron¬ tium), emery, feldspar, limestone, magne¬ site, marble, perlite, pumice, pyrites (sulfur), clay, arable land, hydropower Land use: arable land: 29.81% permanent crops: 3.39% other: 66.8% (2005) Irrigated land: 52,150 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van Environment — current issues: water pol¬ lution from dumping of chemicals and detergents; air pollution, particularly in urban areas; deforestation; concern for oil spills from increasing Bosporus ship traffic Environment— international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, De¬ sertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification Geography — note: strategic location controlling the Turkish Straits (Bosporus, Sea of Marmara, Dardanelles) that link Black and Aegean Seas; Mount Ararat, the legendary landing place of Noah’s Ark, is in the far eastern portion of the country PEOPLE _ U Population: 71,158,647 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 24.9% (male 9,034,731/ female 8,703,624) 15-64 years: 68.1% (male 24,627,270/ female 23,857,507) 65 years and over: 6.9% (male 2,253,38 3/ female 2,682,132) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 28.6 years male: 28.4 years female: 28.8 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.04% (2007 est.) . Birth rate: 16.4 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 6 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.038 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.032 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female total population: 1.019 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 38.33 deaths/1,000 live births male: 41.85 deaths/1,000 live births female: 34.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.88 years male: 70.43 years female: 75.46 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.89 children bom/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1%; note — no country specific models provided (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Turk(s) adjective: Turkish Ethnic groups: Turkish 80%, Kurdish 20% (estimated) Religions: Muslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (mostly Christians and Jews) Languages: Turkish (official), Kurdish, Dimli (or Zaza), Azeri, Kabardian note: there is also a substantial Gagauz population in the European part of Turkey Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 87.4% male: 95.3% female: 79.6% (2004 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Turkey conventional short form: Turkey local long form: Turkiye Cumhuriyeti local short form: Turkiye Government type: republican parlia¬ mentary democracy Capital: name: Ankara geographic coordinates: 39 56 N, 32 52 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 81 provinces ( filer, singular — il); Adana, Adiyaman, Afyonkarahisar, Agri, Aksaray, Amasya, Ankara, Antalya, Ardahan, Artvin, Aydin, Balikesir, Bartin, Batman, Bayburt, Bilecik, Bingol, Bitlis, Bolu, Burdur, Bursa, Canakkale, Cankiri, Corum, Denizli, Diyarbakir, Duzce, Edirne, Elazig, Erzincan, Erzurum, Eskisehir, Gaziantep, Giresun, Gum- ushane, Hakkari, Hatay, Icel (Mersin), Igdir, Isparta, Istanbul, Izmir (Smyrna), Kahramanmaras, Karabuk, Karaman, Kars, Kastamonu, Kayseri, Kilis, Kirikkale, Kirklareli, Kirsehir, Kocaeli, Konya, Kutahya, Malatya, Manisa, Mardin, Mugla, Mus, Nevsehir, Nigde, Ordu, Osmaniye, Rize, Sakarya, Samsun, Sanliurfa, Siirt, Sinop, Simak, Sivas, Tekirdag, Tokat, Trabzon (Trebizond), Tunceli, Usak, Van, Yalova, Yozgat, Zonguldak Independence: 29 October 1923 (suc¬ cessor state to the Ottoman Empire) National holiday: Republic Day, 29 October (1923) Constitution: 7 November 1982 Legal system: civil law system derived from various European continental legal systems; note — member of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), although Turkey claims limited deroga¬ tions on the ratified European Con¬ vention on Human Rights Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Ahmet Necdet SEZER (since 16 May 2000) head of government: Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (14 March 2003) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the nomination of the prime minister elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a single seven- year term; first round of elections held on 27 April 2007; prime minister appointed by the president from among members of parliament election results: in first round Abdullah GUL received 357 votes (not the two thirds required by law; GUL withdrew his name from the election on 6 May 2007 after the Constitutional Court invalidated the first round and the gov¬ ernment failed to muster a two-thirds quorum for a rerun of the first round of voting; new presidential elections are pending an early parliamentary election) note: president-elect must have a two- 630 TURKEY thirds majority of the National Assembly on the first two ballots and a simple majority on the third ballot Legislative branch: unicameral Grand National Assembly of Turkey or Turkiye Buyuk Millet Meclisi (550 seats; mem¬ bers are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held on 3 November 2002 (next to be held on 4 November 2007); note — a special rerun of the General Election in the province of Siirt on 9 March 2003 resulted in the election of Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN to a seat in par¬ liament, a prerequisite for his becoming prime minister on 14 March 2003 election results: percent of vote by party — AKP 34.3%, CHP 19.4%, DYP 9.6%, MHP 8.3%, GP 7.3%, Anavatan 5.1%, DSP 1.1%, and other 14.9%; seats by party — AKP 363, CHP 178, independ¬ ents 9; note — parties surpassing the 10% threshold are entitled to parliamentary seats; seats by party as of 1 December 2006 — AKP 354, CHP 154, Anavatan 21, DYP 4, SHP 1, HYP 1, GP 1, inde¬ pendents 9, vacant 5 Judicial branch: Constitutional Court; High Court of Appeals (Yargitay); Council of State (Danistay); Court of Accounts (Sayistay); Military High Court of Appeals; Military High Administrative Court Political parties and leaders: Anavatan Partisi (Motherland Party) or Anavatan [Erkan MUMCU]; Democratic Left Party or DSP [Mehmet Zeki SEZER]; Democratic Society Party or DTP [Ahmet TURK]; Felicity Party or SP [Recai KUTAN] (sometimes translated as Contentment Party); Justice and Development Party or AKP [Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN]; Nationalist Action Party or MHP [Devlet BAHCELI] (sometimes translated as Nationalist Movement Party); People’s Rise Party (Halkin Yukselisi Partisi) or HYP [Yasar Nuri OZTURK]; Republican People’s Party or CHP [Deniz BAYKAL]; Social Democratic People’s Party or SHP [Murat KARAYALCIN]; True Path Party or DYP [Mehmet AGAR] (sometimes translated as Correct Way Party); Young Party or GP [Cem Cengiz UZAN] note: the parties listed above are some of the more significant of the 49 parties that Turkey had on 1 December 2004 Political pressure groups and leaders: Confederation of Public Sector Unions or KESK [Ismail Hakki TOMBUL]; Confederation of Revolutionary Workers Unions or DISK [Suleyman CELEBI]; Independent Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association or MUSIAD [Omer BOLAT]; Moral Rights Workers Union or Hak-Is [Salim USLU]; Turkish Confederation of Employers’ Unions or TISK [Tugurl KUDATGOBILIK]; Turkish Confederation of Labor or Turk- Is [Salih KILIC]; Turkish Confederation of Tradesmen and Craftsmen or TESK [Dervis GUNDAY]; Turkish Indus¬ trialists’ and Businessmen’s Association or TUSIAD [Omer S ABANCI] ; Turkish Union of Chambers of Commerce and Commodity Exchanges or TOBB [M. Rifat HISARCIKLIOGLU] International organization participa¬ tion: AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN (observer), EAPC, EBRD, ECO, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PC A, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Nabi SENSOY chancery: 2525 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 612-6700 FAX: [1] (202) 612-6744 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ross WILSON embassy: 110 Ataturk Boulevard, Kavaklidere, 06100 Ankara mailing address: PSC 93, Box 5000, APO AE 09823 telephone: [90] (312) 455-5555 FAX: [90] (312) 467-0019 consulate(s) general: Istanbul consulate(s) : Adana; note — there is a Consular Agent in Izmir Flag description: red with a vertical white crescent (the closed portion is toward the hoist side) and white five- pointed star centered just outside the crescent opening ECONOMY Economy — overview: Turkey’s dynamic economy is a complex mix of modem industry and commerce along with a tra¬ ditional agriculture sector that still accounts for more than 35% of employ¬ ment. It has a strong and rapidly growing private sector, yet the state still plays a major role in basic industry, banking, transport, and communication. The largest industrial sector is textiles and clothing, which accounts for one-third of industrial employment; it faces stiff com¬ petition in international markets with the end of the global quota system. However, other sectors, notably the automotive and electronics industries, are rising in importance within Turkey’s export mix. Real GNP growth has exceeded 6% in many years, but this strong expansion has been interrupted by sharp declines in output in 1994, 1999, and 2001. The economy is turning around with the implementation of economic reforms, and 2004 GDP growth reached 9%, followed by roughly 5% annual growth from 2005-06. Inflation fell to 7.7% in 2005 — a 30-year low but climbed back to 9.8% in 2006. Despite the strong economic gains from 2002-06, which were largely due to renewed investor interest in emerging markets, IMF backing, and tighter fiscal policy, the economy is still burdened by a high cur¬ rent account deficit and high debt. Prior to 2005, foreign direct investment (FDI) in Turkey averaged less than $1 billion annu¬ ally, but further economic and judicial reforms and prospective EU membership are expected to boost FDI. Privatization sales are currently approaching $21 bil¬ lion. Oil began to flow through the Baku- Tblisi-Ceyhan pipeline in May 2006, marking a major milestone that will bring up to 1 million barrels per day from the Caspian to market. GDP (purchasing power parity): $635.6 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $358.5 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 5.3% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $9,000 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 11.2% industry: 29.4% services: 59.4% (2006 est.) Labor force: 24.8 million note: about 1.2 million Turks work abroad (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 35.9% industry: 22.8% services: 41.2% (3rd quarter, 2004) Unemployment rate: 10.2% plus under¬ employment of 4% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 20% (2002) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 30.7% (2000) Distribution of family income — Ginl Index: 42 (2003) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9.8% (2006 est.) 631 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Investment (gross fixed): 20.1% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $112.3 billion expenditures: $121.6 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 64.7% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: tobacco, cotton, grain, olives, sugar beets, pulse, citrus; livestock Industries: textiles, food processing, autos, electronics, mining (coal, chromite, copper, boron), steel, petro- leum, construction, lumber, paper Industrial production growth rate: 5.5% (2006 est.) Electricity — production: 143.3 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 79.3% hydro: 20.4% nuclear: 0% other: 0.3% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 140.3 billion kWh (2005) Electricity— exports: 1.1 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — imports: 500 million kWh (2004) Oil— production: 50,000 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— consumption: 715,100 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— exports: 46,110 bbl/day (2001) Oil— imports: 616,500 bbl/day (2001) Oil— proved reserves: 288.4 million bbl (1 January 2002) Natural gas — production: 688 million cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 22.6 billion cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas— exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 21.73 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 8.495 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $25.99 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $85.21 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: apparel, food¬ stuffs, textiles, metal manufactures, transport equipment Exports— partners: Germany 12.9%, UK 8.1%, Italy 7.6%, US 6.7%, France 5.2%, Spain 4.1% (2005) Imports: $120.9 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: machinery, chemicals, semi-finished goods, fuels, transport equipment Imports— partners: Germany 11.7%, Russia 11%, Italy 6.5%, China 5.9%, France 5%, US 4-6%, UK 4% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $53.42 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $193.6 billion (30 June 2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: ODA, $635.8 million (2002) Currency (code): Turkish lira (TRY); old Turkish lira (TRL) before 1 January 2005 Currency code: TRL, YTL Exchange rates: Turkish liras per US dollar— 1.4286 (2006), 1.3436 (2005), 1.4255 (2004), 1.5009 (2003), 1.5072 (2002) note: on 1 January 2005 the old Turkish lira (TRL) was converted to new Turkish lira (TRY) at a rate of 1,000,000 old to 1 new Turkish lira Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 18.978 million (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 43.609 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: undergoing rapid modernization and expansion especially with cellular telephones domestic: additional digital exchanges are permitting a rapid increase in sub¬ scribers; the construction of a network of technologically advanced intercity trunk lines, using both fiber-optic cable and digital microwave radio relay, is facili¬ tating communication between urban centers; remote areas are reached by a domestic satellite system; the number of subscribers to mobile cellular telephone service is growing rapidly international: country code — 90; interna¬ tional service is provided by 3 submarine fiber-optic cables in the Mediterranean and Black Seas, linking Turkey with Italy, Greece, Israel, Bulgaria, Romania, and Russia; satellite earth stations — 12 Intelsat; mobile satellite terminals — 328 in the Inmarsat and Eutelsat systems (2002) Radio broadcast stations: AM 16, FM 107, shortwave 6 (2001) Radios: 11.3 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 635 (plus 2,934 repeaters) (1995) Televisions: 20.9 million (1997) Internet country code: tr Internet hosts: 1.313 million (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 50 (2001) Internet users: 16 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 117 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 89 over 3,047 m: 15 2,438 to 3,047 m: 33 l ,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 4 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 28 over 3,047 m: 1 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1 ,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 17 (2006) Heliports: 18 (2006) Pipelines: gas 4,621 km; oil 3,543 km (2006) Railways: total: 8,697 km standard gauge: 8,697 km 1.435-m gauge (2,122 km electrified) (2005) Roadways: total: 426,906 km paved: 177,550 km (includes 1,892 km of expressways) unpaved: 249,356 km (2004) Waterways: 1,200 km (2005) Merchant marine: total: 545 ships (1000 GRT or over) 4,772,864 GRT/7, 3 13,070 DWT by type: bulk carrier 109, cargo 239, chemical tanker 50, container 24, lique¬ fied gas 6, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 50, petroleum tanker 36, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 24, specialized tanker 2 foreign^ owned: 7 (Cyprus 2, Germany 1, Italy 3, Switzerland 1) registered in other countries: 41 1 (Albania 1, Antigua and Barbuda 8, Bahamas 8, Belize 11, Cambodia 26, Comoros 11, Dominica 3, Georgia 30, Isle of Man 3, North Korea 4, Liberia 1, Libya 2, Malta 123, Marshall Islands 20, Netherlands Antilles 9, Panama 42, Russia 63, Saint Kitts and Nevis 6, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 25, Slovakia 8, Tuvalu 2, UK 2, unknown 3) (2006) Ports and terminals: Aliaga, Ambarli, Eregli, Haydarpasa, Istanbul, Izmir, Kocaeli (Izmit), Toros MILITARY Military branches: Turkish Armed Forces (TSK): Land Forces, Turkish Naval Forces (Turk Deniz Kuvvetleri, TDK; includes naval air and naval infantry), Turkish Air Force (Turk Hava Kuvvetleri, THK) (2006) Military service age and obligation: 20 years of age (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 20-49: 16,756,323 females age 20-49: 16,051,706 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 20^19: 13,905,901 females age 20-49: 13,335,812 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 679,734 females age 20-A 9: 659,090 (2005 est.) 632 TURKMENISTAN Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 5.3% (2005 est.) Military— note: in the early 1990s, the Turkish Land Force was a large but badly equipped infantry force; there were 14 infantry divisions, but only one was mechanized, and out of 16 infantry brigades, only six were mechanized; a subsequent overhaul has produced highly mobile forces with greatly enhanced fire¬ power in accordance with NATO’s new strategic concept (2005) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: complex mar¬ itime, air, and territorial disputes with Greece in the Aegean Sea; status of north Cyprus question remains; Syria and Iraq protest Turkish hydrological projects to control upper Euphrates waters; Turkey has expressed concern over the status of Kurds in Iraq; border with Armenia remains closed over Nagorno-Karabakh Refugees and infernally displaced per¬ sons: IDPs: 1-1.2 million (fighting 1984-99 between Kurdish PKK and Turkish military; most IDPs in south¬ eastern provinces) (2006) Illicit drUQS: key transit route for Southwest Asian heroin to Western Europe and, to a lesser extent, the US — via air, land, and sea routes; major Turkish and other international traf¬ ficking organizations operate out of Istanbul; laboratories to convert imported morphine base into heroin exist in remote regions of Turkey and near Istanbul; government maintains strict controls over areas of legal opium poppy cultivation and over output of poppy straw concentrate; lax enforce¬ ment of money-laundering controls TURKMENISTAN INTRODUCTION _/ _ c _ _ Background: Annexed by Russia between 1865 and 1885, Turkmenistan became a Soviet republic in 1924- It achieved independence upon the disso¬ lution of the USSR in 1991. Extensive hydrocarbon/natural gas reserves could prove a boon to this underdeveloped country if extraction and delivery proj¬ ects were to be expanded. The Turkmenistan Government is actively seeking to develop alternative petroleum transportation routes to break Russia’s pipeline monopoly. President for Life Saparmurat N1YAZOV died in December 2006, and Turkmenistan held its first multi-candidate presidential elec¬ toral process in February 2007. Gurbanguly BERDIMUFIAMMEDOV, a former NIYAZOV aide, emerged as the country’s new president. GEOGRAPHY Location: Central Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Kazakhstan Geographic coordinates: 40 00 N, 60 00 E Map references: Asia Area: total: 488,100 sq km land: 488,100 sq km water: NEGL Area— comparative: slightly larger than California Land boundaries: total: 3,736 km border countries: Afghanistan 744 km, Iran 992 km, Kazakhstan 379 km, Uzbekistan 1,621 km Coastline: 0 km; note — Turkmenistan borders the Caspian Sea (1,768 km) Maritime claims: none (landlocked) Climate: subtropical desert Terrain: flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes rising to mountains in the south; low mountains along border with Iran; borders Caspian Sea in west Elevation extremes: lowest point: Vpadina Akchanaya -81 m; note — Sarygamysh Koli is a lake in northern Turkmenistan with a water level that fluctuates above and below the elevation of Vpadina Akchanaya (the lake has dropped as low as -1 10 m) highest point: Gora Ayribaba 3,139 m Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, sulfur, salt Land use: arable land: 4-51% permanent crops: 0.14% other: 95.35% (2005) irrigated land: 18,000 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: NA Environment— current issues: contami¬ nation of soil and groundwater with agri¬ cultural chemicals, pesticides; salination, water logging of soil due to poor irriga¬ tion methods; Caspian Sea pollution; diversion of a large share of the flow of the Amu Darya into irrigation con¬ tributes to that river’s inability to replenish the Aral Sea; desertification Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: landlocked; the western and central low-lying desolate portions of the country make up the great Garagum (Kara-Kum) desert, which occupies over 80% of the country; eastern part is plateau PEOPLE Population: 5,097,028 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 34-7% (male 900,718/female 866,930) 15-64 years: 60.9% (male 1 ,537,638/ female 1,567,049) 65 years and over: 4.4% (male 97,454/ female 127,239) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 22.3 years male: 21.7 years female: 22.9 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.617% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 25.36 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 633 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Death rate: 6.17 deaths/ 1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -3.01 migrants )/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.039 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.981 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.766 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2007 est.) infant mortality rate: total: 53.49 deaths/1,000 live births male: 57.84 deaths/1,000 live births female: 48.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 68.3 years male: 65.23 years female: 71.54 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 3.13 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2004 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: less than 200 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— -deaths: less than 100 (2004 est.) Nationality: noun: Turkmen(s) adjective: Turkmenistani Ethnic groups: Turkmen 85%, Uzbek 5%, Russian 4%, other 6% (2003) Religions: Muslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, unknown 2% Languages: Turkmen 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7% Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.8% male: 99.3% female: 98.3% (1999 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Turkmenistan local long form: none local short form: Turkmenistan former: Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic Government type: republic; authori¬ tarian presidential rule, with little power outside the executive branch Capital: name: Ashgabat (Ashkhabad) geographic coordinates: 37 57 N, 58 23 E time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 5 provinces (welayatlar, singular — welayat) and 1 independent city*: Ahal Welayaty (Anew), Ashgabat*, Balkan Welayaty (Balkanabat), Dashoguz Welayaty, Lebap Welayaty (Turkmenabat), Mary Welayaty note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative cen¬ ters (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses) Independence: 27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union) National holiday: Independence Day, 27 October (1991) Constitution: adopted 18 May 1992 Legal system: based on civil law system Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Gurbanguly BERD1MUHAMMEDOV (since 14 February 2007); note — the president is both the chief of state and head of gov¬ ernment head of government: President Gurban- guly BERDIMUHAMMEDOV (since 14 February 2007) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected, by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held on 11 February 2007 (next to be held in 2012) election results: Gurbanguly BERDIMU¬ HAMMEDOV elected president; percent of vote — Gurbanguly BERDI¬ MUHAMMEDOV 89.2% Legislative branch: two parliamentary bodies, a People’s Council or Halk Maslahaty (supreme legislative body of up to 2,500 delegates, some elected by pop¬ ular vote and some appointed; meets at least yearly) and a National Assembly or Mejlis (50 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: People’s Council — last held in April 2003 (next to be held in December 2008); Mejlis — last held 19 December 2004 (next to be held in December 2008) election results: Mejlis — DPT 100%; seats by party — DPT 50; note — all 50 elected officials are members of the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan and are preap¬ proved by the president note: in late 2003, a law was adopted reducing the powers of the Mejlis and making the Halk Maslahaty the supreme legislative organ; the Halk Maslahaty can now legally dissolve the Mejlis, and the president is now able to participate in the Mejlis as its supreme leader; the Mejlis can no longer adopt or amend the constitution or announce referendums or its elections; since the president is both the “Chairman for Life” of the Halk Maslahaty and the supreme leader of the Mejlis, the 2003 law has the effect of making him the sole authority of both the executive and legislative branches of government Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president) Political parties and leaders: Demo¬ cratic Party of Turkmenistan or DPT note: formal opposition parties are out¬ lawed; unofficial, small opposition move¬ ments exist underground or in foreign countries; the two most prominent oppo¬ sition groups-in-exile have been National Democratic Movement of Turkmenistan (NDMT) and the United Democratic Party of Turkmenistan (UDPT); NDMT was led by former Foreign Minister Boris SHIKHMU- RADOV until his arrest and imprison¬ ment in the wake of the 25 November 2002 assassination attempt on President NIYAZOV; UDPT is led by former Foreign Minister Abdy KULIEV and is based in Moscow Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspon¬ dent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Murad Bairamovich ORAZOV chancery: 2207 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 588-1500 FAX: [1] (202) 588-0697 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d’ Affaires Jennifer L. BRUSH embassy: No. 9 1984 Street (formerly Pushkin Street), Ashgabat, Turkmen¬ istan 774000 mailing address: 7070 Ashgabat Place, Washington, DC 20521-7070 telephone: [993] (12) 35-00-45 FAX: [993] (12) 39-26-14 Flag description: green field with a ver¬ tical red stripe near the hoist side, con¬ taining five tribal guls (designs used in producing carpets) stacked above two crossed olive branches similar to the olive branches on the UN flag; a white crescent moon representing Islam with five white stars representing the regions or velayats of Turkmenistan appear in the upper comer of the field just to the fly side of the red stripe ECONOMY Economy overview: Turkmenistan is a largely desert country with intensive agriculture in irrigated oases and large gas and oil resources. One-half of its irri¬ gated land is planted in cotton; formerly it was the world’s lOth-largest producer. 634 TURKMENISTAN Poor harvests in recent years have led to an almost 50% decline in cotton exports. With an authoritarian ex-Communist regime in power and a tribally based social structure, Turkmenistan has taken a cau¬ tious approach to economic reform, hoping to use gas and cotton sales to sustain its inefficient economy. Privatization goals remain limited. From 1998-2005, Turkmenistan suffered from the continued lack of adequate export routes for natural gas and from obligations on extensive short-term external debt. At the same time, however, total exports rose by an average of 15% per year from 2003-06, largely because of higher international oil and gas prices. In 2006, Ashgabat raised its natural gas export prices to its main customer, Russia, from $66 per thousand cubic meters (tcm) to $100 per tcm. Overall prospects in the near future are discouraging because of wide¬ spread internal poverty, a poor educational system, government misuse of oil and gas revenues, and Ashgabat’s unwillingness to adopt market-oriented reforms. Turkmen¬ istan’s economic statistics are state secrets, and GDP and other figures are subject to wide margins of error. In particular, the rate of GDP growth is uncertain. President BERDYMUKHAMMEDOV’s election platform included plans to build a gas line to China, to complete the AmuDarya rail¬ road bridge in Lebap province, and to create special border trade zones in southern Balkan province — a hint that the new post-NIYAZOV government will work to create a friendlier foreign investment environment. GDP (purchasing power parity): $42.84 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $15.18 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: IMF estimate: 6% note: official government statistics show 21.4% growth, but these estimates are widely regarded as unreliable (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $8,500 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 24-4% industry: 33.9% services: 41.7% (2006 est.) Labor force: 2.32 million (2003 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 48.2% industry: 13.8% services: 37% (2003 est.) Unemployment rate: 60% (2004 est.) Population below poverty line: 58% (2003 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 31.7% (1998) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 40.8 (1998) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 11% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 28.8% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $1,803 billion expenditures: $2,063 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: cotton, grain; livestock Industries: natural gas, oil, petroleum products, textiles, food processing Industrial production growth rate: 22% (2003 est.) Electricity— production: 10.79 billion kWh (2004 est.) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 99.9% hydro: 0.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 9.03 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 1 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 213,700 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 95,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: 170,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Oil— proved reserves: 546 million bbl (2005 est.) Natural gas— production: 58.57 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 16.57 bil¬ lion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 42 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — imports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 2.01 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $321.2 mil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $5,421 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: gas, crude oil, petrochemicals, cotton fiber, textiles Exports — partners: Ukraine 42.8%, Iran 14.8%, Hungary 5.3% (2005) Imports: $3,936 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs Imports — partners: UAE 12.7%, Azerbaijan 11.1%, US 9.6%, Russia 9.1%, Ukraine 7.6%, Turkey 7.3%, Iran 6.2%, Germany 5.4% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $3,518 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $2.4 billion to $5 bil¬ lion (2001 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $16 million from the US (2001) Currency (code): Turkmen manat (TMM) Currency code: TMM Exchange rates: Turkmen manat per US$— 11,100 (2006) official rate note: in recent years the unofficial rate has hovered around 24,000 to 25,000 Turkmen manats to the dollar Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 495,000 (2006) Telephones— mobile cellular: 52,000 (2004) Telephone system: general assessment: poorly developed domestic: Turkmenistan’s telecommuni¬ cations network remains woefully under¬ developed; Turkmentelekom, in cooperation with foreign investors, is planning to upgrade the country’s tele¬ phone exchanges and install a new dig¬ ital switching system international: country code — 993; linked by cable and microwave radio relay to other CIS republics and to other coun¬ tries by leased connections to the Moscow international gateway switch; a new telephone link from Ashgabat to Iran has been established; a new exchange in Ashgabat switches interna¬ tional traffic through Turkey via Intelsat; satellite earth stations — 1 Orbita and 1 Intelsat (2006) Radio broadcast stations: AM 16, FM 8, shortwave 2 (1998) Radios: 1.225 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 4 (gov¬ ernment-owned and programmed) (2004) Televisions: 820,000 (1997) Internet country code: tm Internet hosts: 585 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): l Internet users: 36,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 29 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 22 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3 ,047 m: 11 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1 ,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 4 (2006) Heliports: 1 (2006) Pipelines: gas 6,441 km; oil 1,361 km (2006) 635 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Railways: total: 2,440 km broad gauge: 2,440 km 1,520-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 24,000 km paved: 19,488 km unpaved: 4,512 km (1999) Waterways: 1,300 km (Amu Darya and Kara Kum canal important inland water¬ ways) (2006) Merchant marine: total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 22,870 GRT/25,801 DWT by type: cargo 4, combination ore/oil 1, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (2006) Ports and terminals: Turkmenbasy MILITARY Military branches: Ground Forces, Artillery and Rocket Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces (2006) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation — 2 years (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 1,132,833 females age 2 8 — 49 : 1,162,569 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 759,978 females age 18-49: 940,179 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 56,532 females age 18-49: 55,413 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 3.4% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: cotton mono¬ culture in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan creates water-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya river states; field demarcation of the boundaries with Kazakhstan com¬ menced in 2005, but Caspian seabed delimitation remains stalled with Azerbaijan, Iran, and Kazakhstan due to Turkmenistan’s indecision over how to allocate the sea’s waters and seabed Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: refugees (country of origin): 11,173 (Tajikistan) (2006) Illicit drugs: transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and Western European markets; transit point for heroin precursor chemicals bound for Afghanistan TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS INTRODUCTION Background: The islands were part of the UK’s Jamaican colony until 1962, when they assumed the status of a sepa¬ rate crown colony upon Jamaica’s inde¬ pendence. The governor of The Bahamas oversaw affairs from 1965 to 1973. With Bahamian independence, the islands received a separate governor in 1973. Although independence was agreed upon for 1982, the policy was reversed and the islands remain a British overseas territory. GEOGRAPHY Location: Caribbean, two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of The Bahamas, north of Haiti Geographic coordinates: 21 45 N, 71 35 W Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total: 430 sq km land: 430 sq km water: 0 sq km Area— comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 389 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 1 2 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds; sunny and relatively dry Terrain: low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Blue Hills 49 m Natural resources: spiny lobster, conch Land use: arable land: 2.33% permanent crops: 0% other: 97.67% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: frequent hurricanes Environment— current issues: limited natural fresh water resources, private cis¬ terns collect rainwater Geography— note: about 40 islands (eight inhabited) PEOPLE Population: 21,746 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 31.3% (male 3,466/female 3,345) 15-64 years: 64-8% (male 7,398/female 6,690) 65 years and over: 3.9% (male 394/female 453) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 27.7 years male: 28.4 years female: 26.9 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.722% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 21.48 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 4.23 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 9.98 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.036 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.106 male(s)/fema!e 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total popuhtion: 1.073 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 14.7 deaths/1,000 live births male: 17 deaths/ 1,000 live births female: 12.29 deaths/ 1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.95 years male: 72.69 years female: 77.32 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 3.02 children bom/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS — deaths: NA Nationality: noun: none adjective: none Ethnic groups: black 90%, mixed, European, or North American 10% Religions: Baptist 40%, Anglican 18%, Methodist 16%, Church of God 12%, other 14% (1990) 636 TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS Languages: English (official) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 98% male: 99% female: 98% (1970 est.) People — note: destination and transit point for illegal Haitian immigrants bound for the Turks and Caicos Islands, The Bahamas, and the US GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands abbreviation: TCI Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK Government type: NA Capital: name: Grand Turk (Cockburn Town) geographic coordinates: 21 28 N, 71 08 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins first Sunday in April; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: none (over- seas territory of the UK) Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK) National holiday: Constitution Day, 30 August (1976) Constitution: Turks and Caicos Islands Constitution Order 2006 (effective 9 August 2006) Legal system: based on laws of England and Wales, with a few adopted from Jamaica and The Bahamas Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Richard TAUWHARE (since 11 July 2005) head of government: Premier Michael Eugene MISICK (since 15 August 2003); note — the office of premier was created in the 2006 constitution cabinet: Cabinet consists of the governor, the premier, six ministers appointed by the governor from among the members of the House of Assembly, and the attorney general elections: none; the monarch is heredi¬ tary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is appointed premier by the governor Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (21 seats of which 15 are pop¬ ularly elected; members serve four-year terms) elections : last held 9 February 2007 (next to be held in 2011) election results: percent of vote by party — PNP 60%, PDM 40%; seats by party — PNP 13, PDM 2 Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Appeal Political parties and leaders: People’s Democratic Movement or PDM [Floyd SEYMOUR]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Michael Eugene MISICK] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), UPU Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the UK) Flag description: blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the colonial shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield is yellow and contains a conch shell, lobster, and cactus ECONOMY Economy— overview: The Turks and Caicos economy is based on tourism, off¬ shore financial services, and fishing. Most capital goods and food for domestic consumption are imported. The US is the leading source of tourists, accounting for more than three-quarters of the 175,000 visitors that arrived in 2004. Major sources of government revenue also include fees from offshore financial activities and customs receipts. GDP (purchasing power parity): $216 million (2002 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): NA GDP— real growth rate: 4.9% (2000 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $11,500 (2002 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% Labor force: 4,848 (1990 est.) Labor force — by occupation: note: about 33% in government and 20% in agriculture and fishing; significant numbers in tourism, financial, and other services Unemployment rate: 10% (1997 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4% (1995) Budget: revenues: $47 million expenditures: $33.6 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (1997-98 est.) Agriculture— products: com, beans, cas¬ sava (tapioca), citrus fruits; fish Industries: tourism, offshore financial services Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity— production: 7 million kWh (2004) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 6.51 million kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 80 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Exports: $169.2 million (2000) Exports— commodities: lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells Exports— partners: US, UK (2004) Imports: $175.6 million (2000) Imports— commodities: food and bever¬ ages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction materials Imports— partners: US, UK (2004) Debt — external: $NA Economic aid— recipient: $4.1 million (1997) Currency (code): US dollar (USD) Currency code: USD Exchange rates: the US dollar is used Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 5,700 (2002) Telephones— mobile cellular: 1,700 (1999) Telephone system: general assessment: fully digital system with international direct dialing domestic: full range of services available; GSM wireless service available international: country code — 1-649; 2 submarine cables; satellite earth sta¬ tion — 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2003) Radios: 8,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 0 (broad¬ casts received from The Bahamas; 2 cable television networks) (2003) 637 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Televisions: NA Infernef country code: tc Internet hosts: 2,735 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 14 (2000) Internet users: NA TRANSPORTATION Airports: 8 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 INTRODUCTION Background: In 1974, ethnic differences within the British colony of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands caused the Polynesians of the Ellice Islands to vote for separa- tion from the Micronesians of the Gilbert Islands. The following year, the Ellice Islands became the separate British colony of Tuvalu. Independence was granted in 1978. In 2000, Tuvalu negoti¬ ated a contract leasing its Internet domain name “.tv” for $50 million in royalties over a 12-year period. GEOGRAPHY Location: Oceania, island group con¬ sisting of nine coral atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia Geographic coordinates: 8 00 S, 178 00 E Map references: Oceania Area: total: 26 sq km land: 26 sq km water: 0 sq km Area— comparative: 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 24 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm 914 to 1 ,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2006) Roadways: total: 121 km paved: 24 km unpaved: 97 km (2003) Ports and terminals: Grand Turk, Providenciales TUVALU contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical; moderated by easterly trade winds (March to November); west¬ erly gales and heavy rain (November to March) Terrain: very low-lying and narrow coral atolls Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 5 m Natural resources: fish Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 66.67% other: 33.33% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: severe tropical storms are usually rare, but, in 1997, there were three cyclones; low level of islands make them sensitive to changes in sea level Environment— current issues: since there are no streams or rivers and groundwater is not potable, most water needs must be met by catchment systems with storage facilities (the Japanese Government has built one desalination plant and plans to build one other); beachhead erosion because of the use of sand for building materials; excessive clearance of forest undergrowth for use as fuel; damage to coral reefs from the spread of the Crown of Thorns starfish; Tuvalu is concerned about global increases in greenhouse gas emissions and their effect on rising sea levels, which threaten the country’s under¬ ground water table; in 2000, the govern¬ ment appealed to Australia and New Zealand to take in Tuvaluans if rising sea levels should make evacuation necessary Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements MILITARY Military— note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of the UK TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: have received Haitians fleeing economic and civil dis¬ order Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe Geography — note: one of the smallest and most remote countries on Earth; six of the 9 coral atolls — Nanumea, Nui, Vaitupu, Nukufetau, Funafuti, and Nukulaelae — have lagoons open to the ocean; Nanumaya and Niutao have land¬ locked lagoons; Niulakita does not have a lagoon PEOPLE Population: 11,992 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 29.8% (male 1,821/female 1,752) 15-64 years: 65.2% (male 3,808/female 4,006) 65 years and over: 5% (male 227/female 378) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 24-9 years male: 23.9 years female: 26.2 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.543% (2007 est.) Bilth rate: 22.43 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 7 deaths/1 ,000 population (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.039 male(s)/female 15—64 years: 0.951 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.601 male(s)/female total population: 0.954 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 18.9 deaths/1,000 live births male: 21.64 deaths/1,000 live births female: 16.02 deaths/ 1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 68.63 years male: 66.38 years female: 70.99 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.96 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: NA 638 TUVALU HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Tuvaluan(s) adjective: Tuvaluan Ethnic groups: Polynesian 96%, Micronesian 4% Religions: Church of Tuvalu (Con- gregationalist) 97%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.4%, Baha’i 1%, other 0.6% Languages: Tuvaluan, English, Samoan, Kiribati (on the island of Nui) Literacy: NA GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Tuvalu local long form: none local short form: Tuvalu former: Ellice Islands note: “Tuvalu” means “group of eight,” referring to the country’s eight tradition¬ ally inhabited islands Government type: constitutional mon¬ archy with a parliamentary democracy Capital: name: Funafuti geographic coordinates: 8 30 S, 179 12 E time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: administrative offices are located in Vaia’ku Village on Fongafale Islet Administrative divisions: none Independence: 1 October 1978 (from UK) National holiday: Independence Day, 1 October (1978) Constitution: 1 October 1978 Legal system: NA Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Filoimea TELITO (since 15 April 2005) head of government: Prime Minister Apisai IELEMIA (since 14 August 2006) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the gov¬ ernor general on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: the monarch is hereditary; gov¬ ernor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; prime minister and deputy prime minister elected by and from the members of Parliament; election last held 14 August 2006 (next to be held following parliamentary elections in 2010) election results: Apisai IELEMIA elected Prime Minister in a Parliamentary elec¬ tion on 14 August 2006 Legislative branch: unicameral Parlia¬ ment or Fale I Fono, also called House of Assembly (15 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 3 August 2006 (next to be held in 2010) election results: percent of vote — NA; seats — independents 15 Judicial branch: High Court (a chief justice visits twice a year to preside over its sessions; its rulings can be appealed to the Court of Appeal in Fiji); eight Island Courts (with limited jurisdiction) Political parties and leaders: there are no political parties but members of Parliament usually align themselves in informal groupings Political pressure groups and leaders: none International organization participa¬ tion: ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, IFRCS (observer), IMO, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO Diplomatic representation in the US: Tuvalu does not have an embassy in the US — the country’s only diplomatic post is in Fiji — Tuvalu does, however, have a UN office located at 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, NY 10017, tele¬ phone: [1] (212) 490-0534 Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Tuvalu; the US ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tuvalu Flag description: light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quad¬ rant; the outer half of the flag represents a map of the country with nine yellow five-pointed stars symbolizing the nine islands ECONOMY Economy — overview: Tuvalu consists of a densely populated, scattered group of nine coral atolls with poor soil. The country has no known mineral resources and few exports. Subsistence farming and fishing are the primary economic activi¬ ties. Fewer than 1,000 tourists, on average, visit Tuvalu annually. Gov¬ ernment revenues largely come from the sale of stamps and coins and remittances from seamen on merchant ships abroad. About 1,000 Tuvaluans are being repatri¬ ated from Nauru, with the decline of phosphate resources there. Substantial income is received annually from an international trust fund established in 1987 by Australia, NZ, and the UK and supported also by Japan and South Korea. Thanks to wise investments and conservative withdrawals, this fund grew from an initial $17 million to over $35 million in 1999. The US Government is also a major revenue source for Tuvalu because of payments from a 1988 treaty on fisheries. In an effort to reduce its dependence on foreign aid, the govern¬ ment is pursuing public sector reforms, including privatization of some govern¬ ment functions and personnel cuts of up to 7%. Tuvalu derives around $1.5 mil¬ lion per year from the lease of its “.tv” Internet domain name. With merchan¬ dise exports only a fraction of merchan¬ dise imports, continued reliance must be placed on fishing and telecommunica¬ tions license fees, remittances from over¬ seas workers, official transfers, and income from overseas investments. GDP (purchasing power parity): $14.94 million (2002 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $14.94 million (2002) GDP— real growth rate: 1.2% (2002 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $1,600 (2002 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 16.6% industry: 27.2% services: 56.2% (2002) Labor force: 3,615 (2004 est.) Labor force— by occupation: note: people make a living mainly through exploitation of the sea, reefs, and atolls and from wages sent home by those abroad (mostly workers in the phosphate industry and sailors) Unemployment rate: NA% Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.9% (2005 est.) Budget: revenues: $22.78 million expenditures: $14-23 million; including capital expenditures of $4.2 million (2002 est.) Agriculture— products: coconuts; fish Industries: fishing, tourism, copra Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: NA hydro: NA nuclear: NA other: NA Current account balance: $2,323 mil¬ lion (1998) Exports: $1 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) Exports — commodities: copra, fish Exports— partners: Germany 60.5%, Italy 20.1%, Fiji 6.9% (2005) Imports: $9,186 million c.i.f. (2004 est.) Imports — Commodities: food, animals, mineral fuels, machinery, manufactured goods 639 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Imports— partners: Fiji 46.1%, Japan 18.9%, China 18.2%, Australia 7.7%, NZ 4.1% (2005) Debt— external: $NA Economic aid— recipient: $13 million; note — major donors are Australia, Japan, and the US (1999 est.) Currency (code): Australian dollar (AUD); note — there is also a Tuvaluan dollar Currency code: AUD Exchange rates: Tuvaluan dollars or Australian dollars per US dollar — 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 700 (2002) Telephones— mobile cellular: 0 (2004) Telephone system: general assessment: serves particular needs for internal communications domestic: radiotelephone communica- tions between islands international: country code — 688; inter¬ national calls can be made by satellite Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004) Radios: 4,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 0 (2004) Televisions: 800 Internet country code: tv Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000) Internet users: 1,300 (2002) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 1 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) Roadways: total: 8 km paved: 8 km (2002) Merchant marine: total: 52 ships (1000 GRT or over) 196,790 GRT/256,436 DWT by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 37, chemical tanker 1, container 2, passenger 3, pas¬ senger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 4, spe¬ cialized tanker 1 foreign' owned: 43 (China 23, Fiong Kong 8, Kenya 1, Russia 2, Singapore 6, Thailand 1, Turkey 2) (2006) Ports and terminals: Funafuti Military branches: no regular military forces; Police Force Military expenditures— percent of GDP: NA TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: none 640 UGANDA INTRODUCTION Background: The colonial boundaries created by Britain to delimit Uganda grouped together a wide range of ethnic groups with different political systems and cultures. These differences pre- vented the establishment of a working political community after independence was achieved in 1962. The dictatorial regime of Idi AMIN (1971-79) was responsible for the deaths of some 300,000 opponents; guerrilla war and human rights abuses under Milton OBOTE (1980-85) claimed at least another 100,000 lives. The rule of Yoweri MUSEVENI since 1986 has brought relative stability and economic growth to Uganda. During the 1990s, the government promulgated non-party presidential and legislative elections. GEOGRAPHY Location: Eastern Africa, west of Kenya Geographic coordinates: l 00 N, 32 00 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 236,040 sq km land: 199,710 sq km water: 36,330 sq km Area — comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon Land boundaries: total: 2,698 km border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 765 km, Kenya 933 km, Rwanda 169 km, Sudan 435 km, Tanzania 396 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime Claims: none (landlocked) Climate: tropical; generally rainy with two dry seasons (December to February, June to August); semiarid in northeast Terrain: mostly plateau with rim of mountains Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lake Albert 621 m highest point: Margherita Peak on Mount Stanley 5,110 m Natural resources: copper, cobalt, hydropower, limestone, salt, arable land Land use: arable land: 21.57% permanent crops: 8.92 % other: 69.51% (2005) Irrigated land: 90 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: NA Environment — current issues: draining of wetlands for agricultural use; defor¬ estation; overgrazing; soil erosion; water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; widespread poaching Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification Geography — note: landlocked; fertile, well-watered country with many lakes and rivers PEOPLE Population: 30,262,610 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mor¬ tality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the dis¬ tribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 50.2% (male 7,646,619/ female 7,538,137) 15-64 years: 47.6% (male 7,231,196/ female 7,185,058) 65 years and over: 2.2% (male 281,317/ female 380,283) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 14-9 years male: 14-8 years female: 15 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 3.572% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 48.12 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 12.64 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0.24 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.014 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.006 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 1.004 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 67.22 deaths/1,000 live births male: 70.92 deaths/1,000 live births female: 63.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 51.75 years male: 50.78 years female: 52.73 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 6 .84 children bom/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 4 1% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 530,000 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 78,000 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diar¬ rhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorbome diseases: malaria and African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) are high risks in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007) Nationality: noun: Ugandan(s) adjective: Ugandan Ethnic groups: Baganda 16.9%, Bany- akole 9.5%, Basoga 8.4%, Bakiga 6.9%, Iteso 6.4%, Langi 6.1%, Acholi 4.7%, Bagisu 4.6%, Lugbara 4.2%, Bunyoro 2.7%, other 29.6% (2002 census) Religions: Roman Catholic 41.9%, Protestant 42% (Anglican 35.9%, Pentecostal 4-6%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.5%), Muslim 12.1%, other 3.1%, none 0.9% (2002 census) Languages: English (official national language, taught in grade schools, used in courts of law and by most newspapers and some radio broadcasts), Ganda or Luganda (most widely used of the Niger- Congo languages, preferred for native language publications in the capital and may be taught in school), other Niger- Congo languages, Nilo-Saharan lan¬ guages, Swahili, Arabic Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 66.8% male: 76.8% female: 57.7% (2002 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Uganda conventional short form: Uganda Government type: republic 641 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Capital: name: Kampala geographic coordinates: 0 19N,32 25 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 56 districts; Adjumani, Apac, Arua, Bugiri, Bundibugyo, Bushenyi, Busia, Gulu, Hoima, Iganga, Jinja, Kabale, Kabarole, Kaberamaido, Kalangala, Kampala, Kamuli, Kamwenge, Kanungu, Kap- chorwa, Kasese, Katakwi, Kayunga, Kibale, Kiboga, Kisoro, Kitgum, Kotido, Kumi, Kyenjojo, Lira, Luwero, Masaka, Masindi, Mayuge, Mbale, Mbarara, Moroto, Moyo, Mpigi, Mubende, Mukono, Nakapiripirit, Nakasongola, Nebbi, Ntungamo, Pader, Pallisa, Rakai, Rukungiri, Sembabule, Sironko, Soroti, Tororo, Wakiso, Yumbe note: as of a July 2005, 13 new districts were reportedly added bringing the total up to 69; the new districts are Amoiatar, Amuria, Budaka, Butaleja, Ibanda, Kaabong, Kabingo, Kaliro, Kiruhura, Koboko, Manafwa, Mityana, Nakaseke; a total of ten more districts are in the process of being added Independence: 9 October 1962 (from UK) National holiday: Independence Day, 9 October (1962) Constitution: 8 October 1995; in 2005 the constitution was amended removing presidential term limits and legalizing a multiparty political system Legal system: in 1995, the government restored the legal system to one based on English common law and customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since seizing power 26 January 1986); note — the president is both chief of state and head of govern¬ ment head of government: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since seizing power 26 January 1986); Prime Minister Apollo NSIBAMBI (since 5 April 1999); note — the prime minister assists the president in the supervision of the cabinet cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the presi¬ dent from among elected legislators elections: president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 23 February 2006 (next to be held in 2011) election results: Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI elected president; percent of vote — Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI 59.3%, Kizza BESIGYE 37.4%, other 3.3% Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (332 seats; 215 members elected by popular vote, 104 nominated by legally established special interest groups [women 79, army 10, disabled 5, youth 5, labor 5], 13 ex officio members; to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 23 February 2006 (next to be held in 2011) election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — NRM 191, FDC 37, UPC 9, DP 8, CP 1, JEEMA 1, inde¬ pendents 36, other 49 Judicial branch: Court of Appeal (judges are appointed by the president and approved by the legislature); High Court (judges are appointed by the president) Political parties and leaders: Con¬ servative Party or CP [Ken LUKYA- MUZI]; Democratic Party or DP [Kizito SSEBAANA]; Forum for Democratic Change or FDC [Kizza BESIGYE]; Justice Forum or JEEMA [Muhammad Kibirige MAYANJA]; National Demo¬ crats Forum [Chapaa KARUHANGA]; National Resistance Movement or NRM [Yoweri MUSEVENI]; Ugandan People’s Congress or UPC [Miria OBOTE] note: a national referendum in July 2005 opened the way for Uganda’s transition to a multi-party political system Political pressure groups and leaders: Popular Resistance Against a Life President or PRALP international organization participa¬ tion: ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, EADB, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UN WTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Perezi Karukubiro KAMUNANWIRE chancery: 5911 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 2001 1 telephone: [1] (202) 726-7100 through 7102, 0416 FAX: [1] (202) 726-1727 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Steven BROWNING embassy: 1577 Ggaba Road, Kampala mailing address : P. O. Box 7007, Kampala telephone: [256] (41) 234-142 FAX: [256] (41) 258-451 Flag description: six equal horizontal bands of black (top), yellow, red, black, yellow, and red; a white disk is superim¬ posed at the center and depicts a red- crested crane (the national symbol) facing the hoist side ECONOMY Economy — overview: Uganda has sub¬ stantial natural resources, including fer¬ tile soils, regular rainfall, and sizable mineral deposits of copper and cobalt. Agriculture is the most important sector of the economy, employing over 80% of the work force. Coffee accounts for the bulk of export revenues. Since 1986, the government — with the support of for¬ eign countries and international agen¬ cies — has acted to rehabilitate and stabilize the economy by undertaking currency reform, raising producer prices on export crops, increasing prices of petroleum products, and improving civil service wages. The policy changes are especially aimed at dampening inflation and boosting production and export earnings. During 1990-2001, the economy turned in a solid performance based on continued investment in the rehabilitation of infrastructure, improved incentives for production and exports, reduced inflation, gradually improved domestic security, and the return of exiled Indian-Ugandan entrepreneurs. In 2000, Uganda qualified for enhanced Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) debt relief worth $1.3 billion and Paris Club debt relief worth $145 million. These amounts combined with the orig¬ inal HIPC debt relief added up to about $2 billion. Growth for 2001-02 was solid, despite continued decline in the price of coffee, Uganda’s principal export. Growth in 2003-06 reflected an upturn in Uganda’s export markets. GDP (purchasing power parity): $52.93 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $8,526 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 5.3% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $1,900 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 29.4% industry: 22.1% services: 48.5% (2006 est.) Labor force: 13.76 million (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 82% industry: 5% services: 13% (1999 est.) Unemployment rate: NA% Population below poverty line: 35% (2001 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4% highest 10%: 21% (2000) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 43 (1999) 642 UKRAINE Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 23.5% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $1,943 billion expenditures: $1,994 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 29.3% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: coffee, tea, cotton, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), pota- toes, com, millet, pulses, cut flowers; beef, goat meat, milk, poultry Industries: sugar, brewing, tobacco, cotton textiles; cement, steel production Industrial production growth rate: 5.2% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 1.894 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 0.9% hydro: 99.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 1.596 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 165 million kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 10,890 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas — production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $423 million (2006 est.) Exports: $961.7 million f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: coffee, fish and fish products, tea, cotton, flowers, horti¬ cultural products; gold Exports— partners: Belgium 11.4%, Netherlands 11.1%, France 8.2%, Germany 5.9%, Rwanda 4.6% (2005) Imports: $1,945 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: capital equip¬ ment, vehicles, petroleum, medical sup¬ plies; cereals Imports — partners: Kenya 34.6%, UAE 8.5%, South Africa 5.7%, India 5.6%, China 5.1%, UK 4.4%, US 4% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $1.4 billion (2006 est.) Debt— external: $1,456 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $959 million (2003) Currency (code): Ugandan shilling (UGX) Currency code: UGX Exchange rates: Ugandan shillings per US dollar— 1,834.9 (2006), 1,780.7 (2005), 1,810.3 (2004), 1,963.7 (2003), 1,797.6 (2002) Fiscal year: 1 July— 30 June COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 100,800 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 1.525 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: seriously inadequate; 2 cellular systems have been introduced, but a sharp increase in the number of main lines is essential; e-mail and Internet services are available domestic: intercity traffic by wire, microwave radio relay, and radiotele¬ phone communication stations, fixed and mobile cellular systems for short- range traffic international: country code — 256; satel¬ lite earth stations — 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat; analog links to Kenya and Tanzania Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 33, shortwave 2 (2001) Radios: 5 million (2001) Television broadcast stations: 8 (plus 1 repeater) (2001) Televisions: 500,000 (2001) Internet country code: ug Internet hosts: 1,365 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000) Internet users: 500,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 31 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 5 over 3,047 m: 3 l ,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 26 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 8 (2006) Railways: total: 1,244 km narrow gauge: 1,244 km 1.000-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 70,746 km paved: 16,272 km unpaved: 54,474 km (2003) Waterways: on Lake Victoria, 200 km on Lake Albert, Lake Kyoga, and parts of Albert Nile (2005) Ports and terminals: Entebbe, Jinja, Port Bell MILITARY Military branches: Uganda Peoples Defense Force (UPDF): Army (includes Marine Unit), Air Force (2007) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military duty; the government has stated that recruitment below that age could occur with proper consent and that “no person under the apparent age of 13 years shall be enrolled in the armed forces” Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 5,012,620 females age 18-49: 4,855,858 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18—49: 2,889,808 females age 18-49: 2,780,135 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 2.2% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: Uganda is sub¬ ject to armed fighting among hostile ethnic groups, rebels, armed gangs, mili¬ tias, and various government forces that extend across its borders; Uganda hosts 209,860 Sudanese, 27,560 Congolese, and 19,710 Rwandan refugees, while Ugandan refugees as well as members of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) seek shelter in southern Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Garamba National Park; LRA forces have also attacked Kenyan villages across the border Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: refugees (country of origin): 212,857 (Sudan), 20,564 (Democratic Republic of Congo), 20,213 (Rwanda) IDPs: 1. 2-1.7 million (350,000 IDPs returned in 2006 following ongoing peace talks between the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and the Government of Uganda) (2006) INTRODUCTION Background: Ukraine was the center of the first eastern Slavic state, Kyivan Rus, which during the 10th and 11th cen¬ turies was the largest and most powerful state in Europe. Weakened by inter¬ UKRAINE necine quarrels and Mongol invasions, Kyivan Rus was incorporated into the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and eventu¬ ally into the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The cultural and reli¬ gious legacy of Kyivan Rus laid the foun¬ dation for Ukrainian nationalism through subsequent centuries. A new Ukrainian state, the Cossack Hetmanate, was established during the mid- 17th century after an uprising against the Poles. Despite continuous Muscovite pressure, the Hetmanate managed to remain autonomous for well 643 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK pwmtoiv Zhytomy^ luNarw\ Kirovohra*^ KjyvyyWh, 5«« Of Aw v over 100 years. During the latter part of the 18th century, most Ukrainian ethno¬ graphic territory was absorbed by the Russian Empire. Following the collapse of czarist Russia in 1917, Ukraine was able to bring about a short-lived period of independence (1917-20), but was recon¬ quered and forced to endure a brutal Soviet rule that engineered two artificial famines (1921-22 and 1932-33) in which over 8 million died. In World War II, German and Soviet armies were responsible for some 7 to 8 million more deaths. Although final independence for Ukraine was achieved in 1991 with the dissolution of the USSR, democracy remained elusive as the legacy of state control and endemic corruption stalled efforts at economic reform, privatization, and civil liberties. A peaceful mass protest “Orange Revolution” in the closing months of 2004 forced the authorities to overturn a rigged presiden¬ tial election and to allow a new interna¬ tionally monitored vote that swept into power a reformist slate under Viktor YUSHCHENKO. Subsequent internal squabbles in the YUSHCHENKO camp allowed his rival Viktor YANUKO¬ VYCH to stage a comeback in parliamen¬ tary elections and become prime minister in August of 2006. GEOGRAPHY Location: Eastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Poland, Romania, and Moldova in the west and Russia in the east Geographic coordinates: 49 00 N, 32 00 E Map references: Asia, Europe Area: total: 603,700 sq km land: 603,700 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: slightly smaller than Texas Land boundaries: total: 4,663 km border countries: Belarus 891 km, Hungary 103 km, Moldova 939 km, Poland 526 km, Romania (south) 169 km, Romania (west) 362 km, Russia 1,576 km, Slovakia 97 km Coastline: 2,782 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m or to the depth of exploitation Climate: temperate continental; Med¬ iterranean only on the southern Crimean coast; precipitation disproportionately distributed, highest in west and north, lesser in east and southeast; winters vary from cool along the Black Sea to cold farther inland; summers are warm across the greater part of the country, hot in the south Terrain: most of Ukraine consists of fer¬ tile plains (steppes) and plateaus, moun¬ tains being found only in the west (the Carpathians), and in the Crimean Peninsula in the extreme south Elevation extremes: lowest point: Black Sea 0 m highest point: Hora Hoverla 2,061 m Natural resources: iron ore, coal, man¬ ganese, natural gas, oil, salt, sulfur, graphite, titanium, magnesium, kaolin, nickel, mercury, timber, arable land Land use: arable land: 53.8% permanent crops: 1.5% other: 44-7% (2005) Irrigated land: 22,080 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: NA Environment— current issues: inade¬ quate supplies of potable water; air and water pollution; deforestation; radiation contamination in the northeast from 1986 accident at Chornobyl’ Nuclear Power Plant E nvironment— international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution- Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Pro¬ tocol, Endangered Species, Envi¬ ronmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution- Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution- Volatile Organic Compounds Geography— note*, strategic position at the crossroads between Europe and Asia; second-largest country in Europe PEOPLE / /' v . . ; ; > % - Population: 46,299,862 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 14% (male 3,334,428/female 3,163,378) 15-64 years: 69.6% (male 15,465,544/ female 16,769,495) 65 years and over: 16.3% (male 2,564,512/ female 5,002,505) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 39.2 years male: 36 years female: 42.3 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: -0.675% (2007 est.) Bilth rate: 9.45 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 16.07 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -0.13 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.054 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.922 male (s)/fe male 65 years and over: 0.513 male(s)/female total population: 0.857 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 9.5 deaths/1,000 live births male: 11.75 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 67.88 years male: 62.16 years female: 73.96 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.24 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 1.4% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 360,000 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 20,000 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Ukrainian(s) adjective: Ukrainian Ethnic groups: Ukrainian 77.8%, Russian 17.3%, Belarusian 0.6%, Moldovan 0.5%, Crimean Tatar 0.5%, 644 UKRAINE Bulgarian 0.4%, Hungarian 0.3%, Romanian 0.3%, Polish 0.3%, Jewish 0.2%, other 1.8% (2001 census) Religions: Ukrainian Orthodox — Kyiv Patriarchate 19%, Orthodox (no partic¬ ular jurisdiction) 16%, Ukrainian Orthodox — Moscow Patriarchate 9%, Ukrainian Greek Catholic 6%, Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox 1.7%, Protestant, Jewish, none 38% (2004 est.) Languages: Ukrainian (official) 67%, Russian 24%, other 9% (includes small Romanian-, Polish-, and Hungarian¬ speaking minorities) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.4% male: 99.7% female: 99.2% (2001 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Ukraine local long form: none local short form: Ukrayina former: Ukrainian National Republic, Ukrainian State, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic Government type: republic Capital: name: Kyiv (Kiev) geographic coordinates: 50 26 N, 30 31 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: 24 provinces (oblasti, singular — oblast’), 1 auto¬ nomous republic* (avtonomna respub- lika), and 2 municipalities (mista, singular — misto) with oblast status**; Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Chernivtsi, Crimea or Avtonomna Respublika Krym* (Simferopol’), Dnipropetrovs’k, Donets’k, Ivano-Frankivs’k, Kharkiv, Kherson, Khmel’nyts’kyy, Kirovohrad, Kyiv**, Kyiv, Luhans’k, L’viv, Mykolayiv, Odesa, Poltava, Rivne, Sevastopol’**, Sumy, Ternopil’, Vinnytsya, Volyn’ (Luts’k), Zakarpattya (Uzhhorod), Zaporizhzhya, Zhytomyr note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative cen¬ ters (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses) Independence: 24 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union) National holiday: Independence Day, 24 August (1991); note — 22 January 1918, the day Ukraine first declared its inde¬ pendence (from Soviet Russia) and the day the short-lived Western and Central Ukrainian republics united (1919), is now celebrated as Unity Day Constitution: adopted 28 June 1996 Legal system: based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Viktor A. YUSHCHENKO (since 23 January 2005) head of government: Prime Minister Viktor YANUKOVYCH (since 4 August 2006) ; First Deputy Prime Minister— Mykola AZAROV (since 5 August 2006) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers selected by the prime minister; the only exceptions are the foreign and defense ministers, who are chosen by the president note: there is also a National Security and Defense Council or NSDC origi¬ nally created in 1992 as the National Security Council; the NSDC staff is tasked with developing national security policy on domestic and international matters and advising the president; a Presidential Secretariat helps draft presi¬ dential edicts and provides policy sup¬ port to the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); note- — -a special repeat runoff presidential election between Viktor YUSHCHENKO and Viktor YANUKOVYCH took place on 26 December 2004 after the earlier 21 November 2004 contest — won by YANUKOVYCH— was invalidated by the Ukrainian Supreme Court because of widespread and significant violations; under constitutional reforms that went into effect 1 January 2006, the majority in parliament takes the lead in naming the prime minister election results: Viktor YUSHCHENKO elected president; percent of vote — Viktor YUSHCHENKO 51.99%, Viktor YANUKOVYCH 44.2% Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme Council or Verkhovna Rada (450 seats; members allocated on a proportional basis to those parties that gain 3% or more of the national electoral vote; to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 26 March 2006 (next to be held 30 September 2007); note — pre-term parliamentary elections were scheduled following a political crisis during which the Verkhovna Rada was dissolved by the president election results: percent of vote by party/bloc in 2002 — Party of Regions 32.1%, Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc 22.3%, Our Ukraine 13.9%, SPU 5.7%, CPU 3.7%, other parties 22.3%; seats by party/bloc — Party of Regions 186, Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc 129, Our Ukraine 81, SPU 33, CPU 21 Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Constitutional Court Political parties and leaders: Com munist Party of Ukraine or CPU [Petro SYMONENKO]; Fatherland Party (Batkivshchyna) [Yuliya TYMO¬ SHENKO]; People’s Party Our Ukraine [Viktor YUSHCHENKO]; Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs [Ana¬ toliy KINAKH]; People’s Movement of Ukraine (Rukh) [Borys TARASYUK]; People’s Party [Volodymyr LYTVYN]; PORA! (It’s Time!) party [Vladyslav KASKIV]; Progressive Socialist Party [Natalya VITRENKO]; Reforms and Order Party [Viktor PYNZENYK]; Party of Regions [Viktor YANUKOVYCH]; Republican Party [Yuriy BOYKO]; Social Democratic Party (United) or SDPU(o) [Viktor MEDVEDCHUK]; Socialist Party of Ukraine or SPU [Oleksandr MOROZ, chairman]; Ukrainian People’s Party [Yuriy KOSTENKO]; Viche [Inna BOHUSLOVSKA] Political pressure groups and leaders: Committee of Voters of Ukraine [Ihor POPOV]; Peoples’ Self-Defense [Yuriy LUTSENKO]; Ne Tak [Leonid KRAVCHUK] International organization participa¬ tion: Australia Group, BSEC, CBSS (observer), CE, CEI, CIS, EAEC (observer), EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (observer), NSC, OAS (ob¬ server), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WOO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer), ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Oleh V. SHAMSHUR chancery: 3350 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 333-0606 FAX: [1] (202) 333-0817 consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York, San Francisco Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William B. TAYLOR embassy: 10 Yurii Kotsiubynsky Street, 04053 Kyiv mailing address: 5850 Kiev Place, Washington, DC 20521-5850 telephone: [380] (44) 490-4000 FAX: [380] (44) 490-4085 645 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of azure (top) and golden yellow represent grain fields under a blue sky ECONOMY Economy — overview: After Russia, the Ukrainian republic was far and away the most important economic component of the former Soviet Union, producing about four times the output of the next- ranking republic. Its fertile black soil generated more than one-fourth of Soviet agricultural output, and its farms provided substantial quantities of meat, milk, grain, and vegetables to other republics. Likewise, its diversified heavy industry supplied the unique equipment (for example, large diameter pipes) and raw materials to industrial and mining sites (vertical drilling apparatus) in other regions of the former USSR. Shortly after independence was ratified in December 1991, the Ukrainian Government liberalized most prices and erected a legal framework for privatiza¬ tion, but widespread resistance to reform within the government and the legisla¬ ture soon stalled reform efforts and led to some backtracking. Output by 1999 had fallen to less than 40% of the 1991 level. Loose monetary policies pushed inflation to hyperinflationary levels in late 1993. Ukraine’s dependence on Russia for energy supplies and the lack of signifi¬ cant structural reform have made the Ukrainian economy vulnerable to external shocks. Ukraine depends on imports to meet about three-fourths of its annual oil and natural gas requirements. A dispute with Russia over pricing in late 2005 and early 2006 led to a temporary gas cut-off; Ukraine concluded a deal with Russia in January 2006 that almost doubled the price Ukraine pays for Russian gas, and could cost the Ukrainian economy $1.4-2. 2 billion. Ukrainian Government officials elimi¬ nated most tax and customs privileges in a March 2005 budget law, bringing more economic activity out of Ukraine’s large shadow economy, but more improve¬ ments are needed, including fighting cor¬ ruption, developing capital markets, and improving the legislative framework for businesses. Reforms in the more politi¬ cally sensitive areas of structural reform and land privatization are still lagging. Outside institutions — particularly the IMF — have encouraged Ukraine to quicken the pace and scope of reforms. In its efforts to accede to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Ukraine passed more than 20 laws in 2006 to bring its trading regime into consistency with WTO standards. GDP growth was 7% in 2006, up from 2.4% in 2005 thanks to rising steel prices worldwide and growing consumption domestically. Although the economy is likely to expand in 2007, long-term growth could be threatened by the government’s plans to reinstate tax, trade, and customs priv¬ ileges and to maintain restrictive grain export quotas. GDP (purchasing power parity): $364 3 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $82.36 billion (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 7.1% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $7,800 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 17.5% industry: 42.7% services: 39.8% (2006 est.) Labor force: 22.3 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 25% industry: 20% services: 55% (1996) Unemployment rate: 2.7% officially reg¬ istered; large number of unregistered or underemployed workers; the Inter¬ national Labor Organization calculates that Ukraine’s real unemployment level is 6.7% (2006) Population below poverty line: 29% (2003 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.4% highest 10%: 25.7% (2006) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 31 (2006) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 11.6% (2006) Investment (gross fixed): 22.9% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $33.41 billion expenditures: $35.6 billion; note — this is the planned, consolidated budget (2006 est.) Public debt: 12.7% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: grain, sugar beets, sunflower seeds, vegetables; beef, milk Industries: coal, electric power, ferrous and nonferrous metals, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food processing (especially sugar) industrial production growth rate: 6.3% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 192.1 billion kWh (2006) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 48.6% hydro: 7.9% nuclear: 43.5% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 181.9 billion kWh (2006) Electricity — exports: 10.44 billion kWh (2006) Electricity— imports: 20 billion kWh (2006) Oil — production: 90,400 bbl/day (2006) Oil— consumption: 284,600 bbl/day (2006) Oil— exports: 17,880 bbl/day (2006) Oil— imports: 213,000 bbl/day (2004) Oil— proved reserves: 395 million bbl (9 November 2004) Natural gas — production: 20.85 billion cu m (2006) Natural gas— consumption: 73.94 bil¬ lion cu m (2006 est,) Natural gas — exports: 4 billion cu m (2006) Natural gas — imports: 57.09 billion cu m (2006 est.) Natural gas — proved reserves: 1.121 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $1,933 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $38.88 billion (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: ferrous and nonferrous metals, fuel and petroleum products, chemicals, machinery and transport equipment, food products Exports— partners: Russia 22.1%, Turkey 6%, Italy 5.6% (2005) imports: $44.11 billion (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: energy, machinery and equipment, chemicals Imports— partners: Russia 35.5%, Germany 9.4%, Turkmenistan 7.4%, China 5% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $22.26 billion (2006) Debt— external: $48.87 billion (30 October 2006) Economic aid — recipient: $463 million (1995); IMF Extended Funds Facility $2.2 billion (2005) Currency (code): hryvnia (UAH) Currency code: UAH Exchange rates: hryvnia per US dollar— 5.05 (2006), 5.1247 (2005), 5.3192 (2004), 5.3327 (2003), 5.3266 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 12.142 million (2004) Telephones— mobile cellular: 17.214 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: Ukraine’s telecommu¬ nication development plan, running through 2005, emphasizes improving domestic trunk lines, international con¬ nections, and the mobile cellular system domestic: at independence in December 1991, Ukraine inherited a telephone system that was antiquated, inefficient, 646 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES and in disrepair; more than 3.5 million applications for telephones could not be satisfied; telephone density is rising slowly and the domestic trunk system is being improved; the mobile cellular tele¬ phone system is expanding at a high rate international: country code — 380; 2 new domestic trunk lines are a part of the fiber-optic Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) system and 3 Ukrainian links have been installed in the fiber-optic Trans- European Lines (TEL) project that con¬ nects 18 countries; additional international service is provided by the Italy-Turkey-Ukraine-Russia (ITUR) fiber-optic submarine cable and by earth stations in the Intelsat, Inmarsat, and Intersputnik satellite systems Radio broadcast stations: 524 (station types NA) (2006) Radios: 45.05 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 647 (2006) Televisions: 18.05 million (1997) internet country code: ua Internet hosts: 229,110 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 260 (2001) Internet users: 5.278 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 499 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 193 over 3,047 m: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 55 1,524 to 2,437 m: 27 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 93 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 306 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 274 (2006) Heliports: 10 (2006) Pipelines: gas 19,951 km; oil 4,514 km; refined products 4,211 km (2006) Railways: total: 22,473 km broad gauge: 22,473 km 1.524-m gauge (9,250 km electrified) (2005) Roadways: total: 169,477 km paved: 164,732 km (includes 15 km of expressways) unpaved: 4,745 km (2004) Waterways: 2,253 km (most on Dnieper River) (2006) Merchant marine: total: 202 ships (1000 GRT or over) 782,456 GRT/91 1,201 DWT by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 151, con¬ tainer 4, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 9, refrigerated cargo 11, roll on/roll off 7, specialized tanker 2 foreign-owned: 1 (Russia 1) registered in other countries: 160 (Belize 7, Cambodia 17, Comoros 14, Cyprus 4, Dominica 2, Georgia 22, Liberia 16, Malta 24, Moldova 3, Mongolia 1, Panama 8, Russia 11, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 12, Sierra Leone 4, Slovakia 8, unknown 4) (2006) Ports and terminals: Feodosiya, Kerch, Kherson, Mariupol’, Mykolayiv, Odesa, Reni, Yuzhnyy MILITARY Military branches: Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air Forces (Viyskovo- Povitryani Syly), Air Defense Forces (2002) Military service age and obligation: 18-25 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation — 18 months for Army and Air Force, 24 months for Navy (2004) Manpower available tor military service: males age 18-49: 11,020,222 females age 18-4 9: 11,370,687 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18—49: 7,376,050 females age 18-49: 9,313,385 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 382,751 females age 18-4 9: 365,599 (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of GDP: 1.4% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: 1997 boundary delimitation treaty with Belarus remains un-ratified due to unresolved financial claims, stalling demarcation and reducing border security; delimitation of land boundary with Russia is complete with preparations for demarcation underway; the dispute over the boundary between Russia and Ukraine through the Kerch Strait and Sea of Azov remains unresolved despite a December 2003 framework agree¬ ment and ongoing expert-level discussions; Moldova and Ukraine operate joint cus¬ toms posts to monitor transit of people and commodities through Moldova’s break¬ away Transnistria Region, which remains under OSCE supervision; the ICJ gave Ukraine until December 2006 to reply, and Romania until June 2007 to rejoin, in their dispute submitted in 2004 over Ukrainian- administered Zmiyinyy/Serpilor (Snake) Island and Black Sea maritime boundary; Romania opposes Ukraine’s reopening of a navigation canal from the Danube border through Ukraine to the Black Sea Illicit drugs: limited cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for CIS consumption; some synthetic drug production for export to the West; lim¬ ited government eradication program; used as transshipment point for opiates and other illicit drugs from Africa, Latin America, and Turkey to Europe and Russia; Ukraine has improved anti- money-laundering controls, resulting in its removal from the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF’s) Noncooperative Countries and Territories List in February 2004; Ukraine’s anti-money- laundering regime continues to be moni¬ tored by FATF UNITED ARAB EMIRATES INTRODUCTION _ Background: The Trucial States of the Persian Gulf coast granted the UK con¬ trol of their defense and foreign affairs in 19th century treaties. In 1971, six of these states — Abu Zaby, ‘Ajrnan, A1 Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah, Dubayy, and Umm al Qaywayn — merged to form the United Arab Emirates (UAE). They were joined in 1972 by Ra’s al Khaymah. The UAE’s per capita GDP is on par with those of leading West European nations. Its generosity with oil revenues and its moderate foreign policy stance have allowed the UAE to play a vital role in the affairs of the region. GEOGRAPHY Location: Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia Geographic coordinates: 24 00 N, 54 00 E Map references: Middle East Area: total: 83,600 sq km land: 83,600 sq km water: 0 sq km Area— comparative: slightly smaller than Maine Land boundaries: total: 867 km border countries: Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km Coastline: 1,318 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 1 2 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin Climate: desert; cooler in eastern mountains 647 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Terrain: flat, barren coastal plain merg¬ ing into rolling sand dunes of vast desert wasteland; mountains in east Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Jabal Yibir 1,527 m Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas Land use: arable land: 0.77% permanent crops: 2.27% other: 96.96% (2005) Irrigated land: 760 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: frequent sand and dust storms Environment— current issues: lack of natural freshwater resources compen¬ sated by desalination plants; desertifica¬ tion; beach pollution from oil spills Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea Geography — note: strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil PEOPLE ' Population: 4,444,011 note: estimate is based on the results of the 2005 census that included a signifi¬ cantly higher estimate of net inmigration of non-citizens than previous estimates (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 20.6% (male 467,931/female 447,045) 15-64 years: 78.5% (male 2,558,029/ female 932,617) 65 years and over: 0.9% (male 24,914/ female 13,475) note: 73.9% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (2007 est.) Median age: total: 30.1 years male: 32 years female: 24.5 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 3.997% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 16.09 births/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 2.16 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 26.04 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.047 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 2.743 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.849 male(s)/female total population: 2.19 male(s)/female (2007 est.) infant mortality rate: total: 13.52 deaths/1,000 live births male: 15.77 deaths/ 1,000 live births female: 11.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.69 years male: 73.16 years female : 78.35 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.43 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 0.18% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Emirati(s) adjective: Emirati Ethnic groups: Emirati 19%, other Arab and Iranian 23%, South Asian 50%, other expatriates (includes Westerners and East Asians) 8% (1982) note: less than 20% are UAE citizens (1982) Religions: Muslim 96% (Shi’a 16%), other (includes Christian, Hindu) 4% Languages: Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 77.9% male: 76.1% female: 81.7% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: United Arab Emirates conventional short form: none local long form: A1 Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidah local short form: none former: Trucial Oman, Trucial States abbreviation: UAE Government type: federation with speci¬ fied powers delegated to the UAE federal government and other powers reserved to member emirates Capital: name: Abu Dhabi geographic coordinates: 24 28 N, 54 22 E time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 7 emirates (imarat, singular — imarah); Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi), ‘Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah (Sharjah), Dubayy (Dubai), Ra’s al Khaymah, Umm al Qaywayn (Quwayn) Independence: 2 December 1971 (from UK) National holiday: Independence Day, 2 December (1971) Constitution: 2 December 1971; made permanent in 1996 Legal system: federal court system introduced in 1971; applies to all emi¬ rates except Dubayy (Dubai) and Ra’s al Khaymah, which are not fully integrated into the federal judicial system; all emi¬ rates have secular courts to adjudicate criminal, civil, and commercial matters and Islamic courts to review family and religious disputes Suffrage: none Executive branch: chief of state: President KHALIFA bin Zayid al-Nuhayyan (since 3 November 2004), ruler of Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) (since 4 November 2004); Vice President and Prime Minister MU¬ HAMMAD bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 5 January 2006) head of government: Prime Minister and Vice President MUHAMMAD bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 5 January 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers SULTAN bin Zayid al-Nuhayyan (since 20 November 1990) and HAMDAN bin Zayid al- Nuhayyan (since 20 October 2003) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president note: there is also a Federal Supreme Council (FSC) composed of the seven emirate rulers; the FSC is the highest constitutional authority in the UAE; establishes general policies and sanctions 648 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES federal legislation; meets four times a year; Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) and Dubayy (Dubai) rulers have effective veto power elections: president and vice president elected by the FSC for five-year terms (no term limits); election last held 3 November 2004 upon the death of the UAE’s Founding Father and first President ZAYID bin Sultan A1 Nuhayyan (next to be held in 2009); prime minister and deputy prime min¬ ister appointed by the president election results: KHALIFA bin Zayid al- Nuhayyan elected president by a unani¬ mous vote of the FSC; MUHAMMAD bin Rashid al-Maktum unanimously affirmed vice president after the 2006 death of his brother Sheikh Maktum bin Rashid al-Maktum Legislative branch: unicameral Federal National Council (FNC) or Majlis al- Ittihad al-Watani (40 seats; 20 members appointed by the rulers of the con¬ stituent states, 20 members elected to serve two-year terms) elections: elections for one half of the FNC (the other half remains appointed) held in the UAE on 18-20 December 2006; the new electoral college — a body of 6,689 Emiratis (including 1,189 women) appointed by the rulers of the seven emirates — were the only eligible voters and candidates; 456 candidates including 65 women ran for 20 contested FNC seats; one female from the Emirate of Abu Dhabi won a seat note: reviews legislation but cannot change or veto Judicial branch: Union Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president) Political parties and leaders: none Political pressure groups and leaders: NA international organization participa¬ tion: ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G- 77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Saqr Ghobash Said GHOBASH chancery: 3522 International Court NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 243-2400 FAX: [1] (202) 243-2432 consulate(s) : New York, Houston Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michele J. SISON embassy: Embassies District, Plot 38 Sector W59-02, Street No. 4, Abu Dhabi mailing address: P. O. Box 4009, Abu Dhabi telephone: [971] (2) 414-2200 FAX: [971] (2) 414-2603 consulate(s) general: Dubai Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with a wider vertical red band on the hoist side ECONOMY Economy — overview: The UAE has an open economy with a high per capita income and a sizable annual trade sur¬ plus. Despite largely successful efforts at economic diversification, about 30% of GDP is still directly based on oil and gas output, and the fortunes of the economy fluctuate with the prices of those com¬ modities. Since the discovery of oil in the UAE more than 30 years ago, the UAE has undergone a profound transfor¬ mation from an impoverished region of small desert principalities to a modern state with a high standard of living. The government has increased spending on job creation and infrastructure expan¬ sion and is opening up its utilities to greater private sector involvement. In April 2004, the UAE signed a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) with Washington and in November 2004 agreed to undertake negotiations toward a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the US. Higher oil revenue, strong liquidity, and cheap credit in 2005-06 led to a surge in asset prices (shares and real estate) and con¬ sumer inflation. Rising prices are increasing the operating costs for busi¬ nesses in the UAE and degrading the UAE’s allure to foreign investors. Dependence on a large expatriate work¬ force and oil are significant long-term challenges to the UAE’s economy. GDP (purchasing power parity): $129.5 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $164 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 8.9% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $49,700 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 2.3% industry: 61.9% services: 35.8% (2006 est.) Labor force: 2.968 million (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 7% industry: 15% services: 78% (2000 est.) Unemployment rate: 2.4% (2001) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 24.3% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $60.3 billion expenditures: $35.2 billion; including capital expenditures of $5.9 billion (2006 est.) Public debt: 9% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: dates, vegeta¬ bles, watermelons; poultry, eggs, dairy products; fish Industries: petroleum and petrochemi¬ cals; fishing, aluminum, cement, fertil¬ izers, commercial ship repair, construction materials, some boat building, handi¬ crafts, textiles Industrial production growth rate: 4% (2000) Electricity— production: 49.52 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 46.05 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil — production: 2.54 million bbl/day (2006 est.) Oil— consumption: 400,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: 2.5 million bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — imports: 0 bbl/day (2004) Oil— proved reserves: 97.8 billion bbl (2006 est.) Natural gas — production: 46.29 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 40.31 bil¬ lion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — exports: 7 18 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — imports: 1.2 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — proved reserves: 6.006 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $26.89 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $137.1 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: crude oil 45%, natural gas, reexports, dried fish, dates Exports — partners: Japan 24.5%, South Korea 9.8%, Thailand 5.6%, India 4.3% (2005) imports: $88.89 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) imports — commodities: machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food 649 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Imports— partners: UK 10%, China 9.7%, US 9.4%, India 9.2%, Germany 5.9%, Japan 5.4%, France 4-7%, Singapore 4.1% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $25.51 billion (2006 est.) Debt— external: $39.1 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid — donor: since its found- ing in 1971, the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development has given about $5.2 bil¬ lion in aid to 56 countries (2004) Currency (code): Emirati dirham (AED) Currency code: AED Exchange rates: Emirati dirhams per US dollar— 3.673 (2006), 3.6725 (2005), 3.6725 (2004), 3.6725 (2003), 3.6725 (2002) note: officially pegged to the US dollar since February 2002 Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 1.237 million (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 4.535 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital network with rapidly growing use of mobile cellular telephones; key centers are Abu Dhabi and Dubai domestic: microwave radio relay, fiber optic and coaxial cable international: country code — 971; satel¬ lite earth stations — 3 Intelsat ( 1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; submarine cables to Qatar, Bahrain, India, and Pakistan; tropos¬ pheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia Radio broadcast stations: AM 13, FM 8, shortwave 2 (2004) Radios: 820,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 15 (2004) Televisions: 310,000 (1997) Internet country code: ae Internet hosts: 337,092 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): l (2000) Internet users: 1.397 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 37 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 23 over 3,047 m: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 4 INTRODUCTION Background: As the dominant industrial and maritime power of the 19th century, under 9 14 m: 3 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 14 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1 ,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 4 (2006) Heliports: 4 (2006) Pipelines: condensate 520 km; gas 2,580 km; liquid petroleum gas 300 km; oil 2,950 km; oil/gas/water 5 km; refined products 156 km (2006) Roadways: total: 1,088 km paved: 1,088 km (includes 253 km of expressways) (1999) Merchant marine: total: 58 ships (1000 GRT or over) 656,003 GRT/891,837 DWT by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 7, chemical tanker 5, container 6, liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 20, roll on/roll off 6, specialized tanker 1 foreign'oumed: 10 (Greece 2, Kuwait 8) registered in other countries: 259 (Bahamas 16, Barbados 1, Belize 5, Cambodia 1, Comoros 6, Cyprus 11, Dominica 2, Georgia 1, Hong Kong 2, India 6, Iran 1, Jordan 11, Kiribati 1, North Korea 6, Liberia 18, Malta 5, Marshall Islands 3, Mexico 1, Mongolia 5, Norway 1, Panama 105, Philippines 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis 19, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 11, Saudi Arabia 1, Sierra Leone 3, Singapore 7, Somalia 1, Sri Lanka 2, Syria 1, unknown 5) (2006) Ports and terminals: A1 Fujayrah, Khawr Fakkan, Mina’ Jabal ‘Ali, Mina’ Rashid, Mina’ Saqr, Mina’ Zayid, Sharjan MILITARY Military branches: Army, Navy (in¬ cludes Marines and Coast Guard), Air and Air Defense Force, paramilitary forces (includes Federal Police Force) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 653,181 females age 18-49: 497,394 (includes non-nationals; 2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age i 8 — 49 : 526,671 females age 18—49: 419,975 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males: 30,706 females age 18-49: 29,617 (2005 est.) UNITED KINGDOM \ the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland played a leading role in developing parliamentary democracy and in advancing literature and science. Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 3.1% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: boundary agree¬ ment was signed and ratified with Oman in 2003 for entire border, including Oman’s Musandam Peninsula and A1 Madhah enclaves, but contents of the agreement and detailed maps showing the alignment have not been published; Iran and UAE dispute Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island, which Iran occupies Trafficking in persons: current situation: the United Arab Emirates is a destina¬ tion country for men, women, and chil¬ dren trafficked from South and East Asia, Eastern Europe, Africa, and the Middle East for involuntary servitude and for sexual exploitation; an estimated 10,000 women from sub-Saharan Africa, Eastern Europe, South and East Asia, Iraq, Iran, and Morocco may be victims of sex trafficking in the UAE; women also migrate from Africa, and South and Southeast Asia to work as domestic ser¬ vants, but may have their passports con¬ fiscated, be denied permission to leave the place of employment in the home, or face sexual or physical abuse by their employers; men from South Asia come to the UAE to work in the construction industry, but may be subjected to condi¬ tions of involuntary servitude as they are coerced to pay off recruitment and travel costs, sometimes having their wages denied for months at a time; victims of child camel jockey trafficking may still remain in the UAE, despite a July 2005 law banning the practice; while all iden¬ tified victims were repatriated at the gov¬ ernment’s expense to their home countries, questions persist as to the effectiveness of the ban and the true number of victims tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List— UAE is placed on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to show increased efforts to combat trafficking in 2005, particularly in its efforts to address the large-scale trafficking of foreign girls and women for commercial sexual exploitation Illicit drugs: the UAE is a drug trans¬ shipment point for traffickers given its proximity to Southwest Asian drug-pro¬ ducing countries; the UAE’s position as a major financial center makes it vulner¬ able to money laundering; anti-money- laundering controls improving, but informal banking remains unregulated At its zenith, the British Empire stretched over one-fourth of the earth’s surface. The first half of the 20th century saw the UK’s strength seriously depleted 650 UNITED KINGDOM in two World Wars and the Irish republic withdraw from the union. The second half witnessed the dismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself into a modern and prosperous European nation. As one of five permanent mem¬ bers of the UN Security Council, a founding member of NATO, and of the Commonwealth, the UK pursues a global approach to foreign policy; it currently is weighing the degree of its integration with continental Europe. A member of the EU, it chose to remain outside the Economic and Monetary Union for the time being. Constitutional reform is also a significant issue in the UK. The Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales, and the Northern Ireland Assembly were established in 1999, but the latter is suspended due to wrangling over the peace process. GEOGRAPHY Location: Western Europe, islands including the northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, northwest of France Geographic coordinates: 54 00 N, 2 00 W Map references: Europe Area: total: 244,820 sq km land: 241,590 sq km water: 3,230 sq km note: includes Rockall and Shetland Islands Area— comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries: Ireland 360 km Coastline: 12,429 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm continental shelf: as defined in conti¬ nental shelf orders or in accordance with agreed upon boundaries Climate: temperate; moderated by pre¬ vailing southwest winds over the North Atlantic Current; more than one-half of the days are overcast Terrain: mostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to rolling plains in east and southeast Elevation extremes: lowest point: The Fens -4 m highest point: Ben Nevis 1,343 m Natural resources: coal, petroleum, nat¬ ural gas, iron ore, lead, zinc, gold, tin, limestone, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, potash, silica sand, slate, arable land Land use: arable land: 23.23% permanent crops: 0.2% other: 76.57% (2005) Irrigated land: 1,700 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: winter windstorms; floods Environment— current issues: con¬ tinues to reduce greenhouse gas emis¬ sions (has met Kyoto Protocol target of a 12.5% reduction from 1990 levels and intends to meet the legally binding target and move toward a domestic goal of a 20% cut in emissions by 2010); by 2005 the government reduced the amount of industrial and commercial waste dis¬ posed of in landfill sites to 85% of 1998 levels and recycled or composted at least 25% of household waste, increasing to 33% by 2015 Environment— international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution- Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution- Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution- Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic- Environmental Protocol, Antarctic- Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change- Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, En¬ dangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: lies near vital North Atlantic sea lanes; only 35 km from France and linked by tunnel under the English Channel; because of heavily indented coastline, no location is more than 125 km from tidal waters PEOPLE Population: 60,776,238 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 17.2% (male 5,349,053/ female 5,095,837) 15-64 years: 67% (male 20,605,031/ female 20,104,313) 65 years and over: 15.8% (male 4,123,464/ female 5,498,540) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 39.6 years male: 38.5 years female: 40.7 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.275% (2007 est.) Bilth rate: 10.67 births/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 10.09 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 2.17 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.025 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 5.01 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.58 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.7 years male: 76.23 years female: 81.3 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1 .66 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 51,000 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS — deaths: less than 500 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Briton(s), British (collective plural) adjective: British Ethnic groups: white (of which English 83.6%, Scottish 8.6%, Welsh 4.9%, Northern Irish 2.9%) 92.1%, black 2%, Indian 1.8%, Pakistani 1.3%, mixed 1.2%, other 1.6% (2001 census) Religions: Christian (Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist) 651 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK 71.6%, Muslim 2.7%, Hindu 1%, other 1.6%, unspecified or none 23.1% (2001 census) Languages: English, Welsh (about 26% of the population of Wales), Scottish form of Gaelic (about 60,000 in Scotland) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; note — Great Britain includes England, Scotland, and Wales conventional short form: United Kingdom abbreviation: UK Government type: constitutional monarchy Capital: name: London geographic coordinates: 5130N,0 10W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October Administrative divisions: England: 47 boroughs, 36 counties, 29 London bor¬ oughs, 12 cities and boroughs, 10 dis¬ tricts, 12 cities, 3 royal boroughs boroughs: Barnsley, Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool, Bolton, Bourne¬ mouth, Bracknell Forest, Brighton and Hove, Bury, Calderdale, Darlington, Doncaster, Dudley, Gateshead, Halton, Hartlepool, Kirklees, Knowsley, Luton, Medway, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes, North Tyneside, Oldham, Poole, Reading, Redcar and Cleveland, Rochdale, Rotherham, Sandwell, Sefton, Slough, Solihull, Southend-on-Sea, South Tyneside, St. Helens, Stockport, Stockton- on-Tees, Swindon, Tameside, Thurrock, Torbay, Trafford, Walsall, Warrington, Wigan, Wirral, Wolverhampton counties (or unitary authorities): Bedford¬ shire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Cheshire, Cornwall, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Devon, Dorset, Durham, East Sussex, Essex, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Herefordshire, Hertfordshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, North Yorkshire, Northamptonshire, Northumberland, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Shrop¬ shire, Somerset, Staffordshire, Suffolk, Surrey, Warwickshire, West Sussex, Wiltshire, Worcestershire London boroughs: Barking and Dagen¬ ham, Barnet, Bexley, Brent, Bromley, Camden, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield, Greenwich, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey, Harrow, Haver¬ ing, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Islington, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Newham, Redbridge, Richmond upon Thames, Southwark, Sutton, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest, Wandsworth cities and boroughs: Birmingham, Brad¬ ford, Coventry, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, Salford, Sheffield, Sunderland, Wake¬ field, Westminster districts: Bath and North East Somerset, East Riding of Yorkshire, North East Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire, North Somerset, Rutland, South Gloucester¬ shire, Telford and Wrekin, West Berkshire, Wokingham cities: City of Bristol, Derby, City of Kingston upon Hull, Leicester, City of London, Nottingham, Peterborough, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Southampton, Stoke-on-Trent, York royal boroughs: Kensington and Chelsea, Kingston upon Thames, Windsor and Maidenhead Northern Ireland: 24 districts, 2 cities, 6 counties (historic) districts: Antrim, Ards, Armagh, Bally¬ mena, Ballymoney, Banbridge, Carrick- fergus, Castlereagh, Coleraine, Cookstown, Craigavon, Down, Dungannon, Fer¬ managh, Larne, Limavady, Lisburn, Magherafelt, Moyle, Newry and Mourne, Newtownabbey, North Down, Omagh, Strabane cities: Belfast, Londonderry (Derry) counties (historic): County Antrim, County Armagh, County Down, County Fermanagh, County Londonderry, and County Tyrone are still referred to in common parlance, but do not constitute a level of administration Scotland: 32 council areas: Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Angus, Argyll and Bute, Clackmannanshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Dundee City, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Lothian, East Renfrewshire, City of Edinburgh, Eilean Siar (Western Isles), Falkirk, Fife, Glasgow City, Highland, Inverclyde, Midlothian, Moray, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Orkney Islands, Perth and Kinross, Renfrewshire, Shetland Islands, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, Stirling, The Scottish Borders, West Dunbartonshire, West Lothian Wales: 1 1 county boroughs, 9 counties, 2 cities and counties county boroughs: Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Conwy, Gwynedd, Merthyr Tydfil, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Torfaen, Wrexham counties: Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Isle of Anglesey, Monmouthshire, Pembroke¬ shire, Powys, The Vale of Glamorgan cities and counties: Cardiff, Swansea Dependent areas: Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands Independence: England has existed as a unified entity since the 10th century; the union between England and Wales, begun in 1284 with the Statute of Rhuddlan, was not formalized until 1536 with an Act of Union; in another Act of Union in 1707, England and Scotland agreed to permanently join as Great Britain; the legislative union of Great Britain and Ireland was implemented in 1801, with the adoption of the name the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland; the Anglo-Irish treaty of 1921 formalized a partition of Ireland; six northern Irish counties remained part of the United Kingdom as Northern Ireland and the current name of the country, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, was adopted in 1927 National holiday: the UK does not cele¬ brate one particular national holiday Constitution: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice Legal system: common law tradition with early Roman and modem conti¬ nental influences; has nonbinding judicial review of Acts of Parliament under the Human Rights Act of 1998; accepts com¬ pulsory IC] jurisdiction, with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Heir Apparent Prince CHARLES (son of the queen, bom 14 November 1948) head of government: Prime Minister Anthony (Tony) BLAIR (since 2 May 1997) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the prime minister elections: none; the monarchy is heredi¬ tary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually the prime minister Legislative branch: bicameral Parlia¬ ment consists of House of Lords (618 seats; consisting of approximately 500 life peers, 92 hereditary peers, and 26 clergy) and House of Commons (646 seats since 2005 elections; members are elected by popular vote to serve five- year terms unless the House is dissolved earlier) 652 UNITED KINGDOM elections: House of Lords — no elections (note — in 1999, as provided by the House of Lords Act, elections were held in the House of Lords to determine the 92 hereditary peers who would remain there; elections are held only as vacan- cies in the hereditary peerage arise); House of Commons — last held 5 May 2005 (next to be held by May 2010) election results: House of Commons — percent of vote by party — Labor 35.2%, Conservative 32.3%, Liberal Democrats 22%, other 10.5%; seats by party — Labor 356, Conservative 197, Liberal Demo- crat 62, other 31; seats by party in the House of Commons as of 10 February 2006: Labor 353, Conservative 196, Liberal Democrat 63, Scottish National Party/Plaid Cymru 9, Democratic Unionist 9, Sinn Fein 5 (but refuse to vote), other 11 note: in 1998 elections were held for a Northern Ireland Assembly (because of unresolved disputes among existing par- ties, the transfer of power from London to Northern Ireland came only at the end of 1999 and has been suspended four times, the latest occurring in October 2002 and lasting until 7 March 2007 with an Assembly election); in 1999, there were elections for a Scottish Parliament and a Welsh Assembly Judicial branch: House of Lords (highest court of appeal; several Lords of Appeal in Ordinary are appointed by the monarch for life); Supreme Courts of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland (comprising the Courts of Appeal, the High Courts of Justice, and the Crown Courts); Scotland’s Court of Session and Court of the Justiciary Political parties and leaders: Con' servative and Unionist Party [David CAMERON]; Democratic Unionist Party (Northern Ireland) [Rev. Ian PAISLEY]; Labor Party [Anthony (Tony) BLAIR]; Liberal Democrats [Sir Menzies CAMPBELL]; Party of Wales (Plaid Cymru) [Ieuan Wyn JONES]; Scottish National Party or SNP [Alex SALMOND]; Sinn Fein (Northern Ireland) [Gerry ADAMS]; Social Democratic and Labor Party or SDLP (Northern Ireland) [Mark DURKAN]; Ulster Unionist Party (Northern Ireland) [Sir Reg EMPEY] Political pressure groups and leaders: Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament; Confederation of British Industry; National Farmers’ Union; Trades Union Congress International organization participa¬ tion: AfDB, Arctic Council (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C, CBSS (observer), CDB, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G-5, G-7, G-8, GUO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SECI (observer), UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UN WTO, UPU, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador David G. MANNING; note — will be replaced the Sir Nigel E. SHEINWALD in the autumn of 2007 chancery: 3100 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 588-6500 FAX: [1] (202) 588-787 0 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco consulate(s) : Dallas, Denver, Miami, Orlando Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert Holmes TUTTLE embassy: 24 Grosvenor Square, London, W1A 1AE mailing address: PSC 801, Box 40, FPO AE 09498-4040 telephone: [44] (0) 20 7499-9000 FAX: [44] (0) 20 7629-9124 consulate(s) general: Belfast, Edinburgh Flag description: blue field with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) edged in white superimposed on the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland), which is super¬ imposed on the diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patron saint of Scotland); properly known as the Union Flag, but commonly called the Union Jack; the design and colors (especially the Blue Ensign) have been the basis for a number of other flags including other Commonwealth countries and their con¬ stituent states or provinces, and British overseas territories ECONOMY Economy— overview: The UK, a leading trading power and financial center, is one of the quintet of trillion dollar economies of Western Europe. Over the past two decades, the govern¬ ment has greatly reduced public owner¬ ship and contained the growth of social welfare programs. Agriculture is inten¬ sive, highly mechanized, and efficient by European standards, producing about 60% of food needs with less than 2% of the labor force. The UK has large coal, natural gas, and oil reserves; primary energy production accounts for 10% of GDP, one of the highest shares of any industrial nation. Services, particularly banking, insurance, and business services, account by far for the largest proportion of GDP while industry continues to decline in importance. GDP growth slipped in 2001-03 as the global downturn, the high value of the pound, and the bursting of the “new economy” bubble hurt manufac¬ turing and exports. Output recovered in 2004, to 3.2% growth, then slowed to 1.7% in 2005 and 2.7% in 2006. The economy is one of the strongest in Europe; inflation, interest rates, and unemploy¬ ment remain low. The relatively good economic performance has complicated the BLAIR government’s efforts to make a case for Britain to join the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). Critics point out that the economy is doing well outside of EMU, and public opinion polls show a majority of Britons are opposed to the euro. Meantime, the government has been speeding up the improvement of education, transport, and health services, at a cost in higher taxes and a widening public deficit. GDP (purchasing power parity): $1.93 trillion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $2,346 trillion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 2.8% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $31,800 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 25.6% services: 73.4% (2006 est.) Labor force: 31.1 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 1.4% industry: 18.2% services: 80.4% (2006 est.) Unemployment rate: 2.9% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 17% (2002 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.1% highest 10%: 28.5% (1999) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 36.8 (1999) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 17.2% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $973 billion expenditures: $1.04 trillion; including capital expenditures of $87 billion (2006 est.) 653 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Public debt: 42.2% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: cereals, oilseed, potatoes, vegetables; cattle, sheep, poultry; fish Industries: machine tools, electric power equipment, automation equipment, rail¬ road equipment, shipbuilding, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, electronics and communications equipment, metals, chemicals, coal, petroleum, paper and paper products, food processing, textiles, clothing, other consumer goods Industrial production growth rate: 0% (2006 est.) Electricity — production: 363.2 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 73.8% hydro: 0.9% nuclear: 23.7% other: 1.6% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 345.2 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 2.3 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 9.8 billion kWh (2004) Oil — production: 2.075 million bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 1.827 million bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: 1.498 million bbl/day (2001) Oil — imports: 1.084 million bbl/day (2003) Oil— proved reserves: 4.5 billion bbl (31 December 2004) Natural gas— production: 95.97 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 98.47 bil¬ lion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 9.8 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — imports: 12.3 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — proved reserves: 589 bil¬ lion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $57.68 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $468.8 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals; food, beverages, tobacco Exports— partners: US 15.1%, Germany 10.5%, France 8.9%, Ireland 7.3%, Netherlands 5.5%, Belgium 5%, Spain 4.4% (2005) Imports: $603 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: manufactured goods, machinery, fuels; foodstuffs Imports— partners: Germany 12.8%, US 8.7%, France 7.1%, Netherlands 6.6%, China 5%, Norway 4-7%, Belgium 4.6%, Italy 4% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $38.83 billion (August 2006 est.) Debt — external: $8.28 trillion (30 June 2006) Economic aid — donor: ODA, $10.7 bil¬ lion (2005) Currency (code): British pound (GBP) Currency code: GBP Exchange rates: British pounds per US dollar— 0.5418 (2006), 0.5493 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002) Fiscal year: 6 April— 5 April COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 32.943 million (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 61.091 million (2004) Telephone system: general assessment: technologically ad¬ vanced domestic and international system domestic: equal mix of buried cables, microwave radio relay, and fiber-optic systems international: country code — 44; 40 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations — 10 Intelsat (7 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Eutelsat; at least 8 large international switching centers Radio broadcast stations: AM 219, FM 431, shortwave 3 (1998) Radios: 84.5 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 228 (plus 3,523 repeaters) (1995) Televisions: 30.5 million (1997) Internet country code: uk Internet hosts: 6.065 million (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): more than 400 (2000) Internet users: 37.6 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 471 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 334 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 33 1,524 to 2,437 m: 149 914 to 1,523 m: 86 under 914 m: 58 (2006) Airports — with unpaved runways: total: 137 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1 ,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 112 (2006) Heliports: 11 (2006) Pipelines: condensate 565 km; conden- sate/gas 6 km; gas 21,575 km; liquid petroleum gas 59 km; oil 5,094 km; oil/gas/water 161 km; refined products 4,444 km (2006) Railways: total: 17,156 km standard gauge: 16,814 km 1.435-m gauge (5,384 km electrified) broad gauge: 342 km 1.600-m gauge (in Northern Ireland) (2005) Roadways: total: 388,008 km paved: 388,008 km (includes 3,520 km of expressways) (2005) Waterways: 3,200 km (620 km used for commerce) (2003) Merchant marine: total: 449 ships (1000 GRT or over) 11,049,317 GRT/1 1,73 1,680 DWT by type: bulk carrier 24, cargo 54, chem¬ ical tanker 50, container 146, liquefied gas 17, passenger 9, passenger/cargo 65, petroleum tanker 33, refrigerated cargo 17, roll on/roll off 26, vehicle carrier 8 foreign'Oumed: 215 (Australia 3, Denmark 46, Finland 1, France 4, Germany 76, Greece 7, Ireland 1, Italy 4, Netherlands 3, Norway 36, NZ 1, South Africa 5, Spain 1, Sweden 15, Switzerland 3, Taiwan 1, Turkey 2, US 6) registered in other countries: 368 (Algeria 13, Antigua and Barbuda 7, Argentina 4, Australia 2, Bahamas 69, Barbados 5, Belgium 2, Bermuda 9, Brazil 1, Brunei 8, Cape Verde 1, Cayman Islands 10, Cyprus 6, Denmark 1, Finland 1, French Southern and Antarctic Lands 1, Georgia 4, Gibraltar 4, Greece 9, Hong Kong 43, India 1, Indonesia 2, Italy 3, South Korea 2, Liberia 41, Malta 8, Marshall Islands 12, Morocco 1, Netherlands 19, Netherlands Antilles 3, Norway 6, Panama 37, Papua New Guinea 6, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 13, Singapore 9, Slovakia 1, Spain 1, Thailand 2, Tonga 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Hound Point, Immingham, Milford Haven, Liverpool, London, Southampton, Sullom Voe, Teesport MILITARY Military branches: Army, Royal Navy (includes Royal Marines), Royal Air Force Military service age and obligation: 16 years of age for voluntary military service; women serve in military services, but are excluded from ground combat positions and some naval postings (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 16-49: 14,607,724 females age 16-49: 14,028,738 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 16—49: 12,046,268 females age 16-49: 11,555,893 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 2.4% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: in 2002, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelm- 654 UNITED STATES ingly by referendum to reject any “shared sovereignty” arrangement between the UK and Spain; the Government of Gibraltar insists on equal participation in talks between the two countries; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant Gibraltar greater autonomy; Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago (British Indian Ocean Territory), and its former inhabitants since their eviction in 1965; most Chagossians reside in Mauritius, and in 2001 were granted UK citizenship, where some have since resettled; in May 2006, the High Court of London reversed the UK Government’s 2004 orders of council that banned habitation on the islands; UK rejects sovereignty talks requested by Argentina, which still claims the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; territorial claim in Antarctica (British Antarctic Territory) overlaps Argentine claim and partially overlaps Chilean claim; Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark’s claim that the Faroe Islands’ continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm Illicit drugs: producer of limited amounts of synthetic drugs and synthetic precursor chemicals; major consumer of Southwest Asian heroin, Latin Ameri¬ can cocaine, and synthetic drugs; money¬ laundering center UNITED STATES INTRODUCTION Background: Britain’s American col¬ onies broke with the mother country in 1776 and were recognized as the new nation of the United States of America following the Treaty of Paris in 1783. During the 19th and 20th centuries, 37 new states were added to the original 13 as the nation expanded across the North American continent and acquired a number of overseas possessions. The two most traumatic experiences in the nation’s history were the Civil War (1861-65) and the Great Depression of the 1930s. Buoyed by victories in World Wars I and II and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the US remains the world’s most powerful nation state. The economy is marked by steady growth, low unemployment and inflation, and rapid advances in technology. GEOGRAPHY Location: North America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and Mexico Geographic coordinates: 38 00 N, 97 00 w Map references: North America Area: total: 9,826,630 sq km land: 9,161,923 sq km water: 664,707 sq km note: includes only the 50 states and District of Columbia Area — comparative: about half the size of Russia; about three-tenths the size of Africa; about half the size of South America (or slightly larger than Brazil); slightly larger than China; more than twice the size of the European Union Land boundaries: total: 12,034 km border countries: Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km with Alaska), Mexico 3,141 km note: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba is leased by the US and is part of Cuba; the base boundary is 28 km Coastline: 19,924 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: not specified Climate: mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida, arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the Mississippi River, and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest; low winter tem¬ peratures in the northwest are amelio¬ rated occasionally in January and February by warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains Terrain: vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and low mountains in east; rugged mountains and broad river valleys in Alaska; rugged, volcanic topography in Hawaii Elevation extremes: lowest point: Death Valley -86 m highest point: Mount McKinley 6,194 m Natural resources: coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, uranium, bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten, zinc, petroleum, natural gas, timber Land use: arable land: 18.01% permanent crops: 0.21% other: 81.78% (2005) Irrigated land: 223,850 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: tsunamis, volcanoes, and earthquake activity around Pacific Basin; hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts; tornadoes in the midwest and southeast; mud slides in California; forest fires in the west; flooding; permafrost in northern Alaska, a major impediment to development Environment— current issues: air pollu¬ tion resulting in acid rain in both the US and Canada; the US is the largest single emitter of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels; water pollution from runoff of pesticides and fertilizers; limited natural fresh water resources in much of the western part of the country require careful management; desertification Environment— international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution- Nitrogen Oxides, Antarctic-Environ¬ mental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution- Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air 655 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes Geography — note: world’s third-largest country by size (after Russia and Canada) and by population (after China and India); Mt. McKinley is highest point in North America and Death Valley the lowest point on the continent PEOPLE Population: 301,139,947 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 20.2% (male 31,152,0 50/ female 29,777,438) 15-64 years: 67.2% (male 100,995,752/ female 101,365,035) 65 years and over: 12.6% (male 15,858,477/female 21,991,195) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 36.6 years male: 35.3 years female: 37.9 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.894% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 14.16 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 8.26 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 3.05 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.046 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.996 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.721 male(s)/female total population: 0.967 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 6.37 deaths/1,000 live births male: 7.02 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78 years male: 75.15 years female: 80.97 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.09 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.6% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 950,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 17,011 (2005 est.) Nationality: noun: American(s) adjective: American Ethnic groups: white 81.7%, black 12.9%, Asian 4.2%, Amerindian and Alaska native 1%, native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander 0.2% (2003 est.) note: a separate listing for Hispanic is not included because the US Census Bureau considers Hispanic to mean a person of Latin American descent (including per¬ sons of Cuban, Mexican, or Puerto Rican origin) living in the US who may be of any race or ethnic group (white, black, Asian, etc.) Religions: Protestant 52%, Roman Catholic 24%, Mormon 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 1%, other 10%, none 10% (2002 est.) Languages: English 82.1%, Spanish 10.7%, other Indo-European 3.8%, Asian and Pacific island 2.7%, other 0.7% (2000 census) note: Hawaiian is an official language in the state of Hawaii Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: United States of America conventional short form: United States abbreviation: US or USA Government type: Constitution-based fed¬ eral republic; strong democratic tradition Capital: name: Washington, DC geographic coordinates: 38 53 N, 77 02 W time difference: UTC-5 (during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November note: the US is divided into six time zones Administrative divisions: 50 states and 1 district*; Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia*, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming Dependent areas: American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Wake Island note: from 18 July 1947 until 1 October 1994, the US administered the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands; it entered into a political relationship with all four political units: the Northern Mariana Islands is a commonwealth in political union with the US (effective 3 November 1986); the Republic of the Marshall Islands signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 21 October 1986); the Federated States of Micronesia signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 3 November 1986); Palau concluded a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 1 October 1994) Independence: 4 July 1776 (from Great Britain) National holiday: Independence Day, 4 July (1776) Constitution: 17 September 1787, effec¬ tive 4 March 1789 Legal system: federal court system based on English common law; each state has its own unique legal system, of which all but one (Louisiana’s) is based on English common law; judicial review of legisla¬ tive acts Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President George W. BUSH (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001); note — the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President George W. BUSH (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the presi¬ dent with Senate approval elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by a college of representatives who are elected directly from each state; president and vice pres¬ ident serve four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held on 4 November 2008) election results: George W. BUSH reelected president; percent of popular vote— George W. BUSH 50.9%, John KERRY 48.1%, other 1.0% Legislative branch: bicameral Congress consists of the Senate (100 seats, 2 mem¬ bers are elected from each state by pop¬ ular vote to serve six-year terms; one-third are elected every two years) and the House of Representatives (435 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms) elections: Senate— last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held November 2008); House of Representatives — last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held November 2008) election results: Senate — percent of vote by party— NA; seats by party — Democratic Party 49, Republican Party 656 UNITED STATES 49, independent 2; House of Repre¬ sentatives — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — Democratic Party 233, Republican Party 202 Judicial branch: Supreme Court (nine justices; nominated by the president and confirmed with the advice and consent of the Senate; appointed to serve for life); United States Courts of Appeal; United States District Courts; State and County Courts Political parties and leaders: Demo¬ cratic Party [Howard DEAN]; Green Party; Libertarian Party [William (Bill) REDPATH]; Republican Party [Robert M. (Mike) DUNCAN] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participation: AfDB, ANZUS, APEC, Arctic Council, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CE (observer), CERN (observer), CP, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAFTA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SECI (observer), SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNI¬ TAR, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Flag description: 13 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alter¬ nating with white; there is a blue rec¬ tangle in the upper hoist-side comer bearing 50 small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and bottom) alter¬ nating with rows of five stars; the 50 stars represent the 50 states, the 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies; known as Old Glory; the design and colors have been the basis for a number of other flags, including Chile, Liberia, Malaysia, and Puerto Rico ECONOMY Economy — overview: The US has the largest and most technologically pow¬ erful economy in the world, with a per capita GDP of $43,500. In this market- oriented economy, private individuals and business firms make most of the deci¬ sions, and the federal and state govern¬ ments buy needed goods and services predominantly in the private market¬ place. US business firms enjoy greater flexibility than their counterparts in Western Europe and Japan in decisions to expand capital plant, to lay off surplus workers, and to develop new products. At the same time, they face higher bar¬ riers to enter their rivals’ home markets than foreign firms face entering US mar¬ kets. US firms are at or near the forefront in technological advances, especially in computers and in medical, aerospace, and military equipment; their advantage has narrowed since the end of World War II. The onrush of technology largely explains the gradual development of a “two-tier labor market” in which those at the bottom lack the education and the professional/technical skills of those at the top and, more and more, fail to get comparable pay raises, health insurance coverage, and other benefits. Since 1975, practically all the gains in household income have gone to the top 20% of households. The response to the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 showed the remarkable resilience of the economy. The war in March-April 2003 between a US-led coalition and Iraq, and the subsequent occupation of Iraq, required major shifts in national resources to the military. The rise in GDP in 2004-06 was undergirded by substantial gains in labor productivity. Hurricane Katrina caused extensive damage in the Gulf Coast region in August 2005, but had a small impact on overall GDP growth for the year. Soaring oil prices in 2005 and 2006 threatened inflation and unemployment, yet the economy continued to grow through year-end 2006. Imported oil accounts for about two-thirds of US consumption. Long-term problems include inadequate investment in economic infrastructure, rapidly rising medical and pension costs of an aging population, sizable trade and budget deficits, and stagnation of family income in the lower economic groups. The merchandise trade deficit reached a record $750 billion in 2006. GDP (purchasing power parity): $13.13 trillion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $13.21 trillion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 3.2% (2006 est.) GDP — per capita (PPP): $44,000 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 0.9% industry: 20.4% services: 78.6% (2006 est.) Labor force: 151.4 million (includes unemployed) (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: farming, forestry, and fishing 0.7%, man¬ ufacturing, extraction, transportation, and crafts 22.9%, managerial, profes¬ sional, and technical 34-9%, sales and office 25%, other services 16.5% note: figures exclude the unemployed (2006) Unemployment rate: 4.8% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 12% (2004 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.8% highest 10%: 30.5% (1997) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 45 (2004) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 16.6% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $2,409 trillion expenditures: $2.66 trillion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 64.7% of GDP (2005 est.) Agriculture— products: wheat, corn, other grains, fruits, vegetables, cotton; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish; forest products Industries: leading industrial power in the world, highly diversified and techno¬ logically advanced; petroleum, steel, motor vehicles, aerospace, telecommuni¬ cations, chemicals, electronics, food pro¬ cessing, consumer goods, lumber, mining Industrial production growth rate: 4.2% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 3.979 trillion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 71.4% hydro: 5.6% nuclear: 20.7% other: 2.3% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 3.717 trillion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 22.9 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — imports: 34.21 billion kWh (2004) Oil — production: 7.61 million bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil — consumption: 20.73 million bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: 1.048 million bbl/day (2004) Oil — imports: 13.15 million bbl/day (2004) Oil— proved reserves: 22.45 billion bbl ( 1 January 2002) Natural gas — production: 531.1 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 635.1 bil¬ lion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 24 18 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — imports: 120.6 billion cu m (2004 est.) 657 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Natural gas — proved reserves: 5.451 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: 4862.3 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $1,024 trillion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: agricultural products (soybeans, fruit, corn) 9.2%, industrial supplies (organic chemicals) 26.8%, capital goods (transistors, air¬ craft, motor vehicle parts, computers, telecommunications equipment) 49.0%, consumer goods (automobiles, medi¬ cines) 15.0% (2003) Exports— partners: Canada 23.4%, Mexico 13.3%, Japan 6.1%, China 4-6%, UK 4.3% (2005) Imports: $1,869 trillion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: agricultural prod¬ ucts 4.9%, industrial supplies 32.9% (crude oil 8.2%), capital goods 30.4% (computers, telecommunications equipment, motor vehicle parts, office machines, electric power machinery), consumer goods 31.8% (automobiles, clothing, medicines, furni¬ ture, toys) (2003) Imports— partners: Canada 16.9%, China 15%, Mexico 10%, Japan 8.2%, Germany 5% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $69.19 billion (August 2006 est.) Debt — external: $10.04 trillion (30 June 2006 est.) Economic aid— donor: ODA, $6.9 bil¬ lion (1997) Currency (code): US dollar (USD) Currency code: USD Exchange rates: British pounds per US dollar— 0.5418 (2006), 0.5500 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002) : Canadian dollars per US dollar — 1.1334 (2006), 1.2118 (2005), 1.3010 (2004), 1.4011 (2003), 1.5693 (2002) : Japanese yen per US dollar — 116.18 (2006) 110.22 (2005), 108.19 (2004), 115.93 (2003), 125.39 (2002) : euros per US dollar — .7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.8860 (2003), 1.0626 (2002) : Chinese yuan per US dollar — 7.97 (2006), 8.1943 (2005), 8.2768 (2004), 8.2770 (2003), 8.2770 (2002) Fiscal year: 1 October — 30 September COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 268 million (2003) Telephones — mobile cellular: 219.4 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: a large, technologi¬ cally advanced, multipurpose communi¬ cations system domestic: a large system of fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and domestic satellites carries every form of telephone traffic; a rapidly growing cellular system carries mobile telephone traffic throughout the country international: country code — 1; 24 ocean cable systems in use; satellite earth sta¬ tions — 61 Intelsat (45 Atlantic Ocean and 16 Pacific Ocean), 5 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 4 Inmarsat (Pacific and Atlantic Ocean regions) (2000) Radio broadcast stations: AM 4,789, FM 8,961, shortwave 19 (2006) Radios: 575 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 2,218 (2006) Televisions: 219 million (1997) Internet country code: us Internet hosts: 195.139 million (2005) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 7,000 (2002 est.) Internet users: 205.327 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 14,858 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 5,119 over 3,047 m: 189 2,438 to 3,047 m: 221 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1,426 914 to 1,523 m: 2,337 under 914 m: 946 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 9,739 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 157 914 to 1,523 m: 1,728 under 914 m: 7,847 (2006) Heliports: 149 (2006) Pipelines: petroleum products 244,620 km; natural gas 548,665 km (2003) Railways: total: 226,605 km standard gauge: 226,605 km 1.435-m gauge (2004) Roadways: total: 6,430,366 km paved: 4,165,110 km (includes 75,009 km of expressways) unpaved: 2,265,256 km (2005) Waterways: 41,009 km (19,312 km used for commerce) note: Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint Lawrence River of 3,058 km, shared with Canada (2004) Merchant marine: total: 465 ships (1000 GRT or over) 10,590,325 GRT/13,273,133 DWT by type: barge carrier 7, bulk carrier 67, cargo 91, chemical tanker 20, container 76, passenger 19, passenger/cargo 58, petroleum tanker 76, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 27, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 20 foreign-oumed: 51 (Australia 2, Canada 4, Denmark 24, Germany 2, Greece 1, Malaysia 4, Netherlands 4, Norway 2, Singapore 2, Sweden 5, Taiwan 1) registered in other countries: 700 (Antigua and Barbuda 7, Australia 3, Bahamas 121, Belize 5, Bermuda 27, Cambodia 8, Canada 2, Cayman Islands 41, Comoros 2, Cyprus 7, Greece 1, Honduras 1, Hong Kong 21, Ireland 2, Isle of Man 3, Italy 15, North Korea 3, South Korea 7, Liberia 93, Luxembourg 3, Malta 3, Marshall Islands 143, Netherlands 13, Netherlands Antilles 1, Norway 13, Panama 94, Peru 1, Philippines 8, Portugal 1, Puerto Rico 3, Qatar 1, Russia 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 21, Sierra Leone 1, Singapore 7, Spain 7, Sweden 1, Trinidad and Tobago 1, UK 6, Vanuatu 1, Wallis and Futuna 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Corpus Christi, Duluth, Hampton Roads, Houston, Long Beach, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Tampa, Texas City note: 13 ports north of New Orleans (South Louisiana Ports) on the Mississippi River handle 290,000,000 tons of cargo annually MILITARY " Military branches: Army, Navy and Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard; note — Coast Guard administered in peacetime by the Department of Homeland Security, but in wartime reports to the Department of the Navy Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age; 17 years of age with written parental consent (2006) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 67,742,879 females age 18-49: 67,070,144 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 54,609,050 females age 18-49: 54,696,706 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 2,143,873 females age 18-49: 2,036,201 (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of GDP: 4.06% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— International: the U S. has intensified domestic security measures and is collaborating closely with its neigh¬ bors, Canada and Mexico, to monitor and control legal and illegal personnel, trans¬ port, and commodities across the interna¬ tional borders; abundant rainfall in recent years along much of the Mexico-US border region has ameliorated periodically strained water-sharing arrangements; 1990 Maritime Boundary Agreement in 658 UNITED STATES PACIFIC ISLAND WILDLIFE REFUGES the Bering Sea still awaits Russian Duma ratification; managed maritime boundary disputes with Canada at Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and around the disputed Machias Seal Island and North Rock; The Bahamas and US have not been able to agree on a mar- itime boundary; US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased from Cuba and only mutual agreement or US aban¬ donment of the area can terminate the lease; Haiti claims US-administered Navassa Island; US has made no territo¬ rial claim in Antarctica (but has reserved the right to do so) and does not recognize the claims of any other states; Marshall Islands claims Wake Island; Tokelau included American Samoa’s Swains Island among the islands listed in its 2006 draft constitution Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: refugees (country of origin): the US admitted 62,643 refugees during FY04/05 including, 10,586 (Somalia), 8,549 (Faos), 6,666 (Russia), 6,479 (Cuba), 3,100 (Haiti), 2,136 (Iran) (2006) Illicit drugs: world’s largest consumer of cocaine, shipped from Colombia through Mexico and the Caribbean; consumer of ecstasy and of Mexican heroin, mari¬ juana and methamphetamine; minor consumer of high-quality Southeast Asian heroin; illicit producer of cannabis, marijuana, depressants, stimu¬ lants, hallucinogens, and methampheta- mine; money-laundering center UNITED STATES PACIFIC ISLAND WILDLIFE REFUGES INTRODUCTION Background: The following US Pacific island territories constitute the Pacific Remote Islands National Wildlife Refuge Complex and as such are managed by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of Interior. These remote refuges are the most widespread collec¬ tion of marine- and terrestrial-life pro¬ tected areas on the planet under a single country’s jurisdiction. They protect many endemic species including corals, fish, shellfish, marine mammals, seabirds, water birds, land birds, insects, and vege¬ tation not found elsewhere. Baker Island: The US took possession of the island in 1857, and its guano deposits were mined by US and British companies during the second half of the 19th cen¬ tury. In 1935, a short-lived attempt at colonization began on this island but was disrupted by World War II and thereafter abandoned. The island was established as a National Wildlife Refuge in 1974- Howland Island: Discovered by the US early in the 19th century, the island was officially claimed by the US in 1857. Both US and British companies mined for guano until about 1890. In 1935, a short-lived attempt at colonization began on this island, similar to the effort on nearby Baker Island, but was dis¬ rupted by World War II and thereafter abandoned. The famed American avia- trix Amelia EARHART disappeared while seeking out Howland Island as a refueling stop during her 1937 round- the-world flight; Earhart Fight, a day beacon near the middle of the west coast, was named in her memory. The island was established as a National Wildlife Refuge in 1974- Jams Island: First discovered by the British in 1821, the uninhabited island was annexed by the US in 1858, but abandoned in 1879 after tons of guano had been removed. The UK annexed the island in 1889, but never carried out plans for further exploitation. The US occupied and reclaimed the island in 1935 until it was abandoned in 1942 during World War II. The island was established as a National Wildlife Refuge in 1974- Johnston Atoll: Both the US and the Kingdom of Hawaii annexed Johnston Atoll in 1858, but it was the US that mined the guano deposits until the late 1880s. Johnston and Sand Islands were designated wildlife refuges in 1926. The US Navy took over the atoll in 1934, and subsequently the US Air Force assumed control in 1948. The site was used for high-altitude nuclear tests in the 1950s and 1960s, and until late in 2000 the atoll was maintained as a storage and disposal site for chemical weapons. Munitions destruction is now complete. Cleanup and closure of the facility was completed by May 2005. The Fish and Wildlife Service and the US Air Force are currently discussing future manage¬ ment options; in the interim, Johnston Atoll and the three-mile Naval Defensive Sea around it remain under the jurisdiction and administrative con¬ trol of the US Air Force. Kingman Reef: The US annexed the reef in 1922. Its sheltered lagoon served as a way station for flying boats on Hawaii-to- American Samoa flights during the late 1930s. There are no terrestrial plants on the reef, which is frequently awash, but it does support abundant and diverse marine fauna and flora. In 2001, the waters sur¬ rounding the reef out to 1 2 nm were des¬ ignated a US National Wildlife Refuge. Midway Islands: The US took formal pos¬ session of the islands in 1867. The laying of the trans-Pacific cable, which passed through the islands, brought the first res¬ idents in 1903. Between 1935 and 1947, Midway was used as a refueling stop for trans-Pacific flights. The US naval vic¬ tory over a Japanese fleet off Midway in 1942 was one of the turning points of World War II. The islands continued to serve as a naval station until closed in 1993. Today the islands are a National Wildlife Refuge and are the site of the world’s largest Faysan albatross colony. Palmyra Atoll: The Kingdom of Hawaii claimed the atoll in 1862, and the US included it among the Hawaiian Islands when it annexed the archipelago in 1898. The Hawaii Statehood Act of 1959 did not include Palmyra Atoll, which is now partly privately owned by the Nature Conservancy with the rest owned by the Federal government and managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. These organizations are man¬ aging the atoll as a wildlife refuge. The lagoons and surrounding waters within the 12 nm US territorial seas were trans¬ ferred to the US Fish and Wildlife Service and designated as a National Wildlife Refuge in January 2001. GEOGRAPHY Location: Oceania Baker Island: atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 1,830 nm (3,389 km) southwest of Honolulu, about half way between Hawaii and Australia Howland Island: island in the North Pacific Ocean 1,815 nm (3,361 km) southwest of Honolulu, about half way between Hawaii and Australia 659 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Jarvis Island: island in the South Pacific Ocean 1,305 nm (2,417 km) south of Honolulu, about half way between Hawaii and the Cook Islands Johnston Atoll: atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 717 nm (1,328 km) southwest of Honolulu, about one-third of the way from Hawaii to the Marshall Islands Kingman Reef: reef in the North Pacific Ocean 930 nm (1,722 km) south of Honolulu, about half way between Hawaii and American Samoa Midway Islands: atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 1,260 nm (2,334 km) northwest of Honolulu near the end of the Hawaiian Archipelago, about one- third of the way from Honolulu to Tokyo Palmyra Atoll: atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 960 nm (1,778 km) south of Honolulu, about half way between Hawaii and American Samoa Geographic coordinates: Baker island: 0 13 N, 176 28 W Howland Island: 0 48 N, 176 38 W Jarvis Island: 0 23 S, 160 01 W Johnston Atoll: 16 45 N, 169 31 W Kingman Reef: 6 23 N, 162 25 W Midway Islands: 28 12 N, 177 22 W Palmyra Atoll: 5 53 N, 162 05 W Map references: Oceania Area: total — 6,959.41 sq km; emergent land — 22.41 sq km; submerged — 6,937 sq km Baker Island: total — 129 sq km; emergent land — 2.1 sq km; submerged — 127 sq km Howland Island: total — 139 sq km; emer¬ gent land — 2.6 sq km; submerged — 136 sq km Jarvis Island: total — 152 sq km; emergent land — 5 sq km; submerged — 147 sq km Johnston Atoll: total — 276.6 sq km; emer¬ gent land — 2.6 sq km; submerged — 274 sq km Kingman Reef: total — 1,958.01 sq km; emergent land — 0.01 sq km; sub¬ merged — 1,958 sq km Midway Islands: total — 2,355.2 sq km; emergent land — 6.2 sq km; submerged — 2,349 sq km Palmyra Atoll: total — 1,949.9 sq km; emergent land — 3.9 sq km; submerged — 1 ,946 sq km Area— comparative: Baker Island: about two and a half times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Howland Island: about three times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Jarvis Island: about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Johnston Atoll: about four and a half times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Kingman Reef: a little more than one and a half times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Midway Islands: about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Palmyra Atoll: about 20 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Land boundaries: none Coastline: Baker Island: 4.8 km Howland Island: 6.4 km Jarvis Island: 8 km Johnston Atoll: 34 km Kingman Reef: 3 km Midway Islands: 15 km Palmyra Atoll: 14.5 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 1 2 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands: equatorial; scant rainfall, con¬ stant wind, burning sun Johnston Atoll and Kingman Reef: tropical, but generally dry; consistent northeast trade winds with little seasonal tempera¬ ture variation Midway Islands: subtropical with cool, moist winters (December to February) and warm, dry summers (May to October); moderated by prevailing east¬ erly winds; most of the 1,067 mm (42 in) of annual rainfall occurs during the winter Palmyra Atoll: equatorial, hot; located within the low pressure area of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) where the northeast and southeast trade winds meet, it is extremely wet with between 4,000-5,000 mm (160-200 in) of rainfall each year Terrain: low and nearly level sandy coral islands with narrow fringing reefs that have developed at the top of submerged volcanic mountains, which in most cases rise steeply from the ocean floor Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Baker Island, unnamed location — 8 m; Howland Island, unnamed location — 3 m; Jarvis Island, unnamed location — 7 m; Johnston Atoll, Sand Island — 10 m; Kingman Reef, unnamed location — less than 1 m; Midway Islands, unnamed location — 13 m; Palmyra Atoll, unnamed location — 2 m Natural resources: terrestrial and aquatic wildlife Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) Natural hazards: Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands: the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard Kingman Reef: wet or awash most of the time, maximum elevation of less than 1 m makes Kingman Reef a maritime hazard Midway Islands, Johnston, and Palmyra Atolls: NA Environment — current issues: Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands, and Johnston Atoll: no natural fresh water resources Kingman Reef: none Midway Islands and Palmyra Atoll: NA Geography — note: Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands: scattered vegetation con¬ sisting of grasses, prostrate vines, and low growing shrubs; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife Johnston Atoll: Johnston Island and Sand Island are natural islands, which have been expanded by coral dredging; North Island (Akau) and East Island (Hikina) are manmade islands formed from coral dredging; the egg-shaped reef is 34 km in circumference Kingman Reef: barren coral atoll with deep interior lagoon; closed to the public Midway Islands: a coral atoll managed as a national wildlife refuge and open to the public for wildlife-related recreation in the form of wildlife observation and photography Palmyra Atoll: the high rainfall and resulting lush vegetation make the envi¬ ronment of this atoll unique among the US Pacific Island territories; it supports one of the largest remaining undisturbed stands of Pisonia beach forest in the Pacific PEOPLE Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: public entry is by special-use permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and generally restricted to scientists and educators; visited annually by US Fish and Wildlife Service Johnston Atoll: in previous years, an average of 1,100 US military and civilian contractor personnel were present; as of May 2005 all US government personnel had left the island Midway Islands: approximately 40 people make up the staff of US Fish and Wildlife Service and their services contractor living at the atoll Palmyra Atoll: four to 20 Nature Con¬ servancy and US Fish and Wildlife staff GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Baker Island; Howland Island; Jarvis Island; Johnston Atoll; Kingman Reef; Midway Islands; Palmyra Atoll Dependency status: unincorporated ter¬ ritories of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system note on Palmyra Atoll: incorporated Territory of the US; partly privately 660 URUGUAY owned and partly federally owned; administered from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior; the Office of Insular Affairs of the US Department of the Interior continues to administer nine excluded areas comprising certain tidal and submerged lands within the 12 nm territorial sea or within the lagoon Legal system: the laws of the US, where applicable, apply Flag description: the flag of the US is used ECONOMY Economy— overview: no economic activity TRANSPORTATION Airports: Baker Island: one abandoned World War II runway of 1,665 m covered with vegetation and unusable Howland Island: airstrip constructed in 1937 for scheduled refueling stop on the round-the-world flight of Amelia EARHART and Fred NOONAN; the aviators left Lae, New Guinea, for Howland Island but were never seen again; the airstrip is no longer serviceable Johnston Atoll: one closed and not maintained Kingman Reef: lagoon was used as a halfway station between Hawaii and American Samoa by Pan American Airways for flying boats in 1937 and 1938 Midway Islands: 3 — one operational (2,409 m paved); no fuel for sale except emergencies Palmyra Atoll: 1 — 1,846 m unpaved runway; privately owned (2006) Ports and terminals: Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands, and Kingman Reef: none; offshore anchorage only Johnston Atoll: Johnston Island Midway Islands: Sand Island Palmyra Atoll: West Lagoon MILITARY Military — note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of the US TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: none URUGUAY INTRODUCTION Background: Montevideo, founded by the Spanish in 1726 as a military strong¬ hold, soon took advantage of its natural harbor to become an important commer¬ cial center. Claimed by Argentina but annexed by Brazil in 1821, Uruguay declared its independence four years later and secured its freedom in 1828 after a three-year struggle. The administrations of President Jose BATLLE in the early 20th century established widespread political, social, and economic reforms that established a statist tradition. A vio¬ lent Marxist urban guerrilla movement named the Tupamaros, launched in the late 1960s, led Uruguay’s president to cede control of the government to the military in 1973. By yearend, the rebels had been crushed, but the military con¬ tinued to expand its hold over the gov¬ ernment. Civilian rule was not restored until 1985. In 2004, the left-of-center Frente Amplio Coalition won national elections that effectively ended 170 years of political control previously held by the Colorado and Blanco parties. Uruguay’s political and labor conditions are among the freest on the continent. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southern South America, bor¬ dering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Argentina and Brazil Geographic coordinates: 33 00 S, 56 00 W Map references: South America Area: total: 176,220 sq km land: 173,620 sq km water: 2,600 sq km Area— comparative: slightly smaller than the state of Washington Land boundaries: total: 1,648 km border countries: Argentina 580 km, Brazil 1,068 km Coastline: 660 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 1 2 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or edge of con¬ tinental margin Climate: warm temperate; freezing tem¬ peratures almost unknown Terrain: mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Cerro Catedral 514 m Natural resources: arable land, hydropower, minor minerals, fisheries Land use: arable land: 7 .77% permanent crops: 0.24% other: 91.99% (2005) Irrigated land: 2,100 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: seasonally high winds (the pampero is a chilly and occasional violent wind that blows north from the Argentine pampas), droughts, floods; because of the absence of mountains, which act as weather barriers, all loca¬ tions are particularly vulnerable to rapid changes from weather fronts Environment— current issues: water pollution from meat packing/tannery industry; inadequate solid/hazardous waste disposal Environment— international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental Pro¬ tocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Re¬ sources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change- Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, En¬ dangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation Geography — note: second-smallest South American country (after Suriname); most of the low-lying landscape (three-quar¬ ters of the country) is grassland, ideal for cattle and sheep raising PEOPLE Population: 3,460,607 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 23% (male 403,745/female 390,623) 15-64 years: 63.8% (male 1,096,225/ female 1,112,568) 65 years and over: 13.2% (male 184,303/ female 273,143) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 32.9 years male: 31.5 years female: 34.4 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.504% (2007 est.) 661 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Birth rote: 14-41 births/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 9.16 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -0 .21 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.034 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.985 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.675 male(s)/female total population: 0.948 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 12.02 deaths/1,000 live births male: 13.49 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.93 years male: 72.68 years female: 79.3 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1 .97 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 0.3% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 6,000 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS — deaths: less than 500 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Uruguayan(s) adjective: Uruguayan Ethnic groups: white 88%, mestizo 8%, black 4%, Amerindian (practically non¬ existent) Religions: Roman Catholic 66% (less than half of the adult population attends church regularly), Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, nonprofessing or other 31% Languages: Spanish, Portunol, or Brazilero (Portuguese-Spanish mix on the Brazilian frontier) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 97.6% female: 98.4% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Oriental Republic of Uruguay conventional short form: Uruguay local long form: Republica Oriental del Uruguay local short form: Uruguay former: Banda Oriental, Cisplatine Province Government type: constitutional republic Capital: name: Montevideo geographic coordinates: 34 53 S, 56 11 W time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: + lhr, begins second Sunday in October; ends second Sunday in March Administrative divisions: 19 depart¬ ments (departamentos, singular — depar- tamento); Artigas, Canelones, Cerro Largo, Colonia, Durazno, Flores, Florida, Lavalleja, Maldonado, Montevideo, Paysandu, Rio Negro, Rivera, Rocha, Salto, San Jose, Soriano, Tacuarembo, Treinta y Tres Independence: 25 August 1825 (from Brazil) National holiday: Independence Day, 25 August (1825) Constitution: 27 November 1966, effec¬ tive 15 February 1967; suspended 27 June 1973, new constitution rejected by referendum 30 November 1980; two constitutional reforms approved by plebiscite 26 November 1989 and 7 January 1997 Legal system: based on Spanish civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ juris¬ diction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory Executive branch: chief of state: President Tabare VAZQUEZ Rosas (since 1 March 2005); Vice President Rodolfo NIN NOVOA (since 1 March 2005); note — the presi¬ dent is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Tabare VAZQUEZ Rosas (since 1 March 2005); Vice President Rodolfo NIN NOVOA (since 1 March 2005) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president with parliamentary approval elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms (may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 31 October 2004 (next to be held in October 2009) election results: Tabare VAZQUEZ elected president; percent of vote — Tabare VAZQUEZ 50.5%, Jorge LAR- RANAGA 35.1%, Guillermo STIRLING 10.3%; other 4.1% Legislative branch: bicameral General Assembly or Asamblea General consists of Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (30 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; vice president has one vote in the Senate) and Chamber of Representatives or Camara de Representantes (99 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Chamber of Senators — last held 31 October 2004 (next to be held October 2009); Chamber of Repre¬ sentatives — last held 31 October 2004 (next to be held October 2009) election results: Chamber of Senators — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — EP-FA 16, Blanco 11, Colorado Party 3; Chamber of Representatives — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — EP-FA 52, Blanco 36, Colorado Party 10, Independent Party 1 Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and elected for 10-year terms by the General Assembly) Political parties and leaders: Broad Front Coalition (Frente Amplio) [Jorge BROVETTO] (formerly known as the Progressive Encounter/Broad Front Coalition or EP-FA); Colorado Party [Julio Maria SANGUINETTI]; Inde¬ pendent Party (Partido Independiente) [Pablo MIERES]; Movement of Popular Participation or MPP [Jose MIJJICA]; National Party or Blanco [Jorge LAR- RANAGA]; New Sector/Space Coalition (Nuevo Espacio) [Rafael MICHELINI]; Broad Front Coalition (Frente Amplio) [Jorge BROVETTO] (formerly known as the Progressive Encounter/Broad Front Coalition or EP- FA); Uruguayan Assembly or Asamblea Uruguay [Danilo ASTORI] Political pressure groups and leaders: Architect’s Society of Uruguay (profes¬ sional organization); Catholic Church; Chamber of Uruguayan Industries (man¬ ufacturer’s association); Chemist and Pharmaceutical Association (profes¬ sional organization); PIT-CNT (powerful federation of Uruguayan unions); Rural Association of Uruguay (rancher’s asso¬ ciation); students; Uruguayan Con¬ struction League International organization participa¬ tion: CAN (associate), CSN, FAO, G- 77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PC A, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos Alberto GIANELLI Derois chancery: 1913 I Street NW, Washing¬ ton, DC 20006 telephone: [1] (202) 331-1313 through 1316 FAX: [1] (202) 331-8142 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York consulate(s): San Juan (Puerto Rico) 662 URUGUAY Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Frank BAXTER embassy: Lauro Muller 1776, Monte¬ video 11200 mailing address: APO A A 34035 telephone: [598] (2) 418-7777 FAX: [598] (2)418-8611 Flag description: nine equal horizontal stripes of white (top and bottom) alter¬ nating with blue; there is a white square in the upper hoist-side corner with a yellow sun bearing a human face known as the Sun of May with 16 rays that alter¬ nate between triangular and wavy ECONOMY Economy — overview: Uruguay’s well-to- do economy is characterized by an export-oriented agricultural sector, a well-educated work force, and high levels of social spending. After averaging growth of 5% annually during 1996-98, in 1999-2002 the economy suffered a major downturn, stemming largely from the spillover effects of the economic problems of its large neighbors, Argen¬ tina and Brazil. For instance, in 2001-02 Argentina made massive withdrawals of dollars deposited in Uruguayan banks, which led to a plunge in the Umguayan peso and a massive rise in unemployment. Total GDP in these four years dropped by nearly 20%, with 2002 the worst year due to the banking crisis. The unemployment rate rose to nearly 20% in 2002, inflation surged, and the burden of external debt doubled. Cooperation with the IMF helped stem the damage. A debt swap with private-sector creditors in 2003 extended the maturity dates on nearly half of Uruguay’s then $11.3 billion of public debt and helped restore public confidence. The economy grew about 12% in 2004 as a result of high com¬ modity prices for Uruguayan exports, a competitive peso, growth in the region, and low international interest rates, and it continued to grow nearly 7% annually in 2005 and 2006. GDP (purchasing power parity): $37.54 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $14 5 bil¬ lion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 7% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $10,900 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 9.3% industry: 33.7% services: 57% (2006 est.) Labor force: 1.27 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 14% industry: 16% services: 70% Unemployment rate: 10.8% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 27.37% of households (2006) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.7% highest 10%: 25.8% (1997) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 45.2 (2006) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.5% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 13.6% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $5,203 billion expenditures: $5,449 billion; including capital expenditures of $193 million (2006 est.) Public debt: 70.6% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: rice, wheat, com, barley; livestock; fish Industries: food processing, electrical machinery, transportation equipment, petroleum products, textiles, chemicals, beverages Industrial production growth rate: 12.6% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 8.183 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 0.7% hydro: 99.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0.3% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 9.939 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 19 million kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 2.348 billion kWh (2004) Oil— production: 513.5 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — consumption: 38,100 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 120 million cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 120 million cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $600 million (2006 est.) Exports: $3,993 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — Commodities: meat, rice, leather products, wool, fish, dairy products Exports — partners: US 23.2%, Brazil 13.5%, Argentina 7.8%, Germany 4.2%, Mexico 4.1% (2005) Imports: $4,532 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: machinery, chemicals, road vehicles, crude petroleum Imports— partners: Brazil 21.3%, Argentina 20.3%, Russia 8%, US 6.7%, Venezuela 6.3%, China 6.2%, Nigeria 5.9% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $5,518 billion (October 2006 est.) Debt— external: $11.4 billion (30 September 2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $NA Currency (COde): Uruguayan peso (UYU) Currency code: UYU Exchange rates: Uruguayan pesos per US dollar— 24.048 (2006), 24.479 (2005), 28.704 (2004), 28.209 (2003), 21.257 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 1 mil lion (2004) Telephones— mobile cellular: 600,000 (2004) Telephone system: general assessment: fully digitalized domestic: most modem facilities concen¬ trated in Montevideo; new nationwide microwave radio relay network international: country code — 598; satel¬ lite earth stations — 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2002) Radio broadcast stations: AM 93, FM 191, shortwave 7 (2005) Radios: 1.97 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 62 (2005) Televisions: 782,000 (1997) Internet country code: uy Internet hosts: 145,774 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 14 (2001) Internet users: 680,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 64 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 8 over 3,047 m: 1 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1 ,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 56 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1 ,523 m: 22 under 9 14 m: 31 (2006) Pipelines: gas 257 km; oil 160 km (2006) Railways: total: 2,073 km standard gauge : 2,073 km 1.435-m gauge note: 461 km have been taken out of serv¬ ice and 460 km are in partial use (2005) Roadways: total: 77,732 km 663 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK paved: 7,743 km unpaved: 69,989 km (2004) Waterways: 1,600 km (2005) Merchant marine: total: 13 ships (1000 GRT or over) 34,259 GRT/19,725 DWT by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, pas- senger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 4 (Argentina 3, Greece 1) registered in other countries: 8 (Argentina 1, Bahamas 2, Liberia 3, Spain 2) (2006) Ports and terminals: Montevideo, Nueva Palmira, Fray Bentos, Colonia, Juan Lacaze MILITARY Military branches: Army, Navy (in' eludes naval air arm, Marines, Maritime Prefecture in wartime), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Uruguaya, FAU) (2006) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service (2001) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 764,408 females age 18-49: 760,341 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 637,445 females age 18-49: 631,046 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1.6% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: in Jan 2007, ICJ provisionally ruled Uruguay may begin construction of two paper mills on the Uruguay River, which forms the border with Argentina, while the court examines further whether Argentina has the legal right to stop such construction with potential environmental implications to both countries; uncontested dispute with Brazil over certain islands in the Quarai/Cuareim and Invemada streams and the resulting tripoint with Argentina UZBEKISTAN INTRODUCTION Background: Russia conquered Uzbekistan in the late 19th century. Stiff resistance to the Red Army after World War I was eventually suppressed and a socialist republic set up in 1924. During the Soviet era, intensive production of “white gold” (cotton) and grain led to overuse of agrochemicals and the deple¬ tion of water supplies, which have left the land poisoned and the Aral Sea and certain rivers half dry. Independent since 1991, the country seeks to gradually lessen its dependence on agriculture while developing its mineral and petro¬ leum reserves. Current concerns include terrorism by Islamic militants, economic stagnation, and the curtailment of human rights and democratization. GEOGRAPHY Location: Central Asia, north of Afghanistan Geographic coordinates: 41 00 N, 64 00 E Map references: Asia Area: total: 447,400 sq km land: 425,400 sq km water: 22,000 sq km Area— comparative: slightly larger than California Land boundaries: total: 6,221 km border countries: Afghanistan 137 km, Kazakhstan 2,203 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,099 km, Tajikistan 1,161 km, Turkmenistan 1,621 km Coastline: 0 km (doubly landlocked); note— Uzbekistan includes the southern portion of the Aral Sea with a 420 km shoreline Maritime Claims: none (doubly land¬ locked) Climate: mostly midlatitude desert, long, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid grassland in east Terrain: mostly flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes; broad, flat intensely irrigated river valleys along course of Amu Darya, Syr Darya (Sirdaryo), and Zarafshon; Fergana Valley in east sur¬ rounded by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral Sea in west Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sariqarnish Kuli -12 m highest point: Adelunga Toghi 4,301 m Natural resources: natural gas, petro¬ leum, coal, gold, uranium, silver, copper, lead and zinc, tungsten, molybdenum Land use: arable land: 10.51% permanent crops: 0.76% other: 88.73% (2005) Irrigated land: 42,810 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: NA Environment — current issues: shrink¬ age of the Aral Sea is resulting in growing concentrations of chemical pes¬ ticides and natural salts; these substances are then blown from the increasingly exposed lake bed and contribute to desertification; water pollution from industrial wastes and the heavy use of fertilizers and pesticides is the cause of many human health disorders; increasing soil salination; soil contamination from buried nuclear processing and agricul¬ tural chemicals, including DDT Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography— note: along with Liech¬ tenstein, one of the only two doubly landlocked countries in the world PEOPLE Population: 27,780,059 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 32.4% (male 4,587,338/ female 4,416,014) 15-64 years: 62.8% (male 8,636,226/ female 8,817,633) 65 years and over: 4.8% (male 543,417/ female 779,431) (2007 est.) 664 UZBEKISTAN Median age: total: 22.9 years male: 22.3 years female: 23.5 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.732% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 26.46 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 7.73 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -1.4 migrant (s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.039 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.979 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.697 male(s)/female total population: 0.982 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 68.89 deaths/1,000 live births male: 73.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 64.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 64.98 years male: 61.57 years female: 68.56 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.88 children bom/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HI V/ AIDS: 11,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: less than 500 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Uzbekistani adjective: Uzbekistani Ethnic groups: Uzbek 80%, Russian 5.5%, Tajik 5%, Kazakh 3%, Karakalpak 2.5%, Tatar 1.5%, other 2.5% (1996 est.) Religions: Muslim 88% (mostly Sunnis), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3% Languages: Uzbek 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1% Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.3% male: 99.6% female: 99% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Uzbekistan conventional short form: Uzbekistan local long form: Ozbekiston Respublikasi local short form: Ozbekiston former: Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic Government type: republic; authori¬ tarian presidential rule, with little power outside the executive branch Capital: name: Tashkent (Tashkent) geographic coordinates: 41 20 N, 69 18 E time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 12 provinces (viloyatlar, singular — viloyat), 1 auto¬ nomous republic* (respublika), and 1 city** (shahar); Andijon Viloyati, Buxoro Viloyati, Farg’ona Viloyati, Jizzax Viloyati, Namangan Viloyati, Navoiy Viloyati, Qashqadaryo Viloyati (Qarshi), Qoraqalpog’iston Res¬ publikasi* (Nukus), Samarqand Viloyati, Sirdaryo Viloyati (Guliston), Surx- ondaryo Viloyati (Termiz), Toshkent Shahri**, Toshkent Viloyati, Xorazm Viloyati (Urganch) note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative cen¬ ters (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses) Independence: 1 September 1991 (from Soviet Union) National holiday: Independence Day, 1 September (1991) Constitution: adopted 8 December 1992 Legal system: evolution of Soviet civil law; still lacks independent judicial system Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Islom KARIMOV (since 24 March 1990, when he was elected president by the then Supreme Soviet) head of government: Prime Minister Shavkat MIRZIYAYEV (since 11 December 2003) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president with approval of the Supreme Assembly elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term; previously was a five-year term, extended by constitutional amend¬ ment in 2002); election last held 9 January 2000 (next to be held in 2007); prime minister, ministers, and deputy ministers appointed by the president election results: Islom KARIMOV reelected president; percent of vote — Islom KARIMOV 91.9%, Abdulkhafiz JALALOV 4.2% Legislative branch: bicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis consists of an upper house or Senate (100 seats; 84 members are elected by regional gov¬ erning councils and 16 appointed by the president; to serve five-year terms) and a lower house or Legislative Chamber ( 1 20 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 26 December 2004 and 9 January 2005 (next to be held December 2009) election results: Senate — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — NA; Legislative Chamber — percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — LDPU 41, NDP 32, Fidokorlar 17, MTP 11, Adolat 9, unaffiliated 10 note: all parties in the Supreme Assembly support President KARIMOV Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and con¬ firmed by the Supreme Assembly) Political parties and leaders: Adolat (Justice) Social Democratic Party [Dilorom TASHMUHAMMEDOVA]; Democratic National Rebirth Party (Milly Tiklanish) or MTP [Hurshid DOSMUHAMMEDOV]; Fidokorlar National Democratic Party (Self- Sacrificers) [Ahtam TURSUNOV]; Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan or LDPU [Adham SHADMANOV; People’s Democratic Party or NDP (for¬ merly Communist Party) [Asliadin RUSTAMOV] Political pressure groups and leaders: Agrarian and Entrepreneurs’ Party [Marat ZAHIDOV]; Birlik (Unity) Movement [Abdurakhim POLAT, chair¬ man]; Committee for the Protection of Human Rights [Marat ZAHIDOV]; Erk (Freedom) Democratic Party [Muham¬ mad SOLIH, chairman] was banned 9 December 1992; Ezgulik Human Rights Society [Vasila INOYATOVA]; Free Farmers’ Party or Ozod Dehqonlar [Nigora KHIDOYATOVA]; Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan [Talib YAKUBOV, chairman]; Independent Human Rights Organization of Uzbek¬ istan [Mikhail ARDZINOV, chairman]; Mazlum; Sunshine Coalition [Sanjar UMAROV, chairman] International organization participa¬ tion: AsDB, CIS, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Abdulaziz KAMILOV chancery: 1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 887-5300 FAX: [1] (202) 293-6804 consulate(s) general: New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jon PURNELL embassy: 3 Moyqo’rq’on, 5th Block, Yunusobod District, Tashkent 100093 665 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK mailing address : use embassy street address telephone: [998] (71) 120-5450 FAX: [998] (71) 120-6335 Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and green separated by red fimbriations with a white crescent moon and 12 white stars in the upper hoist-side quadrant ECONOMY Economy — overview: Uzbekistan is a dry, landlocked country of which 11% consists of intensely cultivated, irrigated river valleys. More than 60% of its popu¬ lation lives in densely populated rural communities. Uzbekistan is now the world’s second- largest cotton exporter and fifth largest producer; it relies heavily on cotton production as the major source of export earnings. Other major export earners include gold, nat¬ ural gas, and oil. Following independ¬ ence in September 1991, the government sought to prop up its Soviet- style command economy with subsidies and tight controls on production and prices. While aware of the need to improve the investment climate, the government still sponsors measures that often increase, not decrease, its control over business decisions. A sharp increase in the inequality of income distribution has hurt the lower ranks of society since independence. In 2003, the government accepted Article VIII obligations under the IMF, providing for full currency con¬ vertibility. However, strict currency con¬ trols and tightening of borders have lessened the effects of convertibility and have also led to some shortages that have further stifled economic activity. The Central Bank often delays or restricts convertibility, especially for consumer goods. Potential investment by Russia and China in Uzbekistan’s gas and oil industry may boost growth prospects. In November 2005, Russian President Vladimir PUTIN and Uzbekistan President KARIMOV signed an “alliance,” which included provisions for economic and business cooperation. Russian businesses have shown increased interest in Uzbekistan, especially in mining, telecom, and oil and gas. In December 2005, the Russians opened a “Trade House” to support and develop Russian-Uzbek business and economic ties. In 2006, Uzbekistan took steps to rejoin the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the Eurasian Economic Community (EurASEC), both organizations dominated by Russia. Uzbek authorities have accused US and other foreign companies operating in Uzbekistan of violating Uzbek tax laws and have frozen their assets. US firms have not made major investments in Uzbekistan in the last 5 years. GDP (purchasing power parity): $55.75 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $10.83 billion (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 7.3% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $2,000 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 31.1% industry: 25.7% services: 43.2% (2006 est.) Labor force: 14.44 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 44% industry: 20% services: 36% (1995) Unemployment rate: 3% officially by the Ministry of Labor, plus another 20% underemployed (2006) Population below poverty line: 33% (2004 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.6% highest 10%: 22% (2000) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 26.8 (2000) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.6% officially, but 38% based on analysis of consumer prices (2006) Budget: revenues: $4-08 billion expenditures: $4.24 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (FY07 est.) Public debt: 29.7% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: cotton, vegeta- bles, fruits, grain; livestock Industries: textiles, food processing, machine building, metallurgy, gold, petroleum, natural gas, chemicals Industrial production growth rate: 10.8% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 49 billion kWh (2006 est.) Electricity — production by source: fossil fuel: 88.2% hydro: 11.8% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 47 billion kWh (2006 est.) Electricity— exports: 6.8 billion kWh (2006) Electricity— imports: 10.5 billion kWh (2006 est.) Oil— production: 142,000 bbl/day (2004) Oil— consumption: 148,000 bbl/day (2004) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA Oil— proved reserves: 600 million bbl ( 1 January 2005) Natural gas— production: 62.5 billion cu m (2006 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 48.4 billion cu m (2006 est.) Natural gas — exports: 12.5 billion cu m (2006 est.) Natural gas— imports: NA Natural gas— proved reserves: 1.875 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $141 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $5.51 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: cotton, gold, energy products, mineral fertilizers, fer¬ rous and non-ferrous metals, textiles, food products, machinery, automobiles Exports— partners: Russia 23.8%, China 11.9%, Kazakhstan 6.9%, Turkey 6.9%, Ukraine 5.4%, Bangladesh 4.7%, Poland 4.2%, Tajikistan 4% (2005) Imports: $3.99 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, ferrous and non-ferrous metals Imports— partners: Russia 26.6%, South Korea 15.2%, Germany 8.8%, Kazakhstan 7.1%, China 7.1%, Turkey 4.7%, Ukraine 4.7% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $2,986 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $4,713 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid — recipient: $91.6 million from the US (2005) Currency (code): Uzbekistani soum (UZS) Currency code: UZS Exchange rates: Uzbekistani soum per US dollar— 1,219.8 (2006), 1,020 (2005), 971.265 (2004), 771.029 (2003), 423.832 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 1.717 million (2003) Telephones— mobile cellular: l.i mil¬ lion (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: antiquated and inade¬ quate; in serious need of modernization domestic: the main line telecommunica¬ tions system is dilapidated; the state- owned telecom company, Uzbektelecom, is using a US$110 million loan from the Japanese government to improve main line services; mobile services are growing swiftly, with the subscriber base doubling in 2005 to 1.1 million; there are 6 main cellular providers currently in operation international: country code — 998; linked by landline or microwave radio relay with CIS member states and to other 666 UZBEKISTAN countries by leased connection via the Moscow international gateway switch; after the completion of the Uzbek link to the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic cable, Uzbekistan will be independent of Russian facilities for international com¬ munications (2006) Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 6, shortwave 3 (2006) Radios: 10.8 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 8 (includes 1 cable rebroadcaster in Tashkent; approximately 20 stations in regional capitals) (2006) Televisions: 6.4 million (1997) internet country code: uz internet hosts: 9,058 (2006) internet Service Providers (ISPs): 42 (2000) Internet users: 880,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 61 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 34 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 13 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 5 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 27 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 under 914 m: 25 (2006) Pipelines: gas 9,594 km; oil 868 km (2006) Railways: total: 3,950 km broad gauge: 3,950 km 1.520-m gauge (620 km electrified) (2005) Roadways: total: 81,600 km paved: 71,237 km unpaved: 10,363 km (1999) Waterways: 1,100 km (2006) Ports and terminals: Termiz (Amu Darya) MILITARY Military branches: Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Guard Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation — 12 months (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 6,340,22 0 females age 18—49: 6,432,072 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 4,609,621 females age 18-49: 5,383,233 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 324,722 females age 18-49: 317,062 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 2% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: prolonged drought and cotton monoculture in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan creates water-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya river states; field demarcation of the boundaries with Kazakhstan commenced in 2004; border delimitation of 130 km of border with Kyrgyzstan is hampered by serious disputes around enclaves and other areas Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: refugees (country of origin): 39,202 (Tajikistan) lDPs: 3,400 (forced population transfers by government from villages near Tajikistan border) (2006) Trafficking in persons: current situation: Uzbekistan is a source and, to a lesser extent, a transit country for women traf¬ ficked to Asia and the Middle East for the purpose of sexual exploitation; women from other Central Asian coun¬ tries and China are trafficked through Uzbekistan; men are trafficked for pur¬ poses of forced labor in the construction and agricultural industries to Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan; men and women are also trafficked within the country tier rating: Tier 3 — Uzbekistan is placed on Tier 3 because it failed to fulfill com¬ mitments by the country to take addi¬ tional steps during 2005, including the adoption of comprehensive anti-traf- ficking legislation, criminal code amend¬ ments to raise trafficking penalties, support to the country’s first trafficking shelter, and approval of a national action plan Illicit drugs: transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and, to a lesser extent, Western European mar¬ kets; limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and small amounts of opium poppy for domestic consumption; poppy cultivation almost wiped out by govern¬ ment crop eradication program; transit point for heroin precursor chemicals bound for Afghanistan 667 INTRODUCTION _ - _ ‘ _ - Background: Multiple waves of colo¬ nizers, each speaking a distinct language, migrated to the New Hebrides in the millennia preceding European explo¬ ration in the 18th century. This settle¬ ment pattern accounts for the complex linguistic diversity found on the archi¬ pelago to this day. The British and French, who settled the New Hebrides in the 19th century, agreed in 1906 to an Anglo-French Condominium, which administered the islands until independ¬ ence in 1980, when the new name of Vanuatu was adopted. GEOGRAPHY Location: Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia Geographic coordinates: 16 00 S, 167 00 E Map references: Oceania Area: total: 12,200 sq km land: 12,200 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes more than 80 islands, about 65 of which are inhabited Area— Comparative: slightly larger than Connecticut Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 2,528 km Maritime Claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin Climate: tropical; moderated by south¬ east trade winds from May to October; moderate rainfall from November to April; may be affected by cyclones from December to April Terrain: mostly mountainous islands of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Tabwemasana 1,877 m Natural resources: manganese, hard¬ wood forests, fish Land use: arable land: 1.64% permanent crops: 6.97% other: 91.39% (2005) irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanic eruption on Aoba (Ambae) island began 27 November 2005, volcanism also causes minor earthquakes; tsunamis Environment— current issues: a majority of the population does not have access to a reliable supply of potable water; defor¬ estation Environment— international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Re¬ sources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: a Y-shaped chain of four main islands and 80 smaller islands; several of the islands have active volcanoes PEOPLE Population: 211,971 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 31.9% (male 34,590/female 33,124) 15-64 years: 64.3% (male 69,496/female 66,745) 65 years and over: 3.8% (male 4,178/ female 3,838) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 23.4 years male: 23.4 years female: 23.4 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.46% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 22.35 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 7.75 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.044 male (s)/fe male 15-64 years: 1.041 male(s)/femaie 65 years and over: 1.089 male(s)/female total population: 1.044 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 52.45 deaths/1,000 live births male: 54-96 deaths/1,000 live births female: 49.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 63.22 years male: 61.67 years female: 64.84 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.63 children bom/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: N A HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural) adjective: Ni-Vanuatu Ethnic groups: Ni-Vanuatu 98.5%, other 1.5% (1999 Census) Religions: Presbyterian 31.4%, Angli¬ can 13.4%, Roman Catholic 13.1%, Seventh-Day Adventist 10.8%, other Christian 13.8%, indigenous beliefs 5.6% (including Jon Frum cargo cult), other 9.6%, none 1%, unspecified 1.3% (1999 Census) Languages: local languages (more than 100) 72.6%, pidgin (known as Bislama or Bichelama) 23.1%, English 1.9%, French 1.4%, other 0.3%, unspecified 0.7% (1999 Census) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write to tal population : 7 4 % male: NA female: NA (1999 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Vanuatu conventional short form: Vanuatu local long form: Ripablik blong Vanuatu local short form: Vanuatu former: New Hebrides Government type: parliamentary republic Capital: name: Port-Vila (on Efate) 668 VANUATU geographic coordinates: 17 44 S, 168 19E time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 6 provinces; Malampa, Penama, Sanma, Shefa, Tafea, Torba Independence: 30 July 1980 (from France and UK) National holiday: Independence Day, 30 July (1980) Constitution: 30 July 1980 Legal system: unified system being ere- ated from former dual French and British systems Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Kalkot Matas KELEKELE (since 16 August 2004) head of government: Prime Minister Ham LIN I (since 11 December 2004); Deputy Prime Minister Sato KILMAN (since 11 December 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, responsible to Parliament elections: president elected for a five-year term by an electoral college consisting of Parliament and the presidents of the regional councils; election for president last held 16 August 2004 (next to be held in 2009); following legislative elec¬ tions, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by Parliament from among its members; election for prime minister last held 29 July 2004 (next to be held following general elections in 2008) election results: Kalkot Matas KELEKELE elected president, with 49 votes out of 56, after several ballots on 16 August 2004 Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (52 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 6 July 2004 (next to be held 2008) election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — NUP 10, UMP 8, VP 8, VRP 4, MPP 3, VGP 3, other and independent 16; note — political party associations are fluid note: the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of culture and language Judicial branch: Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president after consultation with the prime minister and the leader of the opposition, three other justices are appointed by the president on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission) Political parties and leaders: Jon Frum Movement [Song KEASPAI]; Melanesian Progressive Party or MPP [Barak SOPE]; National United Party or NUP [Hem LINI]; Union of Moderate Parties or UMP [Serge VOHOR]; Vanua’aku Pati (Our Land Party) or VP [Edward NATAPEI]; Vanuatu Greens Party or VGP [Moana CARCASSES]; Vanuatu Republican Party or VRP [Maxime Carlot KORMAN] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: ACCT, ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, G- 77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO (observer) Diplomatic representation in the US: Vanuatu does not have an embassy in the US; it does, however, have a Permanent Mission to the UN Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Vanuatu; the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) all separated by a black-edged yellow stripe in the shape of a horizontal Y (the two points of the Y face the hoist side and enclose the triangle); centered in the triangle is a boar’s tusk encircling two crossed namele leaves, all in yellow ECONOMY Economy — overview: This South Pacific island economy is based primarily on small-scale agriculture, which provides a living for 65% of the population. Fishing, offshore financial services, and tourism, with more than 60,000 visitors in 2005, are other mainstays of the economy. Mineral deposits are negligible; the country has no known petroleum deposits. A small light industry sector caters to the local market. Tax revenues come mainly from import duties. Economic development is hindered by dependence on relatively few commodity exports, vulnerability to natural disasters, and long distances from main markets and between constituent islands. GDP growth rose less than 3% on average in the 1990s. In response to foreign concerns, the gov¬ ernment has promised to tighten regula¬ tion of its offshore financial center. In mid-2002 the government stepped up efforts to boost tourism through improved air connections, resort development, and cruise ship facilities. Agriculture, espe¬ cially livestock farming, is a second target for growth. Australia and New Zealand are the main suppliers of tourists and for¬ eign aid. GDP (purchasing power parity): $276.3 million (2003 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $341 mil lion (2005) GDP— real growth rate: 6.8% (2005 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $2,900 (2003 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 26% industry: 12% services: 62% (2000 est.) Labor force: 76,410 (1999) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 65% industry: 5% services: 30% (2000 est.) Unemployment rate: 1.7% (1999) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): -1.6% (2005 est.) Budget: revenues: $78.7 million expenditures: $72.23 million (2005 est.) Agriculture— products: copra, coconuts, cocoa, coffee, taro, yams, fruits, vegeta¬ bles; beef; fish Industries: food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning Industrial production growth rate: 1% (1997 est.) Electricity— production: 43 million kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 39.99 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2004 est.) Electricity — imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 620 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas — production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $28.35 mil¬ lion (2003) Exports: $34-11 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) Exports — commodities: copra, beef, cocoa, timber, kava, coffee Exports — partners: Thailand 46.5%, India 14.1%, Poland 7.9%, Turkey 7.7%, Japan 6.9% (2005) Imports: $1 17.1 million c.i.f. (2004 est.) Imports — Commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, fuels 669 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Imports— partners: Australia 18.4%, Japan 16.6%, Singapore 14-7%, Poland 8.5%, NZ 7.2%, Fiji 6.3% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $40.54 million (2003) Debt— external: $81.2 million (2004) Economic aid— recipient: $37 .8 million (2004) Currency (code): vatu (VUV) Currency code: VUV Exchange rates: vatu per US dollar — 111.93 (2006), NA (2005), 111.79 (2004), 122.19 (2003), 139.2 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 6,800 (2004) Telephones— mobile cellular: 12,700 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: country code — 678; satel¬ lite earth station — 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001) Radios: 67,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 1 (2004) Televisions: 2,300 (1999) Internet country code: vu Internet hosts: 413 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): l (2000) Internet users: 7,500 (2004) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 31 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 28 914 to 1 ,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 18 (2006) Roadways: total: 1,070 km paved: 256 km unpaved: 814 km (1999) Merchant marine: total: 51 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,340,132 GRT/1 ,908,687 DWT by type: bulk carrier 29, cargo 8, con¬ tainer 1, liquefied gas 2, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 2, vehicle carrier 5 foreign' owned: 51 (Australia 2, Canada 5, Denmark 6, Estonia 1, Japan 28, Poland 5, Russia 1, Switzerland 2, US 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Forari, Port-Vila, Santo (Espiritu Santo) MILITARY Military branches: no regular military forces; security forces comprise the Vanuatu Police Force (VPF) and para¬ military Vanuatu Mobile Force (VMF), which includes Vanuatu’s naval force, known as the Police Maritime Wing (PMW); border security in Vanuatu is the joint responsibility of the Customs and Inland Revenue Service, VPF, VMF, and PMW (2003) Manpower available for military serv¬ ice: males age 18-49: 50,221 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 33,837 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: NA TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: Matthew and blunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by Vanuatu and France VENEZUELA INTRODUCTION Background: Venezuela was one of three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Ecuador and New Granada, which became Colombia). For most of the first half of the 20th century, Venezuela was ruled by generally benevolent military strongmen, who promoted the oil industry and allowed for some social reforms. Democratically elected govern¬ ments have held sway since 1959. Hugo CHAVEZ, president since 1999, has pro¬ moted a controversial policy of “demo¬ cratic socialism,” which purports to alleviate social ills while at the same time attacking globalization and under¬ mining regional stability. Current con¬ cerns include: a weakening of democratic institutions, political polarization, a politicized military, drug-related violence along the Colombian border, increasing internal drug consumption, overdepen¬ dence on the petroleum industry with its price fluctuations, and irresponsible mining operations that are endangering the rain forest and indigenous peoples. GEOGRAPHY Location: Northern South America, bor¬ dering the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana Geographic coordinates: 8 00 N, 66 00 w Map references: South America Area: total: 912,050 sq km land: 882,050 sq km water: 30,000 sq km Area— comparative: slightly more than twice the size of California Land boundaries: total: 4,993 km border countries: Brazil 2,200 km, Colombia 2,050 km, Guyana 743 km Coastline: 2,800 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 15 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation Climate: tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands Terrain: Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; cen¬ tral plains (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Pico Bolivar (La Columna) 5,007 m Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other min¬ erals, hydropower, diamonds Land use: arable land: 2.85% permanent crops: 0.88% other: 96.27% (2005) Irrigated land: 5,750 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: subject to floods, rock- slides, mudslides; periodic droughts Environment— current issues: sewage pollution of Lago de Valencia; oil and urban pollution of Lago de Maracaibo; deforestation; soil degradation; urban and industrial pollution, especially along the Caribbean coast; threat to the rain- 670 VENEZUELA forest ecosystem from irresponsible mining operations Environment— international agreements: party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change- Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, En¬ dangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed but not ratified:: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: on major sea and air routes linking North and South America; Angel Falls in the Guiana Highlands is the world’s highest waterfall PEOPLE Population: 26,023,528 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 31.6% (male 4,169,979/ female 4,046,170) 15-64 years: 63.4% (male 8,120,661/ female 8,369,065) 65 years and over: 5.1% (male 586,863/ female 730,790) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 24.9 years male: 24.3 years female: 25.5 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.486% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 21.22 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 5.08 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -1.28 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.031 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.803 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 22.52 deaths/1,000 live births male: 26.14 deaths/1,000 live births female: 18.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.28 years male: 70.24 years female: 76.48 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2 .55 children bom/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 0.7%; note — no country specific models provided (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 110,000 (1999 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 4,100 (2003 est.) Nationality: noun: Venezuelan(s) adjective: Venezuelan Ethnic groups: Spanish, Italian, Portu¬ guese, Arab, German, African, indige¬ nous people Religions: nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2% Languages: Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93% male: 93.3% female: 92.7% (2001 census) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela conventional short form: Venezuela local long form: Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela local short form: Venezuela Government type: federal republic Capital: name: Caracas geographic coordinates: 1030N, 66 56W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 23 states (estados, singular — estado), 1 capital dis¬ trict* (distrito capital), and 1 federal dependency** (dependencia federal); Amazonas, Anzoategui, Apure, Aragua, Barinas, Bolivar, Carabobo, Cojedes, Delta Amacuro, Dependencias Federales**, Distrito Federal*, Falcon, Guarico, Lara, Merida, Miranda, Monagas, Nueva Esparta, Portuguesa, Sucre, Tachira, Trujillo, Vargas, Yaracuy, Zulia note: the federal dependency consists of 1 1 federally controlled island groups with a total of 72 individual islands Independence: 5 July 1811 (from Spain) National holiday: Independence Day, 5 July (1811) Constitution: 30 December 1999 Legal system: open, adversarial court system Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February 1999); Vice President Jorge RODRIGUEZ Gomez (since 3 January 2007); note — the presi¬ dent is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February 1999); Vice President Jorge RODRIGUEZ Gomez (since 3 January 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 3 December 2006 (next to be held in December 2012) note: in 1999, a National Constituent Assembly drafted a new constitution that increased the presidential term to six years; an election was subsequently held on 30 July 2000 under the terms of this constitution election results: Hugo CHAVEZ Frias reelected president; percent of vote — Hugo CHAVEZ Frias 62.9%, Manuel ROSALES 36.9% Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (167 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; three seats reserved for the indigenous peoples of Venezuela) elections: last held 4 December 2005 (next to be held in 2010) election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — pro-government 167 (MVR 114, PODEMOS 15, PPT 11, indigenous 2, other 25), opposition 0 Judicial branch: Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Tribuna Suprema de Justicia (magistrates are elected by the National Assembly for a single 12-year term) Political parties and leaders: A New Time or UNT [Manuel ROSALES]; Christian Democrats or COPEI [Cesar PEREZ Vivas]; Democratic Action or AD [Henry RAMOS Allup]; Fatherland for All or PPT [Jose ALBORNOZ]; Fifth Republic Movement or MVR [Hugo CHAVEZ]; Justice First [Julio BORGES]; Movement Toward Socialism or MAS [Hector MUJICA]; Venezuela Project or PV [Henrique SALAS Romer]; We Can or PODEMOS [Ismael GARCIA] Political pressure groups and leaders: FEDECAMARAS, a conservative busi¬ ness group; VECINOS groups; Venezue¬ lan Confederation of Workers or CTV (labor organization dominated by the Democratic Action) International organization participa¬ tion: CAN, CDB, CSN, FAO, G-3, G- 15, G-24, G- 77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Bernardo ALVAREZ Herrera chancery: 1099 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 342-2214 FAX: [1] (202) 342-6820 671 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico) Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William R. BROWNFIELD embassy: Calle F con Calle Suapure, Urbanizacion Colinas de Valle Arriba, Caracas 1080 mailing address: P. O. Box 62291, Caracas 1060-A; APO AA 34037 telephone: [58] (212) 9750234, 975-6411 FAX: [58] (212) 975-8991 Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), blue, and red with the coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band and an arc of eight white five-pointed stars centered in the blue band ECONOMY Economy — overview: Venezuela remains highly dependent on oil revenues, which account for roughly 90% of export earn¬ ings, more than 50% of the federal budget revenues, and around 30% of GDP Tax collection — Venezuela’s pri¬ mary source of non-oil revenue— is expected to surpass $23 billion in 2006, exceeding the yearend collection goal by more than 20%. A nationwide strike between December 2002 and February 2003 had far-reaching economic conse¬ quences- — real GDP declined by around 9% in 2002 and 8% in 2003 — but eco¬ nomic output since then has recovered strongly. Fueled by higher oil prices, record government spending helped to boost GDP growth in 2004 and 2005 to approximately 18% and 11%, respec¬ tively. Economic growth in 2006 reached about 9%. This spending, combined with recent minimum wage hikes and improved access to domestic credit, has fueled a consumption boom — car sales in 2006 increased by around 70% — but has come at the cost of higher inflation. Despite government attempts to with¬ draw liquidity from the economy, Venezuela’s money supply set a record in June 2006, approximately 70% higher than the previous year. Imports have also jumped significantly. GDP (purchasing power parity): $186.3 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $149.9 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 10.3% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $7,200 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 3.7% industry: 41% services: 55.3% (2006 est.) Labor force: 12.5 million (November 2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 13% industry: 23% services: 64% (1997 est.) Unemployment rate: 8.9% (October 2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 37.9% (end 2005 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.8% highest 10%: 36.5% (1998) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 49.1 (1998) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 15.8% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 19.8% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $52.24 billion expenditures: $52.9 billion; including capital expenditures of $2.6 billion (2006 est.) Public debt: 28.4% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: com, sorghum, sugarcane, rice, bananas, vegetables, coffee; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish Industries: petroleum, construction materials, food processing, textiles; iron ore mining, steel, aluminum; motor vehicle assembly Industrial production growth rate: 7% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 93.03 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 31.7% hydro: 68.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 86.52 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil — production: 3.081 million bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— consumption: 560,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: 2.1 million bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Oil— proved reserves: 75.27 billion bbl (2006 est.) Natural gas— production: 27.2 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 27.2 billion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — proved reserves: 4.276 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $31.82 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $69.23 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: petroleum, bauxite and aluminum, steel, chemicals, agricultural products, basic manufactures Exports— partners: US 50.9%, Nether¬ lands Antilles 7.2%, Canada 2.4% (2005) Imports: $28.81 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: raw materials, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, construction materials Imports— partners: US 31.6%, Colombia 11%, Brazil 9.1%, Mexico 6.9% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $35.95 billion (2006 est.) Debt— external: $35.63 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $74 million (2000) Currency (code): bolivar (VEB) Currency code: VEB Exchange rates: bolivares per US dollar— 2,147 (2006), 2,089.8 (2005), 1,891.3 (2004), 1,607 (2003), 1,161 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 3.605 million (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 12.496 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: modem and expanding domestic: domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations; recent substantial improvement in telephone sendee in rural areas; substantial increase in digi¬ talization of exchanges and trunk lines; installation of a national interurban fiber-optic network capable of digital multimedia services international: country code — 58; 3 sub¬ marine coaxial cables; satellite earth sta¬ tions — 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 PanAmSat; participating with Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia in the construction of an international fiber-optic network Radio broadcast stations: AM 201, FM NA (20 in Caracas), shortwave 11 (1998) Radios: 10.75 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 66 (plus 45 repeaters) (1997) Televisions: 4.1 million (1997) Internet country code: ve Internet hosts: 51,968 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 16 (2000) Internet users: 3.04 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 375 (2006) 672 VIETNAM Airports — with paved runways: total: 129 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 34 914 to 1 ,523 m: 60 under 914 m: 19 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 246 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 90 under 914 m: 147 (2006) Heliports: l (2006) Pipelines: extra heavy crude oil 992 km; gas 5,369 km; oil 7,607 km; refined prod¬ ucts 1,681 km; unknown (oil/water) 141 km (2006) Railways: total: 682 km standard gauge: 682 km 1.435-m gauge (2005) Roadways: total: 96,155 km paved: 32,308 km unpaved: 63,847 km (1999) Waterways: 7,100 km note: Orinoco River (400 km) and Lake de Maracaibo navigable by oceangoing vessels (2005) Merchant marine: total: 56 ships (1000 GRT or over) 824,941 GRT/1,327,924 DWT by type: bulk carrier 7, cargo 10, chemical tanker 2, container 1, liquefied gas 6, passenger/cargo 12, petroleum tanker 18 foreign-owned: 13 (Denmark 3, Greece 3, India 1, Mexico 3, Panama 1, Russia 1, Spain 1) registered in other countries: 15 (Bahamas 1, Panama 14) (2006) Ports and terminals: Amuay, La Guaira, Maracaibo, Puerto Cabello, Punta Cardon MILITARY Military branches: National Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas Nacionales or FAN): Ground Forces or Army (Fuerzas Terrestres or Ejercito), Naval Forces (Fuerzas Navales or Armada; includes Marines, Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerzas Aereas or Aviacion), Armed Forces of Cooperation or National Guard (Fuerzas Armadas de Cooperacion or Guardia Nacional) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obliga¬ tion — 30 months; all citizens of military service age (between 18 and 50 years old) are obligated to register for military service (2007) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 6,236,012 females age 18—49: 6,137,622 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 4,907,947 females age 18-49: 5,151,843 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 252,396 females age 18—49: 237,300 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1.2% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: claims all of the area west of the Essequibo River in Guyana, preventing any discussion of a maritime boundary; Guyana has expressed its intention to join Barbados in asserting claims before the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) that Trinidad and Tobago’s maritime boundary with Venezuela extends into their waters; dispute with Colombia over maritime boundary and Venezuelan-administered Los Monjes islands near the Gulf of Venezuela; Colombian-organized illegal narcotics and paramilitary activities penetrate Vene¬ zuela’s shared border region; in 2006, an estimated 139,000 Colombians sought protection in 150 communities along the border in Venezuela; US, France, and the Netherlands recognize Venezuela’s granting full effect to Aves Island, thereby claiming a Venezuelan EEZ/continental shelf extending over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea; Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines protest Venezuela’s full effect claim Trafficking in persons: current situation: Venezuela is a source, transit, and desti¬ nation country for women and children trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labor; women and children from Colombia, China, Peru, Ecuador, and the Dominican Republic are trafficked to and through Venezuela and subjected to commercial sexual exploitation or forced labor; Venezuelans are trafficked internally and to Western Europe, particularly Spain and the Netherlands, and to countries in the Caribbean region for commercial sexual exploitation; Venezuela is a transit country for illegal migrants from other countries in the region and for Asian nationals, some of whom are believed to be trafficking victims tier rating: Tier 3 — Venezuela does not fully comply with the minimum stan¬ dards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so Illicit drugs: small-scale illicit producer of opium and coca for the processing of opiates and coca derivatives; however, large quantities of cocaine, heroin, and marijuana transit the country from Colombia bound for US and Europe; sig¬ nificant narcotics-related money-laun¬ dering activity, especially along the border with Colombia and on Margarita Island; active eradication program pri¬ marily targeting opium; increasing signs of drug-related activities by Colombian insurgents on border VIETNAM INTRODUCTION Background: The conquest of Vietnam by France began in 1858 and was com¬ pleted by 1884- It became part of French Indochina in 1887. Vietnam declared independence after World War II, but France continued to rule until its 1954 defeat by Communist forces under Flo Chi MINH. Under the Geneva Accords of 1954, Vietnam was divided into the Communist North and anti-Communist South. US economic and military aid to South Vietnam grew through the 1960s in an attempt to bolster the government, but US armed forces were withdrawn fol¬ lowing a cease-fire agreement in 1973. Two years later, North Vietnamese forces overran the South reuniting the country under Communist rule. Despite the return of peace, for over a decade the country experienced little economic growth because of conservative leadership poli¬ cies. However, since the enactment of Vietnam’s “doi moi” (renovation) policy in 1986, Vietnamese authorities have committed to increased economic liberal¬ ization and enacted structural reforms needed to modernize the economy and to produce more competitive, export-driven industries. The country continues to experience protests from various groups — such as the Protestant Montagnard ethnic minority population of the Central Highlands and the Hoa Hao Buddhists in southern Vietnam over religious persecu¬ tion. Montagnard grievances also include the loss of land to Vietnamese settlers. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of Tonkin, 673 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK and South China Sea, alongside China, Laos, and Cambodia Geographic coordinates: 16 00 N, 106 00 E Map references: Southeast Asia Area: total: 329,560 sq km land: 325,360 sq km water: 4,200 sq km Area — comparative: slightly larger than New Mexico Land boundaries: total: 4,639 km border countries: Cambodia 1,228 km, China 1,281 km, Laos 2,130 km Coastline: 3,444 km (excludes islands) Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin Climate: tropical in south; monsoonal in north with hot, rainy season (May to September) and warm, dry season (October to March) Terrain: low, flat delta in south and north; central highlands; hilly, moun¬ tainous in far north and northwest Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Fan Si Pan 3,144 m Natural resources: phosphates, coal, manganese, bauxite, chromate, offshore oil and gas deposits, forests, hydropower Land use: arable land: 20.14% permanent crops: 6.93% other: 72.93% (2005) Irrigated land: 30,000 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: occasional typhoons (May to January) with extensive flooding, especially in the Mekong River delta Environment— current issues: logging and slash-and-burn agricultural practices contribute to deforestation and soil degradation; water pollution and over¬ fishing threaten marine life populations; groundwater contamination limits potable water supply; growing urban industrialization and population migra¬ tion are rapidly degrading environment in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography— note: extending 1,650 km north to south, the country is only 50 km across at its narrowest point PEOPLE Population: 85,262,356 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 26.3% (male 11,617,032/ female 10,784,264) 15-64 years: 67.9% (male 28,711,464/ female 29,205,498) 65 years and over: 5.8% (male 1,919,138/ female 3,024,960) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 26.4 years male: 25.3 years female: 27.6 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.004% (2007 est.) Bilth rate: 16.63 births/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 6.19 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0.4 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.077 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.983 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.634 male(s)/female total population: 0.982 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 24.37 deaths/1,000 live births male: 24-76 deaths/1,000 live births female: 23.94 deaths/ 1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.07 years male: 68.27 years female: 74.08 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.89 children bom/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.4% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 220,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 9,000 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diar¬ rhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, Japanese encephalitis, and plague are high risks in some locations animal contact disease: rabies water contact disease: leptospirosis note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2007) Nationality: noun: Vietnamese (singular and plural) adjective: Vietnamese Ethnic groups: Kinh (Viet) 86.2%, Tay 1.9%, Thai 1.7%, Muong 1.5%, Khome 1.4%, Hoa 1.1%, Nun 1.1%, Hmong 1%, others 4.1% (1999 census) Religions: Buddhist 9.3%, Catholic 6.7%, Hoa Hao 1.5%, Cao Dai 1.1%, Protestant 0.5%, Muslim 0.1%, none 80.8% (1999 census) Languages: Vietnamese (official), English (increasingly favored as a second language), some French, Chinese, and Khmer; mountain area languages (Mon- Khmer and Malayo-Polynesian) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 90.3% male: 93.9% female: 86.9% (2002 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Socialist Republic of Vietnam conventional short form: Vietnam local long form: Cong Hoa Xa Hoi Chu Nghia Viet Nam local short form: Viet Nam abbreviation: SRV Government type: Communist state Capital: name: Hanoi geographic coordinates: 2102N,105 51E time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 59 provinces (tinh, singular and plural) and 5 munici- 674 VIETNAM palities (thanh pho, singular and plural) provinces: An Giang, Bac Giang, Bac Kan, Bac Lieu, Bac Ninh, Ba Pda-Vung Tau, Ben Tre, Binh Dinh, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Binh Thuan, Ca Mau, Cao Bang, Dac Lak, Dac Nong, Dien Bien, Dong Nai, Dong Thap, Gia Lai, Ha Giang, Ha Nam, Ha Tay, Ha Tinh, Hai Duong, Hau Giang, Hoa Binh, Hung Yen, Khanh Hoa, Kien Giang, Kon Turn, Lai Chau, Lam Dong, Lang Son, Lao Cai, Long An, Nam Dinh, Nghe An, Ninh Binh, Ninh Thuan, Phu Tho, Phu Yen, Quang Binh, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Quang Ninh, Quang Tri, Soc Trang, Son La, Tay Ninh, Thai Binh, Thai Nguyen, Thanh Hoa, Thua Thien- Hue, Tien Giang, Tra Vinh, Tuyen Quang, Vinh Long, Vinh Phuc, Yen Bai municipalities: Can Tho, Da Nang, Hai Phong, Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh Independence: 2 September 1945 (from France) Notional holiday: Independence Day, 2 September (1945) Constitution: 15 April 1992 Legal system: based on communist legal theory and French civil law system Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Nguyen Minh TRIET (since 27 June 2006); Vice President Truong My HOA (since 25 July 2002) head of government: Prime Minister Nguyen Tan DUNG (since 27 June 2006); Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh HUNG (since 28 June 2006), Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia KHIEM (since 28 June 2006), and Deputy Prime Minister Truong Vinh TRONG (since 28 June 2006) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president based on proposal of prime minister and confirmed by National Assembly elections: president elected by the National Assembly from among its mem¬ bers for five-year term; last held 27 June 2006 (next to be held in 2011); prime minister appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly; deputy prime ministers appointed by the prime minister; appointment of prime minister and deputy prime ministers confirmed by National Assembly election results: Nguyen Minh TRIET elected president; percent of National Assembly vote — 94%; Nguyen Tan DUNG elected prime minister; percent of National Assembly vote — 92% Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Quoc Hoi (500 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 20 May 2007 (next to be held in May 2012) election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — CPV 450, non-party CPV-approved 42, self-nominated 1; note — 493 candidates were elected; CPV and non-party CPV-approved delegates were members of the Vietnamese Fatherland Front Judicial branch: Supreme People’s Court (chief justice is elected for a five- year term by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president) Political parties and leaders: Communist Party of Vietnam or CPV [Nong Due MANH]; other parties proscribed Political pressure groups and leaders: groups advocate democracy but are not recognized by government — 8406 Bloc; Democratic Party of Vietnam or DPV; People’s Democratic Party Vietnam or PDP-VN; Alliance for Democracy (2006) International organization participa¬ tion: ACCT (observer), APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Nguyen Tam CHIEN chancery: 1233 20th Street NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 861-0737 FAX: [1] (202) 861-0917 consulate(s) general: San Francisco Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael W. MARINE embassy: 7 Lang Ha Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi mailing address: PSC 461, Box 400, FPO AP 96521-0002 telephone: [84] (4) 850-5000 FAX: [84] (4) 850-5010 consulate(s) general: Ho Chi Minh City Flag description: red with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center ECONOMY Economy — overview: Vietnam is a densely-populated, developing country that in the last 30 years has had to recover from the ravages of war, the loss of financial support from the old Soviet Bloc, and the rigidities of a centrally- planned economy. Substantial progress was achieved from 1986 to 1997 in moving forward from an extremely low level of development and significantly reducing poverty. Growth averaged around 9% per year from 1993 to 1997. The 1997 Asian financial crisis high¬ lighted the problems in the Vietnamese economy and temporarily allowed oppo¬ nents of reform to slow progress toward a market-oriented economy. GDP growth averaged 6.8% per year from 1997 to 2004 even against the background of the Asian financial crisis and a global reces¬ sion, and growth hit 8% in 2005 and 7.8% in 2006. Since 2001, however, Vietnamese authorities have reaffirmed their commitment to economic liberal¬ ization and international integration. They have moved to implement the structural reforms needed to modernize the economy and to produce more com¬ petitive, export-driven industries. Vietnam’s membership in the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) and entry into force of the US-Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement in December 2001 have led to even more rapid changes in Vietnam’s trade and economic regime. Vietnam’s exports to the US doubled in 2002 and again in 2003. Vietnam joined the WTO in January 2007, following over a decade long negotiation process. This should provide an important boost to the economy and should help to ensure the continuation of liberalizing reforms. Among other benefits, accession allows Vietnam to take advantage of the phase¬ out of the Agreement on Textiles and Clothing, which eliminated quotas on textiles and clothing for WTO partners on 1 January 2005. Agriculture’s share of economic output has continued to shrink, from about 25% in 2000 to 20% in 2006. Deep poverty, defined as a per¬ cent of the population living under $1 per day, has declined significantly and is now smaller than that of China, India, and the Philippines. Vietnam is working to create jobs to meet the challenge of a labor force that is growing by more than one million people every year. Vietnamese authorities have tightened monetary and fiscal policies to stem high inflation. Hanoi is targeting an eco¬ nomic growth rate of 7.5-8% during the next five years. GDP (purchasing power parity): $262.8 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $48.43 billion (2006 est.) GDP — real growth rate: 8.2% (2006 est. ) GDP— per capita (PPP): $3,100 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 20.1% industry: 41.8% services: 38.1% (2006 est.) 675 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Labor force: 44.58 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 56.8% industry: 37% services: 6.2% (July 2005) Unemployment rate: 2% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 19.5% (2004 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.6% highest 10%: 29.9% (1998) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 36.1 (1998) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.5% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 32.6% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $15.42 billion expenditures: $16.63 billion; including capital expenditures of $1.8 billion (2006 est.) Public debt: 47.5% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: paddy rice, coffee, rubber, cotton, tea, pepper, soy¬ beans, cashews, sugar cane, peanuts, bananas; poultry; fish, seafood Industries: food processing, garments, shoes, machine-building; mining, coal, steel; cement, chemical fertilizer, glass, tires, oil, paper Industrial production growth rate: 11.3% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 40.11 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 43.7% hydro: 56.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 37.3 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 400,000 bol/day (2005 est.) Oil— consumption: 230,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil — exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Oil — proved reserves: 2.5 billion bbl (2006 est.) Natural gas— production: 6.342 billion cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 6.342 bil¬ lion cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas — exports: 0 cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas — imports: 0 cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 192.6 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $1,029 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $39.92 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — commodities: crude oil, marine products, rice, coffee, rubber, tea, garments, shoes Exports — partners: US 18.3%, Japan 13.6%, China 9%, Australia 7.9%, Singapore 5.6% (2005) imports: $39.16 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— Commodities: machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertil¬ izer, steel products, raw cotton, grain, cement, motorcycles Imports— partners: China 15.6%, Singapore 12.4%, Taiwan 11.7%, Japan 11.1%, South Korea 9.7%, Thailand 6.5% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $11.92 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $21.86 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $2.8 billion in credits and grants pledged by the 2006 Consultative Group meeting in Hanoi (2004) Currency (code): dong (VND) Currency code: VND Exchange rates: dong per US dollar — 15,983 (2006), 15,746 (2005), (2004), 15,510 (2003), 15,280 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 15.845 million (2005) Telephones — mobile cellular: 9.593 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: Vietnam is putting considerable effort into modernization and expansion of its telecommunication system, but its performance continues to lag behind that of its more modern neighbors domestic: all provincial exchanges are digitalized and connected to Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City by fiber¬ optic cable or microwave radio relay net¬ works; main lines have been substantially increased, and the use of mobile telephones is growing rapidly international: country code — 84; satellite earth stations — 2 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region) Radio broadcast stations: AM 65, FM 7, shortwave 29 (1999) Radios: 8.2 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 6 (plus 61 provincial TV stations) (2006) Televisions: 3.57 million (1997) Internet country code: vn Internet hosts: 12,114 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 5 (2000) Internet users: 13.1 million (2006) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 32 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 26 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 6 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1 ,523 m: 2 under 9 14 m: 2 (2006) Pipelines: condensate/gas 432 km; gas 163 km; oil 50 km; refined products 206 km (2006) Railways: total: 2,600 km standard gauge: 17 8 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 2,169 km 1.000-m gauge dual gauge: 253 km three-rail track com¬ bining 1.435 m and 1.000-m gauges (2005) Roadways: total: 222,179 km paved: 42,167 km unpaved: 180,012 km (2004) Waterways: 17,702 km (5,000 km navi¬ gable by vessels up to 1.8 m draft) (2005) Merchant marine: total: 267 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,423,936 GRT/2,191,858 DWT by type: bulk carrier 23, cargo 202, chem¬ ical tanker 4, container 5, liquefied gas 5, petroleum tanker 24, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1 foreign'owned: 1 (Denmark 1) registered in other countries: 17 (Antigua and Barbuda 1 , Honduras 1 , Mongolia 8, Panama 4, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, unknown 2) (2006) Ports and terminals: Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City MILITARY Military branches: People’s Armed Forces: People’s Army of Vietnam (PAVN) (includes People’s Navy Command (with naval infantry, coast guard), Air and Air Defense Force (Kon Quan Nhan Dan), Border Defense Command), People’s Public Security Forces, Militia Force, Self-Defense Forces (2005) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age (male) for compulsory mili¬ tary service; females may volunteer for active duty military service; conscript service obligation — 2 years (3 to 4 years in the navy); 18-45 years of age (male) or 18-40 years of age (female) for Militia Force or Self Defense Forces (2006) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 21,341,813 females age 18—49: 21,430,808 (2005 est.) 676 VIRGIN ISLANDS Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 16,032,358 females age 18-49: 17,921,241 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 915,572 females age 18—4 9: 864,161 (2005 est.) Military expenditures — percent of GDP: 2.5% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: southeast Asian states have enhanced border sur- veillance to check the spread of avian flu; Cambodia and Laos protest Vietnamese squatters and armed encroachments along border, an esti¬ mated 300,000 Vietnamese refugees reside in China; establishment of a mar¬ itime boundary with Cambodia is ham¬ pered by unresolved dispute over the sovereignty of offshore islands; demarca¬ tion of the China-Vietnam boundary proceeds slowly and although the mar¬ itime boundary delimitation and fish¬ eries agreements were ratified in June 2004, implementation has been delayed; China occupies the Paracel Islands also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; involved in complex dispute with China, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, and pos¬ sibly Brunei over the Spratly Islands; the 2002 “Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea” has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding “code of conduct” desired by several of the disputants; Vietnam con¬ tinues to expand construction of facili¬ ties in the Spratly Islands; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands Illicit drugs: minor producer of opium poppy; probable minor transit point for Southeast Asian heroin; government con¬ tinues to face domestic opium/heroin/ methamphetamine addiction problems despite longstanding crackdowns VIRGIN ISLANDS INTRODUCTION Background: During the 17th century, the archipelago was divided into two ter¬ ritorial units, one English and the other Danish. Sugarcane, produced by slave labor, drove the islands’ economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1917, the US purchased the Danish por¬ tion, which had been in economic decline since the abolition of slavery in 1848. GEOGRAPHY Location: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico Geographic coordinates: 18 20 N, 64 50 W Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total: 1,910 sq km land: 346 sq km water: 1,564 sq km Area — comparative: twice the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 188 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: subtropical, tempered by east¬ erly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season September to November Terrain: mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Crown Mountain 475 m Natural resources: sun, sand, sea, surf Land use: arable land: 5.71% permanent crops: 2.86% other: 91.43% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes Environment— current issues: lack of natural freshwater resources Geography — note: important location along the Anegada Passage — a key ship¬ ping lane for the Panama Canal; Saint Thomas has one of the best natural deep¬ water harbors in the Caribbean PEOPLE Population: 108,448 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 21.8% (male 11,897/female 11,696) 15-64 years: 66.5% (male 34,204/female 37,911) 65 years and over: 11.7% (male 5,642/ female 7,098) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 37.7 years male: 36.7 years female: 38.5 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: -0.171% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 13.68 births/1, 000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 6.59 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -8.8 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.017 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.902 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.795 male(s)/female total population: 0.912 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 7.69 deaths/1,000 live births male: 8.75 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 79.2 years male: 75.4 years female: 83.22 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 2 .16 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Virgin Islander(s) (US citizens) adjective: Virgin Islander Ethnic groups: black 76.2%, white 13.1%, Asian 1.1%, other 6.1%, mixed 3.5% (2000 census) Religions: Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7% Languages: English 74.7%, Spanish or Spanish Creole 16.8%, French or French Creole 6.6%, other 1.9% (2000 census) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 90-95% est. male: NA% female: NA% (2005 est.) 677 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands conventional short form: Virgin Islands former: Danish West Indies abbreviation: USVI Dependency status: organized, unincor¬ porated territory of the US with policy relations between the Virgin Islands and the US under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior Government type: NA Capital: name: Charlotte Amalie geographic coordinates: 18 21N, 64 56W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: none (terri¬ tory of the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three islands at the second order; Saint Croix, Saint John, Saint Thomas independence: none (territory of the US) National holiday: Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 27 March (1917) Constitution: Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954 Legal system: based on US laws Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; island residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections Executive branch: chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001) head of government: Governor John DeJONGH (since 1 January 2007) cabinet: NA elections: under the US Constitution, res¬ idents of unincorporated territories, such as the Virgin Islands, do not vote in elec¬ tions for US president and vice presi¬ dent; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 7 and 21 November 2006 (next to be held November 2010) election results: John DeJONGH elected governor; percent of vote — John DeJONGH 57.3%, Kenneth MAPP 42.7% Legislative branch: unicameral Senate (15 seats; members are elected by pop¬ ular vote to serve two-year terms) elections: last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held November 2008) election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — Democratic Party 8, ICM 4, independent 3 note: the Virgin Islands elects one non¬ voting representative to the US House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held November 2008) Judicial branch: US District Court of the Virgin Islands (under Third Circuit jurisdiction); Superior Court of the Virgin Islands (judges appointed by the governor for 10-year terms) Political parties and leaders: Demo cratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON]; Independent Citizens’ Movement or ICM [Usie RICHARDS]; Republican Party [Gary SPRAUVE] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA international organization participa¬ tion: IOC, UPU Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of the US) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of the US) Flag description: white, with a modified US coat of arms in the center between the large blue initials V and I; the coat of arms shows a yellow eagle holding an olive branch in one talon and three arrows in the other with a superimposed shield of vertical red and white stripes below a blue panel ECONOMY Economy— overview: Tourism is the pri¬ mary economic activity, accounting for 80% of GDP and employment. The islands hosted 2.6 million visitors in 2005. The manufacturing sector consists of petroleum refining, textiles, electronics, pharmaceuticals, and watch assembly. One of the world’s largest petroleum refineries is at Saint Croix. The agricul¬ tural sector is small, with most food being imported. International business and financial services are small but growing components of the economy. The islands are vulnerable to substantial damage from storms. The government is working to improve fiscal discipline, to support con¬ struction projects in the private sector, to expand tourist facilities, to reduce crime, and to protect the environment. GDP (purchasing power parity): $1,577 billion (2004 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): NA GDP— real growth rate: 2% (2002 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $14,500 (2004 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 19% services: 80% (2003 est.) Labor force: 43,980 (2004 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 1% industry: 19% services: 80% (2003 est.) Unemployment rate: 6.2% (2004) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.2% (2003) Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA Agriculture— products: fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle Industries: tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum distilling, construc¬ tion, pharmaceuticals, textiles, elec¬ tronics industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity— production: 980 million kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 911.4 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 17,110 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 115,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Exports: $4,234 billion (2001) Exports — commodities: refined petro¬ leum products Exports— partners: US, Puerto Rico (2004) Imports: $4,609 billion (2001) imports — commodities: crude oil, food¬ stuffs, consumer goods, building mate¬ rials Imports— partners: US, Puerto Rico (2004) Debt— external: $NA Economic aid— recipient: $NA Currency (code): US dollar (USD) Currency code: USD Exchange rates: the US dollar is used Fiscal year: 1 October — 30 September COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 70,900 (2004) Telephones— mobile cellular: 64,200 (2004) 678 VIRGIN ISLANDS Telephone system: general assessment: modem system with total digital switching, uses fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay domestic: full range of services available international: country code — 1-340; 2 submarine cable connections (Taino Carib, Americas- 1); satellite earth sta¬ tions — NA Radio broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2005) Radios: 107,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 5 (2006) Televisions: 68,000 (1997) Internet country code: .vi Internet hosts: 3,855 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 50 (2000) Internet users: 30,000 (2002) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 2 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) Roadways: total: 1,257 km (2004) Ports and terminals: Charlotte Amalie, Limetree Bay MILITARY Military— note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of the US TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: none 679 WAKE ISLAND Background: The US annexed Wake Island in 1899 for a cable station. An important air and naval base was con- structed in 1940-41. In December 1941, the island was captured by the Japanese and held until the end of World War II. In subsequent years, Wake was developed as a stopover and refueling site for military and commercial aircraft transiting the Pacific. Since 1974, the island’s airstrip has been used by the US military, as well as for emergency landings. All operations on the island were suspended and all per- sonnel evacuated in August 2006 with the approach of super typhoon IOKE (cate- gory 5), which struck the island with sus¬ tained winds of 250 kph and a 6 m storm surge inflicting major damage. A US Air Force assessment and repair team returned to the island in September and restored limited function to the airfield and facili¬ ties. The future status of activities on the island will be determined upon comple¬ tion of the survey and assessment. GEOGRAPHY Location: Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii ro the Northern Mariana Islands Geographic coordinates: 19 17 N, 166 39 E Map references: Oceania Area: total: 6.5 sq km land: 6.5 sq km water: 0 sq km Area — comparative: about 1 1 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 19.3 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical Terrain: atoll of three low coral islands, Peale, Wake, and Wilkes, built up on an underwater volcano; central lagoon is former crater, islands are part of the rim Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 6 m Natural resources: none Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) Irrigated land: 0 sq km Natural hazards: occasional typhoons Environment — current issues: NA Geography — note: strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean; emergency landing location for transpacific flights PEOPLE Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: since super typhoon IOKE, a small military contingent along with 75 con¬ tractor personnel have returned to the island to conduct clean-up and restore basic operations on the island (July 2007 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Wake Island Dependency status: unorganized, unin¬ corporated territory of the US; adminis¬ tered from Washington, DC, by the Department of the Interior; activities in the atoll are currently conducted by the US Air Force Legal system: the laws of the US, where applicable, apply Flag description: the flag of the US is used ECONOMY Economy — overview: Economic activity is limited to providing services to mili¬ tary personnel and contractors located on the island. All food and manufactured goods must be imported. Electricity— production: NA kWh COMMUNICATIONS Telephone system: general assessment: satellite communica¬ tions; 2 DSN circuits off the Overseas Telephone System (OTS) domestic: NA international: NA Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 0, shortwave 0 (Armed Forces Radio/ Television Service (AFRTS) radio service provided by satellite (2005) Television broadcast stations: 0 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 1 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2006) Ports and terminals: none; two offshore anchorages for large ships Transportation— note: there are no commercial or civilian flights to and from Wake Island, except in direct sup¬ port of island missions; emergency landing is available MILITARY Military — -note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of the US; the US Air Force is responsible for overall administration and operation of the island; the launch support facility is administered by the US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: claimed by Marshall Islands WALLIS AND FUTUNA INTRODUCTION Background: The Futuna island group was discovered by the Dutch in 1616 and Wallis by the British in 1767, but it was the French who declared a protectorate over the islands in 1842. In 1959, the inhabitants of the islands voted to become a French overseas territory. GEOGRAPHY Location: Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand Geographic coordinates: 13 18 S, 176 12 W Map references: Oceania Area: total: 274 sq km land: 274 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes lie Uvea (Wallis Island), lie Futuna (Futuna Island), He Alofi, and 20 islets Area— comparative: 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 129 km 680 WALLIS AND FUTUNA Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical; hot, rainy season (November to April); cool, dry season (May to October); rains 2,500-3,000 mm per year (80% humidity); average temperature 26.6 degrees C Terrain: volcanic origin; low hills Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Singavi 765 m Natural resources: NEGL Land use: arable land: 7.14% permanent crops: 35.71% other: 57.15% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: NA Environment — current issues: defor¬ estation (only small portions of the orig¬ inal forests remain) largely as a result of the continued use of wood as the main fuel source; as a consequence of cutting down the forests, the mountainous ter¬ rain of Futuna is particularly prone to erosion; there are no permanent settle¬ ments on Alofi because of the lack of natural fresh water resources Geography — note: both island groups have fringing reefs PEOPLE Population: 16,309 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA Population growth rate: NA Birth rate: NA Death rate: NA Net migration rate: NA note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New Caledonia (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: NA male: NA female: NA Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA male: NA female: NA Total fertility rate: NA HiV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Wallisian(s), Futunan(s), or Wallis and Futuna Islanders adjective: Wallisian, Futunan, or Wallis and Futuna Islander Ethnic groups: Polynesian Religions: Roman Catholic 99%, other 1% Languages: Wallisian 58.9% (indigenous Polynesian language), Futunian 30.1%, French 10.8%, other 0.2% (2003 census) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 50% male: 50% female: 50% (1969 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands conventional short form: Wallis and Futuna local long form: Territoire des lies Wallis et Futuna local short form: Wallis et Futuna Dependency status: overseas territory of France Government type: NA Capital: name: Mata-Utu (on lie Uvea) geographic coordinates: 13 57 S, 171 56W time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: none (over¬ seas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three kingdoms at the second order named Alo, Sigave, Wallis Independence: none (overseas territory of France) National holiday: Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) Constitution: 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) Legal system: French legal system Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); repre¬ sented by High Administrator Richard DIDIER (since 19 July 2006) head of government: President of the Territorial Assembly Patalione KAN- IMOA (since January 2001) cabinet: Council of the Territory consists of three kings and three members appointed by the high administrator on the advice of the Territorial Assembly note: there are three traditional kings with limited powers elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; high administrator appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the Territorial Government and the Territorial Assembly are elected by the members of the assembly Legislative branch: unicameral Terri¬ torial Assembly or Assemblee Terri- toriale (20 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 11 March 2002 (next to be held 22 April 2007) election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — RPR and affiliates 13, Socialists and affiliates 7 note: Wallis and Futuna elects one senator to the French Senate and one deputy to the French National Assembly; French Senate — elections last held 27 September 1998 (next to be held by September 2007); results — percent of vote by party — NA; seats — RPR (now UMP) 1; French National Assembly — elections last held 16 June 2002 (next to be held by in 2007); results — percent of vote by party — NA; seats— RPR (UMP) 1 Judicial branch: justice generally administered under French law by the high administrator, but the three tradi¬ tional kings administer customary law and there is a magistrate in Mata-Utu; a court of appeal is located in Noumea, New Caledonia Political parties and leaders: Lua Kae Tahi (Giscardians); Mouvement des Radicaux de Gauche or MRG; Rally for the Republic or RPR (UMP) [Clovis LOGOLOGOFOLAU]; Socialist Party or PS; Taumu’a Lelei [Soane Muni UFIILA]; Union Populaire Locale or UPL [Falakiko GATA]; Union Pour la Democratic Francaise or UDF Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: SPC, UPU Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of France) Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of France) Flag description: unofficial, local flag has a red field with four white isosceles triangles in the middle, representing the three native kings of the islands and the French administrator; the apexes of the triangles are oriented inward and at right angles to each other; the flag of France, 681 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK outlined in white on two sides, is in the upper hoist quadrant; the flag of France is the only official flag ECONOMY Economy — overview: The economy is limited to traditional subsistence agricub ture, with about 80% of labor force earn¬ ings from agriculture (coconuts and vegetables), livestock (mostly pigs), and fishing. About 4% of the population is employed in government. Revenues come from French Government subsi¬ dies, licensing of fishing rights to Japan and South Korea, import taxes, and remittances from expatriate workers in New Caledonia. GDP (purchasing power parity): $60 million (2004 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): NA GDP— real growth rate: NA% GDP— per capita (PPP): $3,800 (2004 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% Labor force: 3,104 (2003) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 80% industry: 4% services: 16% (2001 est.) Unemployment rate: 15.2% (2003) Population below poverty line: NA% Household Income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.8% (2005) Budget: revenues: $29,730 expenditures: $31,330 (2004 est.) Public debt: 5.6% of GDP (2004 est.) Agriculture — products: breadfruit, yams, taro, bananas; pigs, goats; fish Industries: copra, handicrafts, fishing, lumber Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity — production: NA kWh Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 0% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% Electricity — consumption: NA kWh Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2002) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2002) Exports: $47,450 f.o.b. (2004) Exports — Commodities: copra, chemi¬ cals, construction materials Exports — partners: Italy 40%, Croatia 15%, US 14%, Denmark 13% (2004) Imports: $61.17 million f.o.b. (2004) Imports — commodities: chemicals, ma¬ chinery, passenger ships, consumer goods Imports — partners: France 97%, Australia 2%, NZ 1% (2004) Debt — external: $3.67 million (2004) Economic aid — recipient: assistance from France, $NA Currency (code): Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF) Currency code: XPF Exchange rates: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar — 95.03 (2006), 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003), 126.71 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 1,900 (2002) Telephones — mobile cellular: 0 (1994) Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: country code — 681 Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (2000) Radios: NA Television broadcast stations: 2 (2000) Televisions: NA internet country code: wf Internet hosts: l (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000) Internet users: 900 (2002) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 2 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006) Merchant marine: total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 110,428 GRT/56,830 DWT by type: chemical tanker 1, passenger 7 foreign'owned: 8 (France 5, French Polynesia 2, US 1) (2006) Ports and terminals: Leava, Mata-Utu MILITARY Military— note: defense is the responsi¬ bility of France TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: none WEST BANK INTRODUCTION Background: The Israel-PLO Declara¬ tion of Principles on Interim Self- Government Arrangements (the DOP), signed in Washington in September 1993, provided for a transitional period of Palestinian interim self-government in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. A transfer of authority to the Palestinian Authority (PA) for the Gaza Strip and Jericho took place pursuant to the Israel- PLO 4 May 1994 Cairo Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area and, in additional areas of the West Bank, pursuant to the Israel-PLO 28 September 1995 Interim Agreement, the Israel-PLO 15 January 1997 Protocol Concerning Redeployment in Hebron, the Israel- PLO 23 October 1998 Wye River Memorandum, and the 4 September 1999 Sharm el-Sheikh Agreement. Direct negotiations to determine the per¬ manent status of Gaza and the West Bank began in September 1999 after a three-year hiatus, but were derailed by a second intifadah that broke out a year later. In April 2003, the Quartet (US, EU, UN, and Russia) presented a roadmap to a final settlement of the con¬ flict by 2005 based on reciprocal steps by the two parties leading to two states, Israel and a democratic Palestine. The proposed date for a permanent status agreement has been postponed indefi¬ nitely due to violence and accusations that both sides have not followed through on their commitments. Following Palestinian leader Yasir ARAFAT’s death in late 2004, Mahmud ABBAS was elected PA president in January 2005. A month later, Israel and the PA agreed to the Sharm el-Sheikh Commitments in an effort to move the peace process forward. In September 2005, Israel withdrew all its settlers and soldiers and dismantled its military facil¬ ities in the Gaza Strip and four northern West Bank settlements. Nonetheless, Israel controls maritime, airspace, and most access to the Gaza Strip. A November 2005 PA-Israeli agreement authorized the reopening of the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt under joint PA and Egyptian control. In January 2006, the Islamic Resistance Movement, HAMAS, won 682 WEST BANK control of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC). The international com¬ munity has refused to accept the HAMAS-led government because it does not recognize Israel, will not renounce violence, and refuses to honor previous peace agreements between Israel and the PA. Since March 2006, President ABBAS has had little success negotiating with HAMAS to present a political plat¬ form acceptable to the international community so as to lift the economic siege on Palestinians. The PLC was unable to convene in late 2006 as a result of Israel’s detention of many HAMAS PLC members and Israeli-imposed travel restrictions on other PLC members. GEOGRAPHY Location: Middle East, west of Jordan Geographic coordinates: 32 00 N, 35 15 E Map references: Middle East Area: total: 5,860 sq km land: 5,640 sq km water: 220 sq km note: includes West Bank, Latrun Salient, and the northwest quarter of the Dead Sea, but excludes Mt. Scopus; East Jerusalem and Jerusalem No Man’s Land are also included only as a means of depicting the entire area occupied by Israel in 1967 Area — comparative: slightly smaller than Delaware Land boundaries: total: 404 km border countries: Israel 307 km, Jordan 97 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime Claims: none (landlocked) Climate: temperate; temperature and precipitation vary with altitude, warm to hot summers, cool to mild winters Terrain: mostly rugged dissected upland, some vegetation in west, but barren in east Elevation extremes: lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m highest point: Tall Asur 1,022 m Natural resources: arable land Land use: arable land: 16.9% permanent crops: 18.97% other: 64-13% (2001) Irrigated land: 150 sq km; note — includes Gaza Strip (2003) Natural hazards: droughts Environment— current issues: adequacy of fresh water supply; sewage treatment Geography — note: landlocked; high¬ lands are main recharge area for Israel’s coastal aquifers; there are 242 West Bank settlements and 29 East Jerusalem settle¬ ments in addition to at least 20 occupied outposts (August 2005 est.) PEOPLE Population: 2,535,927 note: in addition, there are about 187,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank and fewer than 1 77,000 in East Jerusalem (July 2004 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 42.4% (male 551,243/female 524,800) 15-64 years: 54.2% (male 704,209/ female 670,382) 65 years and over: 3.4% (male 36,175/ female 49,118) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 18.5 years male: 18.4 years female: 18.6 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.985% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 30.99 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 3.85 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 2.71 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.736 male(s)/female total population: 1.038 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 18.67 deaths/1,000 live births male: 20.59 deaths/1,000 live births female: 16.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.46 years male: 71.68 years female: 75.35 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 4.17 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS — deaths: NA Nationality: noun: NA adjective: NA Ethnic groups: Palestinian Arab and other 83%, Jewish 17% Religions: Muslim 75% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 17%, Christian and other 8% Languages: Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many Palestinians), English (widely understood) Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.4% male: 96.7% female: 88% (2004 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: West Bank ECONOMY Economy — overview: The West Bank— the larger of the two areas under the Palestinian Authority (PA) — has experi¬ enced a general decline in economic conditions since the second intifadah began in September 2000. The downturn has been largely the result of Israeli clo¬ sure policies — the imposition of border closures in response to security incidents in Israel — which disrupted labor and trading relationships. In 2001, and even more severely in 2002, Israeli military measures in PA areas resulted in the destruction of capital, the disruption of administrative structures, and wide¬ spread business closures. International aid of at least $1.14 billion to the West Bank and Gaza Strip in 2004 prevented the complete collapse of the economy and allowed some reforms in the govern¬ ment’s financial operations. In 2005, high unemployment and limited trade opportunities — due to continued clo¬ sures both within the West Bank and externally — stymied growth. Israel’s and the international community’s financial 683 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK embargo of the PA since HAMAS took office in March 2006 has interrupted the provision of PA social services and the payment of PA salaries. GDP (purchasing power parity): $5,327 billion (includes Gaza Strip) (2005 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $3.45 bib lion (includes Gaza Strip) (2003) GDP— real growth rate: 4 9% (includes Gaza Strip) (2005 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $1,500 (includes Gaza Strip) (2005 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 8% industry: 18.2% services: 73.9% (includes Gaza Strip) (2005 est.) Labor force: 568,000 (2005) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 16% industry: 29% services: 55% (2005) Unemployment rate: 20.3% (includes Gaza Strip) (2005) Population below poverty line: 45.7% (2005) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.9% (includes Gaza Strip) (2005) Budget: revenues: $1.23 billion expenditures: $1.64 billion; including capital expenditures of $44 million (includes Gaza Strip) (2005) Agriculture— products: olives, citrus, vegetables; beef, dairy products Industries: generally small family busi¬ nesses that produce cement, textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother- of-pearl souvenirs; the Israelis have established some small-scale, modern industries in the settlements and indus¬ trial centers Industrial production growth rate: 2.4% (includes Gaza Strip) (2005) Electricity— production: NA kWh, note — most electricity imported from Israel; East Jerusalem Electric Company buys and distributes electricity to Palestinians in East Jerusalem and its concession in the West Bank; the Israel Electric Company directly supplies elec¬ tricity to most Jewish residents and mili¬ tary facilities; some Palestinian municipalities, such as Nablus and Janin, generate their own electricity from small power plants Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: NA kWh Electricity — imports: NA kWh Exports: $301 million f.o.b.; (includes Gaza Strip) (2005) Exports — commodities: olives, fruit, vegetables, limestone Exports — partners: Israel, Jordan, Gaza Strip (2004) Imports: $2.44 billion c.i.f.; (includes Gaza Strip) (2005) Imports— Commodities: food, consumer goods, construction materials Imports — partners: Israel, Jordan, Gaza Strip (2004) Debt— external: $NA Economic aid— recipient: $1.14 billion; (includes Gaza Strip) (2004) Currency (code): new Israeli shekel (ILS); Jordanian dinar (JOD) Currency code: ILS; JOD Exchange rates: new Israeli shekels per US dollar— 4.4565 (2006), 4-4877 (2005), 4.482 (2004), 4-5541 (2003), 4.7378 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones — main lines in use: 349,000 (includes Gaza Strip) (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 1.095 million (includes Gaza Strip) (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL are responsible for fixed line services in the Gaza Strip; the Palestinian JAWAL com¬ pany provides cellular services international: country code — 970 (2004) Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 8, shortwave 0 (2005) Radios: NA; note — most Palestinian households have radios (1999) Television broadcast stations: 8 (2005) Televisions: NA; note— many Pales¬ tinian households have televisions (1999) Internet country code: ps, note— same as Gaza Strip Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 8 (1999) Internet users: 243,000 (includes Gaza Strip) (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 3 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Roadways: total: 4,996 km paved: 4,996 km note: includes Gaza Strip (2004) MILITARY Military GDP: NA expenditures— percent of TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli- Palestinian Interim Agreement — perma¬ nent status to be determined through further negotiation; Israel continues con¬ struction of a “seam line” separation bar¬ rier along parts of the Green Line and within the West Bank; Israel withdrew from four settlements in the northern West Bank in August 2005; since 1948, about 350 peacekeepers from the UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO), headquartered in Jerusalem, monitor ceasefires, supervise armistice agree¬ ments, prevent isolated incidents from escalating, and assist other UN per¬ sonnel in the region Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: refugees (country of origin): 705,207 (Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA)) (2006) WESTERN SAHARA _ _ _ _ _ _ ■ _ _ INTRODUCTION Background: Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of the territory in 1979, following Mauritania’s withdrawal. A guerrilla war with the Polisario Front contesting Rabat’s sov¬ ereignty ended in a 1991 UN -brokered cease-fire; a UN-organized referendum on final status has been repeatedly postponed. GEOGRAPHY Location: Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco Geographic coordinates: 24 30 N, 13 00 W Map references: Africa Area: total: 266,000 sq km land: 266,000 sq km water: 0 sq km 684 WESTERN SAHARA Area— comparative: about the size of Colorado Land boundaries: total: 2,046 km border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km Coastline: 1,110 km Maritime Claims: contingent upon reso¬ lution of sovereignty issue Climate: hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew Terrain: mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m highest point: unnamed location 463 m Natural resources: phosphates, iron ore Land use: arable land: 0.02% permanent crops: 0% other: 99.98% (2005) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: hot, dry, dust/sand¬ laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility Environment— current issues: sparse water and lack of arable land Environment— international agreements: party to: none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: the waters off the coast are particularly rich fishing areas PEOPLE Population: 382,617 note: estimate is based on projections by age, sex, fertility, mortality, and migra¬ tion; fertility and mortality are based on data from neighboring countries (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 45.4% (male 88,176/female 85,421) 15-64 years: 52.3% (male 98,345/female 101,895) 65 years and over: 2.3% (male 3,705/ female 5,075) (2007 est.) Population growth rate: NA Birth rate: NA Death rate: NA Sex ratio: NA Infant mortality rate: total: NA male: NA female: NA Life expectancy at birth: total population: NA male: NA female: NA Total fertility rate: NA HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorbome diseases: may be a significant risk in some locations during the trans¬ mission season (typically April through November) (2007) Nationality: noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s) adjective: Sahrawi, Sahrawian, Sahraouian Ethnic groups: Arab, Berber Religions: Muslim Languages: Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic Literacy: NA GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Western Sahara former: Spanish Sahara Government type: legal status of terri¬ tory and issue of sovereignty unresolved; territory contested by Morocco and Polisario Front (Popular Front for the Liberation of the Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro), which in February 1976 for¬ mally proclaimed a government-in-exile of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), led by President Mohamed ABDELAZIZ; territory parti¬ tioned between Morocco and Mauritania in April 1976, with Morocco acquiring northern two-thirds; Mauritania, under pressure from Polisario guerrillas, aban¬ doned all claims to its portion in August 1979; Morocco moved to occupy that sector shortly thereafter and has since asserted administrative control; the Polisario’s government-in-exile was seated as an Organization of African Unity (OAU) member in 1984; guerrilla activities continued sporadically, until a UN-monitored cease-fire was imple¬ mented 6 September 1991 Capital: none time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: none (under de facto control of Morocco) Suffrage: none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign not yet com¬ pleted Executive branch: none Political pressure groups and leaders: none International organization participa¬ tion: none Diplomatic representation in the US: none Diplomatic representation from the US: none ECONOMY Economy— overview: Western Sahara depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the population. The territory lacks sufficient rainfall for sustainable agricultural production, and most of the food for the urban population must be imported. Incomes in Western Sahara are substantially below the Moroccan level. The Moroccan Government controls all trade and other economic activities in Western Sahara. Morocco and the EU signed a four-year agreement in July 2006 allowing European vessels to fish off the coast of Morocco, including the disputed waters off the coast of Western Sahara. Moroccan energy interests in 2001 signed contracts to explore for oil off the coast of Western Sahara, which has angered the Polisario. However, in 2006, the Polisario awarded similar exploration licenses in the disputed territory, which would come into force if Morocco and the Polisario resolve their dispute over Western Sahara. GDP (purchasing power parity): $NA GDP (official exchange rate): $NA GDP— real growth rate: NA% GDP— per capita (PPP): $NA GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: 40% Labor force: 12,000 Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 50% industry and services: 50% Unemployment rate: NA% Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% 685 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA% Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA Agriculture — products: fruits and veg¬ etables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads); fish Industries: phosphate mining, handicrafts Industrial production growth rate: NA% Electricity— production: 85 million kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 79.05 mil¬ lion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 1,800 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Exports: $NA Exports— commodities: phosphates 62% Exports — partners: Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts (2006) Imports: $NA Imports — commodities: fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs Imports — partners: Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts (2006) Debt— external: $NA Economic aid— recipient: $NA Currency (code): Moroccan dirham (MAD) Currency code: MAD Exchange rates: Moroccan dirhams per US dollar— 8.7722 (2006), 8.865 (2005), 8.868 (2004), 9.5744 (2003), 11.0206 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: about 2,000(1999 est.) Telephones— mobile cellular: 0 (1999) Telephone system: general assessment: sparse and limited system domestic: NA international: country code — 212; tied into Morocco’s system by microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and satellite; satellite earth stations — 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to Rabat, Morocco Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) Radios: 56,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: NA Televisions: 6,000 (1997) Internet country code: eh Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000) Internet users: NA TRANSPORTATION Airports: 11 (2006) Airports — with paved runways: total: 3 2,438 to 3 ,047 m: 3 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 8 l ,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1 ,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2006) Ports and terminals: Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, Laayoune (El Aaiun) transnational issues Disputes— international: Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, whose sovereignty remains unresolved; UN -administered cease-fire has remained in effect since September 1991, adminis¬ tered by the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MIN- URSO), but attempts to hold a refer¬ endum have failed and parties thus far have rejected all brokered proposals; sev¬ eral states have extended diplomatic rela¬ tions to the “Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic” represented by the Polisario Front in exile in Adgeria, while others recognize Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara; most of the approxi¬ mately 102,000 Sahrawi refugees are shel¬ tered in camps in Tindouf, Algeria 686 YEMEN INTRODUCTION Background: North Yemen became independent of the Ottoman Empire in 1918. The British, who had set up a pro¬ tectorate area around the southern port of Aden in the 19th century, withdrew in 1967 from what became South Yemen. Three years later, the southern govern¬ ment adopted a Marxist orientation. The massive exodus of hundreds of thousands of Yemenis from the south to the north contributed to two decades of hostility between the states. The two countries were formally unified as the Republic of Yemen in 1990. A southern secessionist movement in 1994 was quickly subdued. In 2000, Saudi Arabia and Yemen agreed to a delimitation of their border. GEOGRAPHY Location: Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Red Sea, between Oman and Saudi Arabia Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 48 00 E Map references: Middle East Area: total: 527,970 sq km land: 527,970 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Perim, Socotra, the former Yemen Arab Republic (YAR or North Yemen), and the former People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen (PDRY or South Yemen) Area — comparative: slightly larger than twice the size of Wyoming Land boundaries: total: 1,746 km border countries: Oman 288 km, Saudi Arabia 1,458 km Coastline: 1,906 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 1 2 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin Climate: mostly desert; hot and humid along west coast; temperate in western mountains affected by seasonal mon¬ soon; extraordinarily hot, dry, harsh desert in east Terrain: narrow coastal plain backed by flat-topped hills and rugged mountains; dissected upland desert plains in center slope into the desert interior of the Arabian Peninsula Elevation extremes: lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m highest point: Jabal an Nabi Shu’ayb 3,760 m Natural resources: petroleum, fish, rock salt, marble; small deposits of coal, gold, lead, nickel, and copper; fertile soil in west Land use: arable land: 2.91% permanent crops: 0.25% other: 96.84% (2005) Irrigated land: 5,500 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: sandstorms and dust storms in summer Environment— current issues: very lim¬ ited natural fresh water resources; inade¬ quate supplies of potable water; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: strategic location on Bab el Mandeb, the strait linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, one of world’s most active shipping lanes PEOPLE Population: 22,230,531 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 46.3% (male 5,239 ,003/ female 5,047,301) 15-64 years: 51.1% (male 5,781,491/ female 5,585,152) 65 years and over: 2.6% (male 281,121/ female 296,463) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 16.7 years male: 16.6 years female: 16.7 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 3.461% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 42.67 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 8.05 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Y Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.038 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.035 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.948 male(s)/female total population: 1.034 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 57.88 deaths/1,000 live births male : 62.48 deaths/1,000 live births female: 53.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 62.52 years male: 60.61 years female: 64-54 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 6.49 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS — adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 12,000 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Yemeni(s) adjective: Yemeni Ethnic groups: predominantly Arab; but also Afro- Arab, South Asians, Europeans Religions: Muslim including Shaf’i (Sunni) and Zaydi (Shi’a), small num¬ bers of Jewish, Christian, and Hindu Languages: Arabic Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 50.2% male: 70.5% female: 30% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Yemen conventional short form: Yemen local long form: A1 Jumhuriyah al Yamaniyah local short form: Al Yaman former: Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen] and People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen (Aden) or South Yemen] Government type: republic Capital: name: Sanaa geographic coordinates: 15 21 N, 44 12 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 19 gover- norates (muhafazat, singular — muha¬ fazah); Abyan, ‘Adan, Ad Dali’, Al Bayda’, Al Hudaydah, Al Jawf, Al Mahrah, Al Mahwit, ‘Amran, Dhamar, 687 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Hadramawt, Hajjah, Ibb, Lahij, Ma’rib, Sa’dah, San’a’, Shabwah, Ta’izz note: for electoral and administrative purposes, the capital city of Sanaa is treated as an additional governorate Independence: 22 May 1990 (Republic of Yemen established with the merger of the Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen] and the Marxist-dominated People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen (Aden) or South Yemen]); note — previously North Yemen had become independent in November 1918 (from the Ottoman Empire) and South Yemen became inde¬ pendent on 30 November 1967 (from the UK) National holiday: Unification Day, 22 May (1990) Constitution: 16 May 1991; amended 29 September 1994 and February 2001 Legal system: based on Islamic law, Turkish law, English common law, and local tribal customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Ah Abdallah SALIH (since 22 May 1990, the former president of North Yemen, assumed office upon the merger of North and South Yemen); Vice President Maj. Gen. Abd al-Rab Mansur al-HADI (since 3 October 1994) head of government: Prime Minister Ali Muhammad MUJAWWAR (since 31 March 2007); Deputy Prime Minister Rashad Muhammad al-ALIMI cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 20 September 2006 (next to be held in September 2013); vice president appointed by the president; prime min¬ ister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president election results: Ali Abdallah SALIH elected president; percent of vote — Ali Abdallah SALIH 77.2%, Faysal BIN SHAMLAN 21.8% Legislative branch: a new constitutional amendment ratified on 20 February 2001 created a bicameral legislature consisting of a Shura Council (111 seats; members appointed by the president) and a House of Representatives (301 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) elections: last held on 27 April 2003 (next to be held in April 2009) election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — GPC 228, Islah 47, YSP 7, Nasserite Unionist Party 3, National Arab Socialist Ba’th Party 2, independents 14 Judicial branch: Supreme Court Political parties and leaders: General People’s Congress or GPC [Abdul-Kader BAJAMMAL]; Islamic Reform Grouping or Islah [Shaykh Abdallah bin Husayn al-AHMAR]; Nasserite Unionist Party [Abdal Malik al-MAKHLAFI]; National Arab Socialist Ba’th Party [Dr. Qasim SALAM]; Yemeni Socialist Party or YSP [Ali Salih MUQBIL]; note — there are at least seven more active polit¬ ical parties Political pressure groups and leaders: NA International organization participa¬ tion: AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNOCI, UN WTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Abd al- Wahab Abdallah al-HAJRI chancery: 2319 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 965-4760 FAX: [1] (202) 337-2017 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas C. KRAJESKI embassy: Sa’awan Street, Sanaa mailing address: P. O. Box 22347, Sanaa telephone: [967] (1) 755-2000 ext. 2153 or 2266 FAX: [967] (1) 303-182 Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; sim¬ ilar to the flag of Syria, which has two green stars, and of Iraq, which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription), in a horizontal line centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt, which has a heraldic eagle centered in the white band ECONOMY Economy— overview: Yemen, one of the poorest countries in the Arab world, reported average annual growth of 3.5% from 2000 through 2006. Its economic fortunes depend mostly on oil. Oil rev¬ enues probably increased in 2006 as a result of higher prices. Yemen was on an IMF-supported structural adjustment program designed to modernize and streamline the economy, which led to substantial foreign debt relief and restructuring. However, government dedication to the program waned in 2001 for political reasons. Yemen is struggling to control excessive spending and ram¬ pant corruption. Yemen is dependent on foreign aid to finance its budget deficits and development projects. In November, Yemen secured $4-7 billion in assistance from Arabian Gulf and Western donors. GDP (purchasing power parity): $20.63 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $15.07 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 2.6% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $1,000 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 12.5% industry: 43.8% services: 43.7% (2006 est.) Labor force: 5.759 million (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: note: most people are employed in agri¬ culture and herding; services, construc¬ tion, industry, and commerce account for less than one-fourth of the labor force Unemployment rate: 35% (2003 est.) Population below poverty line: 45.2% (2003) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3% highest 10%: 25.9% (2003) Distribution of family income — Gini index: 33.4 (1998) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 14.8% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 15.7% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $7,314 billion expenditures: $6,984 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 30% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: grain, fruits, vegetables, pulses, qat, coffee, cotton; dairy products, livestock (sheep, goats, cattle, camels), poultry; fish Industries: crude oil production and petroleum refining; small-scale produc¬ tion of cotton textiles and leather goods; food processing; handicrafts; small alu¬ minum products factory; cement; com¬ mercial ship repair Industrial production growth rate: 3% (2003 est.) Electricity— production: 4.077 billion kWh (2004 est.) Electricity— production by source; fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 3.792 billion kWh (2004 est.) 688 YEMEN Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 0 kWh (2004) Oil— production: 387,500 bbl/day (2005 est.) Oil— consumption: 85,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: 370,300 bbl/day (2003) Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Oil— proved reserves: 3.72 billion bbl (2006 est.) Natural gas— production: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas — exports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— imports: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 478.6 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $1.69 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $8,214 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: crude oil, coffee, dried and salted fish Exports— partners: China 35.3%, India 16.2%, Thailand 11.9%, Japan 6.3%, South Korea 6.3%, Switzerland 5.5% (2005) Imports: $5,042 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: food and live animals, machinery and equipment, chemicals Imports— partners: UAE 18.9%, Saudi Arabia 8.9%, Switzerland 8.6%, Kuwait 6.7%, China 6.1%, US 4.5% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $6,735 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $5,469 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $2.3 billion (2003-07 disbursements) Currency (code): Yemeni rial (YER) Currency code: YER Exchange rates: Yemeni rials per US dollar— 197.18 (2006), 192.67 (2005), 184.78 (2004), 183.45 (2003), 175.63 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 900,000 (2006) Telephones— mobile cellular: 2.075 million (2006) Telephone system: general assessment: since unification in 1990, efforts have been made to create a national telecommunications network domestic: the national network consists of microwave radio relay, cable, tropos¬ pheric scatter, and GSM cellular mobile telephone systems international: country code — 967; satel¬ lite earth stations — 3 Intelsat (2 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 2 Arabsat; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and Djibouti Radio broadcast stations: AM 6, FM l, shortwave 2 (1998) Radios: 1.05 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 7 (plus several repeaters) (1997) Televisions: 470,000 (1997) Internet country code: ye Internet hosts: 171 (2006) internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000) Internet users: 220,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 46 (2006) Airports— with paved runways; total: 16 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1 ,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 30 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 4 (2006) Pipelines: gas 71 km; liquid petroleum gas 22 km; oil 1,284 km (2006) Roadways: total: 71,300 km paved: 6,200 km unpaved: 65,100 km (2005) Merchant marine: total: 4 ships (1000 GRT or over) 15,400 GRT/1 8,072 DWT by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 1 , roll on/roll off 1 registered in other countries: 9 (Bolivia 1, Cambodia 3, North Korea 2, Panama 3) (2006) Ports and terminals: Aden, Nishtun MILITARY Military branches: Army (includes Republican Guard), Navy (includes Marines), Yemen Air Force (includes Air Defense Force) (2007) Military service age and obligation: in May 2001, Yemen’s National Defense Council abolished compulsory military service and authorized a voluntary pro¬ gram for military service (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 4,058,223 females age 18-49: 3,868,112 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 2,790,705 females age 18-49: 2,792,406 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 1 8-49 : 236,5 1 7 females age 18-49: 230,641 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 6.6% (2006) Military — note: a Coast Guard was established in 2002 TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: Saudi Arabia has reinforced its concrete-filled security barrier along sections of the fully demar¬ cated border with Yemen to stem illegal cross-border activities Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: refugees (country of origin): 78,582 (Somalia) (2006) 689 INTRODUCTION Background: The territory of Northern Rhodesia was administered by the [British] South Africa Company from 1891 until it was taken over by the UK in 1923. During the 1920s and 1930s, advances in mining spurred development and immigration. The name was changed to Zambia upon independence in 1964. In the 1980s and 1990s, declining copper prices and a prolonged drought hurt the economy. Elections in 1991 brought an end to one-party rule, but the subsequent vote in 1996 saw bla- tant harassment of opposition parties. The election in 2001 was marked by administrative problems with three par¬ ties filing a legal petition challenging the election of ruling party candidate Levy MWANAWASA. The new president launched an anticorruption task force in 2002, but the government has yet to make a prosecution. The Zambian leader was reelected in 2006 in an election that was deemed free and fair. GEOGRAPHY Location: Southern Africa, east of Angola Geographic coordinates: 15 00 S, 30 00 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 752,614 sq km land: 740,724 sq km water: 1 1,890 sq km Area — comparative: slightly larger than Texas Land boundaries: total: 5,664 km border countries: Angola 1,110 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,930 km, Malawi 837 km, Mozambique 419 km, Namibia 233 km, Tanzania 338 km, Zimbabwe 797 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime claims: none (landlocked) Climate: tropical; modified by altitude; rainy season (October to April) Terrain: mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains Elevation extremes: lowest point: Zambezi river 329 m highest point: unnamed location in Mafinga Hills 2,301 m Natural resources: copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver, ura¬ nium, hydropower Land use: arable land: 6.99% permanent crops: 0.04% other: 92.97% (2005) irrigated land: 1,560 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: periodic drought, trop¬ ical storms (November to April) Environment — current issues: air pollu¬ tion and resulting acid rain in the min¬ eral extraction and refining region; chemical runoff into watersheds; poaching seriously threatens rhinoceros, elephant, antelope, and large cat popula¬ tions; deforestation; soil erosion; deserti¬ fication; lack of adequate water treatment presents human health risks Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography — note: landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary with Zimbabwe PEOPLE Population: 11,477,447 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mor¬ tality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the dis¬ tribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 45.7% (male 2,633,578/ female 2,608,714) 15-64 years: 51.9% (male 2,969,913/ female 2,990,923) 65 years and over: 2.4% (male 116,818/ female 157,501) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 16.8 years male: 16.6 years female: 16.9 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 1.664% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 40.78 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 21.46 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: -2.68 migrants )/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/femaie 15-64 years: 0.993 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.742 male(s)/female total population: 0.994 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 100.71 deaths/1,000 live births male: 105.48 deaths/1,000 live births female: 95.8 deaths/ 1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 38.44 years male: 38.34 years female: 38.54 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 5 .31 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 16.5% (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 920,000 (2003 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 89,000 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases : bacterial diar¬ rhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorbome diseases: malaria and plague are high risks in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007) Nationality: noun: Zambian(s) adjective: Zambian Ethnic groups: African 98.7%, European 1.1%, other 0.2% Religions: Christian 50%— 75%, Muslim and Hindu 24%-49%, indigenous beliefs 1% Languages: English (official), major ver¬ naculars — Bemba, Kaonda, Lozi, Lunda, Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga, and about 70 other indigenous languages Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write English total population: 80.6% male: 86.8% female: 74.8% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Zambia conventional short form: Zambia former: Northern Rhodesia Government type: republic 690 ZAMBIA Capital: name: Lusaka geographic coordinates: 15 25 S, 28 17 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 9 provinces; Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Luapula, Lusaka, Northern, North-Western, Southern, Western Independence: 24 October 1964 (from UK) National holiday: Independence Day, 24 October (1964) Constitution: 24 August 1991; amended in 1996 to establish presidential term limits Legal system: based on English com¬ mon law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in an ad hoc constitutional council; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President Levy MWANAWASA (since 2 January 2002); Vice President Rupiah BANDA (since 9 October 2006); note — the president is both the chief of state and head of gov¬ ernment head of government: President Levy MWANAWASA (since 2 January 2002); Vice President Rupiah BANDA (since 9 October 2006) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the presi¬ dent from among the members of the National Assembly elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 28 September 2006 (next to be held in 2011); vice president appointed by the president election results: Levy MWANAWASA reelected president; percent of vote — Levy MWANAWASA 43.0%, Michael SATA 29.4%, Hakainde HICHILEMA 25.3%, Godfrey MIYANDA 1.6%, Winright NGONDO 0.8% Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (158 seats; 150 members are elected by popular vote, 8 members are appointed by the president, to serve five- year terms) elections: last held 28 September 2006 (next to be held in 2011) election results: percent of vote by party — NA; seats by party — MMD 72, PF 44, UDA 27, ULP 2, NDF 1, independents 2; seats not determined 2 Judicial branch: Supreme Court (the final court of appeal; justices are appointed by the president); High Court (has unlimited jurisdiction to hear civil and criminal cases) Political parties and leaders: All Peoples Congress Party [Winright NGONDO]; Forum for Democracy and Development or FDD [Edith NAWAK- WI]; Heritage Party or HP [Godfrey MIYANDA]; Liberal Progressive Front or LPF [Roger CHONGWE]; Movement for Multiparty Democracy or MMD [Levy MWANAWASA]; National De¬ mocratic Focus or NDF; Patriotic Front or PF [Michael SATA]; Party of Unity for Democracy and Development or PUDD [Dan PULE]; Reform Party [Nevers MUMBA]; United Democratic Alliance or UDA; United Liberal Party or ULP [Sakwiba SIKOTA]; United National Independence Party or UNIP [Tilyenji KAUNDA]; United Party for National Development or UPND [Hakainde HICHILEMA]; Zambia Democratic Congress or ZADECO [Langton SICHONE]; Zambian Republican Party or ZRP [Benjamin MWILA] Political pressure groups and leaders: NA international organization participa¬ tion: ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UN WTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Inonge MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA chancery: 2419 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-9717 through 9719 FAX: [1] (202) 332-0826 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Carmen M. MARTINEZ embassy: corner of Independence and United Nations Avenues, Lusaka mailing address: P. O. Box 31617, Lusaka telephone: [260] (1) 250-955 FAX: [260] (1) 252-225 Flag description: green with a panel of three vertical bands of red (hoist side), black, and orange below a soaring orange eagle, on the outer edge of the flag ECONOMY Economy — overview: Despite progress in privatization and budgetary reform, Zambia’s economic growth in 2005-06 remained somewhat below the 6-7% per year needed to reduce poverty signifi¬ cantly. Privatization of government- owned copper mines relieved the government from covering mammoth losses generated by the industry and greatly improved the chances for copper mining to return to profitability and spur economic growth. Copper output has increased steadily since 2004, due to higher copper prices and the opening of new mines. The maize harvest was good again in 2005, helping to boost GDP and agricultural exports. Cooperation con¬ tinues with international bodies on pro¬ grams to reduce poverty, including a new lending arrangement with the IMF in the second quarter of 2004- A tighter mone¬ tary policy will help cut inflation, but Zambia still has a serious problem with high public debt. GDP (purchasing power parity): $11.64 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rale): $5,795 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 5.8% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $1,000 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 19.9% industry: 28.9% services: 51.2% (2006 est.) Labor force: 4.903 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 85% industry: 6% services: 9% Unemployment rate: 50% (2000 est.) Population below poverty line: 86% (1993) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.1% highest 10%: 41% (1998) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 52.6 (1998) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8.8% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 26.5% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $2,674 billion expenditures: $2.99 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 65.7% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: com, sorghum, rice, peanuts, sunflower seed, vegetables, flowers, tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, cas¬ sava (tapioca), coffee; cattle, goats, pigs, poultry, milk, eggs, hides Industries: copper mining and pro¬ cessing, construction, foodstuffs, bever¬ ages, chemicals, textiles, fertilizer, horticulture Industrial production growth rate: 10.1% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 9.962 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 0.5% 691 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK hydro: 99.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: 6.692 billion kWh (2004) Electricity — exports: 2.975 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 403 million kWh (2004) Oil — production: 140 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 13,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil — imports: NA bbl/day Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: 4165.4 mil- lion (2006 est.) Exports: $3,928 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— Commodities: copper/cobalt 64%, cobalt, electricity; tobacco, flowers, cotton Exports — partners: Switzerland 28.7%, South Africa 18.6%, UK 14.4%, Demo¬ cratic Republic of the Congo 5.4%, Tanzania 5.1%, Zimbabwe 4.1% (2005) Imports: $3,092 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports— commodities: machinery, transportation equipment, petroleum products, electricity, fertilizer; foodstuffs, clothing Imports— partners: South Africa 47.6%, UK 12.6%, Zimbabwe 4.3% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $1.05 billion (2006 est.) Debt— external: $4,397 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $640.6 mil¬ lion (2002) Currency (code): Zambian kwacha (ZMK) Currency code: ZMK Exchange rates: Zambian kwacha per US dollar— 3,601.5 (20061, 4,463.5 (2005), 4,778.9 (2004), 4,733.3 (2003), 4,398.6 (2002) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 94,700 (2005) Telephones — mobile cellular: 946,600 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: facilities are aging but still among the best in Sub-Saharan Africa domestic: high-capacity microwave radio relay connects most larger towns and cities; several cellular telephone services in operation; Internet service is widely available; very small aperture terminal (VSAT) networks are operated by pri¬ vate firms international: country code — 260; satel¬ lite earth stations — 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 19, FM 5, shortwave 4 (2001) Radios: 1.2 million (2001) Television broadcast stations: 9 (2001) Televisions: 277,000 (1997) Internet country code: zm Internet hosts: 3,227 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 5 (2001) Internet users: 231,000 (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 111 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 10 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 101 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1 ,523 m: 64 under 9 14 m: 32 (2006) Pipelines: oil 771 km (2006) Railways: total: 2,173 km narrow gauge: 2,173 km 1.067-m gauge note: includes 891 km of the Tanzania- Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) (2005) Roadways: total: 91,440 km paved: 20,117 km unpaved: 71,323 km (2001) Waterways: 2,250 km (includes Lake Tanganyika and the Zambezi and Luapula rivers) (2005) Ports and terminals: Mpulungu MILITARY Military branches: Zambian National Defense Force (ZNDF): Army, Air Force, Police, National Service Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age (est.) (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 2,219,739 females age 18-49: 2,159,688 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 1,043,702 females age 18-49: 953,328 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 1.8% (2005 est.) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: in 2004, Zim¬ babwe dropped objections to plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River, thereby de facto recog¬ nizing a short, but not clearly delimited, Botswana-Zambia boundary in the river; 42,250 Congolese refugees in Zambia are offered voluntary repatriation in November 2006, most of whom are expected to return in the next two years; Angolan refugees too have been repatriating but 26,450 still remain with 90,000 others from other neighboring states in 2006 Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: refugees (country of origin): 75,468 (Angola), 61,243 (Democratic Republic of the Congo), 5,669 (Rwanda) (2006) Illicit drugs: transshipment point for moderate amounts of methaqualone, small amounts of heroin, and cocaine bound for southern Africa and possibly Europe; a poorly developed financial infrastructure coupled with a govern¬ ment commitment to combating money laundering make it an unattractive venue for money launderers; major con¬ sumer of cannabis ZIMBABWE INTRODUCTION Background: The UK annexed Southern Rhodesia from the [British] South Africa Company in 1923. A 1961 constitution was formulated that favored whites in power. In 1965 the government unilater¬ ally declared its independence, but the UK did not recognize the act and demanded more complete voting rights for the black African majority in the country (then called Rhodesia). UN sanctions and a guerrilla uprising finally led to free elections in 1979 and inde¬ pendence (as Zimbabwe) in 1980. Robert MUGABE, the nation’s first prime minister, has been the country’s only ruler (as president since 1987) and has dominated the country’s political system since independence. His chaotic land redistribution campaign, which began in 2000, caused an exodus of white farmers, crippled the economy, and ush¬ ered in widespread shortages of basic commodities. Ignoring international condemnation, MUGABE rigged the 2002 presidential election to ensure his reelection. Opposition and labor strikes in 2003 were unsuccessful in pressuring MUGABE to retire early; security forces continued their brutal repression of regime opponents. The ruling ZANU-PF party used fraud and intimidation to win 692 ZIMBABWE a two thirds majority in the March 2005 parliamentary election, allowing it to amend the constitution at will and recreate the Senate, which had been abolished in the late 1980s. In April 2005, Harare embarked on Operation Restore Order, ostensibly an urban rationalization program, which resulted in the destruction of the homes or busk nesses of 700,000 mostly poor supporters of the opposition, according to UN esti¬ mates. ZANU-PF announced in December 2006 that they would seek to extend MUGABE’s term in office until 2010 when presidential and parliamen¬ tary elections would be “harmonized.” GEOGRAPHY Location: Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia Geographic coordinates: 20 00 S, 30 00 E Map references: Africa Area: total: 390,580 sq km land: 386,670 sq km water: 3,910 sq km Area — comparative: slightly larger than Montana Land boundaries: total: 3,066 km border countries: Botswana 813 km, Mozambique 1,231 km, South Africa 225 km, Zambia 797 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime claims: none (landlocked) Climate: tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November to March) Terrain: mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high veld); mountains in east Elevation extremes: lowest point: junction of the Runde and Save rivers 162 m highest point: Inyangani 2,592 m Natural resources: coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals Land use: arable land: 8.24% permanent crops: 0.33% other: 91.43% (2005) Irrigated land: 1,740 sq km (2003) Natural hazards: recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare Environment— current issues: defor¬ estation; soil erosion; land degradation; air and water pollution; the black rhi¬ noceros herd — once the largest concen¬ tration of the species in the world — has been significantly reduced by poaching; poor mining practices have led to toxic waste and heavy metal pollution Environment— international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography— note: landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary with Zambia; in full flood (February- April) the massive Victoria Falls on the river forms the world’s largest curtain of falling water PEOPLE Population: 12,311,143 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mor¬ tality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the dis¬ tribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 37.2% (male 2,308,731/ female 2,266,027) 15-64 years: 59.3% (male 3,663,108/ female 3,641,519) 65 years and over: 3.5% (male 198,867/ female 232,891) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 20.1 years male: 19.9 years female: 20.2 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.595% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 27.72 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 21.76 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/l,000 population note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.019 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.006 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.854 male(s)/female total population: 1.005 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 51.12 deaths/1,000 live births male: 53.87 deaths/1,000 live births female: 48.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 39.5 years male: 40.62 years female: 38.35 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 3.08 children bom/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: 24.6% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: 1.8 million (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS— deaths: 170,000 (2003 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diar¬ rhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid vectorbome disease: malaria water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007) Nationality: noun: Zimbabwean(s) adjective: Zimbabwean Ethnic groups: African 98% (Shona 82%, Ndebele 14%, other 2%), mixed and Asian 1%, white less than 1% Religions: syncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs) 50%, Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs 24%, Muslim and other 1% Languages: English (official), Shona, Sindebele (the language of the Ndebele, sometimes called Ndebele), numerous but minor tribal dialects Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write English total population: 90.7% male: 94.2% female: 87.2% (2003 est.) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Zimbabwe conventional short form: Zimbabwe former: Southern Rhodesia, Rhodesia Government type: parliamentary democracy Capital: name: Harare geographic coordinates: 17 50S, 3103E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: 8 provinces and 2 cities* with provincial status; Bulawayo*, Harare*, Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Masvingo, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, Midlands 693 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Independence: 18 April 1980 (from UK) National holiday: Independence Day, 18 April (1980) Constitution: 21 December 1979 Legal system: mixture of Roman-Dutch and English common law Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state : Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987); Vice President Joseph MSIKA (since December 1999) and Vice President Joyce MUJURU (since 6 December 2004); note — the president is both the chief of state and head of gov¬ ernment head of government: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987); Vice President Joseph MSIKA (since December 1999) and Vice President Joyce MUJURU (since 6 December 2004) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the presi¬ dent; responsible to the House of Assembly elections: presidential candidates nomi¬ nated with a nomination paper signed by at least 10 registered voters (at least one from each province) and elected by pop¬ ular vote for a six-year term (no term limits); election last held 9-11 March 2002 (next to be held in March 2008); co¬ vice presidents appointed by the president election results: Robert Gabriel MUGABE reelected president; percent of vote — Robert Gabriel MUGABE 56.2%, Morgan TSVANGIRAI 41.9% Legislative branch: bicameral Parlia¬ ment consists of a Senate (66 seats — 50 elected by popular vote for a five-year term, 6 nominated by the president, 10 nominated by the Council of Chiefs) and a House of Assembly (150 seats — 120 elected by popular vote for five-year terms, 12 nominated by the president, 10 occupied by traditional chiefs chosen by their peers, and 8 occupied by provincial governors appointed by the president) elections: Senate last held 26 November 2005 (next to be held in 2010; House of Assembly last held 31 March 2005 (next to be held in 2010) election results: Senate — percent of vote by party— ZANU-PF 73.7%, MDC 20.3%, other 4-4%, independents 1.6%; seats by party — ZANU-PF 43, MDC 7; House of Assembly — percent of vote by party— ZANU-PF 59.6%, MDC 39.5%, other 0.9%; seats by party — ZANU-PF 78, MDC 41, independents 1 Judicial branch: Supreme Court; High Court Political parties and leaders: African National Party or ANP; Movement for Democratic Change or MDC [Morgan TSVANGIRAI, anti-Senate faction; Arthur MUTAMBARA, pro-Senate fac¬ tion]; Peace Action is Freedom for All or PAFA; United Parties [Abel MUZOREWA]; United People’s Party [Daniel SHUMBA]; Zimbabwe African National Union-Ndonga or ZANU- Ndonga [Wilson KUMBULA]; Zimbabwe African National Union- Patriotic Front or ZANU-PF [Robert Gabriel MUGABE]; Zimbabwe African Peoples Union or ZAPU [Agrippa MADLELA]; Zimbabwe Youth in Alliance or ZIYA Political pressure groups and leaders: Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition [Arnold TSUNGA]; National Constitutional Assembly or NCA [Lovemore MAD- HUKU]; Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions or ZCTU [Wellington CHIBEBE] International organization participa¬ tion: ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PC A, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UN WTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Machivenyika T. MAPURANGA chancery: 1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 332-7100 FAX: [1] (202) 483-9326 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher W. DELL embassy: 172 Herbert Chitepo Avenue, Harare mailing address: P. O. Box 3340, Harare telephone: [263] (4) 250-593 and 250-594 FAX: [263] (4) 796-488 Flag description: seven equal horizontal bands of green, yellow, red, black, red, yellow, and green with a white isosceles triangle edged in black with its base on the hoist side; a yellow Zimbabwe bird representing the long history of the country is superimposed on a red five- pointed star in the center of the triangle, which symbolizes peace; green symbolizes agriculture, yellow — mineral wealth, red — blood shed to achieve independence, and black stands for the native people ECONOMY Economy— overview: The government of Zimbabwe faces a wide variety of diffi¬ cult economic problems as it struggles with an unsustainable fiscal deficit, an overvalued exchange rate, soaring infla¬ tion, and bare shelves. Its 1998-2002 involvement in the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo drained hundreds of millions of dollars from the economy. The government’s land reform program, characterized by chaos and violence, has badly damaged the commercial farming sector, the tra¬ ditional source of exports and foreign exchange and the provider of 400,000 jobs, turning Zimbabwe into a net importer of food products. Badly needed support from the IMF has been suspended because of the government’s arrears on past loans, which it began repaying in 2005. The official annual inflation rate rose from 32% in 1998, to 133% in 2004, 585% in 2005, and approached 1000% in 2006, although private sector estimates put the figure much higher. Meanwhile, the official exchange rate fell from approximately 1 (revalued) Zimbabwean dollar per US dollar in 2003 to 160 per LJS dollar in 2006. GDP (purchasing power parity): $25.36 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $3,146 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: -4 4% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $2,100 (2006 est.) GDP — composition by sector: agriculture: 17.7% industry: 22.9% services: 59.4% (2006 est.) Labor force: 3.958 million (2006 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 66% industry: 10% services: 24% (1996) Unemployment rate: 80% (2005 est.) Population below poverty line: 80% (2004 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 40.4% (1995) Distribution of family income— Gini index: 56.8 (2003) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 976.4% official data; private sector esti¬ mates are much higher (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 16.1% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $1,411 billion expenditures: $1,924 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.) Public debt: 108.4% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: com, cotton, tobacco, wheat, coffee, sugarcane, peanuts; sheep, goats, pigs 694 ZIMBABWE Industries: mining (coal, gold, platinum, copper, nickel, tin, clay, numerous metallic and nonmetallic ores), steel; wood prod¬ ucts, cement, chemicals, fertilizer, clothing and footwear, foodstuffs, beverages Industrial production growth rate: -1.8% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 9.412 billion kWh (2004) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 47% hydro: 53% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) Electricity— consumption: ll billion kWh (2004) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2004) Electricity— imports: 2.25 billion kWh (2004) Oil— production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 22,500 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— imports: 23,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Natural gas— production: Ocum (2004 est.) Natural gas— consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.) Current account balance: $264 .6 mil¬ lion (2006 est.) Exports: $1,766 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports— commodities: cotton, tobacco, gold, ferroalloys, textiles/clothing Exports— partners: South Africa 26.9%, China 7.9%, Japan 6.7%, Zambia 5.5%, Netherlands 5.4%, US 4.9%, Italy 4.5%, Germany 4 4% (2005) Imports: $2,055 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — commodities: machinery and transport equipment, other manufac¬ tures, chemicals, fuels Imports— partners: South Africa 52.5%, China 5.7%, Botswana 4.1% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $140 million (2006 est.) Debt — external: $5.26 billion (2006 est.) Economic aid— recipient: $178 million; note — the EU and the US provide food aid on humanitarian grounds (2000 est.) Currency (code): Zimbabwean dollar (ZWD) Currency code: ZWD Exchange rates: Zimbabwean dollars per US dollar— 162.07 (2006), 77.965 (2005), 5.729 (2004), 0.824 (2003), 0.055 (2002) note: these are official exchange rates; non-official rates vary significantly Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 328,000 (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 699,000 (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: system was once one of the best in Africa, but now suffers from poor maintenance; more than 100,000 outstanding requests for connection despite an equally large number of installed but unused main lines domestic: consists of microwave radio relay links, open-wire lines, radiotele¬ phone communication stations, fixed wireless local loop installations, and a substantial mobile cellular network; Internet connection is available in Harare and planned for all major towns and for some of the smaller ones international: country code — 263; satel¬ lite earth stations — 2 Intelsat; 2 interna¬ tional digital gateway exchanges (in Harare and Gweru) Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 20 (plus 17 repeater stations), shortwave 1 (1998) RadiOS: 1.14 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 16 (1997) Televisions: 370,000 (1997) Internet country code: zw Internet hosts: 7,954 (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 6 (2000) Internet users: l million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 403 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 17 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 8 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 386 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 187 under 914 m: 194 (2006) Pipelines: refined products 261 km (2006) Railways: total: 3,077 km narrow gauge: 3,077 km 1.067-m gauge (313 km electrified) (2005) Roadways: total: 97,440 km paved: 18,514 km unpaved: 78,926 km (2002) Waterways: on Lake Kariba (2005) Ports and terminals: Binga, Kariba MILITARY Military branches: Zimbabwe Defense Forces (ZDF): Zimbabwe National Army, Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ), Zimbabwe Republic Police (2005) Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age (est.) (2004) Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 2,778,404 females age 18-49: 2,681,531 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 1,304,424 females age 18-49: 1,115,096 (2005 est.) Military expenditures— percent of GDP: 3.8% (2006) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: Botswana built electric fences and South Africa has placed military along the border to stem the flow of thousands of Zimbabweans fleeing to find work and escape political persecution; Namibia has supported, and in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections to, plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River, thereby de facto recognizing a short, but not clearly delimited, Botswana-Zambia boundary in the river Refugees and internally displaced per¬ sons: refugees (country of origin): 6,536 (Democratic Republic of Congo) IDPs: 569,685 (MUGABE-led political violence, human rights violations, land reform, and economic collapse) (2006) Trafficking in persons: current situation: Zimbabwe is a source, transit, and desti¬ nation country for women and children trafficked for forced labor and sexual exploitation; children may be trafficked internally for forced agricultural labor, domestic servitude, and sexual exploita¬ tion; women and girls are lured out of the country to South Africa, China, Egypt, and Zambia with false job or scholarship promises that result in domestic servi¬ tude or commercial sexual exploitation; there are reports of South African employers demanding sex from undocu¬ mented Zimbabwean workers under threat of deportation; women and chil¬ dren from Malawi, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo transit Zimbabwe en route to South Africa; small numbers of South African girls are trafficked to Zimbabwe for domestic labor tier rating: Tier 3 — Zimbabwe does not fully comply with the minimum stan¬ dards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so Illicit drugs: transit point for cannabis and South Asian heroin, mandrax, and methamphetamines en route to South Africa 695 TAIWAN INTRODUCTION Background: In 1895, military defeat forced China to cede Taiwan to Japan. Taiwan reverted to Chinese control after World War II. Following the Communist victory on the mainland in 1949, 2 mil¬ lion Nationalists fled to Taiwan and established a government using the 1946 constitution drawn up for all of China. Over the next five decades, the ruling authorities gradually democratized and incorporated the local population within the governing structure. In 2000, Taiwan underwent its first peaceful transfer of power from the Nationalist to the Democratic Progressive Party. Throughout this period, the island prospered and became one of East Asia’s economic “Tigers.” The dominant political issues continue to be the relationship between Taiwan and China — specifically the ques¬ tion of eventual unification — as well as domestic political and economic reform. GEOGRAPHY Location: Eastern Asia, islands bordering the East China Sea, Philippine Sea, South China Sea, and Taiwan Strait, north of the Philippines, off the south¬ eastern coast of China Geographic coordinates: 23 30 N, 121 00 E Map references: Southeast Asia Arec: total: 35,980 sq km land: 32,260 sq km water: 3,720 sq km note: includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy islands Area— comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 1,566.3 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Climate: tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year Terrain: eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in west Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Yu Shan 3,952 m Natural resources: small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos Land use: arable land: 24% permanent crops: 1% other: 75% (2001) Irrigated land: NA Natural hazards: earthquakes and typhoons Environment— current issues: air pollu¬ tion; water pollution from industrial emissions, raw sewage; contamination of drinking water supplies; trade in endan¬ gered species; low-level radioactive waste disposal Environment— international agreements: party to: none of the selected agreements because of Taiwan’s international status signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements because of Taiwan’s international status Geography — note: strategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and the Luzon Strait PEOPLE Population: 22,858,872 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 17.8% (male 2,117,051/ female 1,954,709) 15-64 years: 72% (male 8,306,351/ female 8,141,268) 65 years and over: 10.2% (male 1,150,001/ female 1,189,492) (2007 est.) Median age: total: 35.5 years male: 35 years female: 36 years (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 0.304% (2007 est.) Bilth rate: 8.97 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 6.54 deaths/1,000 popula¬ tion (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0.61 migrant(s)/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.083 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.967 male(s)/female total population: 1.026 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 5.54 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.86 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.19 deaths/ 1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.56 years male: 74-65 years female: 80.74 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: l .12 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS— people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Nationality: noun: Taiwan (singular and plural) note: example — he or she is from Taiwan; they are from Taiwan adjective: Taiwan Ethnic groups: Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, indigenous 2% Religions: mixture of Buddhist and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5% Languages: Mandarin Chinese (offi¬ cial), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.1% male: NA% female: NA% (2003) GOVERNMENT Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Taiwan local long form: none local short form: T’ai-wan former: Formosa Government type: multiparty democracy Capital: name: Taipei geographic coordinates: 25 03 N, 121 30E time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions: includes main island of Taiwan plus smaller islands nearby and off coast of China’s Fujian Province; Taiwan is divided into 18 counties (hsien, singular and plural), 5 municipalities (shih, singular and plural), and 2 special municipalities (chuan-shih, singular and plural) note: Taiwan uses a variety of romaniza- tion systems; while the Wade-Giles system still dominates, city of Taipei has adopted standard Pinyin romanization for street and place names within its boundaries; other local authorities use different romanization systems; names 696 TAIWAN for administrative divisions that follow are in Wade-Giles system with Pinyin equivalents in parentheses counties: Chang-hua (Changhua), Chia-i (Chiayi) [county], Hsin-chu (Hsinchu), Hua-lien (Hualien), Plan (Yilan), Kao- hsiung (Kaohsiung) [county], Kin-men (Kinmen), Lien-chiang (Lienchiang, also Matsu), Miao-li (Miaoli), Nan-t’ou (Nantou), P’eng-hu (Penghu), P’ing- tung (Pingtung), T’ai-chung (Taichung), T’ai-nan (Tainan), T’ai-pei (Taipei) [county], T’ai-tung (Taitung), T’ao-yuan (Taoyuan), and Yun-lin (Yunlin) municipalities: Chia-i (Chiayi) [city], Chi-lung (Keelung), Hsin-chu (Hsinchu), T’ai-chung (Taichung), T’ai- nan (Tainan) special municipalities: Kao-hsiung (Kaoh¬ siung) [city], T’ai-pei (Taipei) [city] National holiday: Republic Day (An¬ niversary of the Chinese Revolution), 10 October (1911) Constitution: 25 December 1947; amended in 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2005 note: constitution adopted on 25 December 1946; went into effect on 25 December 1947 Legal system: based on civil law system Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: President CHEN Shui-bian (since 20 May 2000); Vice President Annette LU (LU Hsiu-lien) (since 20 May 2000) head of government: Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) CHANG Chun- hsiung (since 21 May 2007); Vice Premier (Vice President of the Executive Yuan) CHIOU I-jen (since 21 May 2007) cabinet: Executive Yuan — (ministers appointed by president on recommenda¬ tion of premier) elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 20 March 2004 (next to be held in March 2008) ; premier appointed by the presi¬ dent; vice premiers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the premier election results: CHEN Shui-bian re¬ elected president; percent of vote — CHEN Shui-bian 50.1%, LIEN Chan 49.9% Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Yuan (225 seats; 168 mem¬ bers elected by popular vote, 41 elected on basis of proportion of islandwide votes received by participating political par¬ ties, 8 elected from overseas Chinese constituencies on basis of proportion of islandwide votes received by partici¬ pating political parties, 8 elected by pop¬ ular vote among aboriginal populations; to serve three-year terms) note: as a result of constitutional amend¬ ments approved by the now defunct National Assembly in June 2005, number of seats in legislature will be reduced from 225 to 113 beginning with election in 2007; amendments also elim¬ inated National Assembly thus giving Taiwan a unicameral legislature elections: Legislative Yuan — last held 11 December 2004 (next to be held in December 2007) election results: Legislative Yuan — per¬ cent of vote by party — DPP 38%, KMT 35%, PFP 15%, TSU 8%, other parties and independents 4%; seats by party — DPP 89, KMT 79, PFP 34, TSU 12, other parties 7, independents 4 Judicial branch: Judicial Yuan (justices appointed by the president with consent of the Legislative Yuan) Political parties and leaders: Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [YU Shyi-kun]; Kuomintang or KMT (Nationalist Party) [WU Po-hsiung]; People First Party or PFP [James SOONG]; Taiwan Solidarity Union or TSU [HUANG Kun-hui]; other minor parties including the Chinese New Party or NP Political pressure groups and leaders: Taiwan independence movement, var¬ ious business and environmental groups note: debate on Taiwan independence has become acceptable within the main¬ stream of domestic politics on Taiwan; political liberalization and the increased representation of opposition parties in Taiwan’s legislature have opened public debate on the island’s national identity; a broad popular consensus has developed that the island currently enjoys sovereign independence and — whatever the ulti¬ mate outcome regarding reunification or independence — that Taiwan’s people must have the deciding voice; public opinion polls consistently show a sub¬ stantial majority of Taiwan people sup¬ ports maintaining Taiwan’s status quo for the foreseeable future; advocates of Taiwan independence oppose the stand that the island will eventually unify with mainland China; goals of the Taiwan independence movement include estab¬ lishing a sovereign nation on Taiwan and entering the UN; other organizations supporting Taiwan independence include the World United Formosans for Independence and the Organization for Taiwan Nation Building International organization participa¬ tion: APEC, AsDB, ICC, ICRM, IFRCS, IOC, ITUC, WCL, WHO (observer), WTO Diplomatic representation in the US: none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people of the US are maintained through an unofficial instru¬ mentality, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO), which has its headquarters in Taipei and in the US in Washington, DC; there are also branch offices called Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in 12 other US cities Diplomatic representation from the US: none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people on Taiwan are maintained through an unofficial instru¬ mentality — the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) — which has offices in the US and Taiwan; US office at 1700 N. Moore St., Suite 1700, Arlington, VA 22209-1996, telephone: [1] (703) 525- 8474, FAX: [1] (703) 841-1385); Taiwan offices at #1 Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road, Section 3, Taipei, Taiwan, telephone: [886] (2) 2162-2000, FAX: [886] (2) 2162-2251; #1 Chung Cheng 3rd Road, 5th Floor, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, tele¬ phone: [886] (7) 238-7744, FAX: [886] (7) 238-5237; and the American Trade Center, Room 3208 International Trade Building, Taipei World Trade Center, 333 Keelung Road Section 1, Taipei, Taiwan 10548, telephone: [886] (2) 2720-1550, FAX: [886] (2) 2757-7162 Flag description: red with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays ECONOMY Economy— Overview: Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with gradu¬ ally decreasing guidance of investment and foreign trade by government author¬ ities. In keeping with this trend, some large, government-owned banks and industrial firms are being privatized. Exports have provided the primary impetus for industrialization. The island runs a trade surplus, and foreign reserves are the world’s third largest. Despite restrictions on cross-strait links, China has overtaken the US to become Taiwan’s largest export market and, in 2006, its second-largest source of imports after Japan. China is also the island’s number one destination for foreign direct invest¬ ment. Strong trade performance in 2006 pushed Taiwan’s GDP growth rate above 4%, and unemployment is below 4%. Consumer spending recovered following a slowdown early in 2006, when banks tightened lending to address a sharp increase in delinquent consumer debt. 697 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK GDP (purchasing power parity): $680.5 billion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $346.4 billion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 4 6% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $29,500 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 1.5% industry: 25.2% services: 73.3% (2006 est.) Labor force: 10.46 million (2006 est.) Labor force — by occupation: agriculture: 5.5% industry: 36% services: 58.5% (2005 est.) Unemployment rate: 3.9% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: 0.9% (2006 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 6.7% highest 10%: 41.1% (2002 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 18.4% of GDP (2006 est.) Budget: revenues: $67.33 billion expenditures: $77.93 billion (2006 est.) Public debt: 34.6% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture — products: rice, corn, veg- etables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef, milk; fish Industries: electronics, petroleum refining, armaments, chemicals, textiles, iron and steel, machinery, cement, food processing, vehicles, consumer products, pharmaceuticals Industrial production growth rate: 6.5% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 189.7 billion kWh (2005) Electricity— production by source: fossil fuel: 71.4% hydro: 6% nuclear: 22.6% other: 0% (2001) Electricity — consumption: 175.3 billion kWh (2005) Electricity— exports: 0 kWh (2005) Electricity — imports: 0 kWh (2005) Oil— production: 7,755 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— consumption: 965,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) Oil— exports: NA bbl/day Oil— imports: NA bbl/day Oil — proved reserves: 3 million bbl (2006 est.) Natural gas — production: l.l billion cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas — consumption: 10.7 billion cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas — exports: 0 cu m (2005) Natural gas — imports: 9.6 billion cu m (2005 est.) Natural gas— proved reserves: 76.46 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $9.7 billion (2006 est.) Exports: $215 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Exports — Commodities: computer prod' ucts and electrical equipment, metals, textiles, plastics and rubber products, chemicals (2002) Exports — partners: China 22.5%, Hong Kong 15.7%, US 15%, Japan 7.3% (2006 est.) Imports: $205.3 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports — Commodities: machinery and electrical equipment 44-5%, minerals, precision instruments (2002) Imports — partners: Japan 23%, China 11.9%, US 10.9%, South Korea 7.2%, Saudi Arabia 4.9% (2006 est.) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $280.6 billion (2006 est.) Debt — external: $93.06 billion (2006 est.) Currency (code): new Taiwan dollar (TWD) Currency code: TWD Exchange rates: new Taiwan dollars per US dollar— 32.534 (2006), 31.71 (2005), 34.418 (2004), 34.575 (2003), 33.8 (2002) Fiscal year: 1 July — 30 June COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 13.615 million (2005) Telephones — mobile cellular: 22.17 million (2005) Telephone system: general assessment: provides telecommu- nications service for every business and private need domestic: thoroughly modern; completely digitalized international: country code — 886; satel¬ lite earth stations — 2 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); submarine cables to Japan (Okinawa), Philippines, Guam, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe (1999) Radio broadcast stations: AM 218, FM 333, shortwave 50 (1999) Radios: 16 million (1994) Television broadcast stations: 29 (plus 2 repeaters) (1997) Televisions: 8.8 million (1998) Internet country code: tw Internet hosts: 4.32 million (2006) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 8 (2000) Internet users: 13.21 million (2005) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 42 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: total: 38 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1 ,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1 ,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 2 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: total: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 3 (2006) Heliports: 3 (2006) Pipelines: condensate 25 km; gas 661 km (2006) Railways: total: 2,497 km narrow gauge: 1,097 km 1.067-m gauge (685 km electrified) note: 1,400 km .762-m gauge (belonging to the Taiwan Sugar Corporation and to the Taiwan Forestry Bureau) used to carry products and limited numbers of passengers (2005) Roadways: total: 37,299 km paved: 35,621 km (includes 789 km of expressways) unpaved: 1,678 km (2002) Merchant marine: total: 112 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,798,992 GRT/4,652,921 DWT by type: bulk carrier 35, cargo 22, chem¬ ical tanker 2, container 25, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 16, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 2 foreign-owned: 3 (Hong Kong 3) registered in other countries: 463 (Bolivia 1, Cambodia 2, Honduras 2, Hong Kong 6, Italy 10, Liberia 69, Malta 2, Panama 308, Singapore 59, UK 1, US 1, unknown 2) (2006) Ports and terminals: Chi-lung (Kee- lung), Hua-lien, Kao-hsiung, Su-ao, T’ai-chung MILITARY Military branches: Army, Navy (in¬ cludes Marine Corps), Air Force, Coast Guard Administration, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined Service Forces Command, Armed Forces Police Command Military service age and obligation: 19-35 years of age for military service; service obligation 16 months (to be shortened to 14 months as of July 2007 and to 12 months in 2008); women in Air Force service are restricted to non¬ combat roles (2007) Manpower available for military service: males age 19-49: 5,883,828 698 EUROPEAN UNION females age 2 9—49; 5,680,773 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 19-49: 4,749,537 females age 19-4 9: 4,644,607 (2005 est.) Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 174,173 females age 19-49: 163,683 (2005 est.) Military expenditures-— percent of GDP: 2.2% (2006; to increase to 2.85% in 2007) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes— international: involved in complex dispute with China, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei over the Spratly Islands; the 2002 “Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea” has eased ten¬ sions but falls short of a legally binding “code of conduct” desired by several of the disputants; Paracel Islands are occu¬ pied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam; in 2003, China and Taiwan became more vocal in rejecting both Japan’s claims to the uninhabited islands of the Senkaku-shoto (Diaoyu Tai) and Japan’s unilaterally declared exclusive economic zone in the East China Sea where all parties engage in hydrocarbon prospecting Trafficking in persons: current situation: Taiwan is primarily a destination for men, women, and chil¬ dren trafficked for forced labor and sexual exploitation; women from China and Southeast Asian countries are traf¬ ficked for sexual exploitation and forced labor; women and children, primarily from Vietnam, are trafficked through the use of fraudulent marriages, decep¬ tive employment offers, and illegal smuggling for commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; a signifi¬ cant share of foreign workers — primarily from Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines — are recruited legally for low-skilled jobs, and are subjected to forced labor or involuntary servitude by labor agencies or employers upon arrival in Taiwan; to a much lesser extent, there is internal trafficking of children for sexual exploitation and trafficking of a small and declining number of Taiwanese women to Japan for commer¬ cial sexual exploitation tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Taiwan is placed on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to show evidence of increasing efforts in 2005 to address trafficking, despite ample resources to do so, partic¬ ularly the serious level of forced labor and sexual servitude among legally migrating Southeast Asian contract workers and brides Illicit drugs: regional transit point for heroin, methamphetamine, and pre¬ cursor chemicals; transshipment point for drugs to Japan; major problem with domestic consumption of methampheta¬ mine and heroin; rising problems with use of ketamine and club drugs EUROPEAN UNION INTRODUCTION Preliminary statement: The evolution of the European Union (EU) from a regional economic agreement among six neighboring states in 1951 to today’s supranational organization of 27 coun¬ tries across the European continent stands as an unprecedented phenom¬ enon in the annals of history. Dynastic unions for territorial consolidation were long the norm in Europe. On a few occa¬ sions even country-level unions were arranged — the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Austro- Hungarian Empire were examples — but for such a large number of nation-states to cede some of their sovereignty to an overarching entity is truly unique. Although the EU is not a federation in the strict sense, it is far more than a free- trade association such as ASEAN, NAFTA, or Mercosur, and it has many of the attributes associated with inde¬ pendent nations: its own flag, anthem, founding date, and currency, as well as an incipient common foreign and security policy in its dealings with other nations. In the future, many of these nation-like characteristics are likely to be expanded. Thus, inclusion of basic intelligence on the EU has been deemed appropriate as a new, separate entity in The World Factbook. However, because of the EU’s special status, this description is placed after the regular country entries. Background: Following the two devas¬ tating World Wars of the first half of the 20th century, a number of European leaders in the late 1940s became con¬ vinced that the only way to establish a lasting peace was to unite the two chief belligerent nations — France and Germany — both economically and polit¬ ically. In 1950, the French Foreign Minister Robert SCHUMAN proposed an eventual union of all Europe, the first step of which would be the integration of the coal and steel industries of Western Europe. The following year the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) was set up when six members, Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, signed the Treaty of Paris. The ECSC was so successful that within a few years the decision was made to integrate other parts of the countries’ economies. In 1957, the Treaties of Rome created the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), and the six member states undertook to eliminate trade barriers among themselves by forming a common market. In 1967, the institutions of all three communities were formally merged into the European Community (EC), creating a single Commission, a single Council of Ministers, and the European Parliament. Members of the European Parliament were initially selected by national parlia¬ ments, but in 1979 the first direct elec¬ tions were undertaken and they have been held every five years since. In 1973, the first enlargement of the EC took place with the addition of Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. The 1980s saw further membership expansion with Greece joining in 1981 and Spain and Portugal in 1986. The 1992 Treaty of Maastricht laid the basis for further forms of cooperation in foreign and defense policy, in judicial and internal affairs, and in the creation of an economic and monetary union — including a common currency. This further integration cre¬ ated the European Union (EU). In 1995, Austria, Finland, and Sweden joined the EU, raising the membership total to 15. A new currency, the euro, was launched in world money markets on 1 January 1999; it became the unit of exchange for all of the EU states except the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Denmark. In 699 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK 2002, citizens of the 12 euro-area coun¬ tries began using the euro banknotes and coins. Ten new countries joined the EU in 2004 — Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia — and in 2007 Bulgaria and Romania joined, bringing the current membership to 27. In order to ensure that the EU can continue to function efficiently with an expanded membership, the Treaty of Nice (in force as of 1 February 2003) set forth rules streamlining the size and pro¬ cedures of EU institutions. An EU Constitutional Treaty, signed in Rome on 29 October 2004, gave member states two years to ratify the document before it was scheduled to take effect on 1 November 2006. Referenda held in France and the Netherlands in May-June 2005 rejected the proposed constitution. This develop¬ ment set back the ratification effort and left the longer-term political integration of the EU in limbo. GEOGRAPHY Location: Europe between the North Atlantic Ocean in the west and Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine to the east Map references: Europe Area: total: 4,324,782 sq km Area— comparative: less than one-half the size of the US Land boundaries: total: 12,440.8 km border countries: Albania 282 km, Andorra 120.3 km, Belarus 1,050 km, Croatia 999 km, Holy See 3.2 km, Liechtenstein 34.9 km, Macedonia 394 km, Moldova 450 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Norway 2,348 km, Russia 2,257 km, San Marino 39 km, Serbia 945 km, Switzerland 1,811 km, Turkey 446 km, Ukraine 1,257 km note: data for European Continent only Coastline: 65,992.9 km Maritime claims: NA Climate: cold temperate; potentially subarctic in the north to temperate; mild wet winters; hot dry summers in the south Terrain: fairly flat along the Baltic and Atlantic coast; mountainous in the cen¬ tral and southern areas Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lammefjord, Denmark -7 m; Zuidplaspolder, Netherlands -7 m highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m; note — situated on the border between France and Italy Natural resources: iron ore, natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, lead, zinc, bauxite, uranium, potash, salt, hydropower, arable land, timber, fish Land use: arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% other: NA% Irrigated land: 168,050 sq km (2003 est.) Natural hazards: flooding along coasts; avalanches in mountainous area; earth¬ quakes in the south; volcanic eruptions in Italy; periodic droughts in Spain; ice floes in the Baltic Environment — current issues: NA Environment— international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution- Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Per¬ sistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 82, Tropical Timber 94 signed but not ratified: Air Pollution- Volatile Organic Compounds . ' - ■ i-j PEOPLE Population: 490,426,060 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 15.72% (male 37,208,905/ female 35,254,445) 15-64 years: 67.16% (male 155,807,769/ female 153,690,235) 65 yearsandover: 17.11% (male 32,592,595/ female 46,273,197) (2007 est.) Median age: NA Population growth rate: 0.16% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 10 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 10 deaths/ 1,000 population (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 1.6 migrant(s)/l,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: NA under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female. total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2007 est.) infant mortality rate: total: 4.8 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.3 deaths/ 1,000 live births female: 4-3 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.7 years male: 75.6 years female: 82 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.5 children born/ woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS— adult prevalence rate: NA HIV/AIDS — people living with HIV/ AIDS: NA HIV/AIDS— deaths: NA Religions: Roman Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Muslim, Jewish Languages: Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, Gaelic, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovene, Spanish, Swedish; note — only official languages are listed GOVERNMENT \ . ■ Union name: conventional long form: European Union abbreviation: EU Political Structure: a hybrid intergov¬ ernmental and supranational organiza¬ tion Capital: name: Brussels (Belgium), Strasbourg (France), Luxembourg geographic coordinates: 5050N.420E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +lhr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October note: the Council of the European Union meets in Brussels, Belgium, the European Parliament meets in Brussels and Strasbourg, France, and the Court of Justice of the European Communities meets in Luxembourg Member states: 27 countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, UK; note — Canary Islands (Spain), Azores and Madeira (Portugal), French Guyana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Reunion (France) are sometimes listed separately even though they are legally a part of Spain, Portugal, and France; candidate countries: Croatia, Macedonia, Turkey Independence: 7 February 1992 (Maastricht Treaty signed establishing the EU); 1 November 1993 (Maastricht Treaty entered into force) National holiday: Europe Day 9 May (1950); note — a Union-wide holiday, the day that Robert SCHUMAN pro¬ posed the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community to achieve an organized Europe Constitution: based on a series of treaties: the Treaty of Paris, which set up the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) in 1951; the Treaties of Rome, which set up the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) in 1957; the 700 EUROPEAN UNION Single European Act in 1986; the Treaty on European Union (Maastricht) in 1992; the Treaty of Amsterdam in 1997; and the Treaty of Nice in 2003; note — a new draft Constitutional Treaty, signed on 29 October 2004 in Rome, gave member states two years for ratification either by parliamentary vote or national referendum before it was scheduled to take effect on 1 November 2006; defeat in French and Dutch referenda in May-June 2005 dealt a severe setback to the ratification process, though it has continued more slowly with Finland rat- ifying in December 2006; as of January 2007, 18 countries have ratified the Constitutional Treaty; Germany has made revival of the EU Constitution a goal of its EU Presidency in 2007 Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of union: President of the European Commission Jose Manuel DURAO BARROSO (since 22 November 2004) cabinet: European Commission (composed of 27 members, one from each member country; each commissioner responsible for one or more policy areas) elections: the president of the European Commission is designated by member gov¬ ernments and is confirmed by the European Parliament; working from member state recommendations, the Commission president then assembles a “college” of Commission members; the European Parliament confirms the entire Commission for a five-year term; the last confirmation process was held 18 November 2004 (next to be held in 2009) election results: European Parliament approved the European Commission by an approval vote of 449 to 149 with 82 abstentions note: the European Council brings together heads of state and government and the president of the European Commission and meets at least four times a year; its aim is to provide the impetus for the major political issues relating to European integration and to issue general policy guidelines Legislative branch: two legislative bodies consists of the Council of the European Union (27 member-state min¬ isters having 345 votes; the number of votes is roughly proportional to member- states’ population; note — the Council is the main decision-making body of the EU) and the European Parliament (785 seats, as of 1 January 2007; seats allocated among member states by proportion to population; members elected by direct universal suffrage for a five-year term) elections: last held 10-13 June 2004 (next to be held June 2009) election results: percent of vote — NA; seats by party — EPP-ED 268, PES 202, ALDE 88, Greens/EFA 42, EUL/NGL 41, IND/DEM 36, UEN 27, independ¬ ents 28; note — seats by party as of 1 January 2007— EPP-ED 277, PES 218, ALDE 106, UEN 44, Greens/EFA 42, EUL/NGL 41, IND/DEM 23, ITS 20, independents 14 Judicial branch: Court of Justice of the European Communities (ensures that the treaties are interpreted and applied uniformly throughout the EU; resolve constitutional issues among the EU insti¬ tutions) — 27 justices (one from each member state) appointed for a six-year term; note — for the sake of efficiency, the court can sit with 13 justices known as the “Grand Chamber”; Court of First Instance — 27 justices appointed for a six- year term Political parties and leaders: Con¬ federal Group of the European United Left-Nordic Green Left or EUL/NGL [Francis WURTZ]; European People’s Party-European Democrats or EPP-ED [Joseph DAUL]; Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe or ALDE [Graham R. WATSON]; Group of Greens/European Free Alliance or Greens/EFA [Monica FRASSONI and Daniel Marc COHN-BENDIT]; Identity, Tradition, Sovereignty Group or ITS [Bruno GOLLNISCH]; Independence/ Democracy Group or IND/DEM [Jens- Peter BONDE and Nigel FARAGE]; Socialist Group in the European Parliament or PES [Martin SCHULZ]; Union for Europe of the Nations Group or UEN [Brian CROWLEY and Cristiana MUSCARDINI] International organization participa¬ tion: European Union: ARF (dialogue member), ASEAN (dialogue member), IDA, OAS (observer), UN (observer) European Community: Australian Group, CBSS, CERN, FAO, EBRD, G-10, NAM (observer), NSG (observer), OECD, UNRWA, WTO, ZC (observer) European Central Bank: BIS European Investment Bank: EBRD, WADB (nonregional member) Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John BRUTON chancery: 2300 M Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 862-9500 FAX: [1] (202) 429-1766 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador C. Boyden GRAY embassy: 13 Zinnerstraat/Rue Zinner, B- 1000 Brussels mailing address: same as above telephone: [32] (2) 508-2222 FAX: [32] (2) 512-5720 Flag description: on a blue field, 12 five- pointed gold stars arranged in a circle, representing the union of the peoples of Europe; the number of stars is fixed ECONOMY Economy— overview: Internally, the EU is attempting to lower trade barriers, adopt a common currency, and move toward convergence of living standards. Internationally, the EU aims to bolster Europe’s trade position and its political and economic power. Because of the great differences in per capita income among member states (from $7,000 to $69,000) and historic national animosi¬ ties, the EU faces difficulties in devising and enforcing common policies. For example, since 2003 Germany and France have flouted the member states’ treaty obligation to prevent their national budgets from running more than a 3% deficit. In 2004 and 2007, the EU admitted 10 and two countries, respectively, that are, in general, less advanced technologically and economi¬ cally than the other 15. Twelve estab¬ lished EU member states introduced the euro as their common currency on 1 January 1999, but the UK, Sweden, and Denmark chose not to participate. Of the 12 most recent member states, only Slovenia has adopted the euro ( 1 January 2007); the remaining 11 are legally required to adopt the currency upon meeting EU’s fiscal and monetary con¬ vergence criteria. GDP (purchasing power parity): $13.06 trillion (2006 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): $13.73 trillion (2006 est.) GDP— real growth rate: 3.1% (2006 est.) GDP— per capita (PPP): $29,900 (2006 est.) GDP— composition by sector: agriculture: 2.1% industry: 27.3% services: 70.5% (2006 est.) Labor force: 222.7 million (2005 est.) Labor force— by occupation: agriculture: 4-3% industry: 27.2% services: 67.1% note: the remainder is in miscellaneous public and private sector industries and services (2002 est.) Unemployment rate: 8.5% (2006 est.) Population below poverty line: see indi¬ vidual country listings Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 25.4% (1995 est.) 701 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Distribution of family income— Gini index: 31.3 (2003 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.8% (2006 est.) Investment (gross fixed): 20.4% of GDP (2006 est.) Agriculture— products: wheat, barley, oilseeds, sugar beets, wine, grapes; dairy products, cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry; fish Industries: among the world’s largest and most technologically advanced, the European Union industrial base includes: ferrous and non-ferrous metal production and processing, metal products, petroleum, coal, cement, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, aerospace, rail transportation equipment, passenger and commercial vehicles, con¬ struction equipment, industrial equip¬ ment, shipbuilding, electrical power equipment, machine tools and automated manufacturing systems, electronics and telecommunications equipment, fishing, food and beverage processing, furniture, paper, textiles, tourism Industrial production growth rate: 2.6% (2006 est.) Electricity— production: 2.997 trillion kWh (2004 est.) Electricity — consumption: 2.822 trillion kWh (2004 est.) Electricity— exports: NA Electricity— imports: NA Oil— production: 3 .115 million bbl/day (2004) Oil— consumption: 14 68 million bbl/day (2004) Oil— exports: NA Oil— imports: NA Oil— proved reserves: 7.417 billion bbl (1 January 2002) Natural gas— production: 238.2 billion cu m (2004) Natural gas— consumption: 506.9 bil¬ lion cu m (2004 est.) Natural gas— exports: 78.89 billion cu m (2001) Natural gas— imports: 347.7 billion cu m (2001) Natural gas— proved reserves: 3.219 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) Current account balance: $NA Exports: $1 .33 trillion; note — external exports, excluding intra-EU trade (2005) Exports— commodities: machinery, motor vehicles, aircraft, plastics, phar¬ maceuticals and other chemicals, fuels, iron and steel, nonferrous metals, wood pulp and paper products, textiles, meat, dairy products, fish, alcoholic beverages. Exports— partners: US 23.3%, Switzerland 7.6%, Russia 5.2%, China 4.8% (2005) Imports: $1,466 trillion; note — external imports, excluding intra-EU trade (2005) Imports — Commodities: machinery, vehicles, aircraft, plastics, crude oil, chemicals, textiles, metals, foodstuffs, clothing Imports— partners: US 13.8%, China 13.4%, Russia 8.2%, Japan 6.2% (2005) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $NA Currency (code): euro, British pound, Bulgarian lev, Cypriot pound, Czech koruna, Danish krone, Estonian kroon, Hungarian forint, Latvian lat, Lithuanian litas, Maltese lira, Polish zloty, Romanian leu, Slovak koruna, Swedish krona Currency code: EUR Exchange rates: euros per US dollar — 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002) Fiscal year: NA COMMUNICATIONS Telephones— main lines in use: 238 million (2005) Telephones— mobile cellular: 466 mil lion (2005) Telephone system: note — see individual country entries of member states Radio broadcast stations: AM 930, FM 13,655, shortwave 71 (1998); note — sum of individual country radio broadcast sta¬ tions; there is also a European-wide sta¬ tion (Euroradio) Television broadcast stations: 2,700 (1995); note — sum of individual country television broadcast stations excluding repeaters; there is also a European-wide station (Eurovision) Internet country code: .eu (effective 2005); note — see country entries of member states for individual country codes Internet hosts: 50.5 million (2005); note — sum of individual country Internet hosts Internet users: 247 million (2006) TRANSPORTATION Airports: 3,393 (2006) Airports— with paved runways: 2,020 (2006) Airports— with unpaved runways: 1,373 (2006) Heliports: 100 (2006) Railways: total: 235,199 km broad gauge: 28,327 km standard gauge: 198,913 km narrow gauge: 7,936 km other: 23 km (2005) Roadways: total: 2,394,641 km (includes 61,522 km of expressways) paved: 1,809,821 km unpaved: 584,820 km (2005) Waterways: 52,332 km (2006) Ports and terminals: Antwerp (Belgium), Barcelona (Spain), Braila (Romania), Bremen (Germany), Burgas (Bulgaria), Constanta (Romania), Copenhagen (Denmark), Galati (Romania), Gdansk (Poland), Hamburg (Germany), Helsinki (Finland), Las Palmas (Canary Islands, Spain), Le Havre (France), Lisbon (Portugal), London (UK), Marseille (France), Naples (Italy), Peiraiefs or Piraeus (Greece), Riga (Latvia), Rotterdam (Netherlands), Stockholm (Sweden), Talinn (Estonia), Tulcea (Romania), Varna (Bulgaria) MILITARY Military — note: In November 2004, the EU heads of government signed a “Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe” that offers possibilities for increased defense and security cooperation. If rati¬ fied, this treaty will give operational effect to the European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP), approved in the 2000 Nice Treaty. Despite limits of coop¬ eration for some EU members, develop¬ ment of a EU military planning unit is likely to continue. The planning unit will support the EU Rapid Fraction Force, which EU ministers have said will deploy 2 “battle groups” in January 2007. France, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Italy continue to press for wider coordination. The 5 -nation Eurocorps — created in 1992 by France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, and Luxembourg — has already deployed troops and police on peacekeeping mis¬ sions to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo and assumed command of the ISAF in Afghanistan in August 2004- Eurocorps directly com¬ mands the 5,000-man Franco-German Brigade, the Multinational Command Support Brigade, and EUFOR, which took over from SFOR in Bosnia in December 2004- Individual EU nations made commitments to provide 67,100 troops following the December 1999 EU summit in Helsinki. Some 56,000 troops from EU member states were actually deployed on various international opera¬ tions in 2003. In August 2004, the new European Defense Agency, tasked with promoting cooperative European defense capabilities, began operations. In November 2004, the EU Council of Ministers formally committed to creating 13 1, 500-man battle groups by the end of 2007, to respond to international crises on a rotating basis. Twenty-two of the EU’s 25 nations have agreed to supply 702 EUROPEAN UNION troops. France, Italy, and the UK formed the first of 3 battle groups in 2005. In May 2005, Norway, Sweden and Finland agreed to establish one of the battle groups, possibly to include Estonia forces. The remaining 9 groups are to be formed in 2007. A rapid-reaction naval EU Maritime Task Group was stood up in March 2007. (2005) TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES Disputes — international: as a political union, the EU has no border disputes with neighboring countries, but Estonia and Latvia have no land boundary agree¬ ments with Russia, Slovenia disputes its land and maritime boundaries with Croatia, and Spain has territorial and maritime disputes with Morocco and with the UK over Gibraltar; the EU has set up a Schengen area — consisting of 13 EU member states that have signed the convention implementing the Schengen agreements or “acquis” (1985 and 1990) on the free movement of persons and the harmonization of border controls in Europe; these agreements became incor¬ porated into EU law with the implemen¬ tation of the 1997 Treaty of Amsterdam on 1 May 1999; in addition, non-EU states Iceland and Norway (as part of the Nordic Union) have been included in the Schengen area since 1996 (full mem¬ bers in 2001), bringing the total current membership to 15; the UK (since 2000) and Ireland (since 2002) take part in only some aspects of the Schengen area, especially with respect to police and criminal matters; the 12 new member states that joined the EU in 2004 and 2007 eventually are expected to partici¬ pate fully in Schengen, following a tran¬ sition period to upgrade their border controls and procedures 703 • .V 4 ■ if , •' .'i; • : ' , .• 1 , .v ' ■ . . ■ . / . ' m ■ APPENDIX A ABBREVIATIONS ABEDA ACCT Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa Agency for the French-Speaking Community (see International Organization of the ACP Group AfDB AFESD Air Pollution Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides French-speaking World) African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States African Development Bank Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Nitrogen Oxides or Their Transboundary Fluxes Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants Air Pollution-Sulphur 85 Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Persistent Organic Pollutants Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on the Reduction of Sulphur Emissions or Their Transboundary Fluxes by at Least 30% Air Pollution-Sulphur 94 Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Further Reduction of Sulphur Emissions Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds or Their Transboundary Fluxes AMF AMU Antarctic-Environmental Protocol Antarctic Marine Living Resources Antarctic Seals ANZUS APEC Arabsat ARF AsDB ASEAN AU Autodin BA bbl/day BCIE BDEAC Benelux BIMSTEC Biodiversity BGN BIS BSEC C c.i.f. CACM CAEU CAN Caricom CB CBSS CCC CDB CE CEI CEMAC CEPGL Arab Monetary Fund Arab Maghreb Union Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals Australia-New Zealand-United States Security Treaty Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Arab Satellite Communications Organization ASEAN Regional Forum Asian Development Bank Association of Southeast Asian Nations African Union Automatic Digital Network Baltic Assembly barrels per day Central American Bank for Economic Integration Central African States Development Bank Benelux Economic Union Bay of Bengal Iniative for Multisectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation Convention on Biological Diversity United States Board on Geographic Names Bank for International Settlements Black Sea Economic Cooperation Zone Commonwealth cost, insurance, and freight Central American Common Market Council of Arab Economic Unity Andean Community of Nations Caribbean Community and Common Market citizen’s band mobile radio communications Council of the Baltic Sea States Customs Cooperation Council Caribbean Development Bank Council of Europe Central European Initiative Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries 705 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK CERN CEPT CIS CITES Climate Change Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol COCOM Comsat COMESA CTBTO CY CP DC Desertification European Organization for Nuclear Research Conference Europeanne des Poste et Telecommunications Commonwealth of Independent States see Endangered Species United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Coordinating Committee on Export Controls Communications Satellite Corporation Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa Preparation commission for the Nuclear-Ban -Treaty Operation calendar year Colombo Plan developed country United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa DDT DIA DSN DST DWT EADB EAEC EAPC EBRD EC ECA ECE ECLAC ECO ECOSOC ECOWAS ECSC EEC EFTA EEZ EIB EMU Endangered Species dichloro-diphenyl-trichloro-ethane United States Defense Intelligence Agency Defense Switched Network daylight savings time deadweight ton East African Development Bank Eurasian Economic Community Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council European Bank for Reconstruction and Development European Community Economic Commission for Africa Economic Commission for Europe Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean Economic Cooperation Organization Economic and Social Council Economic Community of West African States European Coal and Steel Community European Economic Community European Free Trade Association exclusive economic zone European Investment Bank European Monetary Union Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) Entente Environmental Modification Council of the Entente Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques ESA ESCAP ESCWA est. EU Euratom Eutelsat Ex-lm f.o.b. FAO FAX FLS FOC FSU FY FZ European Space Agency Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia estimate European Union European Atomic Energy Community European Telecommunications Satellite Organization Export-Import Bank of the United States free on board Food and Agriculture Organization facsimile Front Line States flags of convenience former Soviet Union fiscal year Franc Zone 706 ABBREVIATIONS G-2 G-3 G-5 G-6 G-7 G-8 G-9 G-10 G-15 G-ll G-24 G-77 GATT GCC GCTU GDP GMT GNP GRT GSM GUAM Group of 2 Group of 3 Group of 5 Group of 6 Group of 7 Group of 8 Group of 9 Group of 10 Group of 15 Group of 1 1 Group of 24 Group of 77 General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade; now WTO Gulf Cooperation Council General Confederation of Trade Unions gross domestic product Greenwich Mean Time gross national product gross register ton global system for mobile cellular communications Organization for Democracy and Economic Development; acronym for member states- Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Moldova GWP Hazardous Wastes gross world product Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal HF HIV/AIDS IADB IAEA IANA IBRD ICAO ICC ICCt ICJ ICRC ICRM ICSID ICTR ICTY IDA IDB IDP IEA IFAD IFC IFRCS IGAD IHO ILO IMF IMO Inmarsat InOC INSTRAW Intelsat Interpol Intersputnik high-frequency human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome Inter- American Development Bank International Atomic Energy Agency Internet Assigned Numbers Authority International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank) International Civil Aviation Organization International Chamber of Commerce International Criminal Court International Court of Justice (World Court) International Committee of the Red Cross International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement International Center for Secretariat of Investment Disputes International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia International Development Association Islamic Development Bank internally displaced person International Energy Agency International Fund for Agricultural Development International Finance Corporation International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Inter-Governmental Authority on Development International Hydrographic Organization International Labor Organization International Monetary Fund International Maritime Organization International Maritime Satellite Organization Indian Ocean Commission International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women International Telecommunications Satellite Organization International Criminal Police Organization International Organization of Space Communications 707 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK IOC I0M IPU ISO ISP ITU ITUC International Olympic Committee International Organization for Migration Inter-parliamentary Union International Organization for Standardization Internet Service Provider International Telecommunication Union International Trade Union Confederation (the successor to ICFTU (International Confederation of Free Trade Unions) and the WCL (World Confederation of Labor) kHz km kW kWh LAES LAIA US Law of the Sea LDC LLDC London Convention LOS m Marecs Marine Dumping kilohertz kilometer kilowatt kilowatt-hour Latin American Economic System Latin American Integration Association League of Arab States United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOS) less developed country least developed country see Marine Dumping see Law of the Sea meter Maritime European Communications Satellite Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping Wastes and Other Matter Marine Life Conservation MARPOL Medarabtel Mercosur MHz MICAH MINURSO MIGA MINUSTAH MONUC NA NAFTA NAM NATO NC NEA NEGL NGA NIB NIC NIE NIS nm NMT NSG Nuclear Test Ban Convention on Fishing and Conservation of Living Resources of the High Seas see Ship Pollution Middle East Telecommunications Project of the International Telecommunications Union Southern Cone Common Market megahertz International Civilian Support Mission in Haiti United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara Multilateral Investment Geographic Agency United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo not available North American Free Trade Agreement Nonaligned Movement North Atlantic Treaty Organization Nordic Council Nuclear Energy Agency negligible National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Nordic Investment Bank newly industrializing country newly industrializing economy new independent states nautical mile Nordic Mobile Telephone Nuclear Suppliers Group Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapons Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space, and Under Water NZ OAPEC OAS OAU ODA OECD OECS New Zealand Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries Organization of American States Organization of African Unity; see African Union official development assistance Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development Organization of Eastern Caribbean States 708 ABBREVIATIONS OHCHR OIC OIF ONUB OOF OPANAL OPCW OPEC OSCE Ozone Layer Protection PCA PFP PIF PPP Ramsar R6 SAARC SACU SACEP SADC SCO SAFE SECI SHF Ship Pollution Sparteca SPC SPF sq km sq mi TAT Tropical Timber 83 Tropical Timber 94 UAE UDEAC UHF UK UN UNAMSIL UNCLOS UNCTAD UNDCP UNDOF UNDP UNEP UNESCO UNFICYP UNFPA UNHCR UNICEF UNICRI UNIDIR UNIDO UNIFIL UNITAR UNMEE UNMIK Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Organization of the Islamic Conference International Organization of the French-speaking World United Nations Operation in Burundi other official flows Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer Permanent Court of Arbitration Partnership for Peace Pacific Islands Forum purchasing power parity see Wetlands Rio Group South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation Southern African Customs Union South Asia Co-opeative Environment Programme Southern African Development Community Shanghai Cooperation Organization South African Far East Cable Southeast European Cooperative Initiative super-high-frequency Protocol of 1978 Relating to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution From Ships, 1973 (MARPOL) South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement Secretariat of the Pacific Communities South Pacific Forum square kilometer square mile Trans-Atlantic Telephone International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1983 International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994 United Arab Emirates Central African Customs and Economic Union ultra-high-frequency United Kingdom United Nations United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, also know as LOS United Nations Conference on Trade and Development United Nations Drug Control Program United Nations Disengagement Observer Force United Nations Development Program United Nations Environment Program United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus United Nations Population Fund United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees United Nations Children’s Fund United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research United Nations Industrial Development Organization United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon United Nations Institute for Training and Research United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo 709 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK UNMIL UNMIT UNMOGIP UNMOVIC UNOCI UNOMIG UNOPS UNRISD UNRWA UNSC UNSSC UNTSO UNU UNWTO UPU US USSR United Nations Mission in Liberia United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan United Nations Monitoring, Verification, and Inspection Commission United Nations Operation in Cote d’Ivoire United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia United Nations Office of Project Services United Nations Research Institute for Social Development United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East United Nations Security Council Untied Nations System Staff College United Nations Truce Supervision Organization United Nations University World Tourism Organization Universal Postal Union United States Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (Soviet Union); used for information dated before 25 December 1991 UTC UV VHF VSAT WADB WAEMU WCL WCO Wetlands WEU WFP WFTU Whaling WHO WIPO WMO WP WTO ZC Coordinated Universal Time ultra violet very-high-frequency very small aperture terminal West African Development Bank West African Economic and Monetary Union World Confederation of Labor World Customs Organization Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially As Waterfowl Habitat Western European Union World Food Program World Federation of Trade Unions International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling World Health Organization World Intellectual Property Organization World Meteorological Organization Warsaw Pact World Trade Organization Zangger Committee 710 APPENDIX B INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND GROUPS advanced developing countries another term for those less developed countries (LDCs) with particularly rapid industrial development; see newly industrializing economies (NIEs) advanced economies a term used by the International Monetary FUND (IMF) for the top group in its hierarchy of advanced economies, countries in transition, and developing countries; it includes the following 28 advanced economies: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, UK, US; note — this group would presum¬ ably also cover the following seven smaller countries of Andorra, Bermuda, Faroe Islands, Holy See, Liechtenstein, Monaco, and San Marino that are included in the more comprehensive group of “developed countries” African Development Bank (AfDB) note — its predecessor was Organization of African Unity (OAU) established — 9 September 1999 aim — to promote economic and social development regional members — (53) Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe nonregional members — (24) Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Kuwait, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US African Union (AU) note — replaces Organization of African Unity (OAU) established — 8 July 2001 aim — to achieve greater unity among African States; to defend states’ integrity and independence; to accelerate political, social, and economic integration; to encourage international cooperation; to promote democratic principles and institutions members — (53) Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (Western Sahara), Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States (ACP Group) established — 6 June 1975 aim — to manage their preferential economic and aid relationship with the EU members — (79) Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Federated States of Micronesia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia, Zimbabwe Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (OPANAL) note— acronym from Organismo para la Proscripcion de las Armas Nucleares en la America Latina y el Caribe (OPANAL) established — 14 February 1967 under the Treaty of Tlatelolco; effective — 25 April 1969 on the 11th ratification aim — to encourage the peaceful uses of atomic energy and prohibit nuclear weapons members — (33) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela Andean Community Of Nations (CAN) note — formerly known as the Andean Group (AG), the Andean Parliament, and most recently as the Andean Common Market (Ancom) established — 26 May 1969; present name established 1 October 1992; effective — 16 October 1969 aim — to promote harmonious development through economic integration members — (5) Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela associate members — (5) Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay observers — (2) Mexico, Panama Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (ABEDA) note — also known as Banque Arabe de Developpement Economique en Afrique (BADEA) 711 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK established — 18 February 1974; effective — 16 September 1974 aim — to promote economic development members — (17 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Palestine Liberation Organization; note — these are all the members of the Arab League excluding Comoros, Djibouti, Somalia, Yemen Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFESD) established — 16 May 1968 aim — to promote economic and social development members — (20 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq (suspended 1993), Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia (suspended 1993), Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization Arab Maghreb Union (AMU) established — 17 February 1989 aim — to promote cooperation and integration among the Arab states of northern Africa members — (5) Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia Arab Monetary Fund (AMF) established — 27 April 1976; effective — 2 February 1977 aim — to promote Arab cooperation, development, and integration in monetary and economic affairs members — (21 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization Arctic Council established— 18 September 1996 aim — to address the common concerns and challenges faced by Arctic governments and the people of the Arctic; to protect the Arctic environment members — (8) Canada, Denmark (Greenland, Faroe Islands), Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, US permanent participants — (6) Aleut International Association, Arctic Athabaskan Council, Gurch’in Council International, Inuit Circumpolar Conference, Russian Association of Indigenous People of the North, Saami Council observers — (5) France, Germany, Netherlands, Poland, UK ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) established — 25 July 1994 aim— to foster constructive dialogue and consultation on political and security issues of common interest and concern members — (26) Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Canada, China, EU, India, Indonesia, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, NZ, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, Timor- Leste, US, Vietnam Asian Development Bank (ADB) established — 19 December 1966 aim — to promote regional economic cooperation members — (47) Afghanistan, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, China, Cook Islands, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Nauru, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam nonregional members — (19) Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) established — 7 November 1989 aim — to promote trade and investment in the Pacific basin members — (21) Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, NZ, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, US, Vietnam observers — (3) Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Pacific Economic Cooperation Council, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) established — 8 August 1967 aim — to encourage regional economic, social, and cultural cooperation among the non-Communist countries of Southeast Asia members — (10) Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam dialogue partners — (12) Australia, Canada, China, EU, India, Japan, South Korea, NZ, Pakistan, Russia, US, UNDP observers — (1) Papua New Guinea Australia Group established — June 1985 aim — to consult on and coordinate export controls related to chemical and biological weapons 712 INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND GROUPS members — (40) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, European Commission, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US Australia-New Zealand-United States Security Treaty (ANZUS) established — 1 September 1951; effective — 29 April 1952 dim — to implement a trilateral mutual security agreement, although the US suspended security obligations to NZ on 1 1 August 1986; Australia and the US continue to hold annual meetings members — (3) Australia, NZ, US Baltic Assembly (BA) established — 12 May 1990 aim — to thoroughly discuss various cooperation issues between Baltic states members — (3) Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multisectoral Technical and Economic Coopertlon (BIMSTEC) established — June 1997 aim — to foster socio-economic cooperation among members members — (7) Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand Bank for International Settlements (BIS) established — 20 January 1930; effective — 17 March 1930 aim — to promote cooperation among central banks in international financial settlements members — (55) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, European Central Bank, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, UK, US; note — Serbia and Montenegro have separate central banks; their links with BIS are currently under review Benelux Economic Union (Benelux) note — acronym from Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg established — 3 February 1958; effective — 1 November 1960 aim — to develop closer economic cooperation and integration members — (3) Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands Big Seven note — membership is the same as the Group of 7 established — 1975 aim — to discuss and coordinate major economic policies members — (7) Big Six (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK) plus the US Black Sea Economic Cooperation Zone (BSEC) established — 25 June 1992 aim — to enhance regional stability through economic cooperation members — (12) Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine; note — Macedonia is in the process of joining observers — (16) Austria, Belarus, Black Sea Commission, Croatia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Energy Charter Secretariat, France, Germany, International Black Sea Club, Israel, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Tunisia, US; note — Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia have applied for observer status Caribbean Community and Common Market (Caricom) established — 4 July 1973; effective — 1 August 1973 aim — to promote economic integration and development, especially among the less developed countries members — (15) Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago associate members — (5) Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands obervers — (7) Aruba, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Netherlands Antilles, Puerto Rico, Venezuela Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) established — 18 October 1969; effective — 26 January 1970 aim — to promote economic development and cooperation regional members — (20) Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Colombia, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Mexico, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Venezuela nonregional members — (5) Canada, China, Germany, Italy, UK Central African Customs and Economic Union (UDEAC) see Monetary and Economic Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) 713 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Centra! African States Development Bank (BDEAC) note — acronym from Banque de Developpement des Etats de l’Afrique Centrale established — 3 December 1975 aim — to provide loans for economic development members — (10) African Development Bank (AfDB), Cameroon, Central African States Bank (BEAC), Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, France, Gabon, Kuwait Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE) note— acronym from Banco Centroamericano de Integracion Economico established — 13 December 1960 signature of Articles of Agreement; 31 May 1961 began operations aim — to promote economic integration and development members — (5) Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua nonregional members — (5) Argentina, China, Colombia, Mexico, Spain Central American Common Market (CACM) established — 13 December 1960, collapsed in 1969, reinstated in 1991 aim — to promote establishment of a Central American Common Market members — (5) Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua; note — Panama, although not a member, pursues full regional cooperation Central European Initiative (CEI) note — evolved from the Quadrilateral Initiative and the Hexagonal Initiative established — 11 November 1989 as the Quadrilateral Initiative, 27 July 1991 became the Hexagonal Initiative, July 1992 its present name was adopted aim — to form an economic and political cooperation group for the region between the Adriatic and the Baltic Seas members — (18) Albania, Austria, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine centrally planned economies a term applied mainly to the traditionally Communist states that looked to the former USSR for leadership; most are now evolving toward more democratic and market-oriented systems; also known formerly as the Second World or as as the Communist countries; through the 1980s, this group included Albania, Bulgaria, Cambodia, China, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, German Democratic Republic, Hungary, North Korea, Laos, Mongolia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, USSR, Vietnam Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) note — formerly CIS Collective Security Treaty (CST) established — 7 October 2002 aim — to coordinate military and political cooperation, to develop multilateral structures and mechanisms of cooperation for ensuring national security of the member states membersk — Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan Colombo Plan (CP) established — May 1950 proposal was adopted; 1 July 1951 commenced full operations aim — to promote economic and social development in Asia and the Pacific members — (25) Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, US, Vietnam Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) note — formerly known as Preferential Trade Area for Eastern and Southern Africa (PTA) established — 5 November 1993 aim — recognizing, promoting and protecting fundamental human rights, commitment to the principles of liberty and rule of law, maintaining peace and stability through the promotion and strengthening of good neighborliness, commitment to peaceful set¬ tlement of disputes among member states members — (20) Angola, Burundi, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sudan, Swaziland, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe Commonwealth (C) note — also known as Commonwealth of Nations established — 31 December 1931 aim — to foster multinational cooperation and assistance, as a voluntary association that evolved from the British Empire members — (53) Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brunei, Cameroon, Canada, Cyprus, Dominica, Fiji, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, NZ, Nigeria, Pakistan (suspended), Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, UK, Vanuatu, Zambia; note — on 7 December 2003 Zimbabwe withdrew its membership from the Commonwealth Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) established — 8 December 1991; effective — 21 December 1991 aim — to coordinate intercommonwealth relations and to provide a mechanism for the orderly dissolution of the USSR members — (12) Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan 714 INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND GROUPS Communist countries traditionally the Marxist-Leninist states with authoritarian governments and command economies based on the Soviet model; most of the original and the successor states are no longer Communist; see centrally planned economies Comuinidade dos Raises de Lingua Portuguesa (CPLP) established — 1996 (dm — to establish a forum for friendship among Portuguese-speaking nations where Portuguese is an official language members — (8) Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, East Timor, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal, Sao Tome and Principe associate observers — (2) Equatorial Guinea, Mauritius Coordinating Committee on Export Controls (COCOM) established in 1949 to control the export of strategic products and technical data from member countries to proscribed destina¬ tions; members were: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, UK, US; abolished 31 March 1994; COCOM members established a new organization, the Wassenaar Arrangement, with expanded membership on 12 July 1996 that focuses on nonproliferation export controls as opposed to East-West control of advanced technology Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CEMA) note — also known as CMEA or Comecon established 25 January 1949 to promote the development of socialist economies and abolished 1 January 1991; members included Afghanistan (observer), Albania (had not participated since 1961 break with USSR), Angola (observer), Bulgaria, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Ethiopia (observer), GDR, Hungary, Laos (observer), Mongolia, Mozambique (observer), Nicaragua (observer), Poland, Romania, USSR, Vietnam, Yemen (observer), Yugoslavia (associate) Council of Arab Economic Unity (CAEU) established — 3 June 1957; effective — 30 May 1964 aim — to promote economic integration among Arab nations members — (10 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Mauritania, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization Council of Europe (CE) established — 5 May 1949; effective — 3 August 1949 aim — to promote increased unity and quality of life in Europe members — (46) Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK observers — (5) Canada, Holy See, Japan, Mexico, US Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) established — 6 March 1992 aim — to promote cooperation among the Baltic Sea states in the areas of aid to new democratic institutions, economic develop¬ ment, humanitarian aid, energy and the environment, cultural programs and education, and transportation and communication members — (12) Denmark, Estonia, EC, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden observers — (7) France, Italy, Netherlands, Slovakia, Ukraine, UK, US Council of the Entente (Entente) established — 29 May 1959 aim — to promote economic, social, and political coordination members — (5) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Niger, Togo countries in transition a term used by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the middle group in its hierarchy of advanced economies, countries in transition, and developing countries; IMF statistics include the following 28 countries in transition: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan; note — this group is identical to the group traditionally referred to as the “former USSR/Eastern Europe” except for the addition of Mongolia Customs Cooperation Council (CCC) note — see World Customs Organization (WCO) developed countries (DCs) the top group in the hierarchy of developed countries (DCs), former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE), and less devel¬ oped countries (LDCs); includes the market-oriented economies of the mainly democratic nations in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Bermuda, Israel, South Africa, and the European ministates; also known as the First World, high-income countries, the North, industrial countries; generally have a per capita GDP in excess of $10,000 although four OECD countries and South Africa have figures well under $10,000 and two of the excluded OPEC countries have figures of more than $10,000; the 34 DCs are: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bermuda, Canada, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US; note — similar to the new International Monetary Fund (IMF) term “advanced economies” that adds Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan but drops Malta, Mexico, South Africa, and Turkey 715 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK developing countries a term used by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the bottom group in its hierarchy of advanced economies, countries in transition, and developing countries; IMF statistics include the following 1 26 developing countries: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE, Uganda, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe; note — this category would presumably also cover the following 46 other countries that are traditionally included in the more comprehensive group of “less developed countries”: American Samoa, Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Cayman Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Cook Islands, Cuba, Eritrea, Falkland Islands, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gaza Strip, Gibraltar, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey, North Korea, Macau, Martinique, Mayotte, Montserrat, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Saint Helena, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Tokelau, Tonga, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Virgin Islands, Wallis and Futuna, West Bank, Western Sahara East African Community (EAC) note — originally established in 1967, it was disbanded in 1977 established — January 2001 aim — to establish a political and economic union among the countries members — (5) Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda East African Development Bank (EADB) established — 6 June 1967; effective — 1 December 1967 aim — to promote economic development members — (3) Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda East Asia Summit (EAS) established — 14 December 2005 aim — to promote cooperation in political and security issues; to promote development, financial stability, energy security, eco¬ nomic integration and growth; to eradicate poverty and narrow the development gap in East Asia, and to promote deeper cul¬ tural understanding members — (16) Australia, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, NZ, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) note — was formerly the Central African Customs and Economic Union (UDEAC) established — 8 December 1964; effective — 1 January 1966 aim — to promote the establishment of a Central African Common Market members — (6) Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) note — an integral part of the European Union; also known as the European Economic and Monetary Union established — 1-2 December 1969 (proposed at summit conference of heads of government; 7 February 1992 (Maastricht Treaty signed) aim — to promote a single market by creating a single currency, the euro; timetable — 2 May 1998: European exchange rates fixed for 1 January 1999; 1 January 1999: all banks and stock exchanges begin using euros; 1 January 2002: the euro goes into circula¬ tion; 1 July 2002 local currencies no longer accepted members — (12) Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) established — 26 June 1945; effective — 24 October 1945 aim — to coordinate the economic and social work of the UN; includes five regional commissions (Economic Commission for Africa, Economic Commission for Europe, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia) and nine functional commissions (Commission for Social Development, Commission on Human Rights, Commission on Narcotic Drugs, Commission on the Status of Women, Commission on Population and Development, Statistical Commission, Commission on Science and Technology for Development, Commission on Sustainable Development, and Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice) members — (54) selected on a rotating basis from all regions Economic Community Of tho Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL) note — acronym from Communaute Economique des Pays des Grands Lacs 716 INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND GROUPS established, — 20 September 1976 aim — to promote regional economic cooperation and integration members — (3) Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda; note — organization collapsed because of fighting in 1998; reactivated in 2006 Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) established — 28 May 1975 aim — to promote regional economic cooperation members — (15) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) established— 27-29 January 1985 aim — to promote regional cooperation in trade, transportation, communications, tourism, cultural affairs, and economic development members — (10) Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) note — began as the North Atlantic Cooperation Council (NACC); an extension of NATO established — 8 November 1991; effective — 20 December 1991 aim — to discuss cooperation on mutual political and security issues members — (46) Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UK, US, Uzbekistan Eurasian Economic Community (EAEC) established — May 2001 European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) established — 8-9 January 1990 (proposals made); 15 April 1991 (bank inaugurated) aim — to facilitate the transition of seven centrally planned economies in Europe (Bulgaria, former Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, former USSR, and former Yugoslavia) to market economies by committing 60% of its loans to privatization members — (63) Albania, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, EC, European Investment Bank (EIB), Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UK, US, Uzbekistan European Community (or European Communities, EC) established 8 April 1965 to integrate the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), the European Economic Community (EEC or Common Market), and to establish a completely integrated common market and an eventual federation of Europe; merged into the European Union (EU) on 7 February 1992; member states at the time of merger were Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, UK European Free Trade Association (EFTA) established — 4 January 1960; effective — 3 May 1960 aim — to promote expansion of free trade members — (4) Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland European Investment Bank (EIB) established — 25 March 1957; effective — 1 January 1958 aim — to promote economic development of the EU and its predecessors, the EEC and the EC members — (25) Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, UK European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) note-^ acronym retained from the predecessor organization Conseil Europeenne pour la Recherche Nucleaire established — 1 July 1953; effective — 29 September 1954 aim — to foster nuclear research for peaceful purposes only members — (20) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK observers — (8) European Commission, India, Israel, Japan, Russia, Turkey, United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), US European Space Agency (ESA) established — 31 May 1975 717 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK aim — to promote peaceful cooperation in space research and technology members — (17) Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK cooperating states — (4) Canada, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania European Union (EU) note — see European Union entry at the end of the “country” listings First World another term for countries with advanced, industrialized economies; this term is fading from use; see developed countries (DCs) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) established — 16 October 1945 aim — to raise living standards and increase availability of agricultural products; a UN specialized agency members — (190) includes all UN member countries except Andorra, Brunei, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, and Singapore (187 total); plus Cook Islands, EC, and Niue former Soviet Union (FSU) former term often used to identify as a group the successor nations to the Soviet Union or USSR; this group of 15 countries con¬ sists of: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE) the middle group in the hierarchy of developed countries (DCs), former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE), and less developed countries (LDCs); these countries are in political and economic transition and may well be grouped differently in the near future; this group of 27 countries consists of: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Yugoslavia; this group is identical to the IMF group “countries in transition” except for the IMF’s inclusion of Mongolia Four Dragons the four small Asian less developed countries (LDCs) that have experienced unusually rapid economic growth; also known as the Four Tigers; this group consists of Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan; these countries are included in the IMF’s “advanced economies” group Franc Zone (FZ) note — also known as Conference des Ministres des Finances des Pays de la Zone Franc established — 1964 aim — to form a monetary union among countries whose currencies were linked to the French franc members — (16) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Republic of the Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, France, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo Front Line States (FLS) established to achieve black majority rule in South Africa; has since gone out of existence; members included Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) see the World Trade Organization (WTO) General Confederation of Trade Unions (GCTU) established — 16 April 1992 aim — to consolidate trade union actions to protect citizens’ social and labor rights and interests, to help secure trade unions’ rights and guarantees, and to strengthen international trade union solidarity members — (11) Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan Group of 2 (G-2) informal term that came into use about 1986; to facilitate bilateral economic cooperation between the two most powerful economic giants; members were Japan, US Group of 3 (G-3) established — September 1990 aim — mechanism for policy coordination members — (3) Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela Group of 5 (6-5) established — 22 September 1985 aim — to coordinate the economic policies of five major noncommunist economic powers members — (5) France, Germany, Japan, UK, US Group Of 6 (G-6) note — also known as Groupe des Six Sur le Desarmement; not to be confused with the Big Six established — 22 May 1984 aim — to achieve nuclear disarmament members — (6) Argentina, Greece, India, Mexico, Sweden, Tanzania 718 INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND GROUPS Group Of 7 (G-7) note — membership is the same as the Big Seven established — 22 September 1985 dwn — to facilitate economic cooperation among the seven major noncommunist economic powers members — (7) Group of 5 (France, Germany, Japan, UK, US) plus Canada and Italy Group of 8 (G-8) established — October 1975 aim — to facilitate economic cooperation among the developed countries (DCs) that participated in the Conference on International Economic Cooperation (CIEC), held in several sessions between December 1975 and 3 June 1977 members — (8) Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, UK, US Group of 9 (G-9) established — NA aim — to discuss matters of mutual interest on an informal basis members — (9) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Sweden Group of 10 (G-10) note — also known as the Paris Club; includes the wealthiest members of the IMF who provide most of the money to be loaned and act as the informal steering committee; name persists despite increased membership established — October 1962 aim — to coordinate credit policy members — (11) Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US observers — (4) BIS, EU, IMF, OECD Group of 11 (G-l 1) note — also known as the Cartagena Group established in 21-22 June 1984, in Cartagena, Colombia, aim was to provide a forum for largest debtor nations in Latin America; members were: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela Group of 15 (G-l 5) note — byproduct of the Nonaligned Movement; name persists despite increased membership established — September 1989 aim— to promote economic cooperation among developing nations; to act as the main political organ for the Nonaligned Movement members — (19) Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Jamaica, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Venezuela, Zimbabwe Group of 24 (G-24) established — 1 August 1989 aim — to promote the interests of developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America within the IMF members — (24) Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Iran, Lebanon, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Syria, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela observers — (1) China Group of 77 (G-77) established — 15 Junel964; October 1967 first ministerial meeting aim — to promote economic cooperation among developing countries; name persists in spite of increased membership members — (130 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burma.. Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, North Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uganda, UAE, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) note — also known as the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf established — 25 May 1981 aim — to promote regional cooperation in economic, social, political, and military affairs members — (6) Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE Organization for Democracy and Economic Development (GUAM) note-acronym standing for the member countries, Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Moldova; formerly known as GUUAM before Uzbekistan withdrew in 5 May 2005 established — 7 June 2001 aim — commits the countries to cooperation and assistance in social and economic development, the strengthening and broad¬ ening of trade and economic relations, and the development and effective use of transport and communications, highways, and related infrastructure crossing the boundaries of the member states members — (4) Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine 719 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK high income countries another term for the industrialized countries with high per capita GDPs; see developed countries (DCs) Indian Ocean Commission (InOC) established — 21 December 1982 aim — to organize and promote regional cooperation in all sectors, especially economic members — (5) Comoros, France (for Reunion), Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles industrial countries another term for the developed countries; see developed countries (DCs) Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) note — also known as Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID) established — 8 April 1959; effective — 30 December 1959 aim — to promote economic and social development in Latin America members — (47) Argentina, Austria, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Finland, France, Germany, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, US, Uniguay, Venezuela Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) note — formerly known as Inter-Governmental Authority on Drought and Development (IGADD) established — 15' 16 January 1986 as the Inter-Governmental Authority on Drought and Development; revitalized — 21 March 1996 as the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development aim — to promote a social, economic, and scientific community among its members members — (7) Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) established — 1889 aim — fosters contacts among parliamentarians, considers and expresses views of international interest and concern with the pur¬ pose of bringing about action by parliaments and parliamentarians, contributes to the defense and promotion of human rights, contributes to better knowledge of representative institutions members — (148) Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazahstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Lichtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Somalia, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Tajikistan, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe associate members — (7) Andean Parliament, Central American Parliament, Community Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States, East African Legislative Assembly, European Parliament, Latin American Parliament, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) established — 26 October 1956; effective — 29 July 1957 aim — to promote peaceful uses of atomic energy members — (145) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) note— also known as the World Bank established — 22 July 1944; effective — 27 December 1945 aim — to provide economic development loans; a UN specialized agency members — (185) includes all UN member countries except Andorra, Cuba, North Korea, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Nauru, and Tuvalu 720 INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND GROUPS International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) established — 1919 aim — to promote free trade and private enterprise and to represent business interests at national and international levels members — (91 national committees) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Caribbean, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Flong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela Internafionai Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) established — 7 December 1944; effective — 4 April 1947 aim — to promote international cooperation in civil aviation; a UN specialized agency members — (189) includes all UN member countries except Dominica, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, and Tuvalu (188 total); plus Cook Islands International Civilian Support Mission in Haiti (MICAH) established 17 December 1999 to promote respect for human rights; members included Argentina, Benin, Canada, France, India, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo, Tunisia, US; closed 2001 International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) established — 17 February 1863 aim — to provide humanitarian aid in wartime members — (15-25 individuals) all Swiss nationals International Court of Justice (ICJ) note — also known as the World Court established — 3 February 1946 superseded Permanent Court of International Justice aim — primary judicial organ of the UN members — (15 judges) elected by the UN General Assembly and Security Council to represent all principal legal systems International Criminal Court (ICCt) established — 1 1 April 2002 aim — to hold all individuals and countries accountable to international laws of conduct; to specify international standards of conduct; to provide an important mechanism for implementing these standards; to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice members (countries that have ratified the treaty) — (104) Afghanistan, Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malawi, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Montenegro, Namibia, Nauru, Netherlands, NZ, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Samoa, San Marino, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, UK, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zambia; note — Comoros and Saint Kitts and Nevis became full members on 1 November 2006 signatory states (countries that have signed, but not ratified, the treaty) — (39) Algeria, Angola, Armenia, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chile, Cote d’Ivoire, Czech Republic, Egypt, Eritrea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Iran, Jamaica, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Madagascar, Moldova, Monaco, Morocco, Mozambique, Oman, Philippines, Russia, Saint Lucia, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Solomon Islands, Sudan, Syria, Thailand, Ukraine, UAE, Uzbekistan, Yemen, Zimbabwe International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) established — September 1923 set up as the International Criminal Police Commission; 13 June 1956 constitution modified and present name adopted aim — to promote international cooperation among police authorities in fighting crime members — (186) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, 721 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe subbureaus — (11) American Samoa, Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Macau, Montserrat, Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos Islands International Development Association (IDA) established — 26 January 1960; effective — 24 September 1960 aim — to provide economic loans for low-income countries; UN specialized agency and IBRD affiliate members — (166) Part 1 — (27 developed countries) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UAE, UK, US Part II — (139 less developed countries) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe International Energy Agency (IEA) established — 15 November 1974 aim — to promote cooperation on energy matters, especially emergency oil sharing and relations between oil consumers and oil producers; established by the OECD members — (27) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS) note— formerly known as League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (LORCS) established — 5 May 1919 aim — to organize, coordinate, and direct international relief actions; to promote humanitarian activities; to represent and encourage the development of National Societies; to bring help to victims of armed conflicts, refugees, and displaced people; to reduce the vulnerability of people through development programs members — (185 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization observers — (2) Eritrea and Tuvalu International Finance Corporation (IFC) established — 25 May 1955; effective — 24 July 1956 aim — to support private enterprise in international economic development; a UN specialized agency and IBRD affiliate members — (177) includes all UN member countries except Andorra, Brunei, Cuba, Guinea, North Korea, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Montenegro, Nauru, Qatar, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Suriname, Tuvalu 722 INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND GROUPS International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) established — November 1974 aim — to promote agricultural development; a UN specialized agency members — (165) Category I — (23 industrialized aid contributors) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US Category II — (12 petroleum-exporting aid contributors) Algeria, Gabon, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Venezuela Category III — (130 aid recipients) Afghanistan, Albania, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, The Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Israel, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Niue, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Serbia (suspended since 1992), Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Uruguay, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) note — name changed from International Hydrographic Bureau on 22 September 1970 established — June 1919; effective — June 1921 aim — to train hydrographic surveyors and nautical cartographers to achieve standardization in nautical charts and electronic chart displays; to provide advice on nautical cartography and hydrography; to develop the sciences in the field of hydrography and techniques used for descriptive oceanograrphy members — (76) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Burma, Canada, Chile, China (including Hong Kong and Macau), Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo (suspended), Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominican Republic (suspended), Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Latvia, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Mozambique, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname (suspended), Sweden, Syria, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela Infernaflonal Labor Organization (ILO) established — 28 June 1919 set up as part of Treaty of Versailles; 11 April 1919 became operative; 14 December 1946 affiliated with the UN aim — to deal with world labor issues; a UN specialized agency members — (179) includes all UN member countries except Andorra, Bhutan, Brunei, North Korea, Liechtenstein, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco, Nauru, Palau, Tonga, and Tuvalu; note — includes the following dependencies: Netherlands (Netherlands Antilles and Aruba) International Maritime Organization (IMO) note — name changed from Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization (IMCO) on 22 May 1982 established — 6 March 1948 set up as the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization; effective — 17 March 1958 aim — to deal with international maritime affairs; a UN specialized agency members — (167) includes all UN member countries except Afghanistan, Andorra, Armenia, Belarus, Bhutan, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Mali, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niger, Palau, Rwanda, Tajikistan, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Zambia associate members — (3) Faroe Islands, Hong Kong, Macau International Mobile Satellite Organization (IMSO) established — 15 April 1999 aim — acts as watchdog over Inmarsat (International Maritime Satellite Organization), a private company, to make sure it fol¬ lows ICAO standards and recommended practices; plays an active role in the development of international telecommunica¬ tions policies members — (87) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Malaysia, Malta, Marshall Islands, Maurtius, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Mozambique, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Vietnam 723 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK International Monetary Fund (IMF) established — 22 July 1944; effective — 27 December 1945 aim — to promote world monetary stability and economic development; a UN specialized agency members — (184) includes all UN member countries except Andorra, Cuba, North Korea, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Nauru, Tuvalu; note — includes the following dependencies or areas of special interest: China (Hong Kong and Macau), Netherlands (Netherlands Antilles and Aruba) International Olympic Committee (IOC) established — 23 June 1894 aim — to promote the Olympic ideals and administer the Olympic games: 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy; 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China; 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada; 2012 Summer Olympics in London, UK National Olympic Committees — (203 and the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guam, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization International Organization for Migration (I0M) note — established as Provisional Intergovernmental Committee for the Movement of Migrants from Europe; renamed Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration (ICEM) on 15 November 1952; renamed Intergovernmental Committee for Migration (ICM) in November 1980; current name adopted 14 November 1989 established — 5 December 1951 aim — to facilitate orderly international emigration and immigration members — (120) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Rwanda, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe observers — (19) Bhutan, Burundi, China, Cuba, Ethiopia, Guyana, Holy See, India, Indonesia, Macedonia, Mozambique, Namibia, Papua New Guinea, Russia, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Somalia, Turkmenistan, Vietnam International Organization for Standardization (ISO) established — February 1947 aim — to promote the development of international standards with a view to facilitating international exchange of goods and services and to developing cooperation in the sphere of intellectual, scientific, technological and economic activity members — (103 national standards organizations) Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saint Lucia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zimbabwe correspondent members — (43 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan, Albania, Angola, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burma, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Georgia, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, 724 INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND GROUPS Hong Kong, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macau, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Moldova, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Swaziland, Togo, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia, Palestine Liberation Organization subscriber members — (9) Antigua and Barbuda, Burundi, Cambodia, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Honduras, Lesotho, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines International Organization Of the French-speaking World (OIF) note — name changed from Agency of Cultural and Technical Cooperation (ACCT) in 1997 established — 20 March 1970 flitn — founded around a common language to promote and spread the cultures of its members and to reinforce cultural and tech- nical cooperation between them members — (55) Albania, Andorra, Belgium, Benin, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Canada — New Brunswick, Canada — Quebec, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominica, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, France, French Community of Belgium, Gabon, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Laos, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Moldova, Monaco, Morocco, Niger, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Switzerland, Togo, Tunisia, Vanuatu, Vietnam observers — (13) Armenia, Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Georgia, Hungary, Lithuania, Mozambique, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (ICRM) established — 1928 aim — to promote worldwide humanitarian aid through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in wartime, and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS; formerly League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies or LORCS) in peacetime National Societies — (182 countries); note — same as membership for International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS) International Telecommunications Satellites Organization (ITSO) established — August 1964 aim — to act as a watchdog over Intelsat, Ltd., a private company, to make sure it provides on a global and non-discriminatory basis public telecommunication services members— ( 148) Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, the Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe International Telecommunication Union (ITU) established — 17 May 1865 set up as the International Telegraph Union; 9 December 1932 adopted present name; effective — 1 January 1934; affiliated with the UN — 15 November 1947 aim — to deal with world telecommunications issues; a UN specialized agency members — (191) includes all UN member countries except East Timor, Palau (190 total); plus Holy See International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) note — its predecessors were the Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) and the World Confederation of Labor ( WCL) established — 3 November 2006 aim — to promote the trade union movement members — (306 affiliated organizations in the following 153 countries) Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bonaire, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Croatia, Curacao, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Polynesia, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Latvia, Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, New Caledonia, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Helena, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, 725 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe Islamic Development Bank (IDB) established — 15 December 1973 by declaration of intent; effective — 12 August 1974 aim — to promote Islamic economic aid and social development members — (55 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Cote d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea- Bissau, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Suriname, Syria, Tajikistan, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, UAE, Uzbekistan, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization Latin American Economic System (LAES) note — also known as Sistema Economico Latinoamericana (SELA) established — 17 October 1975 aim — to promote economic and social development through regional cooperation members — (27) Argentina, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela Latin American Integration Association (LAIA) note — also known as Asociacion Latinoamericana de Integracion (ALADI) established — 12 August 1980; effective — 18 March 1981 aim — to promote freer regional trade members — (12) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela observers — (26) China, Corporacion Andina de Fomento, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, EC, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Inter- American Development Bank, Inter- American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Latin America Economic System, Nicaragua, Organization of American States, Panama, Pan-American Health Organization, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Nations Development Program, United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean League Of Arab States (LAS) note — also known as Arab League (AL) established — 22 March 1945 aim — aim — to promote economic, social, political, and military cooperation members — (21 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization least developed countries (LLDCs) that subgroup of the less developed countries (LDCs) initially identified by the UN General Assembly in 1971 as having no sig¬ nificant economic growth, per capita GDPs normally less than $ 1 ,000, and low literacy rates; also known as the undeveloped countries; the 42 LLDCs are: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kiribati, Laos, Lesotho, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Yemen less developed countries (LDCs) the bottom group in the hierarchy of developed countries (DCs), former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE), and less developed countries (LDCs); mainly countries and dependent areas with low levels of output, living standards, and technology; per capita GDPs are generally below $5,000 and often less than $1,500; however, the group also includes a number of countries with high per capita incomes, areas of advanced technology, and rapid rates of growth; includes the advanced developing coun¬ tries, developing countries, Four Dragons (Four Tigers), least developed countries (LLDCs), low-income countries, middle- income countries, newly industrializing economies (NIEs), the South, Third World, underdeveloped countries, undeveloped countries; the 172 LDCs are: Afghanistan, Algeria, American Samoa, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Falkland Islands, Fiji, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gabon, The Gambia, Gaza Strip, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guernsey, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Isle of Man, Jamaica, Jersey, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Macau, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mayotte, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands Antilles, New Caledonia, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Oman, Palau, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Reunion, Rwanda, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, UAE, Uganda, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands, Wallis 726 INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND GROUPS and Futuna, West Bank, Western Sahara, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe; note — similar to the new International Monetary Fund (IMF) term “developing countries” which adds Malta, Mexico, South Africa, and Turkey but omits in its recently published sta- tistics American Samoa, Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Cayman Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Cook Islands, Cuba, Eritrea, Falkland Islands, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gaza Strip, Gibraltar, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey, North Korea, Macau, Martinique, Mayotte, Montserrat, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Saint Helena, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Tokelau, Tonga, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Virgin Islands, Wallis and Futuna, West Bank, Western Sahara low-income countries another term for those less developed countries with below-average per capita GDPs; see less developed countries (LDCs) middle-income countries another term for those less developed countries with above-average per capita GDPs; see less developed countries (LDCs) Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) established. - — 12 April 1988 aim — encourages flow of foreign direct investment among member countries by offering investment insurance, consultation, and negotiation on conditions for foreign investment and technical assistance; a UN specialized agency members — (168) includes all UN member countries except Andorra, Bhutan, Brunei, Burma, Comoros, Cuba, Djibouti, Iraq, Kirabati, North Korea, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, Nauru, NZ, Niger, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Somalia, Tonga, Tuvalu Near Abroad Russian term for the 14 non-Russian successor states of the USSR, in which 25 million ethnic Russians live and in which Moscow has expressed a strong national security interest; the 14 countries are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan new independent states (NIS) a term referring to all the countries of the FSU except the Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) newly industrializing countries (NICs) former term for the newly industrializing economies; see newly industrializing economies (NIEs) newly industrializing economies (NIEs) that subgroup of the less developed countries (LDCs) that has experienced particularly rapid industrialization of their economies; formerly known as the newly industrializing countries (NICs); also known as advanced developing countries; usually includes the Lour Dragons (Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan), and Brazil Nonaligned Movement (NAM) established — 1-6 September 1961 aim — to establish political and military cooperation apart from the traditional East or West blocs members — (116 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Kenya, North Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uganda, UAE, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization observers — (15) Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvadore, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Paraguay, Serbia, Ukraine, Uruguay guests — (23) Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland Nordic Council (NC) established — 16 March 1952; effective — 12 February 1953 aim — to promote regional economic, cultural, and environmental cooperation members — (5) Denmark (including Faroe Islands and Greenland), Finland (including Aland Islands), Iceland, Norway, Sweden observers — (3) the Sami (Lapp) local parliaments of Finland, Norway, and Sweden Nordic Investment Bank (NIB) established — 4 December 1975; effective — 1 June 1976 aim — to promote economic cooperation and development members — (8) Denmark (including Faroe Islands and Greenland), Estonia, Finland (including Aland Islands), Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden 727 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK North a popular term for the rich industrialized countries generally located in the northern portion of the Northern Hemisphere; the counterpart of the South; see developed countries (DCs) North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) established. — 17 December 1992 aim — to eliminate trade barriers, promote fair competition, increase investment opportunities, provide protection of intellectual property rights, and create procedures to settle disputes members — (3) Canada, Mexico, US North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) established — 4 April 1949 aim — to promote mutual defense and cooperation members — (26) Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, UK, US Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) note — also known as OECD Nuclear Energy Agency established — 1 February 1958 aim — to promote the peaceful uses of nuclear energy; associated with OECD members — (28) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) note — also known as the London Suppliers Group or the London Group established — 1974; effective — 1975 aim — to establish guidelines for exports of nuclear materials, processing equipment for uranium enrichment, and technical infor¬ mation to countries of proliferation concern and regions of conflict and instability members — (45) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US observer — (1) European Commission (a policy-planning body for the EU) Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) established — 14 December 1960; effective — 30 September 1961 aim — to promote economic cooperation and development members — (30) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US special member — ( 1 ) EC Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) note — formerly the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) established 3 July 1975 established — 1 January 1995 aim — to foster the implementation of human rights, fundamental freedoms, democracy, and the rule of law; to act as an instru¬ ment of early warning, conflict prevention, and crisis management; and to serve as a framework for conventional arms control and confidence building measures members — (56) Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UK, US, Uzbekistan partners for cooperation — (11) Afghanistan, Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Mongolia, Morocco, Thailand, Tunisia Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) established — 29 April 1997 aim — to enforce the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling, and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction; to provide a forum for consultation and cooperation among the signatories of the Convention members (countries that have ratified the Convention) — (181) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Djibouti, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, 728 INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND GROUPS Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe signatory states (countries that have signed, but not ratified, the Convention) — (6) The Bahamas, Burma, Republic of the Congo, Dominican Republic, Guinea-Bissau, Israel Organization of African Unity (OAU) see African Union Organization of American States (OAS) established — 14 April 1890 as the International Union of American Republics; 30 April 1948 adopted present charter; effec¬ tive — 13 December 1951 aim — to promote regional peace and security as well as economic and social development members — (35) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba (excluded from formal participation since 1962), Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, US, Uruguay, Venezuela observers — (60) Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, EU, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Latvia, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Morocco, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, Yemen Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) established — 9 January 1968 aim — to promote cooperation in the petroleum industry members — (11) Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia (suspended), UAE Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) established — 18 June 1981; effective — 4 July 1981 aim — to promote political, economic, and defense cooperation members — (7) Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines associate member — (2) Anguilla, British Virgin Islands Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) established — 14 September 1960 aim — to coordinate petroleum policies members — (11) Algeria, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Venezuela Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) established- — 22-25 September 1969 aim — to promote Islamic solidarity in economic, social, cultural, and political affairs members — (56 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Cote d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea- Bissau, Guyana, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Suriname, Syria, Tajikistan, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, UAE, Uzbekistan, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization observers — (11) AU, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Central African Republic, ECO, LAS, Moro National Liberation Front, NAM, Russia, Thailand, Turkish Muslim Community of Kibris, UN Pacific Community (SPC) note — formerly known as the South Pacific Commission (SPC) established — 6 February 1947; effective — 29 July 1948 aim — to promote regional cooperation in economic and social matters members — (26) American Samoa, Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, France, French Polynesia, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, New Caledonia, NZ, Niue, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, US, Vanuatu, Wallis and Futuna; note — UK withdrew in January 2005 Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) note — formerly known as South Pacific Forum (SPF) established — 5 August 1971 729 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK aim — to promote regional cooperation in political matters members — (16) Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, NZ, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu observers — (4) French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Timor-Leste, Tokelau Paris Club established. — 1956 aim — to provide a forum for debtor countries to negotiate rescheduling of debt service payments or loans extended by govern¬ ments or official agencies of participating countries; to help restore normal trade and project finance to debtor countries members — (19) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US Partnership for Peace (PFP) established — 10-11 January 1994 aim — to expand and intensify political and military cooperation throughout Europe, increase stability, diminish threats to peace, and build relationships by promoting the spirit of practical cooperation and commitment to democratic principles that underpin NATO; program under the auspices of NATO members — (23) Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Finland, Georgia, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Russia, Serbia, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan; note — a nation that becomes a member of NATO is no longer a member of PFP Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) established — 29 July 1899 aim — to facilitate the settlement of international disputes members — (105) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe RIO Group (RG) note — formerly known as Grupo de los Ocho, established NA December 1986; composed of the Contadora Group and the Lima Group established — 1988 aim — to consult on regional Latin American issues members — (20) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, CARICOM, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela Second World another term for the traditionally Marxist-Leninist states of the USSR and Eastern Europe, with authoritarian governments and command economies based on the Soviet model; the term is fading from use; see centrally planned economies Secretarlaf of fhe Pacific Communities (SPC) established — 6 February 1947 aim — to serve island development in 22 Pacific countries; to develop technical assistance and professional, scientific, and research support; to build planning and management capability members — (26) America Samoa, Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, France, French Polynesia, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Northern Mariana Islands, NZ, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, US, Wallis and Futuna Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) established — 15 June 2001 aim — to combat terrorism, extremism, and separatism; to safeguard regional security through mutual trust, disarmament, and cooperative security; and to increase cooperation in political, trade, economic, scientific and technological, cultural, and educa¬ tional fields members — (6) China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan observer — (4) India, Iran, Mongolia, Pakistan socialist countries in general, countries in which the government owns and plans the use of the major factors of production; note — the term is sometimes used incorrectly as a synonym for Communist countries South a popular term for the poorer, less industrialized countries generally located south of the developed countries; the counterpart of the North; see less developed countries (LDCs) 730 INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND GROUPS South American Community of Nations (CSN) established — 9 December 2004 airn — to coordinate common policies regarding multilateral organizations, to integrate physical infrastructure, and to consolidate the merger of CAN and Mercosur members — (12) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Surinam, Uruguay, Venezuela observers — (2) Mexico, Panama South Asia Co-operative Environment Program (SACEP) established — January 1983 aim — to promote regional cooperation in South Asia in the field of environment, both natural and human, and on issues of eco¬ nomic and social development; to support conservation and management of natural resources of the region members — (7) Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) established — 8 December 1985 aim — to promote economic, social, and cultural cooperation members — (7) Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka observers — (5) China, EC, Japan, South Korea, US South Pacific Forum (SPF) note— see Pacific Island Forum South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement (Sparteca) established — 1981 aim — to redress unequal trade relationships of Australia and New Zealand with small island economies in the Pacific region members — (16) Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Naum, NZ, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu Southern African Customs Union (SACU) established — 11 December 1969 aim — to promote free trade and cooperation in customs matters members — (5) Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland Southern African Development Community (SADC) note — evolved from the Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC) established — 17 August 1992 aim — to promote regional economic development and integration members — (14) Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe Southern Cone Common Market (Mercosur) or Southern Common Market note— also known as Mercado Comun del Cono Sur (Mercosur) established — 26 March 1991 aim — to increase regional economic cooperation members — (5) Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Venezuela associate members — (5) Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru; note — Mexico is to become an associate member by the end of 2006 Third World another term for the less developed countries; the term is obsolescent; see less developed countries (LDCs) underdeveloped countries refers to those less developed countries with the potential for above-average economic growth; see less developed countries (LDCs) undeveloped countries refers to those extremely poor less developed countries (LDCs) with little prospect for economic growth; see least developed countries (LLDCs) Union Latina established — 15 May 1954; became functional 1983 aim — to project, protect, and promote the common heritage and unifying idenitites of the Latin, and Latin-influenced, world members — (37) Andorra, Angola, Bolivia, Brazil, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Italy, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Spain, Uruguay, Venezuela observers — (3) Argentina, Holy See, Malta United Nations (UN) established — 26 June 1945; effective — 24 October 1945 aim — to maintain international peace and security and to promote cooperation involving economic, social, cultural, and human¬ itarian problems 731 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK constituent organizations — the UN is composed of six principal organs and numerous subordinate agencies and bodies as follows: 1 ) Secretariat 2) General Assembly: Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UN AIDS), International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW), Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Preparation Commission for the Nuclear-Ban-Treaty Operation ((CTBTU), United Nations Center for Human Settlements (UN -Habitat), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), United Nations Development Program (UNDP), United Nations Drug Control Program (UNDCP), United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Office of Project Services (UNOPS), United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD), United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC), United Nations University (UNU), World Food Program (WFP) 3) Security Council: International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY), International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), United Nations Compensation Commission, United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT), United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), United Nations Operation in Burundi (ONUB), United Nations Operation in Cote d’Ivoire (UNOCI), United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), United Nations Mission in the Sudan (UNMIS), United Nations Monitoring and Verification Commission (UNMOVIC), United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG), United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), United Nations Peace-Keeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), and United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) 4) Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC): Commission for Social Development, Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, Commission on Narcotics Drugs, Commission on Population and Development, Commission on Science and Technology for Development, Commission on Sustainable Development, Commission on the Status of Women, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Economic Commission for Europe (ECE), Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), International Center for Secretariat of Investment Disputes (ICSID), International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), International Development Association (IDA), International Finance Corporation (IFC), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), International Labor Organization (ILO), International Maritime Organization (IMO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Multilateral Investment Geographic Agency (MIGA), Statistical Commission, United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), United Nations Forum on Forests, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Universal Postal Union (UPU), World Health Organization (WHO), World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), World Meteorological Organization (WMO), World Tourism Organization (WToO), and World Trade Organization (WTO) 5) Trusteeship Council (inactive; no trusteeships at this time) 6) International Court of Justice (ICJ) United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) note — acronym retained from the predecessor organization, UN International Children’s Emergency Fund established — 11 December 1946 aim — to help establish child health and welfare services members — (36) selected on a rotating basis from all regions United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) established — 30 December 1964 aim — to promote international trade members — (193) all UN members plus Holy See United Nations Development Program (UNDP) established — 22 November 1965 aim — to provide technical assistance to stimulate economic and social development members (executive board) — (36) selected on a rotating basis from all regions United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) established — 31 May 1974 aim — to observe the 1973 Arab-Israeli cease-fire; established by the UN Security Council members — (7) Austria, Canada, India, Japan, Nepal, Poland, Slovakia United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) established — 16 November 1945; effective — 4 November 1946 aim — to promote cooperation in education, science, and culture 732 INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND GROUPS members — (191) includes all UN member countries except Liechtenstein, Montenegro, and Singapore (188 total); plus Cook Islands and Niue associate members — (6) Aruba, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Macau, Netherlands Antilles, Tokelau United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) established — 15 December 1972 aim — to promote international cooperation on all environmental matters members — (58) selected on a rotating basis from all regions United Nations General Assembly established — 26 June 1945; effective — 24 October 1945 aim — to function as the primary deliberative organ of the UN members — (192) all UN members are represented in the General Assembly United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) established — 3 December 1949; effective — 1 January 1951 aim — to ensure the humanitarian treatment of refugees and find permanent solutions to refugee problems members (executive committee) — (70) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Cyprus, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Holy See, Hungary, India, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Lebanon, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UK, US, Venezuela, Yemen, Zambia United Nations industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) established — 17 November 1966; effective — 1 January 1967 aim — UN specialized agency that promotes industrial development especially among the members members — (172) includes all UN member countries except Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Estonia, Iceland, Kiribati, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Samoa, San Marino, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, US United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) established — 11 December 1963 adoption of the resolution establishing the Institute; effective — 24 March 1965 aim — to help the UN become more effective through training and research members (Board of Trustees) — (18) Belgium, Brazil, China, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Ghana, Japan, Kuwait, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, South Africa, Switzerland, US; note— the UN Secretary General can appoint up to 30 members United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) established — 10 June 1999 aim — to promote the establishment of substantial autonomy and self-government in Kosovo; to perform basic civilian adminis¬ trative functions; to support the reconstruction of key infrastructure and humanitarian and disaster relief note — gives civilian support only; works closely with NATO Kosovo Force (KFOR) United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) established — 19 March 1978 aim — to confirm the withdrawal of Israeli forces, and assist in reestablishing Lebanese authority in southern Lebanon; established by the UN Security Council members — (11) Belgium, China, Finland, France, Ghana, India, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Poland, Spain United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) established — 24 January 1949 aim — to observe the 1949 India-Pakistan cease-fire; established by the UN Security Council members — (8) Chile, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Italy, South Korea, Sweden, Uruguay United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) established — 29 April 1991 aim — to supervise the cease-fire and conduct a referendum in Western Sahara; established by the UN Security Council members — (25) Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, China, Croatia, Denmark, Egypt, El Slavador, France, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Honduras, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Poland, Russia, Sri Lanka, Uruguay United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) established — 31 July 2000 aim — to monitor the cessation of hostilities members — (39) Algeria, Austria, Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, India, Iran, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Norway, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Tunisia, Ukraine, US, Uruguay, Zambia 733 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) established. — 19 September 2003 aim — to support the cease-fire agreement and peace process, protect UN facilities and people, support humanitarian activities, and assist in national security reform Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Finland, France, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Moldova, Mongolia, Namibia, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Serbia, Sweden, Togo, Ukraine, UK, US, Zambia United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) established on 22 October 1999; aim was to to cooperate with the Government of Sierra Leone and the other parties to the Peace Agreement in the implementation of the agreement; to monitor the military and security situation in Sierra Leone; to monitor the disarmament and demobilization of combatants and members of the Civil Defense Forces (CFD); to assist in moni¬ toring respect for international humanitarian law; mandate ended 31 December 2005; members were Bangladesh, Bolivia, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Egypt, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Guinea, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Tanzania, Thailand, Ukraine, UK, Uruguay, Zambia United Nations Mission in the Sudan (UNMIS) established — March 2005 aim — to support implementation of the comprehensive Peace Agreement by Monitoring and verifying the implementation of the Cease Fire Agreement, by observing and monitoring movements of armed groups, and by helping disarm, demobilizing and reintegrating armed bands members — (59) Australia, Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Canada, China, Croatia, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Fiji, Finland, Gabon, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Moldova, Mongolia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherland, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET) established on 1 7 May 2002 to provide assistance to structures critical to public security and to assist in the development of law enforcement agencies; to contribute to extenal security; members were Australia, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Denmark, Fiji, Jordan, Malaysia, Mozambique, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Sweden; completed its mandate 20 May 2005 United Nations Monitoring, Verification, and Inspection Commission (UNMOViC) note — formerly known as United Nations Special Commission for the Elimination of Iraq’s Weapons of Mass Destruction (UNSCOM) established — December 1999 aim — to identify, account for, and eliminate Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction and the capacity to produce them commissioners — (16) Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, UN Department for Disarmament Affairs, France, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, Russia, Senegal, Ukraine, UK, US United Nations Operation in Burundi (ONUB) established — 21 May 2004 aim — to support and help implement the efforts undertaken by Burundians to restore lasting peace and bring about national rec¬ onciliation members — (30) Algeria, Belgium, Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Malawi, Mali, Nambia, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Senegal, South Africa, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Yemen United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) established — 24 August 1993 aim — to verify compliance with the cease-fire agreement, to monitor weapons exclusion zone, and to supervise CIS peacekeeping force for Abkhazia; established by the UN Security Council members — (26) Albania, Austria, Bangladesh, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Jordan, South Korea, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) established — 30 November 1999 aim — to establish contacts with the signatories to the cease-fire agreement and to plan for the observation of the cease-fire and disengagement of forces members — (51) Algeria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, France, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Kenya, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Serbia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Togo, Tunisia, Ukraine, UK, Uruguay, Zambia United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI) established — 27 February 2004 aim — to facilitate the implementation by the Ivorian parties of the peace agreement signed by them in January 2003 734 INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND GROUPS members — (41) Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Chad, China, Croatia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Ethiopia, France, The Gambia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, India, Ireland, Jordan, Kenya, Moldova, Morocco, Namibia, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Serbia, Tanzania, Togo, Turkey, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Yemen United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) established — 4 March 1964 aim — to serve as a peacekeeping force between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots in Cyprus; established by the UN Security Council members — (7) Argentina, Austria, Croatia, Hungary, Slovakia, UK, Uruguay United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) note — acronym retained from predecessor organization UN Fund for Population Activities established — July 1967 aim — to assist both developed and developing countries to deal with their population problems members (executive board ) — (36) selected on a rotating basis from all regions United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) established — 8 December 1949 aim — to provide assistance to Palestinian refugees members (advisory commission) — (22) Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, EC, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Lebanon, Netherlands, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Turkey, UK, US United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD) established — 1963 aim — to conduct research into the problems of economic development during different phases of economic growth members — no country members, but a Board of Directors consisting of a chairman appointed by the UN secretary general and 10 individual members United Nations Secretariat established — 26 June 1945; effective — 24 October 1945 aim — to serve as the primary administrative organ of the UN; a Secretary General is appointed for a five-year term by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council members — the UN Secretary General and staff United Nations Security Council (UNSC) established — 26 June 1945; effective — 24 October 1945 aim — to maintain international peace and security permanent members — (5) China, France, Russia, UK, US nonpermanent members — (10) elected for two-year terms by the UN General Assembly; Belgium (2007-08), Republic of the Congo (2006-07), Ghana (2006-07), Indonesia (2007-08), Italy (2007-08), Panama (2007-08), Peru (2006-07), Qatar (2006- 07), Slovakia (2006-07), South Africa (2007-08) United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) established — 30 April 2004 aim — to stabilize Haiti in many areas for at least six months members — (19) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Ecuador, France, Guatemala, Jordan, Morocco, Nepal, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Sri Lanka, US, Uruguay United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) established — June 1948 aim — to supervise the 1948 Arab-Israeli cease-fire; currently supports timely deployment of reinforcements to other peace¬ keeping operations in the region as needed; initially established by the UN Security Council members — (23) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, US United Nations Trusteeship Council established on 26 June 1945, effective on 24 October 1945, to supervise the administration of the 11 UN trust territories; mem¬ bers were China, France, Russia, UK, US; it formally suspended operations 1 November 1995 after the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (Palau) became the Republic of Palau, a constitutional government in free association with the US; the Trusteeship Council was not dissolved United Nations University (UNU) established — 3 December 1973 aim — to conduct research in development, welfare, and human survival and to train scholars members — (24 members of UNU Council and the Rector are appointed by the Secretary General of the United Nations and the Director General of UNESCO) Universal Postal Union (UPU) established — 9 October 1874, affiliated with the UN 15 November 1947; effective — 1 July 1948 735 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK aim — to promote international postal cooperation; a UN specialized agency members — (189) includes all UN member countries except Andorra, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, and Palau (188 total); plus Holy See; note — includes the following dependencies or areas of special interest: Australia (Norfolk Island), China (Hong Kong, Macau), Denmark (Faroe Islands, Greenland), France (French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Mayotte, New Caledonia, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Wallis and Futuna), Netherlands (Aruba, Netherlands Antilles), NZ (Cook Island, Niue, Tokelau), UK (Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey; Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, Turks and Caicos), US (American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands) Warsaw Pact (WP) established 14 May 1955 to promote mutual defense; members met 1 July 1991 to dissolve the alliance; member states at the time of dissolution were: Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and the USSR; earlier members included German Democratic Republic (GDR) and Albania West African Development Bank (WADB) note — also known as Banque Ouest-Africaine de Developpement (BOAD); is a financial institution of WAEMU established — 14 November 1973 aim — to promote regional economic development and integration regional members — (9) Central Bank of West African States, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo intemational/nonregional members — (6) African Development Bank, Belgium, European Investment Bank, France, Germany, People’s Bank of China West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) note — also known as Union Economique et Monetaire Ouest Africaine (UEMOA) established — 1 August 1994 aim — to increase competitiveness of members’ economic markets; to create a common market members — (8) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo Western European Union (WEU) established — 23 October 1954; effective — 6 May 1955 aim — to provide mutual defense and to move toward political unification members — (10) Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, UK associate members — (6) Czech Republic, Hungary, Iceland, Norway, Poland, Turkey associate partners — (7) Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia observers — (5) Austria, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Sweden World Bank Group includes International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), International Development Association (IDA), International Finance Corporation (IFC), and Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) World Confederation of Labor (WCL) established — 19 June 1920 as the International Federation of Christian Trade Unions (IFCTU), renamed 4 October 1968 aim — to promote the trade union movement members — (105 national organizations) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, French Guiana, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Niger, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Ukraine, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe World Customs Organization (WCO) note — began as the Customs Cooperation Council (CCC) established — 15 December 1950 aim — to promote international cooperation in customs matters members — (171) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, 736 INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND GROUPS Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) established — 3 October 1945 aim — to promote the trade union movement members — (125 and the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan, Albania, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Guiana, The Gambia, Ghana, Greece, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, North Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Martinique, Mauritius, Mexico, Mozambique, Nepal, New Caledonia, NZ, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Romania, Russia, Saint Lucia, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization World Food Program (WFP) established — 24 November 1961 aim — to provide food aid in support of economic development or disaster relief; an ECOSOC organization members — (36) selected on a rotating basis from all regions World Health Organization (WHO) established — 22 July 1946; effective — 7 April 1948 aim — to deal with health matters worldwide; a UN specialized agency members — (193) includes all UN member countries except Liechtenstein (191 total); plus Cook Islands and Niue World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) established — 14 July 1967; effective — 26 April 1970 aim — to furnish protection for literary, artistic, and scientific works; a UN specialized agency members — (184) includes all UN member countries except East Timor, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Vanuatu (182 total); plus Holy See World Meteorological Organization (WMO) established — 11 October 1947; effective — 4 April 1951 aim — to sponsor meteorological cooperation; a UN specialized agency members — (188) includes all UN member countries except Andorra, East Timor, Equatorial Guinea, Grenada, Liechtenstein, Marshall Islands, Montenegro, Nauru, Palau, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Tuvalu (179 total); plus Aruba, British Caribbean Territories, Cook Islands, French Polynesia, Hong Kong, Macau, Netherlands Antilles, New Caledonia, and Niue World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) established — 2 January 1975 aim — to promote tourism as a means of contributing to economic development, international understanding, and peace members — (150) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Lithuania, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe associate members — (7) Aruba, Flanders, Hong Kong, Macau, Madeira Islands, Netherlands Antilles, Puerto Rico observers — (1 plus Palestine Liberation Organization) Holy See, Palestine Liberation Organization World Trade Organization (WTO) note — succeeded General Agreement on Tariff and Trade (GATT) established — 15 April 1994; effective — 1 January 1995 737 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK aim — to provide a forum to resolve trade conflicts between members and to carry on negotiations with the goal of further low¬ ering and/or eliminating tariffs and other trade barriers members — (150) Albania, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, EC, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe observers — (31) Afghanistan, Algeria, Andorra, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Belarus, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cape Verde, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Holy See, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, Libya, Montenegro, Russia, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Serbia, Seychelles, Sudan, Tajikistan, Tonga, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Yemen; note — with the excep¬ tion of the Holy See, an observer must start accession negotiations within five years of becoming observers; Montenegro and Serbia each sent observers Zangger Committee (ZC) established — early 1970s aim — to establish guidelines for the export control provisions of the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons Treaty (NPT) members — (36) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US observers — (1) EC Southeast European Cooperative initiative (SECI) established — 6 December 1996 aim — to encourage cooperation among participating states and to facilitate their integration into European structures members — (12) Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Macedonia, Moldova, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Turkey observers — (15) Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Canada, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Ukraine, UK, US 738 APPENDIX C SELECTED INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL AGREEMENTS Air Poiiution see Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Nitrogen Oxides or Their Transboundary Fluxes Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Persistent Organic Pollutants Air Pollution-Sulphur 85 see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on the Reduction of Sulphur Emissions or Their Transboundary Fluxes by at least 30% Air Pollution-Sulphur 94 see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Further Reduction of Sulphur Emissions Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds or Their Transboundary Fluxes Antarctic— Environmental Protocol see Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty Antarctic Treaty opened for signature — 1 December 1959 entered into force — 23 June 1961 objective — to ensure that Antarctica is used for peaceful purposes only (such as international cooperation in scientific research); to defer the question of territorial claims asserted by some nations and not recognized by others; to provide an international forum for management of the region; applies to land and ice shelves south of 60 degrees south latitude parties — (45) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal note — abbreviated as Hazardous Wastes opened for signature — 22 March 1989 entered into force— 5 May 1992 objective — to reduce transboundary movements of wastes subject to the Convention to a minimum consistent with the environ¬ mentally sound and efficient management of such wastes; to minimize the amount and toxicity of wastes generated and ensure their environmentally sound management as closely as possible to the source of generation; and to assist LDCs in environmen¬ tally sound management of the hazardous and other wastes they generate parties — (163) Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, EU, Finland, France, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia countries that have signed, but not yet ratified — (3) Afghanistan, Haiti, US Biodiversity see Convention on Biological Diversity 739 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Climate Change see United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol see Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals note — abbreviated as Antarctic Seals opened for signature — 1 June 1972 entered into force — 11 March 1978 objective — to promote and achieve the protection, scientific study, and rational use of Antarctic seals, and to maintain a satisfac¬ tory balance within the ecological system of Antarctica parties — (16) Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Poland, Russia, South Africa, UK, US countries that have signed, but not yet ratified — (1) NZ Convention on Biological Diversity note — abbreviated as Biodiversity opened for signature — 5 June 1992 entered into force — 29 December 1993 objective — to develop national strategies for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity parties — (182) Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe countries that have signed, but not yet ratified — (6) Afghanistan, Kuwait, Serbia, Thailand, Tuvalu, US Convention on Fishing and Conservation of Living Resources of the High Seas note — abbreviated as Marine Life Conservation opened for signature — 29 April 1958 entered into force — 20 March 1966 objective — to solve through international cooperation the problems involved in the conservation of living resources of the high seas, considering that because of the development of modern technology some of these resources are in danger of being overex¬ ploited parties — (38) Australia, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Colombia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Finland, France, Haiti, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Netherlands, Nigeria, Portugal, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, UK, US, Venezuela countries that have signed, but not yet ratified — (20) Afghanistan, Argentina, Bolivia, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ghana, Iceland, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Lebanon, Liberia, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Panama, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Uruguay Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution note — abbreviated as Air Pollution opened for signature — 13 November 1979 entered into force — 16 March 1983 objective — to protect the human environment against air pollution and to gradually reduce and prevent air pollution, including long-range transboundary air pollution parties — (48) Armenia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, EU, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US countries that have signed, but not yet ratified — (2) Holy See, San Marino 740 SELECTED INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL AGREEMENTS Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar) note — abbreviated as Wetlands opened for signature — 2 February 1971 entered into force — 21 December 1975 objective — to stem the progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural, scientific, and recreational value parties — (153) Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Tajikistan, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources note — abbreviated as Antarctic-Marine Living Resources opened for signature — 5 May 1980 entered into force — 7 April 1982 objective — to safeguard the environment and protect the integrity of the ecosystem of the seas surrounding Antarctica, and to conserve Antarctic marine living resources parties — (31) Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mauritius, Namibia, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Peru, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Vanuatu Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) note — abbreviated as Endangered Species opened for signature — 3 March 1973 entered into force — 1 July 1975 objective — to protect certain endangered species from overexploitation by means of a system of import/export permits parties — (166) Afghanistan, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Palau, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping Wastes and Other Matter (London Convention) note — abbreviated as Marine Dumping opened for signature — 29 December 1972 entered into force — 30 August 1975 objective — to control pollution of the sea by dumping and to encourage regional agreements supplementary to the Convention; the London Convention came into force in 1996 parties — (87) Afghanistan, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Azerbaijan, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong (associate member), Hungary, Iceland, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Libya, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Nauru, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Seychelles, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Vanuatu associate members to the London Convention — (2) Faroe Islands, Macau 741 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques note — abbreviated as Environmental Modification opened for signature — 10 December 1976 entered into force — 5 October 1978 objective — to prohibit the military or other hostile use of environmental modification techniques in order to further world peace and trust among nations parties — (68) Afghanistan, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Egypt, Finland, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Malawi, Mauritius, Mongolia, Netherlands, NZ, Niger, Norway, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Romania, Russia, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Slovakia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen countries that have signed, but not yet ratified — (17) Bolivia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Holy See, Iceland, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Liberia, Luxembourg, Morocco, Nicaragua, Portugal, Sierra Leone, Syria, Turkey, Uganda Desertification see United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa Endangered Species see Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) Environmental Modification see Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques Hazardous Wastes see Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling note — abbreviated as Whaling opened for signature — 2 December 1946 entered into force — 10 November 1948 objective — to protect all species of whales from overhunting; to establish a system of international regulation for the whale fish¬ eries to ensure proper conservation and development of whale stocks; and to safeguard for future generations the great natural resources represented by whale stocks parties — (42) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Denmark, Dominica, Finland, France, Germany, Grenada, Guinea, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kenya, South Korea, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Oman, Panama, Peru, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US International Tropical Timber Agreement 1983 note — abbreviated as Tropical Timber 83 opened for signature — 18 November 1983 entered into force — 1 April 1985; this agreement expired when the International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994, went into force objective — to provide an effective framework for cooperation between tropical timber producers and consumers and to encourage the development of national policies aimed at sustainable utilization and conservation of tropical forests and their genetic resources parties — (54) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Burma, Cameroon, Canada, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guyana, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Liberia, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, US, Venezuela infemafional Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994 note — abbreviated as Tropical Timber 94 opened for signature — 26 January 1994 entered into force — 1 January 1997 objective — to ensure that by the year 2000 exports of tropical timber originate from sustainably managed sources; to establish a fund to assist tropical timber producers in obtaining the resources necessary to reach this objective parties — (58) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guyana, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Liberia, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, US, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela 742 SELECTED INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL AGREEMENTS Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change note — abbreviated as Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol opened for signature — 16 March 1998 entered into force — 23 February 2005 objective — to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions by enhancing the national programs of developed countries aimed at this goal and by establishing percentage reduction targets for the developed countries parties — (165) Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cook Island, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia countries that have signed, but not yet ratified — (4) Australia, Croatia, Kazakhstan, US Law of the Sea see United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOS) Marine Dumping see Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping Wastes and Other Matter (London Convention) Marine Life Conservation see Convention on Fishing and Conservation of Living Resources of the High Seas Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer < I>note — abbreviated as Ozone Layer Protection opened for signature — 16 September 1987 entered into force — 1 January 1989 objective — to protect the ozone layer by controlling emissions of substances that deplete it parties — (189) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe Nuclear Test Ban see Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapons Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space, and Under Water Ozone Layer Protection see Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer Protocol of 1978 Relating to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution From Ships, 1973 (MARPOL) note — abbreviated as Ship Pollution opened for signature — 17 February 1978 entered into force — 2 October 1983 743 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK objective — to preserve the marine environment through the complete elimination of pollution by oil and other harmful sub¬ stances and the minimization of accidental discharge of such substances parties — (139) Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burma, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Republic of Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Libya, Macau, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Tuvalu, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam Protocoi on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty note — abbreviated as Antarctic-Environmental Protocol opened for signature — 4 October 1991 entered into force — 14 January 1998 objective — to provide for comprehensive protection of the Antarctic environment and dependent and associated ecosystems; applies to the area covered by the Antarctic Treaty consultative parties — (31) Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay non consultative parties — (12) Austria, Colombia, Cuba, Denmark, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, North Korea, Papua New Guinea, Slovakia, Switzerland, Turkey Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Nitrogen Oxides or Their Transboundary Fluxes note — abbreviated as Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides opened for signature — 31 October 1988 entered into force— 14 February 1991 objective — to provide for the control or reduction of nitrogen oxides and their transboundary fluxes parties — (31) Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, UK, US countries that have signed, but not yet ratified — (1) Poland Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds or Their Transboundary Fluxes note — abbreviated as Air Pollution- Volatile Organic Compounds opened for signature — 18 November 1991 entered into force — 29 September 1997 objective — to provide for the control and reduction of emissions of volatile organic compounds in order to reduce their trans- boundary fluxes so as to protect human health and the environment from adverse effects parties — (21) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK countries that have signed, but not yet ratified — (6) Canada, EU, Greece, Portugal, Ukraine, US Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Further Reduction of Sulphur Emissions note — abbreviated as Air Pollution-Sulphur 94 opened for signature — 14 June 1994 entered into force — 5 August 1998 objective — to provide for a further reduction in sulfur emissions or transboundary fluxes parties — (27) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK countries that have signed, but not yet ratified — (3) Poland, Russia, Ukraine Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Persistent Organic Poiiutants note — abbreviated as Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants opened for signature — 24 June 1998 entered into force — 23 October 2003 objective — to provide for the control and reduction of emissions of persistent organic pollutants in order to reduce their trans¬ boundary fluxes so as to protect human health and the environment from adverse effects 744 SELECTED INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL AGREEMENTS parties — (28) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, UK countries that have signed, but not yet ratified — (9) Armenia, Croatia, Greece, Ireland, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Ukraine, US Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on the Reduction of Sulphur Emissions or Their Transboundary Fluxes by at Least 30% note — abbreviated as Air Pollution-Sulphur 85 opened for signature — 8 July 1985 entered into force — 2 September 1987 objective — to provide for a 30% reduction in sulfur emissions or transboundary fluxes by 1993 parties — (22) Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine Ship Pollution see Protocol of 1978 Relating to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution From Ships, 1973 (MARPOL) Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space, and Under Water note — abbreviated as Nuclear Test Ban opened for signature — 5 August 1963 entered into force — 10 October 1963 objective — to obtain an agreement on general and complete disarmament under strict international control in accordance with the objectives of the United Nations; to put an end to the armaments race and eliminate incentives for the production and testing of all kinds of weapons, including nuclear weapons parties — (113) Afghanistan, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burma, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Fiji, Finland, Gabon, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Samoa, San Marino, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UK, US, Venezuela, Zambia countries that have signed, but not yet ratified — (17) Algeria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Chile, Ethiopia, Haiti, Libya, Mali, Pakistan, Paraguay, Portugal, Somalia, Tanzania, Uruguay, Vietnam, Yemen Tropical Timber 83 see International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1983 Tropical Timber 94 see International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOS) note — abbreviated as Law of the Sea opened for signature — 10 December 1982 entered into force — 16 November 1994 objective — to set up a comprehensive new legal regime for the sea and oceans; to include rules concerning environmental stan¬ dards as well as enforcement provisions dealing with pollution of the marine environment parties — (151) Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe countries that have signed, but not yet ratified — (28) Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burundi, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Republic of the Congo, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Iran, North Korea, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Madagascar, Malawi, Morocco, Niger, Niue, Rwanda, Swaziland, Switzerland, Thailand, UAE 745 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa note — abbreviated as Desertification opened for signature — 14 October 1994 entered into force — 26 December 1996 objective — to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought through national action programs that incorporate long- term strategies supported by international cooperation and partnership arrangements parties — (185) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Thailand, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change note — abbreviated as Climate Change opened for signature — 9 May 1992 entered into force — 21 March 1994 objective — to achieve stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a low enough level to prevent dan¬ gerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system parties — (190) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe Wetlands see Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially As Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar) Whaling see International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling 746 APPENDIX D CROSS-REFERENCE LIST OF COUNTRY DATA CODES FIPS 10: Countries, Dependencies, Areas of Special Sovereignty, and Their Principal Administrative Divisions (FIPS 10) is maintained by the Office of Targeting and transnational Issues, National Geospatiahlntelligence Agency, and published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (Department of Commerce). FIPS 10 codes are intended for general use throughout the US Government, especially in activities associated with the mission of the Department of State and national defense programs. ISO 31 66 ‘.Codes for the Representation of Names of Countries (ISO 3166) is prepared by the International Organization for Standardization. ISO 3166 includes two- and three-character alphabetic codes and three-digit numeric codes that may be needed for activities involving exchange of data with international organizations that have adopted that standard. Except for the numeric codes, ISO 3166 codes have been adopted in the US as FIPS 104-1: American National Standard Codes for the Representation of Names of Countries, Dependencies, and Areas of Special Sovereignty for Information Interchange. STANAG 1059: Letter Codes for Geographical Entities (8th edition, 2004) is a Standardization Agreement (STANAG) established and maintained by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO/OTAN) for the purpose of providing a common set of geo¬ spatial identifiers for countries, territories, and possessions. The 8th edition established trigraph codes for each country based upon the ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 character sets. These codes are used throughout NATO. Internet: The Internet country code is the two-letter digraph maintained by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in the ISO 3166 Alpha-2 list and used by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) to establish country-coded top-level domains (ccTLDs). STANAG- Entity FIPS 10 ISO 3166 1059 Internet Comment Afghanistan AF AF AFG 004 AFG .af Albania AL AL ALB 008 ALB .al Algeria AG DZ DZA 012 DZA .dz American Samoa AQ AS ASM 016 ASM .as Andorra AN AD AND 02 0 AND .ad Angola AO AO AGO 024 AGO .ao Anguilla AV AI AIA 660 AIA .ai Antarctica AY AQ ATA 010 ATA •aq ISO defines as the territory Antigua and Barbuda AC AG ATG 028 ATG •ag south of 60 degrees south latitude Argentina AR AR ARG 032 ARG .ar Armenia AM AM ARM 051 ARM .am Aruba AA AW ABW 533 ABW .aw Ashmore and AT - AUS - ISO includes with Australia Cartier Islands Australia AS AU AUS 036 AUS .au ISO includes Ashmore and Austria AU AT AUT 040 AUT .at Cartier Islands, Coral Sea Islands Azerbaijan AJ AZ AZE 031 AZE .az Bahamas, The BF BS BHS 044 BHS .bs Bahrain BA BH BHR 048 BHR .bh Baker Island FQ - UMI - ISO includes with the US Bangladesh BG BD BGD 050 BGD .bd Minor Outlying Islands Barbados BB BB BRB 052 BRB .bb Bassas da India BS - - ■■ administered as part of Belarus BO BY BLR 112 BLR .by French Southern and Antarctic Lands; no ISO codes assigned Belgium BE BE BEL 056 BEL .be Belize BH BZ BLZ 084 BLZ ,bz Benin BN BJ BEN 204 BEN •bj Bermuda BD BM BMU 060 BMU .bm Bhutan BT BT BTN 064 BTN .bt Bolivia BL BO BOL 068 BOL .bo 747 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK STANAG- Entity FIPS 10 ISO 3166 1059 Internet Comment Bosnia and BK BA BIH 070 BIH .ba Herzegovina Botswana BC BW BWA 072 BWA .bw Bouvet Island BV BV BVT 074 BVT .bv Brazil BR BR BRA 076 BRA .br British Indian I O IO IOT 086 IOT .io Ocean Territory British Virgin Islands VI VG VGB 092 VGB •vg Brunei BX BN BRN 096 BRN .bn Bulgaria BU BG BGR 100 BGR •bg Burkina Faso UV BF BFA 854 BFA .bf Burma BM MM MMR 104 MMR .mm ISO uses the name Myanmar Burundi BY BI BDI 108 BDI .bi Cambodia CB KH KHM 116 KHM .kh Cameroon CM CM CMR 120 CMR .cm Canada CA CA CAN 124 CAN .ca Cape Verde CV CV CPV 132 CPV .CV Cayman Islands CJ KY CYM 136 CYM .ky Central African CT CF CAF 140 CAF .cf Republic Chad CD TD TCD 148 TCD .td Chile Cl CL CHL 152 CHL .cl China CH CN CHN 156 CHN .cn see also Taiwan Christmas Island KT cx CXR 162 CXR .cx Clipperton island IP - FYP - ISO includes with French Cocos (Keeling) CK cc CCK 166 AUS .cc Polynesia Islands Colombia CO CO COL 170 COL .CO Comoros CN KM COM 174 COM .km Congo, Democratic CG CD COD 180 COD .cd formerly Zaire Republic of the Congo, Republic CF CG COG 178 COG •eg of the Cook Islands CW CK COK 184 COK .ck Coral Sea Islands CR - - AUS - ISO includes with Australia Costa Rica CS CR CRI 188 CRI .cr Cote d'Ivoire IV Cl CIV 384 CIV .ci Croatia HR HR HRV 191 HRV .hr Cuba CU CU CUB 192 CUB XU Cyprus CY CY CYP 196 CYP .cy Czech Republic EZ CZ CZE 203 CZE .CZ Denmark DA DK DNK 208 DNK .dk Djibouti DJ DJ DJI 262 DJI •dj Dominica DO DM DMA 212 DMA .dm Dominican Republic DR DO DOM 214 DOM .do East Timor TT TL TLS 626 TLS .tl Ecuador EC EC ECU 218 ECU .ec Egypt EG EG EGY 818 EGY •eg El Salvador ES SV SLV 222 SLV .sv Equatorial Guinea EK GQ GNQ 226 GNQ •gq Eritrea ER ER ERI 232 ERI .er Estonia EN EE EST 233 EST .ee Ethiopia ET ET ETH 231 ETH .et Europa Island EU - ' - - - administered as part of Falkland Islands FK FK FLK 238 FLK .fk French Southern and Antarctic Lands; no ISO codes assigned (Isias Malvinas) Faroe Islands FO FO FRO 234 FRO .fo Fiji FJ FJ FJI 242 FJI •fj 748 CROSS-REFERENCE LIST OF COUNTRY DATA CODES STANAG- Entity FIPS 10 ISO 3166 1059 Internet Comment Finland FI FI FIN 246 FIN .fi France FR FR FRA 250 FRA .fr France, Metropolitan - FX FXX 249 .fx ISO limits to the European French Guiana FG GF GUF 254 GUF •gf part of France, excluding French Guiana, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, New Caledonia, Reunion, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Wallis and Futuna French Polynesia FP PF PYF 258 PYF .pf ISO includes Clipperton Island French Southern FS TF ATF 260 ATF .tf FIPS 10-4 does not include and Antarctic Lands Gabon GB GA GAB 266 GAB •ga the French'daimed portion of Antarctica (Terre Adelie) Gambia, The GA GM GMB 270 GMB •gm Gaza Strip GZ PS PSE 275 PSE •ps ISO identifies as Occupied Georgia GG GE GEO 268 GEO *ge Palestinian Territory Germany GM DE DEU 276 DEU .de Ghana GH GH GHA 288 GHA •gh Gibraltar GI GI GIB 292 GIB •gi Glorioso islands GO - - - - - administered as part of Greece GR GR GRC 300 GRC •gr French Southern and Antarctic Lands; no ISO codes assigned Greenland GL GL GRL 304 GRL •gl Grenada GJ GD GRD 308 GRD •gd Guadeloupe GP GP GLP 312 GLP •gp Guam GQ GU GUM 316 GUM •ga Guatemala GT GT GTM 320 GTM •gt Guernsey GK GG GGY 831 UK •gg Guinea GV GN GIN 324 GIN •gn Guinea-Bissau PU GW GNB 624 GNB •gw Guyana GY GY GUY 328 GUY •gy Haiti HA HT HTI 332 HTI .ht Heard Island and HM HM HMD 334 HMD .hm McDonald Islands Holy See VT VA VAT 336 VAT .va (Vatican City) Honduras HO HN HND 340 HND .hn Hong Kong HK HK HKG 344 HKG .hk Howland Island HQ - - UMI - ISO includes with the US Hungary HU HU HUN 348 HUN .hu Minor Outlying Islands Iceland IC IS ISL 352 ISL .is India IN IN IND 356 IND .in Indonesia ID ID IDN 360 IDN .id Iran IR IR IRN 364 IRN .ir Iraq IZ IQ IRQ 368 IRQ •iq Ireland El IE IRL 372 IRL .ie Isle of Man IM IM IMN 833 UK .im Israel IS IL ISR 376 ISR .il Italy IT IT ITA 380 ITA .it Jamaica JM JM JAM 388 JAM •jm Jan Mayen JN - - SJM - ISO includes with Svalbard Japan JA JP JPN 392 JPN JP 749 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK STANAG- Entity FIPS 10 ISO 3166 1059 Internet Comment Jarvis Island DQ UMI ISO includes with the US Jersey JE JE JEY 832 UK •je Minor Outlying Islands Johnston Atoll JQ - - UMI - ISO includes with the US Jordan JO JO JOR 400 JOR •jo Minor Outlying Islands Juan de Nova Island JU - - ' - - administered as part of Kazakhstan KZ KZ KAZ 398 KAZ .kz French Southern and Antarctic Lands; no ISO codes assigned Kenya KE KE KEN 404 KEN .ke Kingman Reef KQ - - UMI - ISO includes with the US Kiribati KR KI KIR 296 KIR .ki Minor Outlying Islands Korea, North KN KP PRK 408 PRK •kp Korea, South KS KR KOR 410 KOR .kr Kuwait KU KW KWT 414 KWT .kw Kyrgyzstan KG KG KGZ 417 KGZ •kg Laos LA LA LAO 418 LAO .la Latvia LG LV LVA 428 LVA .lv Lebanon LE LB LBN 422 LBN .lb Lesotho LT LS LSO 426 LSO .Is Liberia LI LR LBR 430 LBR .lr Libya LY LY LBY 434 LBY •ly Liechtenstein LS LI LIE 438 LIE .a Lithuania LH LT LTU 440 LTU .It Luxembourg LU LU LUX 442 LUX .lu Macau MC MO MAC 446 MAC .mo Macedonia MK MK MKD 807 FYR .mk Madagascar MA MG MDG 450 MDG .mg Malawi MI MW MWI 454 MWI .mw Malaysia MY MY MYS 458 MYS .my Maldives MV MV MDV 462 MDV ,mv Mali ML ML MLI 466 MLI .ml Malta MT MT MLT 470 MLT .mt Marshall Islands RM MH MHL 584 MHL .mh Martinique MB MQ MTQ 474 MTQ .mq Mauritania MR MR MRT 478 MRT .mr Mauritius MP MU MUS 480 MUS .mu Mayotte MF YT MYT 175 FRA •yt Mexico MX MX MEX 484 MEX .mx Micronesia, FM FM FSM 583 FSM .fm Federated States of Midway Islands MQ UMI ISO includes with the US Moldova MD MD MDA 498 MDA .md Minor Outlying Islands Monaco MN MC MCO 492 MCO .me Mongolia MG MN MNG 496 MNG ,mn Montenegro MJ ME MNE 499 - .me Montserrat MH MS MSR 500 MSR .ms Morocco MO MA MAR 504 MAR .ma Mozambique MZ MZ MOZ 508 MOZ .mz Myanmar Namibia WA NA NAM 516 NAM .na see Burma Nauru NR NR NRU 520 NRU .nr Navassa Island BQ - - - US - ISO includes with the US Nepal NP NP NPL 524 NPL •np Minor Outlying Islands Netherlands NL NL NLD 528 NLD .nl Netherlands Antilles NT AN ANT 530 ANT .an New Caledonia NC NC NCL 540 NCL .nc 750 CROSS-REFERENCE LIST OF COUNTRY DATA CODES STANAG- Entity FIPS 10 ISO 3166 1059 Internet New Zealand NZ NZ NZL 554 NZL .nz Nicaragua NU NI NIC 558 NIC .ni Niger NG NE NER 562 NER .ne Nigeria NI NG NGA 566 NGA •ng Niue NE NU NIU 570 NIU .nu Norfolk Island NF NF NFK 574 NFK .nf Northern Mariana CQ MP MNP 580 MNP .mp Islands Norway NO NO NOR 578 NOR .no Oman MU OM OMN 512 OMN .om Pakistan PK PK PAK 586 PAK •pk Palau PS PW PLW 585 PLW .pw Palmyra Atoll LQ - - UMI - Panama PM PA PAN 591 PAN .pa Papua New Guinea PP PG PNG 598 PNG •Pg Paracel Islands PF - - - Paraguay PA PY PRY 600 PRY •py Peru PE PE PER 604 PER •pe Philippines RP PH PHL 608 PHL •ph Pitcairn Islands PC PN PCN 612 PCN .pn Poland PL PL POL 616 POL .pi Portugal PO PT PRT 620 PRT •Pt Puerto Rico RQ PR PRI 630 PRI •Pt Qatar QA QA QAT 634 QAT •qa Reunion RE RE REU 638 REU .re Romania RO RO ROU 642 ROU .ro Russia RS RU RUS 643 RUS .ru Rwanda RW RW RWA 646 RWA .rw Saint Helena SH SH SHN 654 SHN .sh Saint Kitts and Nevis SC KN KNA 659 KNA .kn Saint Lucia ST LC LCA 662 LCA .lc Saint Pierre and SB PM SPM 666 SPM .pm Miquelon Saint Vincent and VC VC VCT 670 VCT .VC the Grenadines Samoa WS WS WSM 882 WSM .WS San Marino SM SM SMR 674 SMR .sm Sao Tome and TP ST STP 678 STP .St Principe Saudi Arabia SA SA SAU 682 SAU .sa Senegal SG SN SEN 686 SEN .sn Serbia RB RS SRB 688 - .rs Seychelles SE SC SYC 690 SYC .sc Sierra Leone SL SL SLE 694 SLE .si Singapore SN SG SGP 702 SGP •sg Slovakia LO SK SVK 703 SVK .sk Slovenia SI SI SVN 705 SVN .si Solomon Islands BP SB SLB 090 SLB .sb Somalia SO SO SOM 706 SOM .so South Africa SF ZA ZAF 710 ZAF .za South Georgia and SX GS SGS 239 SGS •gs the Islands Spain SP ES ESP 724 ESP .es Spratly Islands PG - - - - Sri Lanka CE LK LKA 144 LKA .lk Sudan SU SD SDN 736 SDN .sd Suriname NS SR SUR 740 SUR .sr Svalbard SV SJ SJM 744 SJM •sj Swaziland wz SZ SWZ 748 SWZ .sz Sweden sw SE SWE 752 SWE .se Switzerland sz CH CHE 756 CHE .ch Comment ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands ISO includes Jan Mayen 751 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK STANAG- Entity FIPS 10 ISO 3166 1059 Internet Syria SY SY SYR 760 SYR •sy Taiwan TW TW TWN 158 TWN ,tw Tajikistan TI TJ TJK 762 TJK .tj Tanzania TZ TZ TZA 834 TZA .tz Thailand TH TH THA 764 THA .th Togo TO TG TGO 768 TGO •tg Tokelau TL TK TKL 772 TKL .tk Tonga TN TO TON 776 TON .to Trinidad and Tobago TD TT TTO 780 TTO .tt Tromelin Island TE - - - - - Tunisia TS TN TUN 788 TUN .tn Turkey TU TR TUR 792 TUR .tr Turkmenistan TX TM TKM 795 TKM .tm Turks and Caicos Islands TK TC TCA 796 TCA .tc Tuvalu TV TV TUV 798 TUV .tv Uganda UG UG UGA 800 UGA •ug Ukraine UP UA UKR 804 UKR ,ua United Arab Emirates AE AE ARE 784 ARE .ae United Kingdom UK GB GBR 826 GBR .uk United States US US USA 840 USA .us United States Minor - UM UMI 581 .um Outlying Islands Uruguay UY UY URY 858 URY •uy Uzbekistan UZ UZ UZB 860 UZB .UZ Vanuatu NH vu VUT 548 VUT .vu Venezuela VE VE VEN 862 VEN .ve Vietnam VM VN VNM 704 VNM .vn Virgin Islands VQ VI VIR 850 VIR .vi Virgin islands (UK) - - - •vg Virgin Islands (US) ' - - .vi Wake Island WQ - - - UMI - Wallis and Futuna WF WF WLF 876 WLF .wf West Bank WE PS PSE 275 PSE •PS Western Sahara WI EH ESH 732 ESH .eh Western Samoa - - - .ws World - - Yemen Zaire YM YE YEM 887 YEM •ye Zambia ZA ZM ZMB 894 ZMB .zm Zimbabwe ZI ZW ZWE 716 ZWE .zw Comment administered as part of French Southern and Antarctic Lands; no ISO codes assigned ISO includes Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Palmyra Atoll, Wake Island see British Virgin Islands see Virgin Islands ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands ISO identifies as Occupied Palestinian Territory see Samoa the Factbook uses the W data code from DIAM 65-18 Geopolitical Data Elements and Related Features, Data Standard No. 3, December 1994, published by the Defense Intelligence Agency see Democratic Republic of the Congo 752 APPENDIX E CROSS-REFERENCE LIST OF HYDROGRAPHIC DATA CODES IHO 23-4th: Limits of Oceans and Seas, Special Publication 23, Draft 4th Edition 1986, published by the International Hydrographic Bureau of the International Hydrographic Organization; note — this document has not yet been ratified and only the 3rd Edition (1953) remains in force IHO 23‘3rd: Limits of Oceans and Seas, Special Publication 23, 3rd Edition 1953, published by the International Hydrographic Organization ACIC M 49-1: Chart of Limits of Seas and Oceans, revised January 1958, published by the Aeronautical Chart and Information Center (ACIC), United States Air Force; note — ACIC is now part of the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA) DIAM 65-18: Geopolitical Data Elements and Related Features, Data Standard No. 4, Defense Intelligence Agency Manual 65-18, December 1994, published by the Defense Intelligence Agency The US Government has not yet adopted a standard for hydrographic codes similar to the Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 10-4 country codes. The names and limits of the following oceans and seas are not always directly comparable because of differences in the customers, needs, and requirements of the individual organizations. Even the number of principal water bodies varies from organization to organization. Factbook users, for example, find the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean entries useful, but none of the following standards include those oceans in their entirety. Nor is there any provision for com¬ bining codes or overcodes to aggregate water bodies. The recently delimited Southern Ocean is not included. Principal Oceans and Seas of the World With Hydrographic Codes by Institution IHO 23-4th IHO 23-3rd* ACIC M 49-1 DIAM 65-18 Arcfic Ocean 9 17 A 5A Atlantic Ocean - - - - Baltic Sea 2 1 B26 7B Eastern Mediterranean 3.1.2 28 B - 8E Indian Ocean 5 45 F 6A Mediterranean Sea 3.1 28 Bll - North Atlantic Ocean 1 23 B 1A North Pacific Ocean 7 57 D 3A Pacific Ocean - - - - South Atlantic Ocean 4 32 C 2A South China and Eastern Archipelagic Seas 6 49, 48 D18 plus others 3U plus others South Pacific Ocean 8 61 E 4A Western Mediterranean 3.1.1 28 A - 8W *The letters after the numbers are subdivisions, not footnotes. 753 fc ' . ' ■ . . . V . , ' ■ '-M ■■■'! ■; ' • APPENDIX F CROSS-REFERENCE LIST OF GEOGRAPHIC NAMES Name Entry In Latitude The World Factbook (deg min) Longitude (deg min) Abidjan (capital) Cote d’Ivoire 5 19 N 4 02 W Abkhazia (region) Georgia 43 00 N 41 00 E Abu Dhabi (capital) United Arab Emirates 24 28 N 54 22 E Abu Musa (island) Iran 25 52 N 55 03 E Abuja (capital) Nigeria 9 12 N 7 11 E Abyssinia (former name for Ethiopia) Ethiopia 8 00 N 38 00 E Acapulco (city) Mexico 16 51 N 99 55 W Accra (capital) Ghana 5 33 N 0 13 W Adamstown (capital) Pitcairn Islands 25 04 S 130 05 W Addis Ababa (capital) Ethiopia 9 02 N 38 42 E Adelie Land (claimed by France; also Terre Adelie) Antarctica 66 30 S 139 00 E Aden (city) Yemen 12 46 N 45 01 E Aden, Gulf of Indian Ocean 12 30 N 48 00 E Admiralty Island United States (Alaska) 57 44 N 134 20 W Admiralty Islands Papua New Guinea 2 10 S 147 00 E Adriatic Sea Atlantic Ocean 42 30 N 16 00 E Adygey (region) Russia 44 30 N 40 10 E Aegean Islands Greece 38 00 N 25 00 E Aegean Sea Atlantic Ocean 38 30 N 25 00 E Afars and Issas, French Territory of the Djibouti 11 30 N 43 00 E (or FTAI; former name for Djibouti) Afghanestan (local name for Afghanistan) Afghanistan 33 00 N 65 00 E Agalega Islands Mauritius 10 25 S 56 40 E Agana (city; former name for Hagatna) Guam 13 28 N 144 45 E Ajaccio (city) France (Corsica) 41 55 N 8 44 E Ajaria (region) Georgia 41 45 N 42 10 E Akmola (city; former name for Astana) Kazakhstan 51 10N 71 30 E Aksai Chin (region) China (de facto), India (claimed) 35 00 N 79 00 E Al Arabiyah as Suudiyah (local name for Saudi Arabia) Saudi Arabia 25 00 N 45 00 E Al Bahrayn (local name for Bahrain) Bahrain 26 00 N 50 33 E Al Imaraf al Arabiyah al Muftahidah United Arab Emirates 24 00 N 54 00 E (local name for the United Arab Emirates) Al Iraq (local name for Iraq) Iraq 33 00 N 44 00 E Al Jaza'ir (local name for Algeria) Algeria 28 00 N ' 3 00 E Al Kuwayt (local name for Kuwait) Kuwait 29 30 N 45 45 E Al Maghrib (local name for Morocco) Morocco 32 00 N 5 00 W Al Urdun (local name for Jordan) Jordan 31 00 N 36 00 E Al Yaman (local name for Yemen) Yemen 15 00 N 48 00 E Aland Islands Finland 60 15 N 20 00 E Alaska (state) United States 65 00 N 153 00 W Alaska, Gulf of Pacific Ocean 58 00 N 145 00 W Alboran Sea Atlantic Ocean 36 00 N 2 30 W Aldabra Islands (Groupe d'Aldabra) Seychelles 9 25 S 46 22 E Alderney (island) Guernsey 49 43 N 2 12 W Aleutian Islands United States (Alaska) 52 00 N 176 00 W Alexander Archipelago (island group) United States (Alaska) 57 00 N 134 00 W Alexander Island Antarctica 71 00 S 70 00 W Alexandretta (region; former name for Iskenderun) Turkey 36 34 N 36 08 E Alexandria (city) Egypt 31 12 N 29 54 E Algiers (capital) Algeria 36 47 N 2 03 E Alhucemas, Penon de (island group) Spain 35 13 N 3 53 W Alma-Ata (city; former name for Almaty) Kazakhstan 43 15 N 76 57 E Almaty (former capital) Kazakhstan 43 15 N 76 57 E Alofi (capital) Niue 19 01 S 169 55 W Alphonse Island Seychelles 7 01 S 52 45 E Alsace (region) France 48 30 N 7 20 E Amaml Strait Pacific Ocean 28 40 N 129 30 E Amindivi islands (former name for Laccadive Islands) India 11 30 N 72 30 E Amirante Isles (island group; also Les Amirantes) Seychelles 6 00 S 53 10 E Amman (capital) Jordan 31 57 N 35 56 E Amsterdam (capital) Netherlands 52 23 N 4 54 E Amsterdam Island (lie Amsterdam) French Southern and Antarctic Lands 37 52 S 77 32 E 755 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Name Amundsen Sea Amur River Amurskiy Liman (strait) Anadyrskiy Zaliv (gulf) Anatolia (region) Andaman islands Andaman Sea Andorra la Vella (capital) Andros (island) Andros Island Anegada Passage Angkor Wat (ruins) Anglo-Egyptian Sudan (former name for Sudan) Anjouan (island) Ankara (capital) Annobon (island) Antananarivo (capital) Antigua (island) Antipodes Islands Antwerp (city) Aomen (local Chinese short-form name for Macau) Aozou Strip (region) Apia (capital) Aqaba, Gulf of Arab, Shaft al (river) Arabian Sea Arafura Sea Aral Sea Argun River Aru Sea As-Sudan (local name for Sudan) Ascension Island Ashgabat, Ashkhabad (capital) Asmara, Asmera (capital) Assumption Island Astana (capital; formerly Akmola) Asuncion (capital) Asuncion Island Atacama (desert) Atacama (region) Athens (capital) Attu Island Auckland (city) Auckland Islands Australes, lies (island group; also lies Tubuai) Avarua (capital) Axel Heiberg Island Azad Kashmir (region) Azarbaycan, Azerbaidzhan (local name for Azerbaijan) Azores (islands) Azov, Sea of Bab el Mandeb (strait) Babuyan Channel Babuyan Islands Baffin Bay Baffin Island Baghdad (capital) Baku (capital; also Baki, Baky) Balabac Strait Balearic Islands Balearic Sea (Iberian Sea) Bali (island) Bali Sea Balintang Channel Entry In The World Factbook Latitude (deg min) Longitude (deg min) Southern Ocean 72 30 S 112 00 W China, Russia 52 56 N 141 10 E Pacific Ocean 53 00 N 141 30 E Pacific Ocean 64 00 N 177 00 E Turkey 39 00 N 35 00 E India 12 00 N 92 45 E Indian Ocean 10 00 N 95 00 E Andorra 42 30 N 1 30 E Greece 37 45 N 24 42 E The Bahamas 24 26 N 77 57 W Atlantic Ocean 18 30 N 63 40 W Cambodia 13 26 N 103 50 E Sudan 15 00 N 30 00 E Comoros 12 15 S 44 25 E Turkey 39 56 N 32 52 E Equatorial Guinea 1 25 S 5 36 E Madagascar 18 52 S 47 30 E Antigua and Barbuda 14 34 N 90 44 W New Zealand 49 41 S 178 43 E Belgium 51 13 N 4 25 E Macau 22 10N 113 33 E Chad 22 00 N 18 00 E Samoa 13 50 S 171 44 W Indian Ocean 29 00 N 34 30 E Iran, Iraq 29 57 N 48 34 E Indian Ocean 15 00 N 65 00 E Pacific Ocean 9 00 S 133 00 E Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan 45 00 N 60 00 E China, Russia 53 20 N 121 28 E Pacific Ocean 6 15 S 135 00 E Sudan 15 00 N 30 00 E Saint Helena 7 57 S 14 22 W Turkmenistan 37 57 N 58 23 E Eritrea 15 20 N 38 53 E Seychelles 9 46 S 46 34 E Kazakhstan 51 10N 71 30 E Paraguay 25 16 S 57 40 W Northern Mariana Islands 19 40 N 145 24 E Chile 23 00 S 70 10W Chile 24 30 S 69 15 W Greece 37 59 N 23 44 E United States 52 55 N 172 57 E New Zealand 36 52 S 174 46 E New Zealand 51 00 S 166 30 E French Polynesia 23 20 S 151 00 W Cook Islands 21 12 S 159 46 W Canada 79 30 N 90 00 W Pakistan 34 30 N 74 00 E Azerbaijan 40 30 N 47 30 E Portugal 38 30 N 28 00 W Atlantic Ocean 49 00 N 36 00 E Indian Ocean 12 40 N 43 20 E Pacific Ocean 18 44 N 121 40 E Philippines 19 10N 121 40 E Arctic Ocean 73 00 N 66 00 W Canada 68 00 N 70 00 W Iraq 33 21 N 44 25 E Azerbaijan 40 23 N 49 51 E Pacific Ocean 7 35 N 117 00 E Spain 39 30 N 3 00 E Atlantic Ocean 40 30 N 2 00 E Indonesia 8 20 S 115 00 E Indian Ocean 7 45 S 115 30 E Pacific Ocean 19 49 N 121 40 E 756 CROSS-REFERENCE LIST OF GEOGRAPHIC NAMES Name Balintang Islands Balkan Peninsula Balleny Islands Balochistan (region) Baltic Sea Bamako (capital) Banaba (Ocean Island) Banat (region) Banda Sea Bandar Seri Begawan (capital) Bangka (island) Bangkok (capital) Bangui (capital) Banjul (capital) Banks Island Banks Island Banks Islands (lies Banks) Barbuda (island) Barcelona (city) Barents Sea Barranquilia (city) Bashi Channel Basilan Strait Basque Provinces Bass Strait Basse-Terre (capital) Basseterre (capital) Bastia (city) Basutoland (former name for Lesotho) Baton Islands Bavaria (region; also Bayern) Beagle Channel Bear Island (see Bjornoya) Beaufort Sea Bechuanaland (former name for Botswana) Beijing (capital) Beirut (capital) Bekaa Valley Belau (Palau Islands) Belep Islands (lies Belep) Belfast (city) Belgian Congo (former name for Democratic Republic of the Congo) Belgie, Belgique (local name for Belgium) Belgrade (capital) Belize City Belle Isle, Strait of Bellingshausen Sea Belmopan (capital) Belorussia (former name for Belarus) Benadir (region; former name of Italian Somaliland) Bengal, Bay of Berau, Gulf of Bering Island Bering Sea Bering Strait Berkner Island Berlin (capital) Berlin, East (former name for eastern sector of Berlin) Entry in Latitude Longitude The World Factbook (deg min) (deg min) Philippines 19 55 N 122 10 E Albania, Bosnia and 42 00 N 23 00 E Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Turkey (European part) Antarctica 67 00 S 163 00 E Pakistan 28 00 N 63 00 E Atlantic Ocean 57 00 N 19 00 E Mali 12 39 N 8 00 W Kiribati 0 52 S 169 35 E Hungary, Romania, Serbia 45 30 N 21 00 E Pacific Ocean 5 00 S 128 00 E Brunei 4 53 N 114 56 E Indonesia 2 30 S 106 00 E Thailand 13 45 N 100 31 E Central African Republic 4 22 N 18 35 E The Gambia 13 28 N 16 39 W Australia 10 12 S 142 16 E Canada 75 15 N 121 30 W Vanuatu MOOS 167 30 E Antigua and Barbuda 17 38 N 61 48 W Spain 41 25 N 2 13 E Arctic Ocean 74 00 N 36 00 E Colombia 10 59 N 74 48 W Pacific Ocean 22 00 N 121 00 E Pacific Ocean 6 49 N 122 05 E Spain 43 00 N 2 30 W Pacific Ocean 39 20 S 145 30 E Guadeloupe 16 00 N 61 44 W Saint Kitts and Nevis 17 18 N 62 43 W France (Corsica) 42 42 N 9 27 E Lesotho 29 30 S 28 30 E Philippines 20 30 N 121 50 E Germany 48 30 N 11 30 E Atlantic Ocean 54 53 S 68 10W Svalbard 74 26 N 19 05 E Arctic Ocean 73 00 N 140 00 W Botswana 22 00 S 24 00 E China 39 56 N 116 24 E Lebanon 33 53 N 35 30 E Lebanon 34 00 N 36 05 E Palau 7 30 N 134 30 E New Caledonia 19 45 S 163 40 E United Kingdom 54 36 N 5 55 W Democratic Republic 0 00 N 25 00 E of the Congo Belgium 50 50 N 4 00 E Serbia 44 50 N 20 30 E Belize 17 30 N 88 12 W Atlantic Ocean 51 35 N 56 30 W Southern Ocean 71 00 S 85 00 W Belize 17 15 N 88 46 W Belarus 53 00 N 28 00 E Somalia 4 00 N 46 00 E Indian Ocean 15 00 N 90 00 E Pacific Ocean 2 30 S 132 30 E Russia 55 00 N 166 30 E Pacific Ocean 60 00 N 175 00 W Pacific Ocean 65 30 N 169 00 W Antarctica 79 30 S 49 30 W Germany 52 31 N 13 24 E Germany 52 30 N 13 33 E 757 THE G I A WORLD FACTBOOK Name Berlin, West (former name for western sector of Berlin) Bern (capital) Bessarabia (region) Bharat (local name for India) Bhopal (city) Biafra (region) Big Diomede Island Bijagos, Arquipelago dos (island group) Bikini Atoll Bilbao (city) Bioko (island) Biscay, Bay of Bishkek (capital) Bishop Rock Bismarck Archipelago (island group) Bismarck Sea Bissau (capital) Bjornoya (Bear Island) Black Forest (region) Black Rock (island) Black Sea Bloemfontein (judicial capital) Bo Hai (gulf) Boa Vista (island) Bogota (capital) Bohemia (region) Bombay (city; see Mumbai) Bonaire (island) Bonifacio, Strait of Bonin Islands Bonn (former capital) Bophuthatswana (region; enclave) Bora-Bora (island) Bordeaux (city) Borneo (island) Bornholm (island) Bosna i Hercegovina (local name for Bosnia and Herzegovina) Bosnia (political region) Bosporus (strait) Bothnia, Gulf of Bougainville (Island) Bougainville Strait Bounty Islands Bourbon Island (former name of Reunion) Brasilia (capital) Bratislava (capital) Brazzaville (capital) Bridgetown (capital) Brisbane (city) Bristol Bay Bristol Channel Britain (see Great Britain) British Bechuanaland (region; former name for northwest South Africa) British Central African Protectorate (former name of Nyasaland) British East Africa (former name for British possessions in eastern Africa) British Guiana (former name for Guyana) British Honduras (former name for Belize) British Solomon Islands (former name for Solomon Islands) British Somaliland (former name for northern Somalia) Brussels (capital) Bubiyan (island) Entry in The World Factbook Latitude (deg min) Longitude (deg min) Germany 52 30 N 13 20 E Switzerland 46 57 N 7 26 E Moldova, Romania, Ukraine 47 00 N 28 30 E India 20 00 N 77 00 E India 23 16 N 77 24 E Nigeria 5 30 N 7 30 E Russia 65 46 N 169 06 W Guinea-Bissau 11 25 N 16 20 W Marshall Islands 11 35 N 165 23 E Spain 43 15 N 2 58 W Equatorial Guinea 3 30 N 8 42 E Atlantic Ocean 44 00 N 4 00 W Kyrgyzstan 42 54 N 74 36 E United Kingdom 49 52 N 6 27 W Papua New Guinea 5 00 S 150 00 E Pacific Ocean 4 00 S 148 00 E Guinea-Bissau 11 51 N 15 35 W Svalbard 74 26 N 19 05 E Germany 48 00 N 8 15 E South Georgia and the 53 39 S 41 48 W South Sandwich Islands Atlantic Ocean 43 00 N 35 00 E South Africa 29 12 S 26 07 E Pacific Ocean 38 00 N 120 00 E Cape Verde 16 05 N 22 50 W Colombia 4 36 N 74 05 W Czech Republic 50 00 N 14 30 E India 18 58 N 72 50 E Netherlands Antilles 12 10N 68 15 W Atlantic Ocean 41 01 N 14 00 E Japan 27 00 N 142 10 E Germany 50 44 N 7 05 E South Africa 26 30 S 25 30 E French Polynesia 16 30 S 151 45 W France 44 50 N 0 34 W Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia 0 30 N 114 00 E Denmark 55 10N 15 00 E Bosnia and Herzegovina 44 00 N 18 00 E Bosnia and Herzegovina 44 00 N 18 00 E Atlantic Ocean 41 00 N 29 00 E Atlantic Ocean 63 00 N 20 00 E Papua New Guinea 6 00 S 155 00 E Pacific Ocean 6 40 S 156 10 E New Zealand 47 43 S 174 00 E Reunion 21 06 S 55 36 E Brazil 15 47 S 47 55 W Slovakia 48 09 N 17 07 E Republic of the Congo 4 16 S 15 17 E Barbados 13 06 N 59 37 W Australia 27 28 S 153 02 E Pacific Ocean 57 00 N 160 00 W Atlantic Ocean 51 18 N 3 30 W United Kingdom 54 00 N 2 00 W South Africa 27 30 S 23 30 E Malawi 13 30 S 34 00 E Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda 1 00 N 38 00 E Guyana 5 00 N 59 00 W Belize 17 15 N 88 45 W Solomon Islands 8 00 S 159 00 E Somalia 10 00 N 49 00 E Belgium 50 50 N 4 20 E Kuwait 29 47 N 48 10 E 758 CROSS-REFERENCE LIST OF GEOGRAPHIC NAMES Name Bucharest (capital) Budapest (capital) Buenos Aires (capital) Bujumbura (capital) Bukovina (region) Byelarus (local name for Belarus) Byelorussia (former name for Belarus) Cabinda (province) Cabo Verde (local name for Cape Verde) Cabot Strait Caicos Islands Cairo (capital) Calcutta (city) Calgary (city) California, Gulf of Cameroun (local name for Cameroon) Campbell Island Campeche, Bay of Canal Zone (former name for US possessions in Panama) Canarias Sea Canary Islands Canberra (capital) Cancun (city) Canton (city; now Guangzhou) Canton Island (Kanton Island) Cape Juby (region; former name for Southern Morocco) Cape Province (region; former name for Northern, Western, and Eastern Cape Provinces of South Africa) Cape Town (legislative capital) Cape of Good Hope (cape; also alternate name for Cape Province of South Africa) Caracas (capital) Cargados Carajos Shoals Caribbean Sea Caroline Islands Carpatho-Ukraine (region; former name for Zakarpats'ka oblasf) Carpentaria, Gulf of Casablanca (city) Castries (capital) Catalonia (region) Cato Island Caucasus (region) Cayenne (capital) Celebes (island) Celebes Sea Celtic Sea Central African Empire (former name for Central African Republic) Ceram (Seram) Sea Ceska Republika (local name for Czech Republic) Ceskoslovensko (former local name for Czechoslovakia) Cetinje (capital city) Ceuta (city) Ceyion (former name for Sri Lanka) Chafarlnas, Islas (island) Chagos Archipelago (Oil Islands) Challenger Deep (Mariana Trench) Channel Islands Charlotte Amalie (capital) Chatham Islands Chechnya (region; also Chechnia) Cheju Strait Cheju-do (island) Chengdu (city) Entry in The World Factbook Latitude (deg min) Longitude (deg min) Romania 44 26 N 26 06 E Hungary 47 30 N 19 05 E Argentina 34 36 S 58 27 W Burundi 3 23 S 29 22 E Romania, Ukraine 48 00 N 26 00 E Belarus 53 00 N 28 00 E Belarus 53 00 N 28 00 E Angola 5 33 S 12 12 E Cape Verde 16 00 N 24 00 W Atlantic Ocean 47 20 N 59 30 W Turks and Caicos Islands 21 56 N 71 58 W Egypt 30 03 N 31 15 E India 22 32 N 88 21 E Canada 51 02 N 114 04 W Pacific Ocean 28 00 N 112 00 W Cameroon 6 00 N 12 00 E New Zealand 52 33 S 169 09 E Atlantic Ocean 20 00 N 94 00 W Panama 9 00 N 79 45 W Atlantic Ocean 28 00 N 16 00 W Spain 28 00 N 15 30 W Australia 35 17 S 149 08 E Mexico 21 10N 86 50 W China 23 06 N 113 16 E Kiribati 2 49 S 171 40 W Morocco 27 53 N 12 58 W South Africa 31 30 S 22 30 E South Africa 33 57 S 18 25 E South Africa 34 15 S 18 20 E Venezuela 10 30 N 66 56 W Mauritius 16 25 S 59 38 E Atlantic Ocean 15 00 N 73 00 W Federated States of 7 30 N 148 00 E Micronesia, Palau Ukraine 48 22 N 23 32 E Pacific Ocean MOOS 139 00 E Morocco 33 35 N 7 34 W Saint Lucia 14 01 N 61 00 W Spain 42 00 N 2 00 E Australia 23 15 S 155 32 E Russia 42 00 N 45 00 E French Guiana 4 56 N 52 20 W Indonesia 2 00 S 121 00 E Pacific Ocean 3 00 N 122 00 E Atlantic Ocean 51 00 N 6 30 W Central African Republic 7 00 N 21 00 E Pacific Ocean 2 30 S 129 30 E Czech Republic 49 45 N 15 30 E Czech Republic, Slovakia 49 00 N 17 30 E Montenegro 42 24 N 18 55 E Spain 35 53 N 5 19 W Sri Lanka 7 00 N 81 00 E Spain 35 12 N 2 26 W British Indian Ocean Territory 6 00 S 71 30 E Pacific Ocean 11 22 N 142 36 E Guernsey, Jersey 49 20 N 2 20 W Virgin Islands 18 21 N 64 56 W New Zealand 44 00 S 176 30 W Russia 43 15 N 45 40 E Pacific Ocean 34 00 N 126 30 E Korea, South 33 20 N 126 30 E China 30 43 N 104 04 E 759 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Name Chennai (city; also Madras) Chesterfield Islands (lies Chesterfield) Chihli, Gulf of (see Bo Hai) Chiloe (island) China, People's Republic of China, Republic of Chisinau (capital; also Kishinev) Choiseul (island) Choson (local name for North Korea) Christmas Island (Indian Ocean) Christmas Island (Pacific Ocean; also Kiritimati) Chukchi Sea Chuuk Islands (Truk Islands) Cilicia (region) Ciskei (enclave) Cifta del Vaticano (local name for Vatican City) Cochin China (region) Coco, Isla del (island) Cocos Islands Colombo (capital) Colon, Archipielago de (Galapagos Islands) Commander Islands (Komandorskiye Ostrova) Comores (local name for Comoros) Con Son (islands) Conakry (capital) Confederatio Helvetica (local name for Switzerland) Congo (Brazzaville) (former name for Republic of the Congo) Congo (Leopoldville) (former name for the Democratic Republic of the Congo) Constantinople (city; former name for Istanbul) Cook Strait Copenhagen (capital) Coral Sea Corfu (island) Corinth (region) Corisco (island) Corn Islands (Islas del Maiz) Corocoro Island Corsica (island; also Corse) Cosmoledo Group (island group; also Atoll de Cosmoledo) Cotonou (former capital) Cotopaxi (volcano) Courantyne River Cozumel (island) Crete (island) Crimea (region) Crimean Peninsula Crooked Island Passage Crozet Islands (lies Crozet) Cyclades (island group) Cyrenaica (region) Czechoslovakia (former name for the entity that subsequently split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia) D'Entrecasteaux Islands Dagestan (region) Dahomey (former name for Benin) Daito Islands Dakar (capital) Dalmatia (region) Daman (city; also Damao) Damascus (capital) Danger Islands (see Pukapuka Atoll) Danish Straits Danish West Indies (former name for the Virgin Islands) Danmark (local name) Entry in The World Factbook Latitude (deg min) Longitude (deg min) India 13 04 N 80 16 E New Caledonia 19 52 S 158 15 E Pacific Ocean 38 30 N 120 00 E Chile 42 SOS 74 00 W China 35 00 N 105 00 E Taiwan 23 30 N 121 00 E Moldova 47 00 N 28 50 E Solomon Islands 7 05 S 121 00 E North Korea 40 00 N 127 00 E Australia 10 25 S 105 39 E Kiribati 1 52 N 157 20 W Arctic Ocean 69 00 N 171 00 W Federated States of Micronesia 7 25 N 15147 W Turkey 36 50 N 34 30 E South Africa 33 00 S 27 00 E Holy See 41 54 N 12 27 E Vietnam 11 00 N 107 00 E Costa Rica 5 32 N 87 04 W Cocos (Keeling) Islands 12 30 S 96 50 E Sri Lanka 6 56 N 79 51 E Ecuador 0 00 N 90 30 W Russia 55 00 N 167 00 E Comoros 12 10 S 44 15 E Vietnam 8 43 N 106 36 E Guinea 931 N 13 43 W Switzerland 47 00 N 8 00 E Republic of the Congo 1 00 S 15 00 E Democratic Republic 0 00 N 25 00 E of the Congo Turkey 41 01 N 28 58 E Pacific Ocean 41 15 S 174 30 E Denmark 55 40 N 12 35 E Pacific Ocean 15 00 S 150 00 E Greece 39 40 N 19 45 E Greece 37 56 N 22 56 E Equatorial Guinea 0 55 N 9 19 E N icaragua 12 15 N 83 00 W Guyana, Venezuela 3 38 N 66 50 W France 42 00 N 9 00 E Seychelles 9 43 S 47 35 E Benin 6 21 N 2 26 E Ecuador 0 39 S 78 26 W Guyana, Suriname 5 57 N 57 06 W Mexico 20 30 N 86 55 W Greece 35 15 N 24 45 E Ukraine 45 00 N 34 00 E Ukraine 45 00 N 34 00 E Atlantic Ocean 22 55 N 74 35 W French Southern and 46 30 S 51 00 E Antarctic Lands Greece 37 00 N 25 10 E Libya 31 00 N 22 00 E Czech Republic, Slovakia 49 00 N 18 00 E Papua New Guinea 9 30 S 150 40 E Russia 43 00 N 47 00 E Benin 9 30 N 2 15 E Japan 43 00 N 17 00 E Senegal 14 40 N 17 26 W Croatia 43 00 N 17 00 E India 20 10N 73 00 E Syria 33 30 N 36 18 E Cook Islands 10 53 S 165 49 W Atlantic Ocean 58 00 N 11 00 E Virgin Islands 18 20 N 64 50 W Denmark 56 00 N 10 00 E 760 CROSS-REFERENCE LIST OF GEOGRAPHIC NAMES Entry in Latitude Longitude Name _ _ _ The World Factbook _ (deg min) (deg min) Danzig (city; former name for Gdansk) Dao Bach Long Vi (island) Dar es Salaam (capital) Dardanelles (strait) Davis Strait Dead Sea Deception Island Denmark Strait Desolation Islands (Isles Kerguelen) Deutschland (local name for Germany) Devils Island (lie du Diable) Devon Island Dhaka (capital) Dhivehi Raajje (local name for Maldives) Dhofar (region) Diego Garcia (island) Diego Ramirez (islands) Dili (capital) Dilmun (former name for Bahrain) Diomede Islands Diu (region) Djibouti (capital) Dnieper (river) Dniester (river) Dobruja (region) Dodecanese (island group) Dodoma (city) Doha (capital) Donets Basin Douala (city) Douglas (capital) Dover, Strait of Drake Passage Druk Yul (local name for Bhutan) Dubai, Dubayy (city) Dublin (capital) Duesseldorf (city) Durban (city) Dushanbe (capital) Dutch Antilles (former name for the Netherlands Antilles) Dutch East Indies (former name for Indonesia) Dutch Guiana (former name for Suriname) Dutch West Indies (former name for the Netherlands Antilles) Dzungarian Gate (valley) East China Sea East Frisian Islands East Germany (German Democratic Republic; former name for eastern portion of Germany) East Korea Strait (Eastern Channel or Tsushima Strait) East Pakistan (former name for Bangladesh) East Siberian Sea Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) Eastern Channel (East Korea Strait or Tsushima Strait) Eastern Samoa (former name for American Samoa) Edinburgh (city) Eesti (local name for Estonia) Eire (local name for Ireland) Elba (island) Elemi Triangle (region) Ellada, Ellas (local name for Greece) Poland 54 23 N 18 40 E Vietnam 20 08 N 107 44 E Tanzania 6 48 S 39 17 E Atlantic Ocean 40 15 N 26 25 E Atlantic Ocean 67 00 N 57 00 W Israel, Jordan, West Bank 32 30 N 35 30 E Antarctica 62 56 S 60 34 W Atlantic Ocean 67 00 N 24 00 W French Southern and 49 30 S 69 30 E Antarctic Lands Germany 51 00 N 9 00 E French Guiana 5 17 N 52 35 W Canada 76 00 N 87 00 W Bangladesh 23 43 N 90 25 E Maldives 3 15 N 73 00 E Oman 17 00 N 54 10 E British Indian Ocean Territory 7 20 S 72 25 E Chile 56 30 S 68 43 W East Timor 8 35 S 125 36 E Bahrain 7 00 N 81 00 E Russia (Big Diomede), United 65 47 N 169 00 W States (Little Diomede) India 20 42 N 70 59 E Djibouti 11 30 N 43 15 E Belarus, Russia, Ukraine 46 30 N 32 18 E (Dnyapro, Dnepr, Dnipro) Moldova, Ukraine 46 18 N 30 17 E (Nistru, Dnister) Bulgaria, Romania 43 30 N 28 00 E Greece 36 00 N 27 05 E Tanzania 6 11 S 35 45 E Qatar 25 17 N 51 32 E Russia, Ukraine 48 15 N 38 30 E Cameroon 4 03 N 9 42 E Man, Isle of 54 09 N 4 28 W Atlantic Ocean 51 00 N 1 30 E Atlantic Ocean, 60 00 S 60 00 W Southern Ocean Bhutan 27 30 N 90 30 E United Arab Emirates 25 18 N 55 18 E Ireland 53 20 N 6 15 W Germany 51 13 N 6 47 E South Africa 29 51 S 31 02 E Tajikistan 38 35 N 68 48 E Netherlands Antilles 12 10N 68 30 W Indonesia 5 00 S 120 00 E Suriname 4 00 N 56 00 W Netherlands Antilles 12 10N 68 30 W China, Kazakhstan 45 25 N 82 25 E Pacific Ocean 30 00 N 126 00 E Germany 53 44 N 7 25 E Germany 52 00 N 13 00 E Pacific Ocean 34 00 N 129 00 E Bangladesh 24 00 N 90 00 E Arctic Ocean 74 00 N 166 00 E Chile 27 07 S 109 22 W Pacific Ocean 34 00 N 129 00 E American Samoa 14 20 S 170 00 W United Kingdom 55 57 N 3 11 W Estonia 59 00 N 26 00 E Ireland 53 00 N 8 00 W Italy 42 46 N 10 17 E Ethiopia (claimed), Kenya 5 00 N 35 30 E (de facto), Sudan (claimed) Greece 39 00 N 22 00 E 761 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Name Ellef Ringnes Island Ellesmere Island Ellice Islands Ellsworth Land (region) Elobey, Isias de (island group) Enderbury Island Enewefak Atoll (Eniwetok Atoll) England (region) English Channel Eniwetok Atoll (see Enewetak Atoll) Eolie, Isole (island group) Epirus, Northern (region) Episkopi Cantonment (capital) Ertra (local name for Eritrea) Espana Essequibo (region; claimed by Venezuela) Etorofu (island; also Iturup) Farquhar Group (island group; also Atoll de Farquhar) Fergana Valley Fernando Po (island; see Bioko) Fernando de Noronha (island group) Filipinos (local name for the Philippines; also Pilipinas) Finland, Gulf of Florence (city) Flores (island) Flores Sea Florida, Straits of Fongafale (largest island of Funafuti) Former Soviet Union (FSU) Formosa (island) Formosa Strait (see Taiwan Strait) Foroyar (local name for Faroe Islands) Fort-de-France (capital) Frankfurt am Main (city) Franz Josef Land (island group) Freetown (capital) French Cameroon (former name for Cameroon) French Guinea (former name for Guinea) French Indochina (former name for French possessions in southeast Asia) French Morocco (former name for Morocco) French Somaliland (former name for Djibouti) French Sudan (former name for Mali) French Territory of the Afars and Issas (or FTAI; former name for Djibouti) French Togoland (former name for Togo) French West Indies (former name for French possessions in the West Indies) Friendly Islands Frisian Islands Frunze (city; former name for Bishkek) Funafuti (capital, atoll) Fundy, Bay of Futuna Islands (Hoorn Islands/lles de Horne) Fyn (island) Gaborone (capital) Galapagos Islands (Archipielago de Colon) Galicia (region) Galicia (region) Galilee (region) Entry in The World Factbook Latitude (deg min) Longitude (deg min) Canada 78 00 N 103 00 W Canada 81 00 N 80 00 W Tuvalu 8 00 S 178 00 E Antarctica 75 00 S 92 00 W Equatorial Guinea 0 59 N 9 33 E Kiribati 3 08 S 17105 W Marshall Islands 11 30 N 162 15 E United Kingdom 52 30 N 1 30 W Atlantic Ocean 50 20 N 1 00 W Marshall Islands 11 30 N 162 15 E Italy 38 30 N 15 00 E Albania, Greece 40 00 N 20 30 E Akrotiri, Dhekelia 34 40 N 32 51 E Eritrea 15 00 N 39 00 E Spain 40 00 N 4 00 W Guyana 6 59 N 58 23 W Russia (de facto) 44 55 N 147 40 E Seychelles 10 10 S 51 10 E Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan 41 00 N 72 00 E Equatorial Guinea 3 30 N 8 42 E Brazil 3 51 S 32 25 W Philippines 13 00 N 122 00 E Atlantic Ocean 60 00 N 27 00 E Italy 43 46 N 11 16 E Indonesia 8 45 S 121 00 E Pacific Ocean 7 40 S 119 45 E Atlantic Ocean 25 00 N 79 45 W Tuvalu 8 30 S 179 12 E Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan Taiwan 23 30 N 121 00 E Pacific Ocean 24 00 N 119 00 E Faroe Islands 62 00 N 7 00 W Martinique 14 36 N 61 05 W Germany 50 07 N 8 41 E Russia 81 00 N 55 00 E Sierra Leone 8 30 N 13 15 W Cameroon 6 00 N 12 00 E Guinea 11 00 N 10 00 W Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam 15 00 N 107 00 E Morocco 32 00 N 5 00 W Djibouti 11 30 N 43 00 E Mali 17 00 N 4 00 W Djibouti 11 30 N 43 00 E Togo 8 00 N 1 10 E Guadeloupe, Martinique 16 30 N 62 00 W Tonga 20 00 S 175 00 W Denmark, Germany, Netherlands 53 35 N 6 40 E Kyrgyzstan 42 54 N 74 36 E Tuvalu 8 30 S 179 12 E Atlantic Ocean 45 00 N 66 00 W Wallis and Futuna 14 19 S 178 05 W Denmark 55 20 N 10 25 E Botswana 24 45 S 25 55 E Ecuador 0 00 N 90 30 W Poland, Ukraine 49 30 N 23 00 E Spain 42 45 N 8 10 E Israel 32 54 N 35 20 E 762 CROSS-REFERENCE LIST OF GEOGRAPHIC NAMES Name Galleons Passage Gambier Islands (lies Gambler) Gaspar Strait Gdansk (city; formerly Danzig) Geneva (city) Genoa (city) George Town (capital) George Town (city) George Town (city) Georgetown (capital) Georgetown (city) German Democratic Republic (East Germany; former name for eastern portion of Germany) German Southwest Africa (former name for Namibia) Germany, Federal Republic of Gibraltar (city, peninsula) Gibraltar, Strait of Gidi Pass Gilbert Islands Goa (state) Gobi (desert) Godthab (capital; also Nuuk) Golan Heights (region) Gold Coast (former name for Ghana) Goifo San Jorge (gulf) Golfo San Mafias (gulf) Good Hope, Cape of Goteborg (city) Gotland (island) Gough island Graham Land (region) Gran Chaco (region) Grand Bahama (island) Grand Banks (fishing ground) Grand Cayman (island) Grand Turk (capital; also Cockburn Town) Great Australian Bight Great Belt (strait; also Store Baelt) Great Bitter Lake Great Britain (island) Great Channel Great Inagua (island) Great Rift Valley Greater Sunda Islands Green Islands Greenland Sea Grenadines, Northern (island group) Grenadines, Southern (island group) Grytviken (town; on South Georgia) Guadalahara (city) Guadalcanal (island) Guadalupe, Isla de (island) Guangzhou (city; also Canton) Guantanamo Bay (US Naval Base) Guatemala (capital) Guine-Bissau (local name for Guinea-Bissau) Guinea Ecuatorial (local name for Equatorial Guinea) Guinea, Gulf of Guinee (local name for Guinea) Gustavia (capital) Guyane Francaise (local name for French Guiana) Ha'apai Group (island group) Habomai Islands Hadhramaut (region) Entry in The World Factbook Latitude (deg min) Longitude (deg min) Atlantic Ocean 11 00 N 60 55 W French Polynesia 23 09 S 134 58 W Pacific Ocean 3 00 S 107 00 E Poland 54 23 N 18 40 E Switzerland 46 12 N 6 10 E Italy 44 25 N 8 57 E Cayman Islands 19 20 N 81 23 W Malaysia 5 26 N 100 16 E The Bahamas 23 30 N 75 46 W Guyana 6 48 N 58 10W The Gambia 13 30 N 14 47 W Germany 52 00 N 13 00 E Namibia 22 00 S 17 00 E Germany 51 00 N 9 00 E Gibraltar 36 11 N 5 22 W Atlantic Ocean 35 57 N 5 36 W Egypt 30 13 N 33 09 E Kiribati 1 25 N 173 00 E India 15 20 N 74 00 E China, Mongolia 42 30 N 107 00 E Greenland 64 11 N 51 44 W Syria 33 00 N 35 45 E Ghana 8 00 N 2 00 W Atlantic Ocean 46 00 S 66 00 W Atlantic Ocean 41 30 S 64 00 W South Africa 34 24 S 18 30 E Sweden 57 43 N 11 58 E Sweden 57 30 N 18 33 E Saint Helena 40 20 S 9 55 W Antarctica 65 00 S 64 00 W Argentina, Paraguay 24 00 S 60 00 W The Bahamas 26 40 N 78 35 W Atlantic Ocean 47 06 N 55 48 W Cayman Islands 19 20 N 81 20 W Turks and Caicos Islands 21 28 N 71 08 W Indian Ocean 35 00 S 130 00 E Atlantic Ocean 55 30 N 11 00 E Egypt 30 20 N 32 23 E United Kingdom 54 00 N 2 00 W Indian Ocean 6 25 N 94 20 E The Bahamas 21 00 N 73 20 W Ethiopia, Kenya 0 30 N 36 00 E Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia 2 00 S 110 00 E Papua New Guinea 4 30 S 154 10 E Arctic Ocean 79 00 N 5 00 W Saint Vincent and the 13 15 N 61 12 W Grenadines Grenada 12 07 N 61 40 W South Georgia and the 54 15 S 36 45 W South Sandwich Islands Mexico 20 40 N 103 24 W Solomon Islands 9 32 S 160 12 E Mexico 29 11 N 118 17 W China 23 09 N 113 21 E Cuba 20 00 N 75 08 W Guatemala 14 38 N 90 31 W Guinea-Bissau 12 00 N 15 00 W Equatorial Guinea 2 00 N 10 00 E Atlantic Ocean 3 00 N 2 30 E Guinea 11 00 N 10 00 W Saint Barthelemy 17 53 N 62 51 W French Guiana 4 00 N 53 00 W Tonga 19 42 S 174 29 W Russia (de facto) 43 30 N 146 10 E Yemen 15 00 N 50 00 E 763 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Name Hagatna (capital; formerly Agana) Hague, The (seat of government) Haifa (city) Hainan Dao (island) Haiphong (city) Hala'ib Triangle (region) Halifax (city) Halmahera (island) Halmahera Sea Hamburg (city) Hamilton (capital) Han-guk (local name for South Korea Hanoi (capital) Harare (capital) Harvey islands (former name for Cook Islands) Hatay (province) Havana (capital) Hawaii (island) Hawaiian Islands Hawar (island) Hayastan (local name for Armenia) Heard Island Hejaz (region) Helsinki (capital) Herzegovina (political region) Hiiumaa (island) Hispaniola (island) Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) Hokkaido (island) Holland (region) Hong Kong (special administrative region) Honiara (capital) Honshu (island) Hormuz, Strait of Horn of Africa (region) Horn, Cape (Cabo de Homos) Horne, lies de (island group) Hrvatska (local name for Croatia) Hudson Bay Hudson Strait Hunter Island Iberian Peninsula Iceland Sea Ifni (region; former name of part of Spanish West Africa) Inaccessible Island Indochina (region) Ingushetia (region) Inhambane (region) Inini (former name for French Guiana) Inland Sea Inner Hebrides (islands) Inner Mongolia (region; also Nei Mongol) Ionian Islands Ionian Sea Irian Jaya (province) Irish Sea Iron Gate (river gorge) Iskenderun (region; formerly Alexandretta) Islamabad (capital) Island (local name for Iceland) Islas Malvinas (island group) Istanbul (city) Istrian Peninsula Italia (local name for Italy) Entry in The World Factbook Latitude (deg min) Longitude (deg min) Guam 13 28 N 144 45 E Netherlands 52 05 N 4 18 E Israel 32 50 N 35 00 E China 19 00 N 109 30 E Vietnam 20 52 N 106 41 E Egypt (claimed), Sudan (de facto) 22 30 N 35 00 E Canada 44 39 N 63 36 W Indonesia 1 00 N 128 00 E Pacific Ocean 0 30 S 129 00 E Germany 53 34 N 9 59 E Bermuda 32 17 N 64 46 W South Korea 37 00 N 127 30 E Vietnam 21 02 N 105 51 E Zimbabwe 17 50 S 31 03 E Cook Islands 21 14S 159 46 W Turkey 36 30 N 36 15 E Cuba 23 08 N 82 22 W United States 19 45 N 155 45 W United States 21 00 N 157 45 W Bahrain 25 40 N 50 47 E Armenia 40 00 N 45 00 E Heard Island and 53 06 S 73 30 E McDonald Islands Saudi Arabia 24 30 N 38 30 E Finland 60 10N 24 58 E Bosnia and Herzegovina 44 00 N 18 00 E Estonia 58 50 N 22 30 E Dominican Republic, Haiti 18 45 N 71 00 W Vietnam 10 45 N 106 40 E Japan 44 00 N 143 00 E Netherlands 52 30 N 5 45 E Hong Kong 22 15 N 114 10 E Solomon Islands 9 26 S 159 57 E Japan 36 00 N 138 00 E Indian Ocean 26 34 N 56 15 E Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, 8 00 N 48 00 E Somalia Chile 55 59 S 67 16 W Wallis and Futuna 14 19 S 178 05 W Croatia 45 10N 15 30 E Arctic Ocean 60 00 N 86 00 W Arctic Ocean 62 00 N 71 00 W New Caledonia, Vanuatu 22 24 S 172 06 E Portugal, Spain 40 00 N 5 00 W Arctic Ocean 68 00 N 20 00 W Morocco 29 22 N 10 09 W Saint Helena 37 17 S 12 40 W Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam 15 00 N 107 00 E Russia 43 15 N 45 00 E Mozambique 22 30 S 34 30 E French Guiana 4 00 N 53 00 W Japan 34 20 N 133 30 E United Kingdom 56 30 N 6 20 W China 42 00 N 113 00 E Greece 38 30 N 20 30 E Atlantic Ocean 38 30 N 18 00 E Indonesia 5 00 S 138 00 E Atlantic Ocean 53 30 N 5 20 W Romania, Serbia 44 41 N 22 31 E Turkey 36 34 N 36 08 E Pakistan 33 42 N 73 10 E Iceland 65 00 N 18 00 W Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 51 45 S 59 00 W Turkey 41 01 N 28 58 E Croatia, Slovenia 45 00 N 14 00 E Italy 42 50 N 12 50 E 764 CROSS-REFERENCE LIST OF GEOGRAPHIC NAMES Name Italian East Africa (former name for Italian possessions in eastern Africa) Italian Somaliland (former name for southern Somalia) Ittihad al-lmaraf al-Arabiyah (local name for the United Arab Emirates) Iturup (island; see Etorofu) Ityop'iya (local name for Ethiopia) Ivory Coast (former name for Cote d'Ivoire) Iwo Jima (island) Izmir (region) Jakarta (capital) James Bay Jamestown (capital) Jammu (city) Jammu and Kashmir (region) Japan, Sea of Jars, Plain of Java (island) Java Sea Jerusalem (capital, proclaimed) Jiddah, Jeddah (city) Johannesburg (city) Joseph Bonaparte Gulf Juan Fernandez, Islas de (island group) Juan de Fuca, Strait of Jubai, Strait of Judaea (region) Jugoslavia, Jugoslavia (local names for Yugoslavia, a former Balkan federation) Jutland (region) Juventud, Isla de la (Isle of Youth) Kabardino-Balkaria (region) Kabul (capital) Kaduna (city) Kailas Range Kalaallit Nunaat (local name for Greenland) Kalahari (desert) Kalimantan (region) Kaliningrad (region; formerly part of East Prussia) Kamaran (island) Kamchatka Peninsula (Poluostrov Kamchatka) Kampala (capital) Kampuchea (former name for Cambodia) Kane Basin (portion of channel) Kanton Island Kara Sea Karachevo-Cherkessia (region) Karachi (city) Karafuto (island; former name for southern Sakhalin Island) Karakoram Pass Karelia, Kareliya (region) Karelian Isthmus Karimata Strait Kashmir (region) Katanga (region) Kathmandu (capital) Kattegat (strait) Kauai Channel Kazakstan (former name for Kazakhstan) Keeling Islands Kerguelen, lies (island group) Entry in The World Factbook Latitude (deg min) Longitude (deg min) Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia 8 00 N 38 00 E Somalia 10 00 N 49 00 E United Arab Emirates 24 00 N 54 00 E Russia (de facto) 44 55 N 147 40 E Ethiopia 8 00 N 38 00 E Cote d’Ivoire 8 00 N 5 00 W Japan 24 47 N 141 20 E Turkey 38 25 N 27 10 E Indonesia 6 10 S 106 48 E Arctic Ocean 54 00 N 80 00 W Saint Helena 15 56 S 5 44 W India 32 42 N 74 52 E India, Pakistan 34 00 N 76 00 E Pacific Ocean 40 00 N 135 00 E Laos 19 27 N 103 10 E Indonesia 7 30 S 110 00 E Pacific Ocean 5 00 S 110 00 E Israel, West Bank 31 47 N 35 14 E Saudi Arabia 21 30 N 39 12 E South Africa 26 15 S 28 00 E Pacific Ocean MOOS 128 45 E Chile 33 00 S 80 00 W Pacific Ocean 48 18 N 124 00 W Indian Ocean 27 40 N 33 55 E Israel, West Bank 31 35 N 35 00 E Bosnia and Herzegovina, 43 00 N 21 00 E Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia Denmark 56 00 N 9 15 E Cuba 21 40 N 82 50 W Russia 43 30 N 43 30 E Afghanistan 34 31 N 69 12 E Nigeria 10 33 N 7 27 E China, India 30 00 N 82 00 E Greenland 72 00 N 40 00 W Botswana, Namibia 24 30 S 21 00 E Indonesia 0 00 N 115 00 E Russia 54 30 N 21 00 E Yemen 15 21 N 42 34 E Russia 56 00 N 160 00 E Uganda 0 19 N 32 25 E Cambodia 13 00 N 105 00 E Arctic Ocean 79 30 N 68 00 W Kiribati 2 49 S 171 40 W Arctic Ocean 76 00 N 80 00 E Russia 43 40 N 41 50 E Pakistan 24 51 N 67 03 E Russia 50 00 N 143 00 E China, India 35 30 N 77 50 E Finland, Russia 63 15 N 30 48 E Russia 60 25 N 30 00 E Pacific Ocean 2 05 S 108 40 E India, Pakistan 34 00 N 76 00 E Democratic Republic 10 00S 26 00 E of the Congo Nepal 27 43 N 85 19 E Atlantic Ocean 57 00 N 11 00 E Pacific Ocean 21 45 N 158 50 W Kazakhstan 48 00 N 68 00 E Cocos (Keeling) Islands 12 30 S 96 50 E French Southern and 49 30 S 69 30 E Antarctic Lands New Zealand 29 50 S 178 15 W 765 Kermadec Islands THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Name Kerulen River Khabarovsk (city) Khanka, Lake Khartoum (capital) Khios (island) Khmer Republic (former name for Cambodia) Khuriya Muriya Islands (Kuria Muria Islands) Khyber Pass Kibris (Turkish local name for Cyprus) Kiel Canal (Nord-Ostsee Kanal) Kiev (capital) Kigali (capital) Kingston (capital) Kingston (capital) Kingstown (capital) Kinshasa (capital) Kipros (Greek local name for Cyprus) Kirghiziya, Kirgizia (former name for Kyrgyzstan) Kirguizstan (local name for Kyrgyzstan) Kiritimati (Christmas Island) Kishinev (see Chisinau) Kithira Strait Kobe (city) Kodiak Island Kola Peninsula (Kol'skiy Poluostrov) Kolonia (town; former capital; changed to Palikir) Korea Bay Korea Strait Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Koror (capital) Kosovo (region) Kosrae (island) Kowloon (city) Kra, Isthmus of Krakatoa (volcano) Krakow (city) Kuala Lumpur (capital) Kunashiri (island; also Kunashir) Kunlun Mountains Kuril Islands Kuwait (capital) Kuznetsk Basin Kwajalein Atoll Kyiv, Kyyiv (see Kiev) Kyushu (island) La Paz (administrative capital) La Perouse Strait Labrador (peninsula, region) Labrador Sea Laccadive Islands Laccadive Sea Lagos (former capital) Lahore (city) Lake Erie Lake Huron Lake Michigan Lake Ontario Lake Superior Lakshadweep (Laccadive Islands) Lantau Island Lao (local name for Laos) Laptev Sea Las Palmas (city) Entry in The World Factbook Latitude (deg min) Longitude (deg min) China, Mongolia 48 48 N 117 00 E Russia 48 27 N 135 06 E China, Russia 45 00 N 132 24 E Sudan 15 36 N 32 32 E Greece 38 22 N 26 04 E Cambodia 13 00 N 105 00 E Oman 17 30 N 56 00 E Afghanistan, Pakistan 34 05 N 71 10 E Cyprus 35 00 N 33 00 E Atlantic Ocean 53 53 N 9 08 E Ukraine 50 26 N 30 31 E Rwanda 1 57 S 30 04 E Jamaica 18 00 N 76 48 W Norfolk Island 29 03 S 167 58 E Saint Vincent and 13 09 N 61 14 W the Grenadines Democratic Republic 4 18 S 15 18 E of the Congo Cyprus 35 00 N 33 00 E Kyrgyzstan 41 00 N 75 00 E Kyrgyzstan 41 00 N 75 00 E Kiribati 1 52 N 157 20 W Moldova 47 00 N 28 50 E Atlantic Ocean 36 00 N 23 00 E Japan 34 41 N 135 10 E United States 57 49 N 152 23 W Russia 67 20 N 37 00 E Federated States of Micronesia 6 58 N 158 13 E Pacific Ocean 39 00 N 124 00 E Pacific Ocean 34 00 N 129 00 E North Korea 40 00 N 127 00 E South Korea 37 00 N 127 30 E Palau 7 20 N 134 29 E Serbia 42 30 N 21 00 E Federated States of Micronesia 5 20 N 163 00 E Hong Kong 22 18 N 114 10E Burma, Thailand 10 20 N 99 00 E Indonesia 6 07 S 105 24 E Poland 50 03 N 19 56 E Malaysia 3 10N 101 42 E Russia (de facto) 44 20 N 146 00 E China 36 00 N 84 00 E Russia (de facto) 46 10N 152 00 E Kuwait 29 20 N 47 59 E Russia 54 00 N 86 00 E Marshall Islands 9 05 N 167 20 E Ukraine 50 26 N 30 31 E Japan 33 00 N 131 00 E Bolivia 16 30 S 68 09 W Pacific Ocean 45 45 N 142 00 E Canada 54 00 N 62 00 W Atlantic Ocean 60 00 N 55 00 W India 10 00 N 73 00 E Indian Ocean 7 00 N 76 00 E Nigeria 6 27 N 3 24 E Pakistan 31 33 N 74 23 E Atlantic Ocean 42 30 N 81 00 W Atlantic Ocean 45 00 N 83 00 W Atlantic Ocean 43 30 N 87 30 W Atlantic Ocean 43 30 N 78 00 W Atlantic Ocean 48 00 N 88 00 W India 10 00 N 73 00 E Hong Kong 22 15 N 113 55 E Laos 18 00 N 105 00 E Arctic Ocean 76 00 N 126 00 E Spain (Canary Islands) 28 06 N 15 24 W 766 CROSS-REFERENCE LIST OF GEOGRAPHIC NAMES Name Latakia (region) Latvija (local name for Latvia) Lau Group (island group) Lefkosa (see Nicosia) Leipzig (city) Lemnos (island) Leningrad (city; former name for Saint Petersburg) Lesser Sunda islands Lesvos (island) Leyte (island) Liancourt Rocks (claimed by Japan) Liaodong Wan (gulf) Liban (local name for Lebanon) Libreville (capital) Lietuva (local name for Lithuania) Ligurian Sea Lilongwe (capital) Lima (capital) Lincoln Sea Line Islands Lion, Gulf of Lisbon (capital) Little Belt (strait; also Lille Baelt) Ljubljana (capital) Llanos (region) Lobamba (city) Lombok (island) Lombok Strait Lome (capital) London (capital) Longyearbyen (capital) Lord Howe Island Lorraine (region) Louisiade Archipelago Lourenco Marques (city; former name for Maputo) Loyalty Islands (lies Loyaute) Luanda (capital) Lubnan (local name for Lebanon) Lubumbashi (city) Lusaka (capital) Luxembourg (capital) Luzon (island) Luzon Strait Lyakhov Islands Macao Macau (special administrative region) Macquarie Island Madagasikara (local name for Madagascar) Maddalena, Isola Madeira Islands Madras (city; see Chennai) Madrid (capital) Magellan, Strait of Maghreb (region) Magreb (local name for Morocco) Magyarorszag (local name for Hungary) Mahe Island Maiz, Islas del (Corn Islands) Majorca Island (Isla de Mallorca) Majuro (capital) Makassar Strait Makedonija (local name for Macedonia) Malabo (capital) Entry in The World Factbook Latitude (deg min) Longitude (deg min) Syria 36 00 N 35 50 E Latvia 57 00 N 25 00 E Fiji 18 20 S 178 30 E Cyprus 35 10N 33 22 E Germany 51 21 N 12 23 E Greece 39 54 N 25 21 E Russia 59 55 N 30 15 E Indonesia 9 00 S 120 00 E Greece 39 15 N 26 15 E Philippines 10 50 N 124 50 E South Korea 37 15 N 131 50 E Pacific Ocean 40 30 N 121 20 E Lebanon 33 50 N 36 50 E Gabon 0 23 N 9 27 E Lithuania 56 00 N 24 00 E Atlantic Ocean 43 30 N 9 00 E Malawi 13 59 S 33 44 E Peru 12 03 S 77 03 W Arctic Ocean 83 00 N 56 00 W Jarvis Island, Kingman Reef, 0 05 N 157 00 W Kiribati, Palmyra Atoll Atlantic Ocean 43 20 N 4 00 E Portugal 38 43 N 9 08 W Atlantic Ocean 55 05 N 9 55 E Slovenia 46 03 N 14 31 E Venezuela 8 00 N 68 00 W Swaziland 26 27 S 31 12 E Indonesia 8 28 S 116 40 E Indian Ocean 8 30 S 115 50 E Togo 6 08 N 1 13 E United Kingdom 51 30 N 0 10 W Svalbard 78 13 N 15 33 E Australia 31 30 S 159 00 E France 48 42 N 6 11 E Papua New Guinea 11 00 s 153 00 E Mozambique 25 56 S 32 34 E New Caledonia 21 00 S 167 00 E Angola 8 48 S 13 14 E Lebanon 33 50 N 36 50 E Democratic Republic 11 40 S 27 28 E of the Congo Zambia 15 25 S 28 17 E Luxembourg 49 45 N 6 10 E Philippines 16 00 N 121 00 E Pacific Ocean 20 30 N 121 00 E Russia 73 45 N 138 00 E Macau ' 22 10N 113 33 E China 22 10N 113 33 E Australia 54 36 S 158 54 E Madagascar 20 00 S 47 00 E Italy 41 13 N 09 24 E Portugal 32 40 N 16 45 W India 13 04 N 80 16 E Spain 40 24 N 3 41 W Atlantic Ocean 54 00 S 71 00 W Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, 34 00 N 3 00 E Morocco, Tunisia Morocco 32 00 N 5 00 W Hungary 47 00 N 20 00 E Seychelles 4 41 S 55 30 E Nicaragua 12 15 N 83 00 W Spain 39 30 N 3 00 E Marshall Islands 7 05 N 171 08 E Pacific Ocean 2 00 S 1 17 30 E Macedonia 41 50 N 22 00 E Equatorial Guinea 3 45 N 8 47 E 767 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Name Malacca, Strait of Malagasy Republic Malay Archipelago Malay Peninsula Male (capital) Mallorca, Isla de (island; also Majorca) Malmady (region) Malpelo, Isla de (Island) Malta Channel Malvinas, Islas (island group) Mamoutzou (capital) Managua (capital) Manama (capital) Manchukuo (former state) Manchuria (region) Manila (capital) Manipa Strait Mannar, Gulf of Manua Islands Maputo (capital) Marcus Island (Minami-tori-shima) Margarita, Isla (island) Mariana Islands Marie Byrd Land (region) Marigot (capital) Marion Island Marmara, Sea of Marquesas Islands (lies Marquises) Marseille (city) Martin Vaz, llhas (island group) Mas a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island) Mascarene Islands Maseru (capital) Mafa-Utu (capital) Matsu (island) Matthew Island Mauritanie (local name for Mauritania) Mazatlan (city) Mbabane (capital) McDonald Islands Mecca (city) Mediterranean Sea Melbourne (city) Melilla (exclave) Memel (region) Mesopotamia (region) Messina, Strait of Mexico City (capital) Mexico, Gulf of Middle Congo (former name for Republic of the Congo) Milan (city) Milwaukee Deep (Puerto Rico Trench) Minami-tori-shima (Marcus Island) Mindanao (island) Mindanao Sea Mindoro (island) Mindoro Strait Mingreiia (region) Minicoy Island Minorca Island (Isla de Menorca) Minsk (capital) Misr (local name for Egypt) Mitla Pass Mocambique (local name for Mozambique) Entry in The World Factbook Latitude (deg min) Longitude (deg min) Indian Ocean 2 30 N 101 20 E Madagascar 20 00 S 47 00 E Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, 2 30 N Papua New Guinea, Philippines 120 00 E Malaysia, Thailand 7 10N 100 35 E Maldives 4 10N 73 31 E Spain 39 30 N 3 00 E Belgium 50 26 N 6 02 E Colombia 4 00 N 90 30 W Atlantic Ocean 56 44 N 26 53 E Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 51 45 S 59 00 W Mayotte 12 47 S 45 14 E N icaragua 12 09 N 86 17 W Bahrain 26 13 N 50 35 E China 44 00 N 124 00 E China 44 00 N 124 00 E Philippines 14 35 N 121 00 E Pacific Ocean 3 20 S 127 23 E Indian Ocean 8 30 N 79 00 E American Samoa 14 13 S 169 35 W Mozambique 25 58 S 32 35 E Japan 24 16 N 154 00 E Venezuela 10 00 N 64 00 W Guam, Northern Mariana Islands 16 00 N 145 30 E Antarctica 77 00 S 130 00 W Saint Martin 18 04 N 63 05 W South Africa 46 51 S 37 52 E Atlantic Ocean 40 40 N 28 15 E French Polynesia 9 00 S 139 30 W France 43 18 N 5 23 E Brazil 20 30 S 28 51 W Chile 33 38 S 78 52 W Mauritius, Reunion 21 00 S 57 00 E Lesotho 29 28 S 27 30 E Wallis and Futuna 13 57 S 171 56 W Taiwan 26 13 N 119 56 E New Caledonia, Vanuatu 22 20 S 171 20 E Mauritania 20 00 N 12 00 W Mexico 23 13 N 106 25 W Swaziland 26 18 S 31 06 E Heard Island and McDonald Islands 53 06 S 73 30 E Saudi Arabia 21 27 N 39 49 E Atlantic Ocean 36 00 N 15 00 E Australia 37 49 S 144 58 E Spain 35 19 N 2 58 W Lithuania 55 43 N 21 30 E Iraq 33 00 N 44 00 E Atlantic Ocean 38 15 N 15 35 E Mexico 19 24 N 99 09 V/ Atlantic Ocean 25 00 N 90 00 W Republic of the Congo 1 00 S 15 00 E Italy 45 28 N 9 11 E Atlantic Ocean 19 55 N 65 27 W Japan 24 16 N 154 00 E Philippines 8 00 N 125 00 E Pacific Ocean 9 15 N 124 30 E Philippines 12 50 N 121 05 E Pacific Ocean 12 20 N 120 40 E Georgia 42 30 N 41 52 E India 8 17 N 73 02 E Spain 40 00 N 4 00 E Belarus 53 54 N 27 34 E Egypt 27 00 N 30 00 E Egypt 30 02 N 32 54 E Mozambique 18 15 S 35 00 E 768 CROSS-REFERENCE LIST OF GEOGRAPHIC NAMES Name Mogadishu (capital) Moldavia (region) Molucca Sea Moluccas (Spice Islands) Mombasa (city) Mona Passage Monaco (capital) Mongol Uls (local name for Mongolia) Monrovia (capital) Monterrey (city) Montevideo (capital) Montreal (city) Moravia (region) Moravian Gate (pass) Moroni (capital) Mortlock Islands (Nomoi Islands) Moscow (capital) Mount Pinatubo (volcano) Mozambique Channel Mumbai (city; also Bombay) Munich, Muenchen (city) Muritaniyah (local name for Mauritania) Musandam Peninsula Muscat (capital) Muscat and Oman (former name for Oman) Myanma, Myanmar N'Djamena (capital) Nagorno-Karabakh (region) Nairobi (capital) Namib (desert) Nampo-shoto (island group) Nan Madol (ruins) Naples (city) Nassau (capital) Natal (region) Natuna Besar Islands Natuna Sea Naxcivan (region) Naxos (island) Nederland (local name for the Netherlands) Nederlandse Antillen (local name for the Netherlands Antilles) Negev (region) Negros (island) Nejd (region) Netherlands East Indies (former name for Indonesia) Netherlands Guiana (former name for Suriname) Nevis (island) New Britain (island) New Delhi (capital) New Guinea (island) New Hebrides (island group) New Ireland (island) New Siberian Islands New Territories (mainland region) Newfoundland (island, with mainland area, and a province) Niamey (capital) Nicobar Islands Nicosia (capital; also Lefkosia) Nightingale Island Nihon, Nippon (local name for Japan) Nomoi Islands (Mortlock Islands) Norge (local name for Norway) Norman Isles (Channel Islands) North Atlantic Ocean North Channel North Frisian Islands Entry in The World Factbook Latitude (deg min) Longitude (deg min) Somalia 2 04 N 45 22 E Moldova, Romania 47 00 N 29 00 E Pacific Ocean 2 00 N 127 00 E Indonesia 2 00 S 128 00 E Kenya 4 03 S 39 40 E Atlantic Ocean 18 30 N 67 45 W Monaco 43 44 N 7 25 E Mongolia 46 00 N 105 00 E Liberia 6 18 N 10 47 W Mexico 25 40 N 100 19 W Uruguay 34 53 S 56 11 W Canada 45 31 N 73 34 W Czech Republic 49 30 N 17 00 E Czech Republic 49 35 N 17 50 E Comoros 11 41 S 43 16 E Federated States of Micronesia 5 30 N 153 40 E Russia 55 45 N 37 35 E Philippines 15 08 N 120 21 E Indian Ocean 19 00 S 41 00 E India 18 58 N 72 50 E Germany 48 08 N 11 35 E Mauritania 20 00 N 12 00 W Oman, United Arab Emirates 26 18 N 56 24 E Oman 23 37 N 58 35 E Oman 21 00 N 57 00 E Burma 22 00 N 98 00 E Chad 12 07 N 15 03 E Azerbaijan 40 00 N 46 40 E Kenya 1 17 S 36 49 E Namibia 24 00 S 15 00 E Japan 30 00 N 140 00 E Federated States of Micronesia 6 85 N 158 35 E Italy 40 51 N 14 15 E The Bahamas 25 05 N 77 21 W South Africa 29 00 S 30 25 E Indonesia 3 30 N 102 30 E Pacific Ocean 3 30 N 108 00 E Azerbaijan 39 20 N 45 20 E Greece 37 05 N 25 30 E Netherlands 52 30 N 5 45 E Netherlands Antilles 12 15 N 68 45 W Israel 30 30 N 34 55 E Philippines 10 00 N 123 00 E Saudi Arabia 24 05 N 45 15 E Indonesia 5 00 S 120 00 E Suriname 4 00 N 56 00 W Saint Kitts and Nevis 17 09 N 62 35 W Papua New Guinea 6 00 S 150 00 E India 28 36 N 77 12 E Indonesia, Papua New Guinea 5 00 S 140 00 E Vanuatu 16 00 S 167 00 E Papua New Guinea 3 20 N 152 00 E Russia 75 00 N 142 00 E Hong Kong 22 24 N 114 10E Canada 52 00 N 56 00 W Niger 13 31 N 2 07 E India 8 00 N 93 30 E Cyprus 35 10N 33 22 E Saint Helena 37 25 S 12 30 W Japan 36 00 N 138 00 E Federated States of Micronesia 5 30 N 153 40 E Norway 62 00 N 10 00 E Guernsey, Jersey 49 20 N 2 20 W Atlantic Ocean 30 00 N 45 00 W Atlantic Ocean 55 10N 5 40 W Denmark, Germany 54 50 N 8 12 E 769 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Name North Greenland Sea North Island North Ossetia (region) North Pacific Ocean North Sea North Vietnam (former name for northern portion of Vietnam) North Yemen (Yemen Arab Republic; now part of Yemen) Northeast Providence Channel Northern Areas Northern Cyprus (region) Northern Epirus (region) Northern Grenadines (political region) Northern Ireland Northern Rhodesia (former name for Zambia) Northwest Passages Norwegian Sea Nouakchott (capital) Noumea (capital) Nouvelle-Caledonie (local name for New Caledonia) Nouvelies Hebrides (former name for Vanuatu) Novaya Zemlya (islands) Nubia (region) Nuku'alofa (capital) Nunavut (region) Nuuk (capital; also Godthab) Nyasaland (former name for Malawi) Nyassa (region) Oahu (island) Ocean Island (Banaba) Ocean Island (Kure Island) Oesterreich (local name for Austria) Ogaden (region) Oil Islands (Chagos Archipelago) Okhotsk, Sea of Okinawa (island group) Oland (island) Oman, Gulf of Ombai Strait Oran (city) Orange River Colony (region; former name of Free State Province of South Africa) Oranjestad (capital) Oresund (The Sound) (strait) Orkney Islands Osaka (city) Oslo (capital) Osumi Strait (Van Diemen Strait) Otranto, Strait of Ottawa (capital) Ouagadougou (capital) Outer Hebrides (islands) Outer Mongolia (region) Pyongyang (capital) Pacific Islands, Trust Territory of the (former name of a large area of the western North Pacific Ocean) Pagan (island) Pago Pago (capital) Palawan (island) Palermo (city) Palestine (region) Palikir (capital) Palk Strait Pamirs (mountains) Pampas (region) Entry in The World Factbook Latitude (deg min) Longitude (deg min) Arctic Ocean 78 00 N 5 00 W New Zealand 39 00 S 176 00 E Russia 43 00 N 44 10 E Pacific Ocean 30 00 N 165 00 W Atlantic Ocean 56 00 N 4 00 E Vietnam 23 00 N 106 00 E Yemen 15 00 N 44 00 E Atlantic Ocean 25 40 N 77 09 W Pakistan 36 ON 75 0E Cyprus 35 15 N 33 44 E Albania, Greece 40 00 N 20 30 E Saint Vincent and the 12 45 N 61 15 W Grenadines United Kingdom 54 40 N 6 45 W Zambia 15 00 S 30 00 E Arctic Ocean 74 40 N 100 00 W Atlantic Ocean 66 00 N 6 00 E Mauritania 18 06 N 15 57 W New Caledonia 22 16 S 166 27 E New Caledonia 21 30 S 165 30 E Vanuatu 16 00 S 167 00 E Russia 74 00 N 57 00 E Egypt, Sudan 20 30 N 33 00 E Tonga 21 08 S 175 12 W Canada 72 00 N 90 00 W Greenland 64 11 N 51 44 W Malawi 13 30 S 34 00 E Mozambique 13 30 S 37 00 E United States (Hawaii) 21 30 N 158 00 W Kiribati 0 52 S 169 35 E United States 28 25 N 178 20 W Austria 47 20 N 13 20 E Ethiopia, Somalia 7 00 N 46 00 E British Indian Ocean Territory 6 00 S 71 30 E Pacific Ocean 53 00 N 150 00 E Japan 26 30 N 128 00 E Sweden 56 45 N 16 40 E Indian Ocean 24 30 N 58 30 E Pacific Ocean 8 30 S 125 00 E Algeria 35 43 N 0 43 W South Africa 28 20 S 26 40 E Aruba 12 33 N 70 06 W Atlantic Ocean 55 50 N 12 40 E United Kingdom 59 00 N 3 00 W Japan 34 42 N 135 30 E Norway 59 55 N 10 45 E Pacific Ocean 31 00 N 131 00 E Atlantic Ocean 40 00 N 19 00 E Canada 45 25 N 75 40 W Burkina Faso 12 22 N 1 31 W United Kingdom 57 45 N 7 00 W Mongolia 46 00 N 105 00 E North Korea 39 01 N 125 45 E Marshall Islands, Federated 10 00 N 155 00 E States of Micronesia, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau Northern Mariana Islands 18 08 N 145 47 E American Samoa 14 16 S 170 42 W Philippines 9 30 N 118 30E Italy 38 07 N 13 21 E Israel, West Bank 32 00 N 35 15 E Federated States of Micronesia 6 55 N 158 08 E Indian Ocean 10 00 N 79 45 E China, Tajikistan 38 00 N 73 00 E Argentina 35 00 S 63 00 W 770 CROSS-REFERENCE LIST OF GEOGRAPHIC NAMES Name Panama (capital) Panama Canal Panama, Gulf of Panay (island) Pantelleria, isola di (island) Papeete (capital) Paramaribo (capital) Parece Vela (island) Paris (capital) Pascua, Isla de (Easter Island) Pashtunistan (region) Passion, lie de la (island) Patagonia (region) Peking (see Beijing) Pelagian Islands (Isole Pelagie) Peleliu (Beliliou) (island) Peloponnese (peninsula) Pemba Island Penang Island Pentland Firth (channel) Perim (island) Perouse Strait, La Persia (former name for Iran) Persian Gulf Perth (city) Pescadores (islands) Peshawar (city) Peter I Island Petrograd (city; former name for Saint Petersburg) Philip Island Philippine Sea Phnom Penh (capital) Phoenix Islands Pinatubo, Mount (volcano) Pines, Isle of (island; former name for Isla de la Juventud) Pleasant Island Plymouth (capital) Podgorica (administrative capital) Polska (local name) Polynesie Francaise (local name for French Polynesia) Pomerania (region) Ponape (Pohnpei) (island) Port Louis (capital) Port Moresby (capital) Port-Vila (capital) Port-au-Prince (capital) Port-of-Spain (capital) Porto-Novo (capital) Portuguese East Africa (former name for Mozambique) Portuguese Guinea (former name for Guinea-Bissau) Portuguese Timor (former name for East Timor) Poznan (city) Prague (capital) Praia (capital) Prathet Thai (local name for Thailand) Pretoria (administrative capital) Prevlaka peninsula Pribilof islands Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Islands Prince Patrick Island Principe (island) Prussia (region) Pukapuka Atoll Punjab (region) Puntland (region) Entry in The World Factbook Latitude (deg min) Longitude (deg min) Panama 8 58 N 79 32 W Panama 9 00 N 79 45 W Pacific Ocean 8 00 N 79 30 W Philippines 11 15 N 122 30 E Italy 36 47 N 12 00 E French Polynesia 17 32 S 149 34 W Suriname 5 50 N 55 10W Japan 20 20 N 136 00 E France 48 52 N 2 20 E Chile 27 07 S 109 22 W Afghanistan, Pakistan 32 00 N 69 00 E Clipperton Island 10 17 N 109 13 W Argentina 48 00 S 61 00 W China 39 56 N 116 24 E Italy 35 40 N 12 40 E Palau 7 01 N 134 15 E Greece 37 30 N 22 25 E Tanzania 5 20 S 39 45 E Malaysia 5 23 N 100 15 E Atlantic Ocean 58 44 N 3 13 W Yemen 12 39 N 43 25 E Pacific Ocean 44 45 N 142 00 E Iran 32 00 N 53 00 E Indian Ocean 27 00 N 51 00 E Australia 31 56 S 115 50 E Taiwan 23 30 N 119 30E Pakistan 34 01 N 71 40 E Antarctica 68 48 S 90 35 W Russia 59 55 N 30 15 E Norfolk Island 29 08 S 167 57 E Pacific Ocean 20 00 N 134 00 E Cambodia 11 33 N 104 55 E Kiribati 3 30 S 172 00 W Philippines 15 08 N 120 21 E Cuba 21 40 N 82 50 W Nauru 0 32 S 166 55 E Montserrat 16 44 N 62 14 W Montenegro 42 26 N 19 16 E Poland 52 00 N 20 00 E French Polynesia 15 00 S 140 00 W Germany, Poland 53 40 N 15 35 E Federated States of Micronesia 6 55 N 158 15 E Mauritius 20 10 S 57 30 E Papua New Guinea 9 30 S 147 10 E Vanuatu 17 44 S 168 19 E Haiti 18 32 N 72 20 W Trinidad and Tobago 10 39 N 61 31 W Benin 6 29 N 2 37 E Mozambique 18 15 S 35 00 E Guinea-Bissau 12 00 N 15 00 W East Timor 9 00S 126 00 E Poland 52 25 N 16 55 E Czech Republic 40 55 N 21 00 E Cape Verde 14 55 N 23 31 W Thailand 15 00 N 100 00 E South Africa 25 45 S 28 10 E Croatia 42 24 N 1831 E United States 57 00 N 170 00 W Canada 46 20 N 63 20 W South Africa 46 35 S 38 00 E Canada 76 30 N 119 00 W Sao Tome and Principe 1 38 N 7 25 E Germany, Poland, Russia 53 00 N 14 00 E Cook Islands 10 53 S 165 49 W India, Pakistan 30 50 N 73 30 E Somalia 8 21 N 49 08 E 771 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Name Qazaqstan (local name for Kazakhstan) Qita Ghazzah (local name Gaza Strip) Quebec (city) Queen Charlotte Islands Queen Elizabeth Islands Queen Maud Land (claimed by Norway) Quemoy (island) Quito (capital) Rabat (capital) Ralik Chain (island group) Rangoon (capital; also Yangon) Rapa Nui (Easter Island) Ratak Chain (island group) Red Sea Redonda (island) Republica Dominicana (local name for Dominican Republic) Republique Centrafricain (local name for Central African Republic) Republique Francaise (local name for France) Republique Gabonaise (local name for Gabon) Republique Rwandaise (local name for Rwanda) Republique Togolaise (local name for Togo) Revillagigedo Island Revillagigedo Islands Reykjavik (capital) Rhodes (island) Rhodesia, Northern (former name for Zambia) Rhodesia, Southern (former name for Zimbabwe) Riga (capital) Riga, Gulf of Rio Muni (mainland region) Rio de Janiero (city) Rio de Oro (region) Rio de la Plata (gulf) Riyadh (capital) Road Town (capital) Robinson Crusoe Island (Mas a Tierra) Rocas, Atol das (island) Rockall (island) Rodrigues (island) Rome (capital) Roncador Cay (island) Roosevelt Island Roseau (capital) Ross Dependency (claimed by New Zealand) Ross Island Ross Sea Rossiya (local name for Russia) Rota (island) Rotuma (island) Ruanda (former name for Rwanda) Rub al Khali (desert) Rumelia (region) Ruthenia (region; former name for Carpatho-Ukraine) Ryukyu Islands Saar (region) Saaremaa (island) Saba (island) Sabah (state) Sable Island Safety Islands (lies du Salut) Sahara Occidental (former name for Western Sahara) Sahel (region) Saigon (city; former name for Ho Chi Minh City) Entry in The World Factbook Latitude (deg min) Longitude (deg min) Kazakhstan 48 00 N 68 00 E Gaza Strip 31 25 N 34 20 E Canada 46 48 N 71 15 W Canada 53 00 N 132 00 W Canada 78 00 N 95 00 W Antarctica 73 30 S 12 00 E Taiwan 24 27 N 118 23 E Ecuador 0 13 S 78 30 W Morocco 34 02 N 6 51 W Marshall Islands 8 00 N 167 00 E Burma 16 47 N 96 10 E Chile 27 07 S 109 22 W Marshall Islands 9 00 N 171 00 E Indian Ocean 20 00 N 38 00 E Antigua and Barbuda 16 55 N 62 19 W Dominican Republic 19 00 N 70 40 W Central African Republic 7 00 N 21 00 E France 46 00 N 2 00 E Gabon 1 00 S 11 45 E Rwanda 2 00 S 30 00 E Togo 8 00 N 1 10 E United States (Alaska) 55 35 N 131 06 W Mexico 19 00 N 112 45 W Iceland 64 09 N 21 57 W Greece 36 10N 28 00 E Zambia 15 00 S 30 00 E Zimbabwe 20 00 S 30 00 E Latvia 56 57 N 24 06 E Atlantic Ocean 57 30 N 23 30 E Equatorial Guinea 1 30 N 10 00 E Brazil 22 55 S 43 17 W Western Sahara 23 45 N 15 45 W Atlantic Ocean 35 00 S 59 00 W Saudi Arabia 24 38 N 46 43 E British Virgin Islands 18 27 N 64 37 W Chile 33 38 S 78 52 W Brazil 3 51 S 33 49 W United Kingdom 57 35 N 13 48 W Mauritius 19 42 S 63 25 E Italy 41 54 N 12 29 E Colombia 13 32 N 80 03 W Antarctica 79 30 S 162 00 W Dominica 15 18 N 61 24 W Antarctica 80 00 S 180 00 E Antarctica 81 30 S 175 00 W Antarctica, Southern Ocean 76 00 S 175 00 W Russia 60 00 N 100 00 E Northern Mariana Islands 14 10N 145 12 E Fiji 12 30 S 177 05 E Rwanda 2 00 S 30 00 E Saudi Arabia 19 30 N 49 00 E Albania, Bulgaria, Macedonia 42 00 N 22 30 E Ukraine 48 22 N 23 32 E Japan 26 30 N 128 00 E Germany 49 25 N 7 00 E Estonia 58 25 N 22 30 E Netherlands Antilles 17 38 N 63 10W Malaysia 5 20 N 117 10E Canada 43 55 N 59 50 W French Guiana 5 20 N 52 37 W Western Sahara 24 30 N 13 00 W Burkina Faso, Chad, The 15 00 N 8 00 W Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal Vietnam 10 45 N 106 40 E 772 CROSS-REFERENCE LIST OF GEOGRAPHIC NAMES Name Saint Barthelemy (island; also Saint Baits) Saint Brandon (Cargados Carajos Shoais) Saint Christopher (island) Saint Christopher and Nevis Saint Eustatius (island) Saint George's (capital) Saint George's Channel Saint Helena island Saint Helens, Mount (volcano) Saint Kelier (capital) Saint John (city) Saint John's (capital) Saint Lawrence Island Saint Lawrence Seaway Saint Lawrence, Gulf of Saint Paul Island Saint Paul Island Saint Paul Island (lie Saint-Paul) Saint Peter Port (capital) Saint Peter and Saint Paul Rocks (Penedos de Sao Pedro e Sao Paulo) Saint Petersburg (city; former capital) Saint Thomas (island) Saint Vincent Passage Saint-Denis (capital) Saint-Martin (island; also Sint Maarten) Saint-Pierre (capital) Saipan (island) Sak'art'velo (local name for Georgia) Sakhalin Island (Ostrov Sakhalin) Sakishima Islands Sala y Gomez, Isla (island) Salisbury (city; former name for Harare) Salzburg (city) Samar (island) Samaria (region) Samoa Islands Samos (island) San Ambrosio, Isla (island) San Andres y Providencia, Archipielago (island group) San Bernardino Strait San Felix, Isla (island) San Jose (capital) San Juan (capital) San Marino (capital) San Salvador (capital) Sanaa (capital) Sandzak (region) Santa Cruz (city) Santa Cruz Islands Santa Sede (local name for the Holy See) Santiago (capital) Santo Antao (island) Santo Domingo (capital) Sao Paulo (city) Sao Pedro e Sao Paulo, Penedos de (rocks) Sao Tiago (island) Sao Tome (island) Sapporo (city) Sapudi Strait Sarajevo (capital) Sarawak (state) Sardinia (island) Sargasso Sea (region) Sark (island) Entry in The World Factbook Latitude (deg min) Longitude (deg min) Guadeloupe 17 55 N 62 52 W Mauritius 16 25 S 59 38 E Saint Kitts and Nevis 17 20 N 62 45 W Saint Kitts and Nevis 17 20 N 62 45 W Netherlands Antilles 17 30 N 63 00 W Grenada 12 03 N 61 45 W Atlantic Ocean 52 00 N 6 00 W Saint Helena 15 57 S 5 42 W United States 46 15 N 122 12 W Jersey 49 12 N 2 07 W Canada (New Brunswick) 45 16 N 66 04 W Antigua and Barbuda 17 06 N 61 51 W United States 49 30 N 67 00 W Atlantic Ocean 49 15 N 67 00 W Atlantic Ocean 48 00 N 62 00 W Canada 47 12 N 60 09 W United States 57 11 N 170 16 W French Southern and 38 43 S 77 29 E Antarctic Lands Guernsey 49 27 N 2 32 W Brazil 0 23 N 29 23 W Russia 59 55 N 30 15 E Virgin Islands 18 21 N 64 55 W Atlantic Ocean 13 30 N 61 00 W Reunion 20 52 S 55 28 E Guadeloupe 18 04 N 63 04 W Saint Pierre and Miquelon 46 46 N 56 11 W Northern Mariana Islands 15 12 N 145 45 E Georgia 42 00 N 43 30 E Russia 51 00 N 143 00 E Japan 24 30 N 124 00 E Chile 26 28 S 105 00 W Zimbabwe 17 50 S 105 00 W Austria 47 48 N 13 02 E Philippines 12 00 N 125 00 E West Bank 32 15 N 35 10 E American Samoa, Samoa MOOS 171 00 W Greece 37 48 N 26 44 E Chile 26 21 S 79 52 W Colombia 13 00 N 81 30 W Pacific Ocean 12 32 N 124 10 E Chile 26 17 S 80 05 W Costa Rica 9 56 N 84 05 W Puerto Rico 18 28 N 66 07 W San Marino 43 56 N 12 25 E El Salvador 13 42 N 89 12 W Yemen 15 21 N 44 12 E Montenegro, Serbia 43 05 N 19 45 E Bolivia 17 48 S 63 10W Solomon Islands 11 00 S 166 15 E Holy See 41 54 N 12 27 E Chile 33 27 S 70 40 W Cape Verde 17 05 N 25 10W Dominican Republic 18 28 N 69 54 W Brazil 23 35 S 46 43 W Brazil 0 23 N 29 23 W Cape Verde 15 05 N 23 40 W Sao Tome and Principe 0 12 N 6 39 E Japan 43 04 N 141 20 E Pacific Ocean 7 05 S 114 10 E Bosnia and Herzegovina 43 52 N 18 25 E Malaysia 2 30 N 113 30 E Italy 40 00 N 9 00 E Atlantic Ocean 30 00 N 55 00 W Guernsey 49 26 N 2 21 W 773 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Name Savage Island (former name for Niue) Savu Sea Saxony (region) Schleswig-Holstein (region) Schweiz (local German name for Switzerland) Scopus, Mount Scotia Sea Scotland (region) Scott Island Senegambia (region; former name of confederation of Senegal and The Gambia) Senyavin Islands Seoul (capital) Serendib (former name for Sri Lanka) Serrana Bank (shoal) Serranilla Bank (shoal) Settlement, The (capital) Severnaya Zemlya (island group; also Northland) Shaba (region) Shag Island Shag Rocks Shanghai (city) Shenyang (city; also Mukden) Shetland Islands Shikoku (island) Shikotan (island) Shqiperia (local name for Albania) Siam (former name for Thailand) Siberia (region) Sibutu Passage Sicily (island) Sicily, Strait of Sidra, Gulf of Sikkim (state) Silesia (region) Sinai Peninsula Singapore (capital) Singapore Strait Sinkiang (autonomous region; also Xinjiang) Sint Eustatius (island) Sint Maarten (island; also Saint-Martin) Sjaelland (island) Skagerrak (strait) Skopje (capital) Slavonia (region) Slovenija (local name for Slovenia) Slovensko (local name for Slovakia) Smyrna (region; former name for Izmir) Society Islands (lies de la Societe) Socotra (island) Sofia (capital) Solomon Islands, northern Solomon Islands, southern Solomon Sea Somaliland (region) Somers Islands (former name for Bermuda) Songkhla (city) Sound, The (strait; also Oresund) South Atlantic Ocean South China Sea South Georgia (island) Entry in The World Factbook Latitude (deg min) Longitude (deg min) Niue 19 02 S 169 52 W Pacific Ocean 9 30 S 122 00 E Germany 51 00 N 13 00 E Germany 54 31 N 9 33 E Switzerland 47 00 N 8 00 E Israel, West Bank 31 48 N 35 14 E Atlantic Ocean, Southern Ocean 56 00 S 40 00 W United Kingdom 57 00 N 4 00 W Antarctica 67 24 S 179 55 W The Gambia, Senegal 13 50 N 15 25 W Federated States of Micronesia 6 55 N 158 00 E South Korea 37 34 N 127 00 E Sri Lanka 7 00 N 81 00 E Colombia 14 25 N 80 16 W Colombia 15 51 N 79 46 W Christmas Island 18 44 N 64 19 W Russia 79 30 N 98 00 E Democratic Republic 8 00 S 27 00 E of the Congo Heard Island and 53 00 S 72 30 E McDonald Islands South Georgia and the 53 33 S 42 02 W South Sandwich Islands China 31 14 N 121 30 E China 41 46 N 123 24 E United Kingdom 60 30 N 1 30 W Japan 33 45 N 133 30 E Pvussia (de facto) 43 47 N 146 45 E Albania 41 00 N 20 00 E Thailand 15 00 N 100 00 E Russia 60 00 N 100 00 E Pacific Ocean 4 50 N 119 35 E Italy 37 30 N 14 00 E Atlantic Ocean 37 20 N 11 20 E Atlantic Ocean 31 30 N 18 00 E India 27 50 N 88 30 E Czech Republic, Germany, 51 00 N 17 00 E Poland Egypt 29 30 N 34 00 E Singapore 1 17 N 103 51 E Pacific Ocean 1 15 N 104 00 E China 42 00 N 86 00 E Netherlands Antilles 17 29 N 62 58 W Netherlands Antilles 18 04 N 63 04 W Denmark 55 30 N 12 00 E Atlantic Ocean 57 45 N 9 00 E Macedonia 41 59 N 21 26 E Croatia 45 27 N 18 00 E Slovenia 46 00 N 15 00 E Slovakia 48 40 N 19 30 E Turkey 38 25 N 27 10 E French Polynesia 17 00 S 150 00 W Yemen 12 30 N 54 00 E Bulgaria 42 41 N 23 19 E Papua New Guinea 6 00 S 155 00 E Solomon Islands 8 00 S 159 00 E Pacific Ocean 8 00 S 153 00 E Somalia 9 30 N 46 00 E Bermuda 32 20 N 64 45 W Thailand 7 12 N 100 36 E Atlantic Ocean 55 50 N 12 40 E Atlantic Ocean 30 00 S 15 00 W Pacific Ocean 10 00 N 113 00 E South Georgia and the 54 15 S 36 45 W South Sandwich Islands 774 CROSS-REFERENCE LIST OF GEOGRAPHIC NAMES Name Entry in The World Factbook Latitude (deg min) Longitude (deg min) South Island New Zealand 43 00 S 171 00 E South Korea South Korea 37 00 N 127 30 E South Orkney Islands Antarctica 61 00 S 45 00 W South Ossetia (region) Georgia 42 20 N 44 00 E South Pacific Ocean Pacific Ocean 30 00 S 130 00 W South Sandwich Islands South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands 57 45 S 26 30 W South Shetland Islands Antarctica 62 00 S 59 00 W South Tyrol (region) Italy 46 30 N 10 30 E South Vietnam (former name for the southern Vietnam 12 00 N 108 00 E portion of Vietnam) South Yemen (People's Democratic Republic of Yemen; Yemen MOON 48 00 E now part of Yemen) South-West Africa (former name for Namibia) Namibia 22 00 S 17 00 E Southern Grenadines (island group) Grenada 12 20 N 61 30 W Southern Rhodesia (former name for Zimbabwe) Soviet Union (former name of a large Eurasian empire, roughly coequal with the former Russian Empire) Zimbabwe Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan 20 00 S 30 00 E Spanish Guinea (former name for Equatorial Guinea) Equatorial Guinea 2 00 N 10 00 E Spanish Morocco (former name for northern Morocco) Morocco 32 00 N 7 00 W Spanish North Africa (exclaves) Spain (Ceuta, Islas Chafarinas, Melilla, Penon de Alhucemas, Penon de Velez de la Gomera) 35 15 N 4 00 W Spanish Sahara (former name) Western Sahara 24 30 N 13 00 W Spanish West Africa (former name for Ifni and Spanish Sahara) Morocco, Western Sahara 25 00 N 13 00 W Spice Islands (Moluccas) Indonesia 2 00 S 28 00 E Spitsbergen (island) Svalbard 78 00 N 20 00 E Srbija (local name for Serbia) Serbia 44 00 N 21 00 E St. John's (city) Canada (Newfoundland) 47 34 N 52 43 W Stanley (capital) Palkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 51 42 S 57 41 W Stockholm (capital) Sweden 59 20 N 18 03 E Strasbourg (city) Prance 48 35 N 7 44 E Stuttgart (city) Germany 48 46 N 9 11 E Sucre (constitutional capital) Bolivia 19 02 S 65 17 W Suez Canal Egypt 29 55 N 32 33 E Suez, Gulf of Indian Ocean 28 10N 33 27 E Suisse (local French name for Switzerland) Switzerland 47 00 N 8 00 E Sulawesi (island; Celebes) Indonesia 2 00 S 121 00 E Sulawesi Sea Pacific Ocean 3 00 N 122 00 E Sulu Archipelago (island group) Philippines 6 00 N 121 00 E Sulu Sea Pacific Ocean 8 00 N 120 00 E Sumatra (island) Indonesia 0 00 N 102 00 E Sumba (island) Indonesia 10 00S 120 00 E Sumba Strait Pacific Ocean 9 10 S 120 00 E Sumbawa (island) Indonesia 8 30 S 118 00 E Sunda Islands (Soenda Isles) Indonesia, Malaysia 2 00 S 110 00 E Sunda Strait Indian Ocean 6 00 S 105 45 E Suomi (local name for Finland) Finland 64 00 N 26 00 E Surabaya (city) Indonesia 7 13 S 112 45 E Surigao Strait Pacific Ocean 10 15 N 125 23 E Surinam (former name for Suriname) Suriname 4 00 N 56 00 W Suriyah (local name for Syria) Syria 35 00 N 38 00 E Surtsey (volcanic island) Iceland 63 17 N 20 40 W Suva (capital) Fiji 18 08 S 178 25 E Sverdlovsk (city; also Yekaterinburg) Russia 56 50 N 60 39 E Sverige (local name for Sweden) Sweden 62 00 N 15 00 E Svizzera (local Italian name for Switzerland) Switzerland 47 00 N 8 00 E Swains Island American Samoa 11 03 S 171 15 W Swan Islands Honduras 17 25 S 83 56 W Sydney (city) Australia 33 53 S 151 13 E 775 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Name Tbilisi (capital) Tadzhikistan (former name for Tajikistan) Tahiti (island) Taipei (capital) Taiwan Strait Tallinn (capital) Tanganyika (former name for the mainland portion of Tanzania) Tangier (city) Tannu-Tuva (region) Tarawa (island) Tartary, Gulf of Tashkent (capital) Tasman Sea Tasmania (island) Tatar Strait Taymyr Peninsula (Poluosfrov Taymyr) Tchad (local name for Chad) Tegucigalpa (capital) Tehran (capital) Tel Aviv (capital, de facto) Teluk Bone (gulf) Teluk Tomini (gulf) Terre Adelie (claimed by France; also Adelie Land) Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francoises (local name for the French Southern and Antarctic Lands) Thailand, Gulf of The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Thessaloniki (city; also Salonika) Thimphu (capital) Thuringia (region) Thurston Island Tiberias, Lake Tibet (autonomous region; also Xizang) Tibilisi (see Tbilisi) Tien Shan (mountains) Tierra del Fuego (island, island group) Timor (island) Timor Lorosa'e (local name for Timor-Leste) Timor Sea Tinian (island) Tiran, Strait of Tirana, Tirane (capital) Tirol, Tyrol (region) Tobago (island) Tokyo (capital) Tonkin, Gulf of Toronto (city) Torres Strait Torshavn (capital) Toshkent (see Tashkent) Transcarpathia (region; alternate name for Carpatho-Ukraine) Transjordan (former name for Jordan) Transkei (enclave) Transvaal (region; former name for northeastern South Africa) Transylvania (region) Trindade, llha de (island) Trinidad (island) Tripoli (capital) Tripoli (city) Tripolitania (region) Tristan da Cunha Group (island group) Trobriand Islands Trucial Coast (former name for the United Arab Emirates) Trucial Oman (former name for the United Arab Emirates) Trucial States (former name for the United Arab Emirates) Entry in The World Factbook Latitude (deg min) Longitude (deg min) Georgia 41 43 N 44 49 E Taj ikistan 39 00 N 71 00 E French Polynesia 17 37 S 149 27 W Taiwan 25 03 N 121 30 E Pacific Ocean 24 00 N 119 00 E Estonia 59 25 N 24 45 E Tanzania 6 00 S 35 00 E Morocco 35 48 N 5 45 W Russia 51 25 N 94 45 E Kiribati 1 25 N 173 00 E Pacific Ocean 50 00 N 141 00 E Uzbekistan 41 20 N 69 18 E Pacific Ocean 4 30 S 168 00 E Australia 43 00 S 147 00 E Pacific Ocean 50 00 N 141 00 E Russia 76 00 N 104 00 E Chad 15 00 N 19 00 E Honduras 14 06 N 87 13 W Iran 35 40 N 51 26 E Israel 32 05 N 34 48 E Pacific Ocean 4 00 S 120 45 E Pacific Ocean 0 30 S 121 00 E Antarctica 66 30 S 139 00 E French Southern and 43 00 S 67 00 E Antarctic Lands Pacific Ocean 10 00 N 101 00 E Macedonia 41 50 N 22 00 E Greece 40 38 N 22 57 E Bhutan 27 28 N 89 39 E Germany 51 00 N 11 00 E Antarctica 72 20 S 99 00 W Israel 32 48 N 35 35 E China 32 00 N 90 00 E Georgia 41 43 N 44 49 E China, Kyrgyzstan 42 00 N 80 00 E Argentina, Chile 54 00 S 69 00 W Timor-Leste, Indonesia 9 00 S 125 00 E Timor-Leste 9 00 N 126 00 E Pacific Ocean 11 00 S 128 00 E Northern Mariana Islands 15 00 N 145 38 E Indian Ocean 28 00 N 34 27 E Albania 41 20 N 19 50 E Austria, Italy 47 00 N 11 00 E Trinidad and Tobago 11 15 N 60 40 W Japan 35 42 N 139 46 E Pacific Ocean 20 00 N 108 00 E Canada 43 40 N 79 23 W Pacific Ocean 10 25 S 142 10 E Faroe Islands 62 01 N 6 46 W Uzbekistan 41 20 N 69 18 E Ukraine 48 22 N 23 32 E Jordan 31 00 N 36 00 E South Africa 32 15 S 28 15 E South Africa 25 10 S 29 25 E Romania 46 30 N 24 00 E Brazil 20 31 S 29 20 W Trinidad and Tobago 10 22 N 61 15 W Libya 32 54 N 13 11 E Lebanon 34 26 N 35 51 E Libya 31 00 N 14 00 E Saint Helena 37 15 S 12 30 W Papua New Guinea 8 38 S 151 04 E United Arab Emirates 24 00 N 54 00 E United Arab Emirates 24 00 N 54 00 E United Arab Emirates 24 00 N 54 00 E 776 CROSS-REFERENCE LIST OF GEOGRAPHIC NAMES Name Entry in The World Factbook Latitude (deg min) Longitude (deg min) Truk Islands (former name for the Chuuk Islands) Federated States of Micronesia 7 25 N 151 47 E Tsugaru Strait Pacific Ocean 41 35 N 141 00 E Tuamotu Islands (lies Tuamotu) French Polynesia 19 00 S 142 00 W Tubuai Islands (lies Tubuai) French Polynesia 23 00 S 150 00 W Tunb al Kubra (island) Iran 26 14 N 55 19 E Tunb as Sughra (island) Iran 26 14 N 55 09 E Tunis (capital) Tunisia 36 48 N 10 11 E Turin (city) Italy 45 04 N 7 40 E Turkish Straits (see Bosporus and Dardenelles) Atlantic Ocean 40 40 N 28 00 E Turkiye (local name for Turkey) Turkey 39 00 N 35 00 E Turkmenia, Turkmeniya (former name for Turkmenistan) Turkmenistan 40 00 N 60 00 E Turks Island Passage Atlantic Ocean 21 40 N 71 00 W Tuscany (region) Italy 43 25 N 11 00 E Tutuila (island) American Samoa 14 18 S 170 42 W Tyrrhenian Sea Atlantic Ocean 40 00 N 12 00 E Ubangi-Shari (former name for the Central African Republic Central African Republic 6 38 N 20 33 E Ukrayina (local name for Ukraine) Ukraine 49 00 N 32 00 E Uiaanbaatar (capital) Mongolia 47 55 N 106 53 E Uilung-do (island) South Korea 37 29 N 130 52 E Ulster (region) Ireland, United Kingdom 54 35 N 7 00 W Uman (local name for Oman) Oman 21 00 N 57 00 E Unimak Pass (strait) Union of Soviet Socialist Republics or USSR (former name of a large Eurasian empire, roughly coequal with the former Russian Empire) United Arab Republic or UAR (former name for a federation between Egypt and Syria) Pacific Ocean Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan Egypt, Syria 54 20 N 164 50 W Upper Volta (former name for Burkina Faso) Burkina Faso 13 00 N 2 00 W Ural Mountains Kazakhstan, Russia 60 00 N 60 00 E Urdunn (local name for Jordan) Jordan 31 00 N 36 00 E Urundi (former name for Burundi) Burundi 3 30 S 30 00 E Ussuri River China, Russia 48 28 N 135 02 E Vaduz (capital) Liechtenstein 47 09 N 931 E Vakhan (Wakhan Corridor) Afghanistan 37 00 N 73 00 E Valletta (capital) Malta 35 54 N 1431 E Valley, The (capital) Anguilla 18 13 N 63 04 W Van Diemen Strait (Osumi Strait) Pacific Ocean 31 00 N 131 00 E Vancouver (city) Canada 49 16 N 123 08 W Vancouver Island Canada 49 45 N 126 00 W Vatican City (capital) Holy See 41 54 N 12 27 E Velez de la Gomera, Penon de (island) Spain 35 11 N 4 18 W Venda (enclave) South Africa 23 00 S 31 00 E Verde Island Passage Pacific Ocean 13 34 N 120 51 E Victoria (capital) Seychelles 4 38 S 55 27 E Victoria (island) Canada 71 00 N 110 00 W Victoria Land (region) Antarctica 72 00 S 155 00 E Vienna (capital) Austria 48 12 N 16 22 E Vientiane (capital) Laos 17 58 N 102 36 E Vilnius (capital) Lithuania 54 41 N 25 19 E Viti Levu (island) Fiji 18 00 S 178 00 E Vladivostok (city) Russia 43 10 N 131 56 E Vojvodina (region) Serbia 45 35 N 20 00 E Volcano Islands Japan 25 00 N 141 00 E Vostok Island Kiribati 10 06 S 152 23 W Wake Atoll Wake Island 19 17 N 166 39 E Wakhan Corridor (see Vakhan) Afghanistan 37 00 N 73 00 E Walachia (region) Romania 44 45 N 26 05 E Wales (region) United Kingdom 52 30 N 3 30 W Wallis Islands Wallis and Futuna 13 17 S 176 10W Walvis Bay (city; former exclave) Namibia 22 59 S 1431 E Warsaw (capital) Poland 52 15 N 21 00 E Washington, DC (capital) United States 38 53 N 77 02 W Weddell Sea Southern Ocean 72 00 S 45 00 W 111 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Name Wellington (capital) West Frisian Islands West Germany (Federal Republic of Germany; former name for western portion of Germany) West Island (capital) West Korea Strait (Western Channel) West Pakistan (former name for present-day Pakistan) West Siberian Plain Western Channel (West Korea Strait) Western Samoa (former name for Samoa) Wetar Strait White Sea Wilkes Land (region) Willemstad (capital) Windhoek (capital) Windward Passage Winnipeg (city) Wrangel Island (Ostrov Vrangelya) Xianggang (local name for Hong Kong) Y'israel (local name for Israel) Yaitopya (local name for Ethiopia) Yalu River Yamoussoukro (capital) Yangon (see Rangoon) Yaounde (capital) Yap Islands Yaren (governmental center) Yekaterinburg (city; formerly Sverdlovsk) Yellow Sea Yemen Arab Republic (also Yemen (Sanaa); former name for northern portion of Yemen) Yemen, People's Democratic Republic of (also Yemen (Aden); former name for southern portion of Yemen) Yerevan (capital) Yokohama (city) Youth, Isle of (Isla de la Juventud) Yucatan Channel Yucatan Peninsula Yugoslavia (former name for a federation of Serbia and Montenegro) Yugoslavia, Kingdom of (former name for a Balkan federation) Yugoslavia, Socialist Federal Republic of (former name for a Balkan federation) Zagreb (capital) Zaire (former name for the Democratic Republic of the Congo) Zakhalinskiy Zaliv (bay) Zaiiv Shelikhova (bay) Zambezia (region) Zanzibar (island) Zhong Guo, Zhonghua (local name for China) Zion, Mount (locale in Jerusalem) Zurich (city) Entry in The World Factbook Latitude (deg min) Longitude (deg min) New Zealand 41 28 S 174 51 E Netherlands 53 26 N 5 30 E Germany 53 22 N 5 20 E Cocos (Keeling) Islands 12 10S 96 55 E Pacific Ocean 34 40 N 129 00 E Pakistan 30 00 N 70 00 E Russia 60 00 N 75 00 E Pacific Ocean 34 40 N 129 00 E Samoa 13 35 S 172 20 W Pacific Ocean 8 20 S 126 30 E Arctic Ocean 65 30 N 38 00 E Antarctica 71 00 S 120 00 E Netherlands Antilles 12 06 N 68 56 W Namibia 22 34 S 17 06 E Atlantic Ocean 20 00 N 73 50 W Canada 49 53 N 97 10W Russia 71 14 N 179 36 W Hong Kong 22 15 N 114 10E Israel 31 30 N 34 45 E Ethiopia 8 00 N 38 00 E China, North Korea 39 55 N 124 20 E Cote d’Ivoire 6 49 N 5 17 W Burma 16 47 N 96 10 E Cameroon 3 52 N 11 31 E Federated States of Micronesia 9 30 N 138 00 E Nauru 0 32 S 166 55 E Russia 56 50 N 60 39 E Pacific Ocean 36 00 N 123 00 E Yemen 15 00 N 44 00 E Yemen MOON 46 00 E Armenia 40 11 N 44 30 E Japan 35 26 N 139 37 E Cuba 21 40 N 82 50 W Atlantic Ocean 21 45 N 85 45 W Mexico 19 30 N 89 00 W Montenegro, Serbia 43 00 N 21 00 E Bosnia and Herzegovina, 43 00 N 19 00 E Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia Bosnia and Herzegovina, 43 00 N 19 00 E Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia Croatia 45 48 N 15 58 E Democratic Republic 15 00 S 30 00 E of the Congo Pacific Ocean 54 00 N 142 00 E Pacific Ocean 60 00 N 157 30 E Mozambique 16 00 S 37 00 E Tanzania 6 10 S 39 11 E China 35 00 N 105 00 E Israel, West Bank 31 46 N 35 14 E Switzerland 47 23 N 8 32 E 778 APPENDIX G WEIGHTS AND MEASURES '..-I, if - Note: At this time, only three countries — Burma, Liberia, and the US — have not adopted the International System of Units (SI, or metric system) as their official system of weights and measures. Although use of the metric system has been sanctioned by law in the US since 1866, it has been slow in displacing the American adaptation of the British Imperial System known as the US Customary System. The US is the only industrialized nation that does not mainly use the metric system in its commercial and standards activities, but there is increasing acceptance in science, medicine, government, and many sectors of industry. Mathematical Notation Mathematical Power 1018 or 1,000,000,000,000,000,000 1015 or 1,000,000,000,000,000 1012 or 1,000,000,000,000 109 or 1 ,000,000,000 106 or 1,000,000 IQ3 or 1,000 102 or 100 101 or 10 10° or 1 104 or 0.1 lO'2 or 0.01 10'3 or 0.001 lO'6 or 0.000 001 10'9 or 0.000 000 001 1042 or 0.000 000 000 001 10-15 or 0.000 000 000 000 001 1048 or 0.000 000 000 000 000 001 Name one quintillion one quadrillion one trillion one billion one million one thousand one hundred ten one one-tenth one-hundredth one-thousandth one-millionth one-billionth one-trillionth one-quadrillionth one-quintillionth Metric Interrelationships Prefix Symbol Length, weight, or capacity Area Volume exa E 1018 IO36 IO54 peta P 1015 1030 IO45 tera T 1012 1024 1036 giga G 109 1018 IO27 mega M 106 1012 1018 hectokilo hk 105 1010 1015 myria ma 104 108 1012 kilo k 103 106 109 hecto h 102 104 106 basic unit - 1 meter, 1 gram, 1 liter 1 meter2 1 meter deci d 104 io-2 io-3 centi c lO'2 10'4 10-6 milli m 10'3 10-6 IO-9 decimilli dm 10'4 IO'8 1042 centimilli cm io-5 10-1° 1045 micro u IO'6 1042 1048 nano n io-9 1048 IO-27 pico P io-12 IO-24 10-36 femto f 1045 10-3° IO45 atto a 1048 10-36 IO54 Conversion Factors To Convert From To Multiply By acres ares 40.468 564 224 acres hectares 0.404 685 642 24 acres square feet 43,560 acres square kilometers 0.004 046 856 422 4 acres square meters 4,046.856 422 4 acres square miles (statute) 0.001 562 50 acres square yards 4,840 ares square meters 100 ares square yards 119.599 barrels, US beer gallons 31 barrels, US beer liters 117.347 77 barrels, US petroleum gallons (British) 34.97 barrels, US petroleum gallons (US) 42 779 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Conversion Factors To Convert From To Multiply By barrels, US petroleum liters 158.987 29 barrels, US proof spirits gallons 40 barrels, US proof spirits liters 151.416 47 bushels (US) bushels (British) 0.968 9 bushels (US) cubic feet 1.244 456 bushels (US) cubic inches 2,150.42 bushels (US) cubic meters 0.035 239 07 bushels (US) cubic yards 0.046 090 96 bushels (US) dekaliters 3.523 907 bushels (US) dry pints 64 bushels (US) dry quarts 32 bushels (US) liters 35.239 070 17 bushels (US) pecks 4 cables fathoms 120 cables meters 219.456 cables yards 240 carat milligrams 200 centimeters feet 0.032 808 40 centimeters inches 0.393 700 8 centimeters meters 0.01 centimeters yards 0.010 936 13 centimeters, cubic cubic inches 0.061 023 744 centimeters, square square feet 0.001 076 39 centimeters, square square inches 0.155 000 31 centimeters, square square meters 0.000 1 centimeters, square square yards 0.000 119 599 chains, square surveyor’s ares 4.046 86 chains, square surveyor’s square feet 4,356 chains, surveyor’s feet 66 chains, surveyor’s meters 20.116 8 chains, surveyor’s rods 4 cords of wood cubic feet 128 cords of wood cubic meters 3.624 556 cords of wood cubic yards 4.740 7 cups liquid ounces (US) 8 cups liters 0.236 588 2 degrees Celsius degrees Fahrenheit multiply by 1.8 and add 32 degrees Fahrenheit degrees Celsius subtract 32 and divide by 1.8 dekaliters bushels 0.283 775 9 dekaliters cubic feet 0.353 146 7 dekaliters cubic inches 610.237 4 dekaliters dry pints 18.161 66 dekaliters dry quarts 9.080 829 8 dekaliters liters 10 dekaliters pecks 1.135 104 drams, avoirdupois avoirdupois ounces 0.062 55 drams, avoirdupois grains 27.344 drams, avoirdupois grams 1.771 845 2 drams, troy grains 60 drams, troy grams 3.887 934 6 drams, troy scruples 3 drams, troy troy ounces 0.125 drams, liquid (US) cubic inches 0.226 drams, liquid (US) liquid drams (British) 1.041 drams, liquid (US) liquid ounces 0.125 drams, liquid (US) milliliters 3.696 69 drams, liquid (US) minims 60 fathoms feet 6 fathoms meters 1.828 8 feet centimeters 30.48 feet inches 12 feet kilometers 0.000 304 8 feet meters 0.304 8 feet statute miles 0.000 189 39 feet yards 0.333 333 3 feet, cubic bushels 0.803 563 95 780 WEIGHTS AND MEASURES Conversion Factors To Convert From feet, cubic feet, cubic feet, cubic feet, cubic feet, cubic feet, cubic feet, cubic feet, cubic feet, cubic feet, cubic feet, cubic feet, cubic feet, cubic feet, square feet, square feet, square feet, square feet, square feet, square furlongs furlongs furlongs furlongs furlongs gallons, liquid (US) gallons, liquid (US) gallons, liquid (US) gallons, liquid (US) gallons, liquid (US) gallons, liquid (US) gallons, liquid (US) gallons, liquid (US) gallons, liquid (US) gallons, liquid (US) gallons, liquid (US) gallons, liquid (US) gills (US) gills (US) gills (US) gills (US) gills (US) gills (US) gills (US) gills (US) gills (US) gills (US) gills (US) grains grains grains grains grains grains grains grains grains grains grains grams grams grams grams grams grams grams grams To cubic decimeters cubic inches cubic meters cubic yards dry pints dry quarts gallons gills liquid ounces liquid pints liquid quarts liters pecks acres square centimeters square decimeters square inches square meters square yards feet inches meters statute miles yards cubic feet cubic inches cubic meters cubic yards gills (US) liquid gallons (British) liquid ounces liquid pints liquid quarts liters milliliters minims centiliters cubic feet cubic inches gallons gills (British) liquid ounces liquid pints liquid quarts liters milliliters minims avoirdupois drams avoirdupois ounces avoirdupois pounds grams kilograms milligrams pennyweights scruples troy drams troy ounces troy pounds avoirdupois drams avoirdupois ounces avoirdupois pounds grains kilograms milligrams troy ounces troy pounds Multiply By 28.316 847 I, 728 0.028 316 846 592 0.037 037 04 51.428 09 25.714 05 7.480 519 239.376 6 957.506 5 59.844 16 29.922 08 28.316 846 592 3.214 256 0.000 022 956 8 929.030 4 9.290 304 144 0.092 903 04 0.111 111 1 660 7.920 201.168 0.125 220 0.133 680 6 231 0.003 785 411 784 0.004 951 13 32 0.832 67 128 8 4 3.785 411 784 3,785.411 784 61,440 II. 829 4 0.004 177 517 7.218 75 0.031 25 0.832 67 4 0.25 0.125 0.118 294 118 25 118.294 118 25 1.920 0.036 571 43 0.002 285 71 0.000 142 86 0.064 798 91 0.000 064 798 91 64.798 910 0.042 0.05 0.016 6 0.002 083 33 0.000 173 61 0.564 383 39 0.035 273 961 0.002 204 622 6 15.432 361 0.001 1,000 0.032 150 746 6 0.002 679 23 781 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Conversion Factors To Convert From hands (height of horse) hands (height of horse) hectares hectares hectares hectares hectares hectares hundredweights, long hundredweights, long hundredweights, long hundredweights, long hundredweights, long hundredweights, short hundredweights, short hundredweights, short hundredweights, short hundredweights, short inches inches inches inches inches inches, cubic inches, cubic inches, cubic inches, cubic inches, cubic inches, cubic inches, cubic inches, cubic inches, cubic inches, cubic inches, cubic inches, cubic inches, cubic inches, cubic inches, cubic inches, cubic inches, square inches, square inches, square inches, square kilograms kilograms kilograms kilograms kilograms kilograms kilograms kilograms kilograms kilograms kilograms kilometers kilometers kilometers, square kilometers, square kilometers, square kilometers, square knots (nautical mi/hr) knots (nautical mi/hr) leagues, nautical leagues, nautical leagues, statute leagues, statute To centimeters inches acres square feet square kilometers square meters square miles square yards avoirdupois pounds kilograms long tons metric tons short tons avoirdupois pounds kilograms long tons metric tons short tons centimeters feet meters millimeters yards bushels cubic centimeters cubic feet cubic meters cubic yards dry pints dry quarts gallons gills liquid ounces liquid pints liquid quarts liters milliliters minims (US) pecks square centimeters square feet square meters square yards avoirdupois drams avoirdupois ounces avoirdupois pounds grains grams long tons metric tons short hundredweight: short tons troy ounces troy pounds meters statute miles acres hectares square meters statute miles kilometers/hour statute miles/hour kilometers nautical miles kilometers statute miles Multiply By 10.16 4 2.471 053 8 107,639.1 0.01 10,000 0.003 861 02 11,959.90 112 50.802 345 0.05 0.050 802 345 0.056 100 45.359 237 0.044 642 86 0.045 359 237 0.05 2.54 0.083 333 33 0.025 4 25.4 0.027 777 78 0.000 465 025 16.387 064 0.000 578 703 7 0.000 016 387 064 0.000 021 433 47 0.029 761 6 0.014 880 8 0.004 329 0 0.138 528 1 0.554 112 6 0.034 632 03 0.017 316 02 0.016 387 064 16.387 064 265.974 0 0.001 860 10 6.451 600 0.006 944 44 0.000 645 16 0.000 771 605 564.383 4 35.273 962 2.204 622 622 15,432.36 1,000 0.000 984 2 0.001 0.022 046 23 0.001 102 31 32.150 75 2.679 229 1,000 0.621 371 192 247.105 38 100 1,000,000 0.386 102 16 1.852 1.151 5.556 3 4.828 032 3 782 WEIGHTS AND MEASURES Conversion Factors To Convert From links, square surveyor’s links, square surveyor’s links, surveyor’s links, surveyor’s links, surveyor’s liters liters liters liters liters liters liters liters liters liters liters liters liters liters liters meters meters meters meters meters meters meters meters, cubic meters, cubic meters, cubic meters, cubic meters, cubic meters, cubic meters, cubic meters, square meters, square meters, square meters, square meters, square meters, square microns microns mils mils miles, nautical miles, nautical miles, statute miles, statute miles, statute miles, statute miles, statute miles, statute miles, statute miles, statute miles, square nautical miles, square nautical miles, square statute miles, square statute miles, square statute miles, square statute miles, square statute miles, square statute milligrams milliliters milliliters milliliters To square centimeters square inches centimeters chains inches bushels cubic feet cubic inches cubic meters cubic yards dekaliters dry pints dry quarts gallons gills (US) liquid ounces liquid pints liquid quarts milliliters pecks centimeters feet inches kilometers millimeters statute miles yards bushels cubic feet cubic inches cubic yards gallons liters pecks acres hectares square centimeters square feet square inches square yards meters inches inches millimeters kilometers statute miles centimeters feet furlongs inches kilometers meters rods yards square kilometers square statute miles acres hectares sections square kilometers square nautical miles square rods grains cubic inches gallons gills (US) Multiply By 404.686 62.726 4 20.116 8 0.01 7.92 0.028 377 59 0.035 314 67 61.023 74 0.001 0.001 307 95 0.1 1.816 166 0.908 082 98 0.264 172 052 8.453 506 33.814 02 2.113 376 1.056 688 2 1,000 0.113 5104 100 3.280 839 895 39.370 079 0.001 1,000 0.000 621 371 1.093 613 298 28.377 59 35.314 666 7 61,023.744 1.307 950 619 264.172 05 1,000 113.510 4 0.000 247 105 38 0.000 1 10,000 10.763 910 4 1,550.003 1 1.195 990 046 0.000 001 0.000 039 4 0.001 0.025 4 1.852 0 1.150 779 4 160,934.4 5.280 8 63,360 1.609 344 1,609.344 320 1,760 3.429 904 1.325 640 258.998 811 033 6 1 2.589 988 110 336 0.755 miles 102,400 0.015 432 358 35 0.061 023 744 0.000 264 17 0.008 453 5 783 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Conversion Factors To Convert From milliliters milliliters milliliters milliliters milliliters millimeters minims (US) minims (US) minims (US) minims (US) minims (US) ounces, avoirdupois ounces, avoirdupois ounces, avoirdupois ounces, avoirdupois ounces, avoirdupois ounces, avoirdupois ounces, avoirdupois ounces, liquid (US) ounces, liquid (US) ounces, liquid (US) ounces, liquid (US) ounces, liquid (US) ounces, liquid (US) ounces, liquid (US) ounces, liquid (US) ounces, liquid (US) ounces, liquid (US) ounces, liquid (US) ounces, liquid (US) ounces, troy ounces, troy ounces, troy ounces, troy ounces, troy ounces, troy ounces, troy ounces, troy paces (US) paces (US) pecks (US) pecks (US) pecks (US) pecks (US) pecks (US) pecks (US) pecks (US) pecks (US) pecks (US) pecks (US) pennyweights pennyweights pennyweights pints, dry (US) pints, dry (US) pints, dry (US) pints, dry (US) pints, dry (US) pints, dry (US) pints, dry (US) pints, liquid (US) pints, liquid (US) pints, liquid (US) pints, liquid (US) pints, liquid (US) pints, liquid (US) TO liquid ounces liquid pints liquid quarts liters minims inches cubic inches gills (US) liquid ounces milliliters minims (British) avoirdupois drams avoirdupois pounds grains grams kilograms troy ounces troy pounds cubic feet centiliters cubic inches gallons gills (US) liquid drams liquid ounces (British) liquid pints liquid quarts liters milliliters minims avoirdupois drams avoirdupois ounces avoirdupois pounds grains grams pennyweights troy drams troy pounds centimeters inches bushels cubic feet cubic inches cubic meters cubic yards dekaliters dry pints dry quarts liters pecks (British) grains grams troy ounces bushels cubic feet cubic inches dekaliters dry pints (British) dry quarts liters cubic feet cubic inches deciliters gallons gills (US) liquid ounces Multiply By 0.033 814 02 0.002 113 4 0.001 056 7 0.001 16.230 73 0.039 370 078 7 0.003 759 77 0.000 520 83 0.002 083 33 0.061 611 52 1.041 16 0.062 5 437.5 28.349 523 125 0.028 349 523 125 0.911 458 3 0.075 954 86 0.001 044 38 2.957 35 1.804 687 5 0.007 812 5 0.25 8 1.041 0.062 5 0.031 25 0.029 573 53 29.573 529 6 480 17.554 29 1.097 143 0.068 571 43 480 31.103 476 8 20 8 0.083 333 3 76.2 30 0.25 0.311 114 537.605 0.008 809 77 0.011 522 74 0.880 976 75 16 8 8.809 767 5 0.968 9 24 1.555 173 84 0.05 0.015 625 0.019 444 63 33.600 312 5 0.055 061 05 0.968 9 0.5 0.550 610 47 0.016 710 07 28.875 4.731 76 0.125 4 16 784 WEIGHTS AND MEASURES Conversion Factors To Convert From To Multiply By pints, liquid (US) liquid pints (British) 0.832 67 pints, liquid (US) liquid quarts 0.5 pints, liquid (US) liters 0.473 176 473 pints, liquid (US) milliliters 473.176 473 pints, liquid (US) minims 7,680 points (typographical) inches 0.013 837 points (typographical) millimeters 0.351 459 8 pounds, avoirdupois avoirdupois drams 256 pounds, avoirdupois avoirdupois ounces 16 pounds, avoirdupois grains 7,000 pounds, avoirdupois grams 453.592 37 pounds, avoirdupois kilograms 0.453 592 37 pounds, avoirdupois long tons 0.000 446 428 6 pounds, avoirdupois metric tons 0.000 453 592 37 pounds, avoirdupois quintals 0.004 535 92 pounds, avoirdupois short tons 0.000 5 pounds, avoirdupois troy ounces 14.583 33 pounds, avoirdupois troy pounds 1.215 278 pounds, troy avoirdupois drams 210.651 4 pounds, troy avoirdupois ounces 13.165 71 pounds, troy avoirdupois pounds 0.822 857 1 pounds, troy grains 5,760 pounds, troy grams 373.241 721 6 pounds, troy kilograms 0.373 241 721 6 pounds, troy pennyweights 240 pounds, troy troy ounces 12 quarts, dry (US) bushels 0.031 25 quarts, dry (US) cubic feet 0.038 889 25 quarts, dry (US) cubic inches 67.200 625 quarts, dry (US) dekaliters 0.110 122 1 quarts, dry (US) dry pints n L quarts, dry (US) dry quarts (British) 0.968 9 quarts, dry (US) liters 1.101 221 quarts, dry (US) pecks 0.125 quarts, dry (US) pints, dry (US) 2 quarts, liquid (US) cubic feet 0.033 420 14 quarts, liquid (US) cubic inches 57.75 quarts, liquid (US) deciliters 9.463 53 quarts, liquid (US) gallons 0.25 quarts, liquid (US) gills (US) 8 quarts, liquid (US) liquid ounces 32 quarts, liquid (US) liquid pints (US) 2 quarts, liquid (US) liquid quarts (British) 0.832 67 quarts, liquid (US) liters 0.946 352 946 quarts, liquid (US) milliliters 946.352 946 quarts, liquid (US) minims 15,360 quintals avoirdupois pounds 220.462 26 quintals kilograms 100 quintals metric tons 0.1 rods feet 16.5 rods meters 5.029 2 rods yards 5.5 rods, square acres 0.006 25 rods, square square meters 25.292 85 rods, square square yards 30.25 scruples grains 20 scruples grams 1.295 978 2 scruples troy drams 0.333 sections (US) square kilometers 2.589 988 1 sections (US) square statute miles 1 spans centimeters 22.86 spans inches 9 steres cubic meters 1 steres cubic yards 1.307 95 tablespoons milliliters 14.786 76 tablespoons teaspoons 3 785 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Conversion Factors To Convert From To Multiply By teaspoons milliliters 4.928 922 teaspoons tablespoons 0.333 333 ton-miles, long metric ton-kilometers 1.635 169 ton-miles, short metric ton-kilometers 1.459 972 tons, gross register cubic feet of permanently enclosed space 100 tons, gross register cubic meters of permanently enclosed space 2.831 684 7 tons, long (deadweight) avoirdupois ounces 35,840 tons, long (deadweight) avoirdupois pounds 2,240 tons, long (deadweight) kilograms 1,016.046 909 8 tons, long (deadweight) long hundredweights 20 tons, long (deadweight) metric tons 1.016 046 908 8 tons, long (deadweight) short hundredweights 22.4 tons, long (deadweight) short tons 1.12 tons, metric avoirdupois pounds 2,204.623 tons, metric kilograms 1,000 tons, metric long hundredweights 19.684 130 3 tons, metric long tons 0.984 206 5 tons, metric quintals 10 tons, metric short hundredweights 22.046 23 tons, metric short tons 1.102 311 3 tons, metric troy ounces 32,150.75 tons, net register cubic feet of permanently enclosed space for cargo and passengers 100 tons, net register cubic meters of permanently enclosed space for cargo and passengers 2.831 684 7 tons, shipping cubic feet of permanently enclosed cargo space 42 tons, shipping cubic meters of permanently enclosed cargo space 1.189 307 574 tons, short avoirdupois pounds 2,000 tons, short kilograms 907.184 74 tons, short long hundredweights 17.857 14 tons, short long tons 0.892 857 1 tons, short metric tons 0.907 184 74 tons, short short hundredweights 20 townships (US) sections 36 townships (US) square kilometers 93.239 572 townships (US) square statute miles 36 miles, square statute acres 640 miles, square statute hectares 258.998 811 033 6 miles, square statute square feet 27,878,400 miles, square statute square meters 2,589,988.110 336 miles, square statute square yards 3,097,600 yards centimeters 91.44 yards feet 3 yards inches 36 yards meters 0.914 4 yards miles 0.000 568 18 yards, cubic bushels 21.696 227 yards, cubic cubic feet 27 yards, cubic cubic inches 46,656 yards, cubic cubic meters 0.764 554 857 984 yards, cubic gallons 201.974 0 yards, cubic liters 764.554 857 984 yards, cubic pecks 86.784 91 yards, square acres 0.000 206 611 6 yards, square hectares 0.000 083 612 736 yards, square square centimeters 8,361.273 6 yards, square square feet 9 yards, square square inches 1,296 yards, square square meters 0.836 127 36 yards, square square miles 0.000 000 322 830 786 REFERENCE MAPS KAZAKHSTAN VVarsaj g|pf GERMANY^ BEMStux. Prague Tashkent UZBEKISTAN. Car$i(a PORTUGAL A A — — — .>4~m tisbnn^ f SPAIM : ..^Ai'WCyS Rabat Casablanca^ * Valletta ; 1 MALTA i i[|lSiA Mediterrvmean $e* _ i/'iCi'A maSema islands ^PORTUGAL) %■ / Funchal CYPRl^ Beirut Jerusalem; Shiraz \ 5 JORDAN CANARY ISLANDS | t&PAmi Kuwait fepAa*, Las Palmas Noua^hibou, Nouakchott Arabkn Sea Niamey (Banjul •me C^AMBIA^Cf Bissautte1^.. GUthEA-BiSSAlM, I Conakry .j Freetown j SIERRA LE Djibouti Moundou IMALIA Monrovia it, ' LIBERIA. Porto- Novo Yaoun- EQUATORIAL OlnffEA Q (Juft' of CrUtncM N SAOTOMC SAo Tome > Anncbon tEQLIA. QUt.! Mogadishu Equator GABON phsst point m frtca, 5095 m) Mombasa Brazx, Pointe-Noirc* ANGOLA (Cabinda) latollxtr T>ar es Salaam Astctr-ten . ist Helena! loam Lubumbasbi Sts fteterte (aft) AFiOO Krt%ve*\JyJort; ZAMBIA?'^ l.usaka'*r/"-T~t::” l‘,n,VSe l^deNova - kT •rtLvscr.i pS|uE' | v ban it 1 >\ B|ST . /' i da India 1# r*it>?e.» ’ (LRAMCC) K, d l Namlbe st. Helena (St Helena! Harare ttananarivo N T;i Windhoek _ BOTSWANA ' , KALAHARI ■ ■ -a s s-e »r ~ ■ Gaborone prctofia } " it lohannesburg^j SOUTH | '/' iV' AFR1C Walvls Bay' TfAFttBJA Maputo Durban Cape Town; irt Elizabeth AFRICA v rontd * * Delgada AZORES ^ (FORTUQAU „ * Dakar >ZZ? Socotra COMOROS Moroni * Clorioso teUmdh * * , inwiCE) - * <4 M^YOUC—* . ) ■% (admin, hy France. M claimed hv Contort*) i > {.u TrctDcl'in Kioni StbeBisC W"*f . % .’AIK HI ASCAK Reunion , ifRAPtCE? Scale 1:51,400,000 Azimuthal Equal-Area Projection SCO Kilometers I . [ -L ■ . — T 800 Miles Boundary representation Is not necessarily authoritative 787 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK ANTARCTIC REGION NORWEGIAN CLAIM undefined limit ARGENTINE CLAIM Orcadas ,JI (ARGENTINA) SOUTH ORKNEY ISLANDS (SOOTfl Novolazarevskaya fO-*,/- _ an . . Maitri (INDIA) '"f Syowa (JAPAN) II - # N • Aloiodezhnaya f- "4 -(RUSSIA) SOUTH w , f shetlJJd Ustaaia ISLANDS area of enlargement ARGENTINA Queen Maud Land CHILE Rosm?8 CHILEAN CLAIM stusen J Ellsworth *25® 8 _ „ Amundsen-Scott L (u.s.) . VinsanMussif \ Land \ Peter I Island Mirnyv (RUSSIA) Vostok i(RU-SSIA) tC \ Bentley Subglacial Trench S coyest pm m AnmKiich. ■ 2S40 m) S\:C, s v ' X p Mark Byrd VI kind if Concordia (FRANCE AND ■ ITALY) AoHiOiL.cn Sm iMcMnrdo Scj9«JME (U.S.), Ri>«> Sea xxi&xt ice Victoria Land BALLENY ■ ISLANDS SiTuiJiern Ocean ■ Year-round research station Scale 1:68,000,000 Azimuthal Equal-Area Projection So M t h 0 500 looo Kilometers 500 iooo Miles Twenty-one of 2$ Antarctic consultative nations have made no claims to Antarctic territory (although Russia and the United States have reserved the right to do so) and they do not recognize the claims of the other. . : -'O. nations: ill® Bouvet Island * (Norway) South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (administered by U.K., ■laimed by ARGENTINA’) ’ PRINCE EDWARD ISLANDS (SOUTH AFRICA) , Falkland Islands (IvS)as Malvinas) (adrriihlstered by U.K,, claimed by ARGENTINA) BRITISH CLAIM i Southern Ocean ms CROZET ,-i" R lyiawson .Vlyjc. Rcrhecfson (AUSTRALIA) \ \ 7 Amery Ice Shelf Zhong ShamCfllNAliL AV «M-' French Southern and Antarctic Lands (FRANCE) Ms \ KERGUELEN Heard Island and , McDonald Islands \ { AUSTRALIA} O cean hl 1 Casey v ^AUSTRALIA) J? Argentina, Brazil. Chile, China, Poland, Russia, South Korea, Uruguay each have a station on King George (stand. ■j pEsperanz a rtGENTINA) .... , V Arturo Rftat (CHILE ■ m Ma ram bio 4: .B(,,a»-“(AR0KNTmA> Cf’Higghjs-'' (Cl 1 1 1.t ~f\ ijrahdm \ If 2 (U.a)^l, S tjPf/- Vernadsky Antarctic ? {L KRA,5S-> C Ep ~sr. — _ -7 \ Larsen Peninsut $ f X/--. V\ c Southern Ocean B t f ( v "A SanMartin " (ARGEN'rrrtW d'Urville FRENCH CLAIM f° CLAIM Campbell island iflEW ZEALAND) Macquarie island * i AUSTRALIA} AUCKLAND ISLANDS /•NEW ZEALAND) SNARES ISLANDS (NEW ZEALAND! Tasmania \ „vy*>v JL HObart \ V CHATHAM ISLANDS (NEW ZEALAND) "4* NEW / ”7 ZEAL AM D, y South Island CJrristchurch Wellington^ / 7 T80 5 North Island ViV > r*i Adelaide f / Melbourne , Canberra Sydney? 788 REFERENCE MAPS ARCTIC REGION 789 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Svalbard I [NORWAY Wmngcl tetami Provider*! va sffcfi&Z jgis&?\ . lAHtt/ : vhy SIBERIAN tsUxns mm yrvrjwArit' ~~zmm \ Sweden- NOVAYA ZEMIYA FINLAND, ./\ Helsinki Minsk l>etrop£vihys|h| KameKht^kbPX Otrcte A- : Moscow Yakutsk^ IKizhnly N’ok Kazan (..’Knots* » kwib > ISLAND! Occupied by {hfiSovte* Union In iW; N. administered by Russia, V Mpan * V t \\ f i L\ Sakhalin \\\„ Kharkiv Ysskalermhi Donetsk Saratov Omsk ■• ypi ? MW" Khabarovsk Aiyrafi ^Atyrau> Novosibirsk ly L I /'x yt , KAZAKHSTAN HatbsW Uiaanbaatar :< Vladivostok Changehtm MGOLIA ;.ge* y \ Chi Mini) City SRI LANKA Bandar $ Bcgawai BRUNE^ NICOBAR ISLANDS (INDIA! Colombo*. -- MALDIVES; [la Lumpur Singapore s%tNOAPORE . 1.1k Equal nr & I \ 'Sumatra Scale 1:48,000,000 Azimuthal Equal-Area Projection 0 BOO Kilometers s? , : Jakarta lava TIMOKLEST 800 Miles A AUSTRALIA Boundary representation is not necessarily authoritative. ASIA 790 REFERENCE MAPS CENTRAL AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN 791 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK EUROPE Jan Mayen (NORWAV) Har^merfestSp Crree island Murmansk Trom ■ Arkhangel'sk Reykjavi Torshavn Faroe Islands (DENMARK) Tampere Bothnia SHETLAND ISLANDS ~ in! Petersburg 1 ALAND inlands r Tallinn \ s msportiAv ORKNEY ISLANDS Roekatl HEBRIDES Stavangerf^j Moscow •LATVIA Smolensk uihuapha! , Vilnius, Olarnl Kaliningr. Bornholm j*. DwWtfSl irhtv O.daftsk : Hrodna Hamburg Warsaw Bremetr Bifmagiiatty Amstert I - j^kotterdai daa’f.C d ioSi* v Wroclaw \ Rivne \ .Essen ^Krakow Guernsey Jersey itfc&t; CImmiiUm Chisinau Stuttgart 'Munich „ L^&ssmtxsM : EDHAHIA Bay of Biscay ■Constanta i" Zagreb X-- n j- BosrstA f Bordeaux * Bilbao : . ; Jouiouse- ^ „ Jty&c : xlav^'Marsdii^ Varna. Adriatic * Sea Podgorica, ** "'£ aL Tirani Corsica h Rome VATIC AS CITY Barcelona SPAtn wtacf BALEARIC ISLANDS Palermo 'Jkm M,edlte r raneau Sea Scale 1: 19,500,000 V Lambert Conformal Conk Projection, standard parallels 40°N ami 56“N 0 J00 Kilometers Valletta MALTA ALGERIA Boundary representa Bon H n at ncceswiK' authorita live. MOROCCO v;'f „ JwkmF' _ m i 792 REFERENCE MAPS KAZAKHSTAN Sevastopol 'Constanta Varna UZBEKISTAN Nukus Caspian Sea itewesi point in Eur ope, -28 m) Sokhumi Dasogu: Samsun ^skimqayit Buxoro SIAN Turkmenabat GAR AG ich Nicosia Het&i CYPRUS Mediterranean he a LEBANON, Haifa^*" ISRAEL/,- Port Jerusalem/ §?id Jnk Jexandr: Kuwait kiWAIT Persian « Cmlt , , Manama r it /v # ./QATAR uxor Abu Dhabi Aswan Muscat Yartbu' aTBajtr UNITED ARAB / EMIRATES f liddah? OMAN Port Sudan Salalah artoum isawa YEMEN Wad Madam - iUf-ei luTl ^ Djibouti Seal* i.:2i ,000,000 'm . Lambert Conformal Conk Project! standard parallels 12 *N and .18 .0 Mi 300 Kilometers •MALIA Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied Syria. West Bank and Gaza Strip arc Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israetl-Palestlnlan interim Agreement -- permanent status to he determined through further negotiation, Israel proclaimed Jerusalem as tts capital In 1 050, hut the US. like nearly all other countries, maintains Its Embassy in lei Aviv. / Boundary representation is ' riot necessarily authoritative MIDDLE EAST 793 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK NORTH AMERICA If: i j>1 Siberian : SiX*. .. : ■ •' •' _ I \l .-ih 1 , ‘ ! . > , * • T C T : .. ImL \ X' „ JBarrow Provideniy^:^^| Prtidhoe ; states " ( -'Xi: " / i A -• *V‘ V-,k, mgmg s"‘ * v • • •inuvri, et-.ti’. i\ solute f> ' 'f " -• 1 x V ••XXC AiPfA D A ; <«*■ . RattAiMS** ..... , ‘ * - l; S £ mBHMH l® *• w u ,- ♦ ,.v A • ??- *msf P' jim5 >4 Whi k horse / v.\ T , ■ X ” * -; 1 ■ ki X T- ., X''*» Bsr' \ ' v YVatsoo - V' , ,. a^- i Wm '*> ' ^nMWHyWm^i -M c s' ■;: ; xx ^ .;pm^|*p$vh\ ■;;... . :#::: SthWl! I\ Ilk Gite Se 85yf fs‘an,# °( * Sctvftvtftakind .: : ' □9 N j r i h P 3 C i IT ' ;y"' yn WimMpeg* pi** •fail f4k% .Chisasibi »;, ■ r, c \ : , i ? i PortbMd* /-*-• 4-' ''A--" J O o, . , -,v . , . < t. y JwP* ^tX'C • "I Mill, |p I MP;T - ./ . .%«nf R-hn Montria^ V/fet v ^ ■. «T p . - > ;\\ 'Toronto * " k ■ y ' ’«»•' M hi ^ spoils ' P New \i-"k * ■ ■ 1 1 L ¥cto-t« <*%&* : r",m” Columbus* ’ .7 - Washington, D C. ' ' ' ' * N a i * 3 ^ ; Indianapolis < .-.. .-.'.T - tA>s.OS \ / S i , ’ Ail • *"a,,h* ,*t-m • .= ,: . . . HOrthiZ S.-, '; | U> T* P, W 5 A- AA A' '■' ' San Ok,, . ' - ' , y • Ai'.A'A • / MT1 th ISiill '. 4 1 t' .1 M Bermuda •’>.K. l|§p VE ... ■ ■ . A lacksouvHky . Antoitto r ciuda ' y nL L * " ; • -,- ) ' *B^rmositlo A c'\ Vhv:;‘-.- . , **A P . P 1 i i.i ,.,... i * *„ a Monkrroy ' i Mexico , h T „ I i i Miamii W'VTf\ La Scale; 1:38.700,000 Lambert Conformal Conic Projection, standard parallels 37 *N and 65*N \^,ur VmEXICQ;! # , ' ,4 iMTampico % THE BAHAMAS jl^u Havana ■ ■ T. -hi, CUBA ' ffcri .AA": Ouadafajara^ po : 'l(W K l.'K-ll’k-'j ■— 1 - i .: . . . ISL-15 liCVlUAOICimtO ....'I i*l(SKOi Pori au- ill Kingston \ :Ci v -A " JAMAICA j Veracruz x > > ,4 ; lut,.A ! .- BELIZE .Puebla ^-pfX^dmopan aoa m Miles Boundary I’epresentabo^ Is noi necessarily AUtliortel^ T..r.hbc.: ; \ Silly $ <** .Oaxaca S .-: * \ Jg ■*' Acapulco* . HONDURAS Gtiarcmala Tegucigalpa GUATEMALA 4 *'^* X5 NICARAGUA \ S^n Salvador^ _ i___ _ el SALVADOR ' .* r 1,11 Ml*al1 11 ln 1 11 ' ^xnyVi'i T REFERENCE MAPS - S. “ ' - ips y iM| :- - OCEANIA 795 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK PHYSICAL MAP OF THE WORLD 796 Physical Map of the World, April 2007 REFERENCE MAPS POLITICAL MAP OF THE WORLD III! m t ; ite Ip * 797 Political Map of the World, April 2007 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK Martinique. (FRANCE) ^ go ST. LUCIA s ST. VINCENT AND n THE GRENADINES GRENADA » Aruba tt!* JbCTU.i ifc -i, onie Uberlandla Iquique Campo Grande w&ni PARAQlJAY Rio dethqefm Antofagasta* J O ol Cag* Sao l’a.,,0 * Asuncion? Santos Curitiba iaa Ntoei e 'lucuman Rfcsistc'nlia' I Iona nopal Is Porto Alegre* Cerro Aconcagua ( . (highest pain! in ~~f~SA ? South America, 096? m) H 74? Valparaiso] *' \ Santiago* fCSrdohJ G,i ;;.a c Mendo <1 Hosjrlo4- URUGUAY? Buenos Aires: Concepcion lanca, Puerto Mont Comodoro Rivad^via Laguna del CarfoOn America ■ (toms! point in South the Western Hemisphere, -105 ml Sir ai f of Marf. g^^Stanley Falkland Islands ilslas Malvinas) (administered by O.K., claimed by ARGENTINA; Punla 500 Miles Boundary representation is not necessarily authoritative. SOUTH AMERICA BARBADOS a r t h TRtNIDAD AND I OKAGO COSTA Rie^.f Georgetown Hi Natal | Recife i Ism Sou Amhrosio Ish San Felix (CHILE) (CHILL} CHI AHCHIPtElAGO \ }U AN FERNANDEZ \ (CHILE) Piatd Montevideo mk. Mar del Plata Scale 1:35,000,000 Azimuthal Equal-Area Projection 0 500 Kilometers South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (administered by U.K.. , claimed by ARGENTINA) 798 REFERENCE MAPS SOUTHEAST ASIA 799 THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK STANDARD TIME ZONES OF THE WORLD 800 REFERENCE MAPS Bchto'a-*. Prudhoe Bay inuvik Mm Fairbanks Nome / Providenlva Whitehorse Valdez MKhnragc Bering Sea Washington, D.C Ketcn i Id use Scale 1:37,000,000 400 Kilometers MnZZ2z^ 1 400 Miles IR02418) — - Edmonton 'V >Va ncouv's#' Regma f Seattle ilympia , Wmm Maine Montreal Ottawa Salem Helena Bismarck Montpelier Idaho V \ Boise Albam Now X&rk Maas. IWt'.StS itiencc Pierre tv J J Delrotf . > Perinsyfeania . jZxGw York Philatlelphia'®r!|;A,an"" \ Hanisfeu^^^'V'' fc^—srPS'“ M«f 40*5 1 icftkogo; NeMrasla- Cheyenne ’•■^aeramenio .^Carson City Oes Moines _ -Sr' — Columbus- Vvi/i! > J Vffp.iAiir / Uncoln, Indiana %an Franctsco ington, D.C Denver '. Richmond NJ f. $ Vtrjpm SI. Louis.' leflerson City . Mks. Ocean ® Tallahassee’ Baton Austin hfew Orleans Houston Chihuahua GulfVf Mexico Monretrey (R0212C UNITED STATES Scale 1 :360,000 0 5 Kilometers . H-‘-r . -I : 0 5 Mttes */ / AnadyrC" '/ / . j '//:Ur'AX ,Sl4 \ > ^ i. iso- -*A*. » ifa North Atlantic A \\ » FinrWaX • \ A ^~sl5 Miami] THE" BAHAMAS \ 4, } Nassau* ho N North Pacific Ocean IV', > 1 -■ ® State capital , j . Hefmosillo Scale 1:27,000,000 Albers Equal- Aren Projection standard parallels 28 °30'N and 45 °30'N /( a 00 Kilomete J L v •m 500 Miles Hawaii ’0 If (V 1: ;o , r Idway i> a lands ksj %, Ita, - . fo u - - - . >0 150 14 North Pacific pce.m 0 Scale 1 :34, 0 400 K 1 - 1 - 1—1 - 000,000 lomelers - . . ' 'y,r "i - Ktuiai Honolulu Oahu Maul Tropic of Cancer 0 400 Miles P 1 0 u ) Hawaii U ''■f * v! 0 - 20 (R024I9) 801 & Reference $12.95 (CAN $14.95) A Comprehensive COUNTRY-BY-COUNTRY Look at Our World ■ ■ • ■ ■ - " •>. , ••• ^ ... Full of up-to-date information on countries from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, this fascinating, practical, and one-of-a-kind reference book, originally intended for use by government officials, should be within easy reach of every student, traveler, and journalist, as well as anyone who does business internationally. Here you will find remarkably useful information on each of the world’s nations, including: • A useful map along with geographical data. • A full description of the population, with information on such topics as literacy rates, HIV prevalence, and age structure. • Details on prominent political parties and contact information for diplomatic representation. • An economic overview from household income to Gross Domestic Product. • A look at transportation and communication infrastructure. • Information on military capabilities and expenditures. • And much more! With recently updated maps and multiple appendices, this comprehensive resource is a necessary companion for everyone who needs facts and figures on the countries of the world at their fingertips. I Skyhorse Publishing, Inc. 555 Eighth Avenue, Suite 903 New York, NY 10018 WA/vw.skyhorsepublishingxom 1 -60239-080-0 978-1-60239-080-5 Cover design by Eric Clark Cover photo © SXC.hu Printed in the United States of America